Finally I found some free time to create
this site! I am a big fan of motorcycles and I will try to present them
to You in a way that hopefully will be interesting. So let`s kick off ! :) First
of all in my first posts I will focus on motorcycles overall. There will be a
lot of interesting information about technology, gear, parts
and everything else connected with it. For today I`ve picked 2011 Honda CB1000R:
The high resolution image is avaliable at this link: 2011 Honada CB1000R.
This model is quite modern :
Specifications
·
Price: $10,999 (available only in black)
·
Engine: Liquid-cooled, 999cc inline-4
·
Transmission: Close-ratio six-speed
·
Front Brakes: Dual radial-mounted four-piston calipers with 310mm discs
·
Rear Brakes: Single 256mm disc
·
Front Suspension: 43mm inverted cartridge fork with spring preload,
rebound and compression damping adjustability; 4.7 inches travel
·
Rear Suspension: Single gas-charged shock with spring preload and
rebound damping adjustability; 5.0 inches travel
·
Rake: 25.0°
·
Trail: 3.9 inches
·
Seat Height: 32.5 inches
·
Fuel Capacity: 4.5 gallons, with 1.0 gallon reserve
In the not too distant past, motorcycles were
either naked bikes or dirt bikes, making it relatively easy to pick a style to
suit your needs.
"Nowadays, motorcycle
options have evolved and dispersed into sub-genres, from sport adventure
bikes to touring cruisers with a touch of chopper influence, and everything
in-between.
The 2011 Honda
CB1000R, priced at $10,999, looks like a traditional standard but combines
superbike underpinnings with exposed mechanical styling-- a relatively basic
formula, and one that pits this Honda against competitors like the Triumph
Speed Triple and Kawasaki Z1000.
Let's take a ride
and see how that formula works for this naked literbike.
The CB1000R is based on the fully-faired CBR1000RR,
a focused sportbike with committed ergonomics and track-ready performance. To
transform the superbike into a friendlier ride, the CB1000R gets a new rolling
chassis with a gravity die cast aluminum frame and single-sided swingarm.
Suspension has been softened with a 43mm preload, rebound, and compression
adjustable cartridge fork up front and a preload and rebound adjustable rear
monoshock. Four-piston dual 310mm front discs and a single 256mm rear disc
provides stopping power, though-- unlike the CBR1000RR-- the CB1000R doesn't
offer anti-lock brakes. Seat height measures 32.5 inches, and fuel capacity is
4.5 gallons, with 1.0 gallon in reserve.
The Honda CB1000R's
engine is based on a 998cc mill from the CBR1000RR, but because the current-gen
lump produces the bulk of its power in the upper registers, the CB1000R borrows
the engine from the 2007-era CBR1000RR with a longer stroke and smaller bore,
making it more willing to produce more low and mid-range grunt that's better
suited to street riding.
Rounding out the
exterior is angular bodywork that exposes that inline-4 cylinder mill and
various other bits, including a stylistically controversial underslung muffler
that scoops up the right side of the bike.
Though the
CBR1000RR is one of the more ergonomically approachable bikes in its class, the
CB1000R takes that theme further with an upright seating position that Honda
calls "a slight forward lean to offset the oncoming airstream."
Though the CB's
overall setup is indeed comfy, I found its seat to be a bit thin, flat, and
forward-tilted, not quite as sculpted and form fitting as it could be. The
cockpit view (seen here) provides an almost unrecognizable perspective over the
handlebars compared to its superbike cousin, which shrouds a MotoGP-style
digital display within a fairing. On the CB, raised handlebars fly free in the
wind, flanked by large mirrors and a digital display backlit in blue that is
rather low and hard to read in bright sunlight. Clear fluid reservoirs further
reinforce the bike's raw, exposed look. But as you'll see in the next section,
this bike's ride isn't so unpolished.
Everything on paper
suggests the CB1000R is a mean, unrelenting chip-off-the-ol'-superbike-block. But
reality-- at least for the most part-- isn't quite like that.
Once you've settled
into that surprisingly stiff saddle, kicked up the side-stand, and clicked into
first gear, moderate throttle inputs are met with a wave of smooth torque that
pulls the bike forward with ease. It's not an insistent, thumpy pull like a
big-bore Harley, but rather an easy, mellow tug that propels you towards rather
reasonable speeds.
Though the
instrument panel is hard to see in sunlight, that fact becomes increasingly
irrelevant the more you ride the CB1000R; it's positioned distractingly low,
and reflects glare when the sun hits it the wrong way. Best to keep your eyes
on the road and focus ahead, especially when you rev that engine past its first
few thousand rpm. After all, the initial tease of torque isn't particularly
punchy, but rather smooth enough to make you think there isn't much beyond
it... which is dead wrong.
Hold the revs past
that little lull in the torque curve, and the CB1000R charges like stink all
the way to its 10,250 rpm redline. That urgency is deceptive, but absolutely
enthralling in a relatively understated way. Equally agreeable is the clutch
and shifter combination, which works together to produce easy, positive
engagement.
When I wasn't
blasting the CB along traffic-clogged highways, I traversed canyon roads
through Malibu and Angeles Crest where its upright posture made it easy to
wrestle, though its suspension felt a bit soft when it came to more technical
stretches. Tightening the rear shock offered some improvement in feel, though I
admittedly didn't have time to mess with the fork settings, which I suspect
would have made it more reassuring on aggressive stretches of twisty roads.
At the end of the
day, the CB1000R feels almost exactly like you'd expect a big bore Honda to
feel: smooth, composed, and drama-free, with a bit more mid-range punch than
you might expect from a toned-down superbike. The only surprises are the minor
ergonomic let downs (like the saddle and digital display), which prevent the
Honda from hitting the absolute sweet spot of stealthy, subdued speed.
The Honda CB1000R is a collision of two genres--
superbike and naked bike-- that should, in theory, make it one hell of an
exciting yet comfortable motorcycle to ride. But Honda's engineering slickness
sometimes makes them their own worst enemy, as they produce motorcycles that
operate with nearly flawless execution at the expense of that elusive quality
of character.
Triumph's Speed
Triple, Kawasaki's Z1000, and (at an elevated pricepoint) Ducati's
Streetfighter are examples of how literbike hardware can combine with
exposed styling to offer an edgy, performance-oriented disposition that's
consistent with the whole "hooligan bike" sub-genre. And while the
Honda has flashes of attitude-- especially when the upper registers of its
powerband are breached-- overall, the CB1000R is characterized by its
refinements, not its tantalizingly rough edges.
Less a bad boy and
more a model student with occasional bouts of attitude, the Honda CB1000R is a
perfectly fun to ride, but somewhat inoffensive motorcycle. And while there's
nothing wrong with that (and something very Honda about it), I also wish this
literbike had just a little bit more of a naughty streak." (source motorcycles.about.com)
Feel free to
comment everything what You see here, what`s positive , negative , what should I
change and just give me Your opinion J
That`s all for today. Till tomorrow :)
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