You could take a modern sports car and add or subtract 100kg of ballast without the average driver feeling the difference, even when driving it to the limit around a racetrack. Motorcycles, especially superbikes, are a totally different kettle of fish. They’re now so technologically advanced that designers of new models battle to trim any weight at all and a surplus of just 10kg over the opposition is enough to relegate last year’s champ to this year’s has-been.
Take a look at what Honda’s done to sharpen its hugely popular Fireblade for 2006. Firstly, the weight issue. Last year’s ‘Blade was a relatively porky 179kg, which the factory’s trimmed down to 176kg for 2006. But losing even 3kg is a monumental task when you’re talking about superbikes. To achieve its target, Honda reduced the diameter of the camshafts by 2,5mm, which gave a saving of 450g. The exhaust system went on a titanium diet, shedding nearly 1,5kg, and the radiator lost 500g. A magnesium engine cover saved another 100g and the brake rotors’ thickness was reduced, to trim a further 300g of unsprung weight from the bike.
Having lopped 3kg from the machine, the factory set about putting a sharper edge on its handling. Fork trail was reduced by 2mm and the swing-arm shortened by 5mm, with the wheelbase now being 10mm shorter. Shorter plus lighter equates livelier handling, so things were looking good. To aid in the stopping department, the radial-mounted front discs grew from 310mm to 320mm.
The Fireblade’s 998cc fuel-injected four-cylinder engine was tweaked considerably for 2006. The cylinder head has been revamped, with bigger exhaust ports and the combustion chambers have shrunk slightly. The intake valves have been reshaped and a new, stiffer crankshaft has been fitted for extra strength.
New concentric valve springs collaborate with the new camshafts and valves to push the red-line up from 11 650rpm to 12 200rpm and the engine ECU has been re-programmed. All this fettling allowed the simplest and possibly most effective change to be made to the new Honda — a change in rear sprocket size. With 42 teeth instead of 40, the bike’s overall gearing is lowered, allowing it to make use of the extra 550rpm the engine now offers.
I’ve never ridden a Fireblade of any vintage before, so when I saw that Honda South Africa had a 2005 model at the Cape Town launch I scrounged a ride on it so that I had a basis for comparison. My first impression was that the 3kg saved weight felt more like 12kg missing from the new bike. It turned quicker, responded to throttle input faster and, in general, felt much more of an improvement over the old than the figures would lead you to expect. Despite this, the big Honda remains a gentleman — easy to ride, refined and, for a superbike, comfortable.
The launch ride from Somerset West took us along the beautiful coastal road past Hermanus and on towards Franschoek. Having not ridden a true superbike hard for some months, I found myself initially startled by the rapidity with which the Honda reeled in the straights between the corners. Point it out of a bend, get on to the gas hard enough to keep the front wheel just skimming the road and prepare to get hard on to the brakes again in a couple of seconds. Despite its reduction in length and quicker turning than last year’s model, the Honda’s still a very stable machine, without the nervousness of last year’s Kawasaki ZX-10R.
It also lacks the intimidation factor of the Green Meanie, without being markedly slower for a rider of my limited abilities.
When I found a place to stretch the Honda’s considerable legs, the last number I glimpsed on the big digital speedometer before I had to drag my eyes back to the next bend was 286kph, and still pulling. At 80m per second you don’t have much time for sightseeing, so I halved my speed and felt as if I could get off the bike and walk.
As with all Hondas, the Fireblade is superbly finished. At R110 000 it’s also cheaper than you would have had to pay for last year’s model.