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Thursday, April 28, 2011

2011 Honda CB1000R Review

Turns out they listen to us after all. For years we’ve complained that our European counterparts get all the cool-looking motorcycles, and whenever we try to get them here those requests seem to fall on deaf ears. This holds especially true when it comes to naked sportbikes, which never seem to sell well over here.
Not this time. Honda’s CB1000R has already been available in Europe since 2008, and the liter-size sports naked has received positive reviews. For 2011, American Honda reps finally agreed to bring it to the USA.
Conservative as the company is, Honda is producing the CB1000R in limited numbers initially from its Italian manufacturing plant and will increase shipments if sales deem it worthy. As such, don’t expect to see it here in anything except black.

Every once in a blue moon we get a cool bike first seen in Europe on this side of the pond. In this case it’s the 2011 Honda CB1000R.

A Throwback To The Way Things Used To Be
Before the age of CBRs, GSX-Rs, ZX-Rs, and YZF-Rs, bikes like the CB1000R were considered the superbikes of the day. With minimal bodywork and upright handlebars, standard bikes like this didn’t have a category – they could do it all. Over the years, that formula has mutated into the genre-specific motorcycles we see today. Honda is aiming to bring back that classic style of the CB750 into a form fit for the 21st century.

While it doesn’t make nearly as much power as the CBR1000RR it was sourced from, the “retuned” mill provides plenty of grunt for street riding.

Pictures don’t do it justice, but when viewing the CB1000R in person from this angle, it really is svelte.

Where else should we start, then, but the engine. Based on the 2007 CBR1000RR 998cc motor (before the current generation), Honda refrains from calling the repurposed mill detuned, but instead calls it “retuned” for “loads of right-now power.” Whatever you want to call it, the “old” Honda superbike engine from just a few years ago now pumps out a modest 107 horsepower and 63.6 ft.-lb. of torque, according to the Superflow dyno at Gene Thomason Racing.
Retuned as it might be, the mill has plenty of power to get you out of the tightest situations. Or, if you’re like me, it has enough grunt to allow the rider to leave it in sixth gear and never touch the shift lever again at speeds above 20 mph. Speaking of gearing, the CB1K shifts with precise clicks each time you call for a gear. This is a feat we’re used to in many of Honda’s sport and sporty-type bikes.
Unlike Honda’s sportbikes, or any sportbike for that matter, the cockpit of the CB1K is noticeably neutral and unusually narrow, especially considering there’s a liter-class engine underneath you. Seat height is a reasonable 32.5 inches. The reach to the gold-anodized, tapered handlebars feels natural, while the footpegs are seemingly directly underneath the seat, which itself is fairly well cushioned. All told, the rider triangle harkens back to that of the CB750 of yore. Its narrow stature, however, “almost feels motard-like” as our own Pete Brissette put it.
A Trip Through Time
Riding the CB1000R is much like being transported back 30 years before motorcycles were so specific. Granted, I wasn’t alive 30 years ago, but I’ve heard stories. It’s so eager to hit the road, and the comfortable riding position makes it enticing to do so. Despite the fact it doesn’t have a windscreen, wind blast is fairly tolerable even at highway speeds.
Around town the bottom-end torque and rather short first gear makes quick work of stoplight drag races. And the fueling, especially at lower speeds, feels refined and seamless. Its narrow profile makes it a great urban dweller, as slicing between cars is supremely easy. The upswept handlebars provide enough leverage to maneuver wherever you need.

With plenty of torque on hand, simply sit back and twist the wrist and you’ll get results like this.

But when it comes down to it, the soul of the CB750 that’s found in the CB1000R yearns to be unleashed on twisty canyon roads, not in a straight line. It all starts in the die-cast aluminum frame that’s strong yet light and is the basis for the rest of the handling package.
That package consists of a fully adjustable 43mm Showa inverted fork in the front and a single Showa shock in the rear, adjustable only for spring preload and rebound damping. That shock is attached to a single-sided swingarm, which adds a bit of class and distinction to an already attractive design.

Suspension components are fully adjustable in front and lack only compression damping in the rear. Brakes on the CB are also competent for most situations, though our testers are split on their performance at the limit.

Thankfully the CB1000R performs as well as it looks. The handlebars that allow maneuverability on the everyday commute also add leverage to turn the bike in the canyons, aiding the bike’s lightweight feeling. In actuality, the CB1000R’s claimed wet weight is a substantial 485 pounds — about 30 pounds more than the 2007 CBR1000RR sportbike. It seems odd that a naked and minimalistic motorcycle weighs so much more than the fully-faired cousin it was derived from. Especially considering the CBR1000RR of the time was one of the heaviest literbikes on the market.
Nonetheless, the CB1000R hides that weight well with its ability to transition side to side extremely quickly and accurately. “Honda engineering at its best,” says Pete. “I don’t know how Big Red hid the extra pounds, but the CB’s feathery handling absolutely makes it feel as lightweight as a modern supersport. I didn’t believe the bike weighed as much as it does until I saw the figure in an official Honda press kit.”
Credit in this department also goes to the 180/55-17 rear tire Honda chose to fit on the CB. The taller, rounder profile helps make turn-in on the nearly 500-pound motorcycle a breeze.

We’re impressed by the Honda’s supremely agile handling, which is at least partly due to the 180/55-17 rear tire. Note also the single-sided swingarm.

When ridden at a brisk pace the suspension handles the bumps well, absorbing the bulk of imperfections on the road. It also allows the bike to track a consistent arc through turns. As delivered, our test bike was set up for a plush ride, with the preload ramp set to its lightest setting. Considering this, the ride was a touch soft when we ramped up the pace, but nothing a few clicks and turns of the adjusters couldn’t handle.

Get a little carried away with lean angle, and these comically long peg feelers will let you know.

Stopping the CB is a set of 310mm rotors and four-piston Tokico radial-mount calipers up front, sourced from the same generation CBR1000RR that donated its engine. A single 256mm disc and twin-piston caliper handle braking duties in the rear. Much like the suspension, for 90% of riding situations it has plenty of power and feel at the lever. But when pushed that extra 10%, our testers were split on the braking performance. Editor Duke felt the brakes were plenty strong, while Pete felt they lacked a strong initial bite like he prefers from most sportbike brake sets. The CB doesn’t come with ABS that is optional in other countries.
Blast From The Past
All told, the CB1000R really does its best to bring back the spirit and tradition of Hondas of old, but with the usual contemporary upgrades of less weight and more power. Not only does it look the part and carry some design cues from 30 years ago, its overall package feels like a modern-day interpretation of the early CBs as well. On the agility front, it’s uncanny how quickly the bike likes to get on its side.

source: http://www.motorcycle.com

2011 Aprilia Tuono V4R APRC Review

It’s a sunny morning in Valencia, and I’m at the Ricardo Tormo circuit sipping a coffee whilst listening to 20 roaring V4-powered Tuonos being warmed up in the pit lane. One of them is mine, all mine, for the day with a dedicated mechanic – I’m being treated like a MotoGP star.

I start my first session with the traction control set at level six and then reduce by one for each lap until I’m down at level one. The Aprilia 2011 Tuono V4R is a bit of a shock to the system as it just pulls like an angry bull everywhere and stops as if a freight train suddenly started pulling it in reverse. When I’ve finished my second 20-minute session I’m experiencing arm pump and a threatening cramp in my left leg each time I brake hard. My mechanic made some rear-suspension adjustments which changed the bike a lot and made my hard riding much easier.

Our European correspondent enjoyed a day of riding the 2011 Aprilia Tuono V4R APRC on track and street with a dedicated mechanic...so this is how the other half lives.

The V4 engine, taken directly from the RSV4 R superbike, suits the Tuono perfect with an absolute abundance of power. Aprilia has only de-tuned it slightly, down only 13 horsepower short of the RSV4 R. The Tuono is hard physical work when it hits the higher revs as I really have to push myself forward to avoid hanging after the bike by the handlebar. The Tuono munches up all the short straights at the Ricardo Tormo circuit like nothing else, and quickly it seems the whole circuit is a succession of corners with one long start/finish straight.

With the APRC traction control I can accelerate early from great lean in safety, and even on level one it feels safe despite some nice sliding action out of most corners. The only place on the Valencia circuit where there’s some room for relaxation is down the straight, but even here the enormous power and the wind pushes you back until it’s time for hard braking whilst shifting down the box.

Later in the day I preferred to short-shift up the quick shifter more to save my arms from the strain, and it hardly felt like I was going any slower. The three lower gears on the Tuono are lower than on the RSV4 R and it can be felt! Due to that great quick shifter I also made my way all the way up to sixth several times down the straight. The slipper clutch is equally good when shifting hard down to second ahead of the fast left-hander at the end of the straight. Then it’s all full throttle and sliding and a little wheelie all over again.

The Tuono V4R APRC leans into the corners like a superbike.

The Aprilia Tuono V4 R APRC we ride at the circuit has been fitted with the 200/55-ZR17 Pirelli Diablo Corsa rear tyre and aftermarket clutch and brake levers, which makes it even better than the standard I’m later riding on the road. The 200-section rear tire just offers so much grip, but still the brutal Tuono makes mincemeat of that too given half a chance.

Lean angles are absolutely of superbike standard, and there’s not much about this bike apart from the wide handlebars and the lack of a fairing that resembles a streetfighter. The one and only bike I can imagine being able to compete morally is the Ducati Streetfighter, and that has 17 horsepower less. The MV Agusta Brutale is too soft compared to this.

Despite going as fast as I could or dared, the Tuono just stays composed and is incredibly safe on the circuit. I can’t imagine ever making bad mistakes on this bike, as it forgives a rider with pity and just spits back “can’t you ride me any faster than that?” The Tuono is for those of us who like to ride fast on both the road and the track, and nobody will ever find this bike boring. It’s testosterone on two wheels.

I have never ridden any naked that feels as stable or as suited to a race track as the Tuono V4R APRC. As soon as the revs climb towards 10K rpm there’s a high-tech, roaring MotoGP-style mighty V4 sound exiting the exhaust. The rev limiter has been set to 12.300 rpm which allows for 800rpm of overrev if needed. You’ll be surprised by how mighty the Tuono midrange is from around 7,000 rpm. The lower gearing in the three lower gears just amplifies the arm-wrenching acceleration. The Tuono’s tall and wide handlebar allows for a relaxing ride on the road, but on the circuit, the V4 engine makes sure you get your arm exercise.

If you want to loft the front wheel skyward be sure to turn off the traction control.

The Tuono V4 R APRC has everything the RSV4 Factory APRC SE has got, so that includes wheelie control allowing smooth landings. Out on the road, it’s not the easiest bike to wheelie due to the ride-by-wire and sudden explosion of power. I had some fun on the motorway by pulling it up by pure power in second gear at anything between 60 and 75 mph, and just continued as far as I wanted or the revs would allow. The Tuono is definitely a big wheelie bike. Traction control must be off or you’ll be disappointed as the system quickly brings you back to earth. The traction control works by pushing the + or – button on the left side of the handlebar whilst on the move.

Traction control is your friend when you’re cruising the motorways.

Whilst I stayed in Track mode for all my laps around the circuit, on the road ride I found myself on a standard Tuono V4R APRC with the 190/55 rear tire, standard levers and the traction control set to a higher level and the riding mode set to Sport, which reduces the torque in lower gears. I played around with the traction control and found level three to be really good for our riding in the mountains. It adds a safe level of traction control. Later I changed to setting one for some wheelie fun and also off. Riding hard in the corners with traction control set to level one might not be sufficient to save a situation involving gravel and oil, so I needed more traction control for a relatively safe ride.

The one and only thing the APRC suite doesn’t cater for yet are ABS brakes. Reliable sources tell us Aprilia will launch something very good to the racing ABS segment soon. I had a couple of moments on the brakes because we never reached fast enough speeds to make brakes and tires work as well on the road as on the circuit. The Tuono V4R is a bit of a handful on the road, so I recommend people to use the traction control wisely.

The seat is hard and not very comfortable, so it didn’t take too many miles before I felt a bit wooden in my seat muscles. The Tuono is that type of compromise, but it is miles more comfortable than the RSV4 R superbike. The Tuono V4R is the roadbike for the rider that would otherwise ride a supersport but with a more upright riding position. Because I tell you the power and the handling is there.

Conclusion

The 2011 Aprilia Tuono V4R APRC is possibly the most extreme streetfighter-type streetbike ever made. Aprilia have upped the ante by a large measure. The V4 engine with its 167 horsepower is one of the best in the business, and its handling is exemplary. Oh, yes, the Tuono V4R is that good.