MCL 2021

Anniversary of an Icon

In 1992, the sports bike world rocked on its heels thanks to Honda's release of its game-changing CBR900RR Fireblade. Next year celebrates three incredible decades of pushing the sports bike envelope. To commemorate this important milestone, Honda is proud to announce the release of their Special Edition 30^th Anniversary Fireblade.

Can't wait until next year to see Honda set the world on fire? Neither can we! And this is why we are proud to present the 2022 30th Anniversary CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP at this year's Motorcycle Live event.

Proving that you can't keep a good show down, Motorcycle Live 2021 has made its triumphant return to the NEC from the 4-12^th December to brighten up an otherwise challenging year. So join us at the Honda stand in Hall 3a, stand 3F20 for a wheel-spinning ride down memory lane.

Discover the culmination of 30 years of cutting-edge technology with the 30^th Anniversary Honda CB1000RR-R Fireblade SP.

Reborn and Risen: The 30^th Anniversary Fireblade

If 1992 signalled the Honda Fireblade's iconic journey and 2020 marked a cornerstone in its evolution, the 2022 30^th Anniversary CB1000RR-R Fireblade SP celebrates an apex predator at the top of its game.

In 2020 Honda's commitment to staying at the cutting-edge of motorcycle technology saw the company's return to the drawing board. The result was the CBR1000RR-R, an all-new Fireblade. At last, a motorcycle redesigned from the ground up, it rose from the ashes, ready to take on the motorcycle world.

A radical departure from the previous model, the 2020 Fireblade was quantum leaps ahead in engine performance, electronics and chassis. Due to Honda's works racing team and a long list of stand-out innovations, the new engine was nothing short of breathtaking.

Producing a class-leading 214-bhp gave the new Blade a staggering power to weight ratio almost 80% higher than its 1992 forebear.

The 2022 model concentrated on implementing fine-tuning improvements. These included subtle changes to the airbox and intake funnel and the throttle by wire spring load and refining the Honda Selectable Torque Control to give more grip and feel.

Honda packed all these features and more beneath an aerodynamic body that incorporates race-developed winglets for added stability. These are the perfect showcase for the 30th Anniversary Fireblade Special Edition.

The Legend Lives On!

In addition to producing a track-capable hyper sports bike for the road, Honda offers the 30^th Anniversary Fireblade with a paint scheme that screams heritage with a capital H.

As a further nod to history, Honda asked the Fireblade's original colour designer Mr Hiroaki Tsukui to create a design capable of conveying the motorcycle's heritage, evolution and future.

Mr Tsukui recalls the day over 30 years ago when the legendary Baba San, Fireblade Project Manager, asked him to create a groundbreaking design to equal his new breed of sports bike.

Hiroaki Tsukui has successfully repeated history! The design for the 30^th Anniversary Fireblade SP taps into its predecessors DNA by incorporating elements of the original brushstroke graphics.

The striped design that launched the all-new 2020 model also seamlessly embraces the company's famous red, white and blue racing colours. The result is recognisable for old school riders while still being fresh and relevant for the next generation of Fireblade fans.

In addition to the Blade's stunning limited edition, paint scheme, the 30^th Anniversary CBR1000 RR-R Fireblade SP also boasts a number of subtle additions. It is these that mark it out from the crowd.

Operate the keyless ignition with the 30^th Anniversary embossed smart key and the 5-in TFT colour screen bursts into life. A specially designed 'Ring of Fire' anniversary animation greets the rider as the information centre loads.

In addition, the bike's unique limited edition serial number is laser engraved on the top yoke. You will also find the 30^th Anniversary logo on the top of the tank cover.

Last but not least, the well crafted 4-2-1 exhaust system culminating in a superb Akropovic oval can, is also treated to a laser engraved anniversary logo. This final confirmation of the Fireblade's impressive lineage is one that your buddies will have plenty of time to appreciate whenever you're leading the pack.

Tweaking Perfection, the 2022 Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP

Launched alongside the all-new 2020 Fireblade, the press labelled the Fireblade SP a MotoGP motorcycle for the road. It's not hard to see why.

The radical overhaul of the CBR1000 RR-R was enough to give Fireblade fans tingles down the spine. Better still, one look at the SP's spec sheet had them chomping at the bit.

It was always Honda's intention to produce a race-winning track bike for the road. So to achieve this goal, the Fireblade project team worked hand in glove with the Honda Race Corporation (HRC). The company's racing arm was responsible for the barnstorming RC213V-S street-legal MotoGP bike. As a result, the new SP borrowed heavily from its cutting edge engine and chassis design.

They say you can't improve on perfection. Yet, the 2022 Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP at least proves it is still possible to give it a tweak.

The in-line four's 160kW @14,500 power plant remains unchanged in the engine department. However, following input from factory riders, revisions to the bike's intake ports, airbox, airbox funnels and exhaust midsection have resulted in a mid-range boost.

This increase in acceleration is available right where riders say they need it most, powering out of corners. Upping the number of teeth on the back sprocket to 43 has also improved throttle response and acceleration right through the box. An upgraded quick-shifter accommodates the resulting need for faster gear changes.

Changes due to Feedback from Superbike Team

Feedback from Honda's World Superbike team also pointed towards the need to refine the rear tyre traction management system and a more linear throttle. So the factory addressed both comments. They did this by optimising the Honda Selectable Torque Control (HSTC) and reducing the throttle spring load on the Throttle-by- Wire (TBW) system.

The twin-pipe section of the bike's 4-2-1 that feeds into the catalyser and the catalyser itself has benefitted from a redesign. The result of which optimises gas flow. On the subject of exhausts, potential owners will be pleased to hear that the oval Akropovic titanium silencer still retains its 'smart' valve. This clever device allows the soundtrack of your ride to go from stealth to party mode at around 5000-rpm.

As for the chassis and suspension, there are no changes to the track-quality aluminium composite twin-spar frame. The Ohlins electronically controllable inverted forks and gas-charged TTX36 rear shock remain class-leading.

The 2022 CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP will be available with Grand Prix Red or Matt Pearl Morion Black bodywork. Both colour options feature gold wheels and new HRC logos.

The Day the Motorcycle Press Ran out of Superlatives!

Once upon a time in a land far away, conventional wisdom dictated that to go fast, you needed a big engine, an even bigger frame and a colossal fairing. It wasn't that long ago, but in 1991, the battle for domination of the rapidly expanding sports bike market was well underway.

All the big players had skin in the game. Suzuki's groundbreaking GSX-1100R looked good on paper, but early versions were heavy and relatively unstable. Kawasaki fared no better with its humongous ZZR1100. Yamaha's FZR 1000 looked like a good compromise, but it was still a lump of a motorcycle. What of Honda? Their CBR1000F was a 165-mph ballistic missile, as comfortable as a sofa yet regrettably around the same size.

While many believed Honda had given up on the supersport race, it was all part of a cunning plan. In the spring of 1992, Project Head Tadao Baba revealed the Honda CBR900 RR. The genie was out of the bottle, and there was no hope of forcing it back in!

With 1000-cc performance and 600-cc dimensions, the 128-bhp Fireblade could out-drag the opposition and out corner them too. As a result, the groundbreaking bike galvanised buyers and traumatised the competition.

Some 30 years later, the latest generation of CBR1000RR R Fireblade SP still epitomises the quintessential sports bike. Let's not forget, though, how cutting edge the original Fireblade was and the visionary brilliance of the man at the heart of the project.

Tadao Baba's Rise within Honda

Upon joining the company straight from school in 1962, Tadao Baba's rise to fame was slow but steady. Starting as an assembly worker, he became a cylinder head technician before finding success as a works rider.

At the age of 28, Tadao Baba had shown such skill and dedication he climbed the ranks to become Vice Project Leader. So when the head of R&D, Yoichi Oguma, left to head up the HRC, Baba was the obvious replacement.

One of the ongoing projects Baba took over was the development of a sports bike. At first, designed as a 750-cc, Baba was keen to put his stamp on the project and increased the capacity to 893-cc.

He also demanded his engineers work to a target weight for the bike of no more than 190-Kg. If the decision to create an entirely new 900-cc class got greeted with scepticism, then the target weight was almost inconceivable.

Like many success stories, Tadao Baba battled the odds and stuck firm to his vision. The result was a genre-busting sports bike that took on iconic status the moment the motorcycle press pitted the Fireblade against the opposition.

Since its launch, the Honda Fireblade has gone through several facelifts and technological innovations, culminating in a ground-up redesign in 2020. Today, the 2022, 30th Anniversary Limited Edition Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP pays homage to a motorcycle responsible for kick-starting a revolution.

Viva la Fireblade, the thinking man's superbike.

A Unique Parade of Blades

Attending a Honda Fireblade owner's club event is an experience not to miss. It does, without a doubt, allow you to cast your eyes over an impressive, lovingly cared-for collection of a classic brand and model of motorcycles.

If you want to see the entire back catalogue of Honda's iconic supersport bikes, all under one roof, though, there's only one place to head for! And that's the 2021 Motorcycle Live show.

After last year's enforced absence, Birmingham's National Exhibition Centre welcomes back the UK's biggest and best motorcycle extravaganza. The 2021 event runs from December 4-12.

The NEC Motorcycle show has long been the highlight of the UK motorcycle event calendar. Since 1981 it has provided a showcase for the latest and greatest from the world of two-wheels. Better yet, this year's show will also see Honda out in force.

Honda will showcase several new models and upgrades. The stand will also take the opportunity to highlight the upcoming 30^th Anniversary of one of motorcycling's most iconic models.

Here, the 2022 Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP Limited Edition Anniversary Special makes its UK debut. The class-leading sportbike is at the forefront of a heritage collection of Fireblades which mark every notable model spanning over three decades of production.

A visit to the Honda Collection Hall Museum in Japan's Tochigi Prefecture is on many a Honda fan's bucket list. Until that time comes, the 2021 Motorcycle Live Show will provide the only opportunity to experience the ultimate parade of Blades.

Celebrate the 30^th Anniversary of the iconic Honda Fireblade. Join us as we pay homage to the original 1992 launch model, displaying the impressive line-up of heritage Fireblades from across the years.

Visit the stand to see the most influential sports bikes over the past 30 years and the latest throwback special edition.

Visit the Honda stand in Hall 3a, stand 3F20 to see this spectacular display.

Share your Motorcycle Live Honda Highlights

Honda Motorcycles UK is active in almost every aspect of social media. We bring you up-to-the-minute news and information, as well as special previews and interviews. So whether it's news or new model reviews, if you'd like to share your Motorcycle Live Honda highlights with us, we'd love to see them.

Check out our Twitter feed at https://twitter.com/HondaUKBikes or like our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/HondaMotoUK.

If action-packed videos are more your thing, our YouTube channel has got you covered with over 60 videos. Footage ranges from the spectacular 2022 30th Anniversary Fireblade SP coverage to getting axle-deep in the mud at an off-road school.

In the days ahead, an army of support staff dismantle the exhibitor stands and clear away after many thousands of visitors, and no doubt you'll be swiping through your Smartphone pics. Capturing the highlights of your visit is a great way to re-live the best moments. Please don't keep them to yourself, though, why not share your pics and vids on Instagram and tag us

@https://www.instagram.com/hondaukmotorcycles/

Anniversary of an Icon

Reborn and Risen: The 30^th Anniversary Fireblade