There
was little doubt about Honda's prime motivation in designing the
CBR1100XX. The bike that was named the Super Blackbird, after the
high-speed American spy-plane, was built to recapture the unofficial
title of World's Fastest Motorcycle from Kawasaki's ZZ-R1100. The bid
was successful, as the Super Blackbird's blend of powerful
straight-four engine and aerodynamic bodywork sent it flying to
I80mph (290km/h). Better still, in the process, Honda created a fine
sports-touring superbike.
If
the Blackbird's main aim was outrageous speed, the way it went about
it was anything but. Its 1137cc powerplant was a conventional liquid-
cooled, dohc 16-valve transverse four. Its only unusual feature -
apart from its huge peak output of 162bhp at lO.OOOrpm - was the use
of twin balancer shafts, which made the engine so smooth that it was
able to aid chassis rigidity by being solidly mounted in the
aluminium twin-spar frame.
Shark-like
nose
Aerodynamics
was a major part of the CBR's design. The bike's disappointingly
ordinary looking bodywork was shaped to give minimum frontal area and
an ultra-low drag coefficient. Much of the benefit came from the
fairing's shark-like pointed nose, whose narrow width was aided by a
piggyback headlight, with twin lenses set one above the other
instead of side-by-side as normal.
If
the Blackbird's look was dull, its performance certainly was not. The
mighty motor was a real star, generating violent acceleration with a
deceptively refined feel. The serious power arrived at about 5000rpm,
sending the rev-counter needle flashing round the dial to the
10,800rpm redline. The CBR could not manage the 190mph (306km/h) that
Honda implied it could, but it was close - and fast enough for most.
At low
revs the Honda blackbird was typically docile, too, but the emphasis on top-end
performance had resulted in mid-range torque being compromised
slightly. Cracking open the throttle at 4000rpm in top gear revealed
a rather lazy response, which momentarily hindered overtaking.
Shifting down through the reasonably smooth six-speed gearbox was
rarely necessary, even so.
Straight-line
stability
Predictably
the HONDA Blackbird was very much at home on fast, open main roads. Its
straight-line stability was flawless, steering reasonably light, the
overaH feel sophisticated and very, very fast. The non- adjustable,
43mm front forks worked well, as did the single rear shock unit.
Inevitably the 4911b (223kg) Blackbird was rather heavy and softly
sprung for racetrack use, but even on a circuit it acquitted itself
well.
Braking
incorporated a revised version of Honda's Dual-CBS system, which
linked front and rear discs, operating both when either the hand
lever or foot pedal was used. The CBR stopped rapidly, and some
riders were particularly glad of the linked system in the wet or when
carrying a pillion. Others were less convinced. Lever feel was
slightly vague, and braking power seemed to fade fractionally after
strong initial bite.
Neat
details included a clock and fuel gauge on the dashboard (there was
no reserve tap), luggage hooks
and a strong grab-rail, plus wide, clear mirrors that neatly
incorporated the indicators. Less impressive was the low screen,
which directed wind at a tall rider's head, generating some
turbulence at normal cruising speeds.
Those
criticisms did not prevent the HONDA Blackbird from being a success,
boosted considerably by its status as the fastest thing on two
wheels. Honda updated the bike in subsequent years, notably improving
low-rev response with fuel-injection, and adding some bolder paint
schemes. The arrival of Suzuki's Hayabusa meant that the XX was no
longer the world's fastest. But for riders looking for mindblowing
speed matched with refinement, stable handling and all-round ability,
the Blackbird still had plenty to offer.
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