At the Intermot show in Germany last month, Honda unveiled a redesigned version of its flagship sportbike, the CBR1000RR SP. It makes 10 more horsepower, weighs 33 pounds less and has a 14-percent improvement in the power-to-weight ratio.
Read our 2017 Honda CBR1000RR SP first look review
This week, at the EICMA show in Milan, Italy, Honda pulled the covers off the 2017 edition of the base model superbike, the CBR1000RR. It has the same improvements in power and lightness, and is very similar to the SP model. The biggest difference is with respect to suspension: the SP has semi-active Öhlins Electronic Control suspension (S-EC), whereas the standard CBR1000RR has manually adjustable suspension by Showa, including a 43mm, large-volume, upside-down Big Piston Fork and a Balance Free Rear Cushion (BFRC) shock.
The standard model has the same liquid-cooled, 998cc in-line four-cylinder engine as the SP, which features revised valve lift and cam timing, magnesium covers, a titanium muffler and a redesigned slipper clutch. Both are equipped with throttle-by-wire, a five-axis Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) and the Honda Selectable Torque Control (HSTC) system to manage rear-wheel traction. Selectable Engine Brake, Riding Mode Select System and Power Selector are all standard, but the standard model does not have the wheelie control, slide control and quickshifter found on the SP. The titanium fuel tank from the SP version is utilized, and likewise the rigidity balance of the aluminum frame has been adjusted. Whereas the SP has Brembo brakes, the standard CBR1000RR is equipped with Tokico radial 4-piston front calipers. Cornering ABS is optional.
The CBR1000RR is available in both standard (in Red/Black/White or Matte Black Metallic) and ABS versions (in Matte Black Metallic only). Bikes should be in dealerships starting in April 2017, but prices are TBD.
