After years of missing out on race success due to its CBR1000RR being more road-orientated than most, Honda has sharpened up its ‘Blade with this SP homologation version - its most track-orientated offering yet.
Its rev-happy, 214bhp four is phenomenally powerful and slick. With semi-active Ohlins suspension, it handles supremely. Add in top-notch Brembo brakes, lightweight wheels, aero and it wants for nothing. What’s more, being a Honda it’s all gloriously integrated and finished and, in this special ‘30th Anniversary’ trim (to mark the original ‘Blade’s launch in 1993), comprising a tribute livery, special start-up display on the dash and limited edition engraved top yoke, it’s a lovely thing.
The result is phenomenally capable and fast on track but, in Honda’s uncompromising bid to make its CBR1000RR competitive in world superbike racing, it’s a worse road bike in terms of comfort, flexibility, road-relevant performance and value. But there’s no denying that the ‘Blade has never been more potent.
Track racing, ultimately, is what the Fireblade SP was built for – and it’s so good at it makes a mockery of speed limits and road conventions. For this latest generation ‘blade, Honda pushed the boat out and the result is a heady 214bhp (but higher up the rev scale than before). However, that also makes it more demanding to ride – and almost impossible to ride hard on the road as second gear takes it to over 140mph. Naturally, there’s an immaculate quickshifter/auto-blipper and a fabulously capable electronics package, all with bags of adjustability. No, you can’t get anywhere near using all this performance on the road, but on track it's about as potent, impressive and slick as superbikes get.
Its chassis and handling are also about extreme performance – especially in this homologation special SP form. It’s so compact, cultured and capable it makes a mockery of cutting through corners. Steering is invisibly light; cornering speed is immense; and the ride offered by that semi-active suspension is controlled, cultured and classy. It’s braking performance, too, thanks to the latest Brembo Stylema brake calipers and slick cornering ABS, is every bit as impressive. But ride the Blade SP within road speed limits and you’re not even approaching what it’s capable of.
Comfort, practicality and equipment
Hondas traditionally have great ergonomics and even the Fireblade has long been the most road relevant and comfortable in the superbike class – until now. In a bid to get back on top the World Superbikes podium, this latest generation model is more extreme and uncompromising than ever with a modified riding position. Footpegs are now 21mm higher and 43mm further back; a 10mm taller seat and bars which are 17mm lower. That results in an extremely compact, cramped riding position that particularly falls foul of taller riders. Small, light, 20-something racers may be happy but road-riding 40+ year-olds will struggle, especially if they’re tall or large. For pillions it’ll be even worse and the screen, for example, is so low it does virtually nothing.
With little comfort, no weather protection or carrying capacity, performance that only makes sense at nearly twice the legal limit and a price well north of £20k, there’s absolutely nothing practical about the CBR1000RR-R SP, but then you could say that of any of its other superbike competitors too. At the end of the day the Fireblade SP is road legal, can cruise at motorway speeds, take a pillion or commute into town, but those are not its strengths. In reality, however, it only really does any of them as a box ticking exercise and if anything other than track speed is a priority you’d be better off looking elsewhere.
This year’s bike looks a lot like last year’s, with some small changes (mostly under the skin) aimed at making a bike which is more competitive on the race track. There have been some changes to the engine and gearbox internals, frame stiffness has been altered and the split throttle bodies make for a bike which is more tunable and quicker in the hands of pro racers.
As for equipment, for a performance track machine, the CBR10000RR-R SP pretty much has it all: a slick, 5” colour TFT dash (although it’s small digits can be hard to read); quickshifter/autoblipper; keyless ignition; the very best Ohlins suspension and Brembo brakes and phenomenally-sophisticated electronics, the list goes on. As a practical road bike, however, it has very little: minimal comfort and weather protection, few luggage options and so on. But we’re going over the same ground again and if you’re considering it as a viable day-to-day road bike, you’re very much looking in the wrong place.
£23,000+ is a monster amount of money but in the context of the £30k Ducati Panigale V4S or BMW M 1000 RR, or £24,666 for a Yamaha R1M, it’s actually not that bad for a modern sportsbike. Two, even three, decades ago Fireblades sold in the thousands but riders have gotten older and bikes have gotten faster and more expensive. As a result, in 2024, many if not most Honda Fireblade customers are racers. This is one of the bikes to have if you race in Superstock competitions, or at the Isle of Man TT Races. It’s competitive in British Superbikes and even won (albeit in heavily modified form) this year’s Suzuka 8-Hour endurance race – the world’s most prestigious one-off motorbike race.
So it goes without saying that this is an extreme machine with the result being one of the most focused, fast and alluring superbikes you can buy. As a road bike, though, it’s compact, uncomfortable size and uncompromising, extreme performance, makes it unfulfilling and, often, annoying but, if you can handle the extreme riding position and either live within the speed constraints of the law or, preferably, ride it to the full-on track, there’s plenty to admire and enjoy.
2024 Honda CBR1000RR-SP Fireblade specification
Price: From £23,499
Engine: 999.9cc transverse four, DOHC, four valves per cylinder, liquid cooled
Power: 214.6bhp (160kW) @ 14,000rpm
Torque: 113Nm (83.3lb-ft) @ 12,000rpm
Transmission: Six-speed, chain final drive
Frame: Aluminium twin beam
Suspension: (F) Fully adjustable 43mm Ohlins USD fork, (R) Fully adjustable Ohlins TTX36 mono shock.
Wheels: Cast aluminium, 17”/17”
Tyres: (F) 120/70 x 17, (R) 200/55 x 17
Brakes: (F) 2 x 330mm floating discs, four-piston Brembo Stylema radial calipers, Brembo master cylinder (R) 220mm disc, 2-piston Brembo caliper. Cornering ABS as standard equipment
Weight: 201kg (kerb)
Wheelbase: 1,455mm
Seat height: 830mm
Fuel tank: 16.5 litres
Fuel consumption: 45mpg (est)
Service intervals: 8000 miles/12 months
Warranty: 24 months unlimited mileage
Contact: www.honda.co.uk
Words: Phil West
Photos: Honda
