Motorcycle specifications HondaCBR 900 RR FIREBLADE 1993 The new face of sportswomen

speed cameras, potholes, diesel marks and failing to give way aside, motorcycles - and sports bikes in particular - have only one enemy: weight. With this in mind, Tadao Baba (former head of Honda's R&D testing department) developed the CBR 900 RR project. His idea: to design the lightest possible machine.

with the aim of offering a motorcycle with remarkable performance, the work focused on several areas. The choice of displacement may come as a surprise - why a 900 when the competition is offering FZR 1000s and GSX-R 1100s? Because the important thing is not to provide a furious horde of horsepower. The CBR 900 has come as close as possible to an ideal compromise, thanks to the hunt for superfluous weight and the creation of a light, compact engine. Do you want the figures to speak for themselves? Hold on to your hats: 124 hp for just 185 kg. A record weight for a large-displacement sports car. Can you imagine?

the Fireblade's development was no piecemeal affair, and required a great deal of brainpower. 4 years of careful thought and extensive IT support enabled us to optimize recent technical solutions to create a powerful, reliable and slender motorcycle without resorting to difficult (and costly) innovations. The engine is state-of-the-art, a water-cooled 4-cylinder double ACT 16-valve unit that weighs just 68 kg. That's just 6 more than the CBR 600, but without the use of race-bred crazy techniques. Every component of the CBR has been designed with the same care. The frame barely exceeds 10 kg. It's a classic aluminum perimeter frame. But as you've heard, the hunt for excess weight has been relentless. As a result, the 900 RR looks quite small for a big bike.

its dimensions are almost identical to those of the 600. But there's no mistaking them: the design is meaner, the shapes more generous, more enhancing, more "big cubes" while preserving its compact appearance. Not so for the tank, which is truly imposing. The other pleasant surprise is the rider's position. The riding position has not been radicalized. Although the seat is quite high, you feel more like you're on a good VFR-type sport-GT than on a typical track bike like a Kawasaki 750 ZXR. Pleasant to ride from the very first turns of the wheel, the bike has an obvious quality: it immediately puts its rider at ease. The engine is incredibly smooth and contributes greatly to the riding pleasure. The gearbox is also a model of smoothness and precision.
Honda's hallmark is that it gives itself immediately to the driver. There's no need for an instruction manual immediately ready for use. This character trait is also to be found on this 900, a rare enough trait to be highlighted, as the majority of sportbikes are more fierce.

once underway, this featherweight motorcycle literally scotches you with its ride. For a sportbike in its class, agility is simply incredible. The ride is effortless and natural, even when the pace picks up. The steering is easy to place and impressively precise. You put the CBR exactly where you want it, and the front end takes care of the rest. Perhaps a little too light on hard acceleration at times - watch out for the road profile - but the bike leaves plenty of room for manoeuvre, allowing you to correct your trajectory, even on a corner, without any great effort. This sporty bike has exemplary handling. Its weight/power/ease/lightness/efficiency ratio is close to perfection. At times, we even wonder if it hasn't achieved it. And those excellent Bridgestone tires, including a 180 at the rear, serve it well in its evolutions.

we shouldn't say it, but it's really annoying to have to make do with the 100 hp version in France. We've already seen that the mill is very flexible. In use, it's easy to see how well it matches the chassis. Lively, it doesn't lag behind when revving up, and is finally thrilled at high revs. OK, it doesn't have the power of an 1100 Kawa or a 1000 FZR, but the bike it's riding is much lighter than those, and the result is flattering acceleration that has nothing to envy the others. If you're able to reach the same speed in a twisty section, you'll score decisive points with the Honda. Less weight means slower braking, more effective cornering and better passing speed. Compete with any other sportbike - if the others can keep up with you at 400 m DA, you'll come out of the bend 3 seconds ahead.

less expensive but as efficient and agile as a YZF 750 R, more so than a GSX-R 1100, less radical and far more versatile and welcoming than a ZXR 750, the Honda CBR 900 RR Fireblade has the luxury of being the lightest sports bike on the market, an advantage it uses and abuses to its full advantage. The competition is outdated, and it's hard to see who could come along and upset it.

M.B
(inspired by Moto-journal - manufacturer's photos)