Test riding CB1000R

[R6_kid:Me]

It all comes down to mission statements. Without knowing exactly what the manufacturers have set out to build how can we say it's no good?

Because, we are the people of KB and we know everything.

[Big Dave]

Because, we are the people of KB and we know everything.

What's with the 'we' ?

[short-circuit]

The Japs should stick to 1 litre screamers - contracting Italians to do the styling for this bike and they come up with a cumbersome cross between a Z1000 and a transformer.

[AllanB]

The best part of the 'old' Hornet 919 was the new cost of $10999.

Try and beat that with a stick.

I can't foresee me having $19k for an 'upgrade'. Period.

Still maybe just a wee test ride.

They are not in Christchurch yet.

Also the name 'Predator' from the global magazines I have seen only NZ is giving it a 'name'. Weird.

[Big Dave]

Can't wait for a burn on the Buell 1125CR transformer. I'm digging the looks now that I have seen it.

Big Davo tron

[short-circuit]

Can't wait for a burn on the Buell 1125CR transformer. I'm digging the looks now that I have seen it.

Big Davo tron

Yeah - even the yanks can do better

[pritch]

Yeah - even the yanks can do better

May I respectfully suggest an urgent visit to an optician???

[short-circuit]

May I respectfully suggest an urgent visit to an optician???

I've learn't never to preach to the indocrinated - but maybe I can save a few others

[jrandom]

If you gear a naked for 300klicks as per your 14 then you effectively reduce the useable gears by 1. As per my old 916 with it's stratospheric gearing, 6th was more of a theory than an actuality 'cos it was good for fuck all.

Your 916 didn't have 80 foot pounds of torque from 3krpm.

an overdrive that wouldn't pull the skin of mum's gravy.

I'm guessing you haven't ridden a GSX1400?

That's for any naked with vaguely sporting pretensions anyway, if you prefer more "regal" transport you may prefer something different.

Well, yes, Betty's pretty regal. Although she still laps Taupo quite happily at mid-pack F3 pace under my unskilled direction, so perhaps you can't go calling her entirely unsporting.

I think a lot of people are a little too hidebound in their thinking about what a motorcycle can or should be.

The new HD XR1200 is a good example of something that might fuck up a few preconceptions.

Same-old same-old bikes get boring after a while eh?

[gijoe1313]

Well the kindly personas at Botany Honda were right bastards to me today. After I dropped off my Big Ol'Hornet for its overdue service (somehow in the week of booking, at 17500km, I end up with 21000km on the clock! ).

Lo and behold Richard is there looking all cosy like and sitting on the showroom is the Hornet CB600F and Predator CB1000R. A bit of a chinwag and I get tossed the keys to go out and have a bit of a test ride on the 600.

Richard's a bastard like that.

After the usual pleasantries I take it out to the Whitford twisties and back again. My oath, a lot of fun to be had on that middle ol'hornet!

Handles well, is a completely different beastie after 10k revs and all in all, a very sharp little package. Damn I hate it when they do that to you! After all, they just let you sell the bike to yourself! Will have to be adding one of these to my Hornet stable.

Anyhow, Zapf and Gremlin rock up after some texting and I decide to tag along and see how the CB1000R rides. Watching Zapf take it down the road, I'm struck at how small it seems from the back! But damn, it looks good and usually in biker parlance that translates to riding fun!

Will be interesting to see Zapf's and Gremlin's opinion on the bike!

I got stuck with a zxr250 as my loaner and got to learn how to ride a 250 all over again! Any excuse for a ride I say!

[Gremlin]

The best part of the 'old' Hornet 919 was the new cost of $10999.

Try and beat that with a stick.

I can't foresee me having $19k for an 'upgrade'. Period.

The hornet was nowhere near $11k when it was first released. All Hondas that have a long life cycle get cheaper near the end. Sure, the CB900, brand new, in 07-08 was the best value for money of any bike, but it was more like $15k brand new?

Have had a spin on it, unfortunately, the weather wasn't playing ball, and I wasn't too keen to play with a press bike on roads on a little wet, so testing was restricted to a few minutes on some well chosen roads prior to the rain setting in.

If you haven't ridden a hornet, you probably won't grasp a lot of this, as its quite similar to it, but updated. You have the same low down pull from 2k (maybe lower) and the same restrained feeling when opening the throttle wide (it doesn't seem to open up and get wild).

First impressions sitting on it, there isn't much in front of you. You have the small flash dash, a bit of the tank, and a wheel somewhere. Bars are narrow, but provide enough leverage, should be an ace when splitting. Seating position is quite upright, and forward focussed. You feel tilted towards the front, without it being too uncomfortable. Seat is small, I fill the thing from front to back. You also can't sit on it sideways as you would when stopped chatting. Pillion seat is even smaller. Cunningly, they have tucked cut outs in the body work under the tail, to serve as handholds for the pillions.

Ignore the paper weight figures, as with a lot of new bikes, it hides its weight very well. The bike seems light on its feet, changes direction very easily (one riding it almost rode it into a curb, when it changed direction quicker than anticipated) but this does give way to it sometimes feeling nervous in the front end. I had definite headshake heading into a downhill off camber corner, but then I think its a really soft setup for me. Being a press bike, I'm not sure who has had a go on the suspension, so there could be a factor there.

The bike is well balanced, low speed handling (walking pace) is easy. It will also see 200+ quite easily, said another shocked rider not normally known to see those speeds (I did gently remind him of the existence of laws and "speed limits"). Bar the headshake, it will punt through corners very well, feeling planted, and ready to play.

Braking is superb, and something Honda have definitely improved over the hornet (always felt soft, and not strong enough). It doesn't have a strong tendancy to stand up under braking as the Speed Triple did, good sign if you have woopsies. More than anything, the front digs into the tarmac, the brakes are that strong.

The bike is physically very small, the peg to seat height is shorter than the hornet. I was said to look like I had a bike stuck up my arse, so if you're 6 foot plus, be prepared to look like a giant, but you won't feel uncomfortable. There is also plenty of space under the tank for your knees.

Overall, it is more focussed to the sportsbike range, than simple naked, than the hornet, but still has enough low down pull to not need to constantly change gears. As always, Honda smooth, but it is not quite as practical as the hornet.

Up at 0530 for another head-to-head, hopefully the weather plays ball... lets see.

[AlBundy]

Well, it seems we owe Mentaldude an apology. Seems this bike is a lively one by all accounts...

[MentalFacility]

The hornet was nowhere near $11k when it was first released. All Hondas that have a long life cycle get cheaper near the end. Sure, the CB900, brand new, in 07-08 was the best value for money of any bike, but it was more like $15k brand new?

Have had a spin on it, unfortunately, the weather wasn't playing ball, and I wasn't too keen to play with a press bike on roads on a little wet, so testing was restricted to a few minutes on some well chosen roads prior to the rain setting in.

If you haven't ridden a hornet, you probably won't grasp a lot of this, as its quite similar to it, but updated. You have the same low down pull from 2k (maybe lower) and the same restrained feeling when opening the throttle wide (it doesn't seem to open up and get wild).

First impressions sitting on it, there isn't much in front of you. You have the small flash dash, a bit of the tank, and a wheel somewhere. Bars are narrow, but provide enough leverage, should be an ace when splitting. Seating position is quite upright, and forward focussed. You feel tilted towards the front, without it being too uncomfortable. Seat is small, I fill the thing from front to back. You also can't sit on it sideways as you would when stopped chatting. Pillion seat is even smaller. Cunningly, they have tucked cut outs in the body work under the tail, to serve as handholds for the pillions.

Ignore the paper weight figures, as with a lot of new bikes, it hides its weight very well. The bike seems light on its feet, changes direction very easily (one riding it almost rode it into a curb, when it changed direction quicker than anticipated) but this does give way to it sometimes feeling nervous in the front end. I had definite headshake heading into a downhill off camber corner, but then I think its a really soft setup for me. Being a press bike, I'm not sure who has had a go on the suspension, so there could be a factor there.

The bike is well balanced, low speed handling (walking pace) is easy. It will also see 200+ quite easily, said another shocked rider not normally known to see those speeds (I did gently remind him of the existence of laws and "speed limits"). Bar the headshake, it will punt through corners very well, feeling planted, and ready to play.

Braking is superb, and something Honda have definitely improved over the hornet (always felt soft, and not strong enough). It doesn't have a strong tendancy to stand up under braking as the Speed Triple did, good sign if you have woopsies. More than anything, the front digs into the tarmac, the brakes are that strong.

The bike is physically very small, the peg to seat height is shorter than the hornet. I was said to look like I had a bike stuck up my arse, so if you're 6 foot plus, be prepared to look like a giant, but you won't feel uncomfortable. There is also plenty of space under the tank for your knees.

Overall, it is more focussed to the sportsbike range, than simple naked, than the hornet, but still has enough low down pull to not need to constantly change gears. As always, Honda smooth, but it is not quite as practical as the hornet.

Up at 0530 for another head-to-head, hopefully the weather plays ball... lets see.

Totaly agree with u on the sitting position. But i got used to the feeling that there is nothing infront of u on the blade. It has a very short and blind nose too.

[madbikeboy]

Also for steering dampers, most of the trouble there, comes from people hanging onto the bars too tightly.

Really? So steering head angle/rake/trail and road surface make no difference?

Even the most relaxed geometry will shake its head occasionally, depending on road condition. A damper is cheap insurance to ensure things don't get wildly out of shape. Dampers can be used to mask poor design (try riding a TLS / TLR without one).

My GSXR1000 will tend to wiggle occasionally on the road, running across overbanding, poor surfaces, even diesel. I'm pretty sure that I've got a relaxed grip...

[slowpoke]

Your 916 didn't have 80 foot pounds of torque from 3krpm.



Yep, there's no subsitute for cubes

I'm guessing you haven't ridden a GSX1400?

Nooooo, I've got a reputation to think of.....or more to the point I don't wanna get one!

Well, yes, Betty's pretty regal. Although she still laps Taupo quite happily at mid-pack F3 pace under my unskilled direction, so perhaps you can't go calling her entirely unsporting.

If you are doing those sort of times you aren't half as unskilled as I am

I think a lot of people are a little too hidebound in their thinking about what a motorcycle can or should be.

The new HD XR1200 is a good example of something that might fuck up a few preconceptions.

Same-old same-old bikes get boring after a while eh?

Yep, no body is riding the bike but you, so if it does what you want how you want it to, then it's all good.