Lighter, Faster, Stronger. The 2006 Honda CBR1000RR is all that and then some. Designed for race-ready riding while keeping the casual canyon jammer in mind.
Overall Rating: 4 of 5
In Short
The Honda CBR1000RR is a simply a winner. It looks great, handles better than ever before, and Honda has gotten a bit more aggressive in their design while managing to continue to satisfy those of us still seeking ride-ability and comfort.
Pros
- World-renowned Honda reliability
- Increased RPM and horsepower from previous models
- More torque means better mid-range power
- Great bodywork
- Ergonomically more ride-able
Cons
- Feels big and bulky compared to the 600
- Duel Fuel Injector setup makes engine jumpy in quick "close-open" throttle inputs
- Keeping RPM near redline for power gives you a tingly feeling after riding
- Thinner brake rotors will warp easier with hard braking
Description
- 998cc liquid cooled inline 4 cylinder with Duel Stage Fuel Injection
- 75mm x 56.5mm Bore/Stroke and 12.2:1 compression ratio
- Dual full-floating 320mm 4-piston front disk brakes and single 220mm single-piston rear brakes.
- Fully adjustable 4.7 inch spring pre-load travel front suspension and Pro-Link spring-preloaded back shock 5.3 inch travel
- 120/70ZR-17 front radial and 190/50ZR-17 rear radial tires
- 32.3 inch seat height with 55.2 inch wheelbase
- Colors: Black, Candy Blue with Yellow, Red and Black, Silver and Metallic Silver
- MSRP: $11,299.00
In Depth Review - 2006 Honda CBR1000RR
The new Honda CBR1000RR delivers more horsepower and torque with a completely re-designed combustion chamber and higher compression engine. That, combined with the higher redline, the new aggressive chassis design and overall lighter weight, not to mention the new bodywork and paint, puts the Honda CBR1000RR right up there with the best of the one-liter machines.
There are numerous engine design changes that are clearly noticeable when you open the throttle. Even though the CBR1000RR has a longer stroke than before, it winds up much quicker than previous models, and has an alarming amount of acceleration.
The CBR1000RR has better chassis geometry that provides better handling during direction changes that in the past required more muscle than many riders preferred. While not as stable as previous models, it is able to wrap around corners better than ever before. The loss of stability coupled with the increase in handling is a net gain for riders.
The front brake rotors are thinner and larger in diameter than previous machines. This has good and bad points. While the larger diameter provides better bite, the thinner rotors will warp if you are a hard braker.
Fuel Injection is relatively new to the motorcycle world, (roughly a decade), so one could almost understand minor glitches with it. Although most manufacturers have developed EFI to perform fluidly with motorcycles, Honda still falls short when quick close-open throttle inputs are sent. While I wouldn't consider that a reason not to buy the CBR1000RR, it is something that should be considered.
