For many years, bikers have decided to put more trust on their own skills than on electronic input at the bike controls; this had resulted in the utilities of anti-lock and linked braking being questioned and debated over repeatedly. In spite of having several riders acknowledging the importance of ABS in the touring and cruiser segments, but mainly the extra weight have also been looked upon as major hindrances to adoption for using in high-end sport bike riding. So the announcement by Takeo Fukui, the President and CEO of Honda that all Honda motorcycles more than 250cc would be integrated with the ABS brakes as an option by 2010 took many by surprise, who already started speculating the end result.
Thus Honda’s new Combined ABS system (C-ABS) braking system became available on both the 2010 Honda CBR600RR and The 2010 Honda CBR1000RR models. Although the C-ABS increases the weight by about 20 pounds, it does not have unsprung weight; this property enables the designers to conceal the excess poundage within the central mass of the bike. There’s also no need for pressure control valves, parallel brake lines, or extra master cylinders that made the designs of previous models somewhat clumsy. This design is in fact, of an absolutely new, completely computerized system which is also a faster performer suitable for aggressive sport riding.
Photo by Pieter van Marion [pvm-photography.nl
Conventional ABS has sensors and an electronic control module (ECM) which monitors for unusually fast wheel deceleration showing that a certain wheel is on the verge of locking and losing traction. As soon as it is detected, the ECM closes the control valves, allowing the fluid pressure to reduce and for a short time, the caliper pressure is decreased. But in milliseconds, the ECM reopens the valve and again the wheel tends to stop. As this process keeps on occurring, the biker can feel the all-familiar yet somewhat disconcerting pulsing at the braking controls.
But the front and rear brakes on Honda’s C-ABS are not just connected; they are properly fitted together by the ECM. If only the handlebar lever is pressed hard, the ECU senses it, takes control and simultaneously applies a certain amount of rear wheel braking before it adds more stopping force in the front.
ENGINE
The motorcycle retains the same 999cc inline four-cylinder liquid-cooled engine with DOHC; four valves per cylinder valve train, a very high-performing powerplant powered through Honda’s improved Dual Stage Fuel Injection system. On this model, the flywheel is larger owing to greater engine inertia. But the gearbox is the same close-ratio six-speed unit.
Both suspension and braking systems remain still the same. So there’s the availability of the 2010 Honda CBR1000RR C-ABS. While the base model weighs aboout 439 pounds, the model with anti-lock brakes contains a 461.7 curb weight. The infinite benefit of an ABS-equipped two-wheeled rocket is worth the 20 pounds extra weight.
EXTERIOR
With the introduction of this model last year, Honda didn’t only create a much smaller, lighter and faster Fireblade, but also integrated in the liter bike class a completely new look that other designers find rather inimitable. In spite of being as compact and aerodynamic as possible, riders are still provided with a comfortable riding position.
Sharp lines aren’t really very attractive like, for example, the fairing, bike’s front nose and windscreen. These parts of the bike resemble something being modeled by the air tunnel wind.
Photo by Cristian Tulipano Photography
Besides the larger flywheel and new color schemes, the model also sports a redesigned license plate holder with a muffler cover that has been designed again to give it an attractive look. The 2010 Pearl Orange/Light Metallic Silver and Red/Black color schemes make CBR’s exterior lines look even more appealing. The ABS model is entirely in black though.
