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1992 Honda CBR900RR Fireblade 1995 Honda CBR600F3
We couldn’t do any celebration of CBRs without After the original ‘jelly mould’ CBR600F, Honda
including the original, game-changing ‘Blade. Created updated its now class-leading supersport with the
by genius Tadao Baba who, after testing and being 1991 CBR600F2, a bike which was so good at being
disappointed by heavyweight GSXRs, FZRs and even fun, practical and affordable it was a UK best-seller for
the CBRF, pursued lightness and compactness above the first half of the 1990s – but we’re not including that
power, the original Blade may have only had 122bhp one here. Even better, in our view, is its subtly updated
but it had the size and weight of a 600, ran rings around successor, the 1995 CBR600F, known in some areas
all rivals and revolutionised the class to such a degree as the F3. With subtly improved styling including a
it took Yamaha (with 1998 R1) a full six years to catch smart new tail, engine mods including ram air which
up. added 5bhp, improved front forks and bigger brakes,
not to mention improved build quality, it was the
definitive ’F’ CBR600 and a true class act.
1992 Honda CBR400RR
1996 Honda CBR1100XX Super Blackbird
As was commonplace in the late 1980s and early ‘90s,
Honda and the other Japanese manufacturers often When Honda does things it doesn’t very often do them
also built 400cc versions of its European models for the by halves, and the 1996 Super Blackbird is a classic
home market – and often more than a few Japan-only example. Built, unashamedly, to wrest the ‘world’s
‘exotic’ 400s, too. The 1992 ‘Baby Blade’, is a classic fastest production motorcycle’ crown from Kawasaki’s
example. ZZ-R1100, the CBR1100XX not only did that with ease
by producing 164bhp (17 more than the Kwak) from its
Effectively a descendant of the 1983 CBR400F, it was Fireblade-derived engine combined with world-leading
the inline four-cylinder stablemate to the V4 aerodynamics (the reason for the narrow nose and
VFR400R/NC30, had exquisite, diminutive stacked headlight), it still managed to also make it a
proportions, and gorgeous styling, although revving to brilliant sports-tourer cum all-rounder with enviable
14,000rpm was one of the more tractable of the 400 handling, build quality and comfort.
fours and slowly became available in the UK as a grey
import where it was one of the most desirable Although overtaken in speed terms by Suzuki’s 1999
(especially among female riders) import 400s of all – Hayabusa, the Blackbird remained in production until
with the high prices to match. 2007, remains Honda’s largest CBR and is a bike many
consider Honda have failed to successfully replace.
