HONDA CBR1100XX SUPER BLACKBIRD
THE 'BIRD FLEW
Words by Boris
Pictures by Andrew, Boris, Mick, Rick
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Blackbird noir |
It seems that in the big-bore sports tourer category, the Blackbird has always played a sort of bridesmaid role behind the iconic Hayabusa and more recently, Kawasaki's stylistically challenged 1400cc monster. But both of those bikes are good deal more expensive than the Honda.
Is the price difference justified? Is the Suzuki that much better a bike than the Honda? Is the Kwaka all that much more desirable than the Blackbird? Or is the Honda just not up to scratch at the pointy end of big sports touring?
Performance gronks mumble about it being "slower" and less responsive than the other two, and always follow up with a sour expression about the generally disliked linked braking system the Honda offers. Though, quite perversely, BMW's similar system (and the Goldwing's), have not attracted that kind of approbation.
I too will admit to having sat among those ranks and sniped at the big 'Bird from the sidelines, which was kinda dumb when I hadn't ridden one.
A quick call to Honda soon put that to rights.
"You're gonna love it," Rhys Griffiths, Honda's marketing manager confidently informed me, but he says that about every Honda he's ever given me. "That remains to be seen," I replied.
But two days later, as I guided the big silver beast home through Freak Hour, I was desperately trying to find fault with it.
"There's gotta be something loathsome about it," I'd mutter, as the Honda seamlessly arced through the traffic with an aplomb that is rather typical of the marque.
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Boris examines the Blackbird for something loathsome |
I found a clear stretch of road, did a quick mirror check at the lights, then nailed it to the stop for the first three gears. Warp-type acceleration was the response and the Blackbird howled its way forward, punching much harder than I expected it to, given how mild-mannered and tractable the engine is at low speed.
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As supplied: with the chalk still on the tyres... |
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...and the view from the rear is attractive. If you go for that kind of thing. |
I lack the clinical skill to be able to tell you that it accelerates slower than either the Suzuki or the Kawasaki (though it probably does on paper, given its smaller capacity). But in the real world, where most of us talk faster than we actually ride, the Honda rewards your right hand with true big-bang acceleration. It goes, pilgrims, and it goes hard, smooth and nasty.
Sit it at 5000rpm in top, and the speedo will tell you that you are now doing 150km/h. There is another 5500rpm left to go before the indicated redline.
Chasing my mate's Rocket 3 along a privately-owned and sealed-to-the-public proving ground a few days later, also proved to be quite revelatory.
Few things accelerate as hard as Triumph's monolith, and while the Honda gave away 1200ccs, its lighter weight and harder revving in-line four saw it shoot past the lower-geared Trumpy with a vengeance. Of course, this was happening at speeds in excess of 250km/h and the Rocket does top out a bit before that. Not the Honda. You want 270-plus? You got it, baby. And it's as unruffled and stress-free at the big-end of town as it is chortling through traffic. The air-injection Honda introduced to the model's engine-management system in 1999 still works a treat ? especially when you take into account what it does for fuel economy.
When we stopped to fuel up after 190km, the Blackbird only wanted 13 litres of go-juice. The Rocket demanded 16 litres. That is a big difference in the hip pocket over 12 months. And it didn't seem to make much difference whether you were hitting it hard on the open road, cruising at a steady pace or dicing with traffic, it just wasn't a thirsty bastard by any stretch of the imagination.
Last year, the Blackbird celebrated its 10th anniversary. The carbies only lasted for two years before being replaced by fuel injection in '98, but stylistically, not much has changed in that time. The dash layout is new, with an easy-to-read centre-mounted analogue tacho and a digital speedo to the right. On the left is smaller and a bit harder to read at speed LCD display with a clock, fuel gauge and two trip meters. It's basic, but it covers all the bases you really need and it would be dumb to complain about the instruments.
HANDLING
This is a substantial motorcycle. It feels substantial when you sit on it and offers a certain amount of road-presence that is very welcoming to most riders. But often, that feeling of substance can override the bike's ability to provide greasy corner love to the rider. I did not find this to be so, and was quite shocked when I hooked into the Putty Road's orgasmic series of corners. For a bike this size, the Blackbird tips easily and confidently into sharp bends and revels in fast sweepers, offering the rider stability at speeds no-one really wants to talk about. The Dunlop Sportmax Touring rubber acted responsibly, and while the front-end is not sensitive enough to advise you of every ripple on the tarmac, its feedback is still comprehensive enough to inspire confidence. The back-end's limitations can be found under hard acceleration out of tight or very bumpy corners, but you've really got to be pasting it before that becomes all too noticeable.Roll it rapidly from side to side though switch-backs and you do start to notice the weight, but if you're gonna be dumb enough to ride it like a sportsbike, then you probably deserve what you get.
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The Blackbird revels in fast sweepers |
BRAKES
What the hell is all the bleating about here? The brakes are great. I don't care that they're linked. On the few occasions I managed to get them out of sorts, I was actually trying very hard to get them out of sorts. Sure they may lack a little of the feel that you'll find on sports bikes, but they are powerful, without sacrificing any of the useability. Try the front stoppers on a 1098 Ducati and tell me you're not gonna die like an arrogant dog the first time you grab them in anger. Face the music, people. If you can honestly complain about the brakes on a Blackbird on the road, you're not being honest with yourself and your abilities. Linked brakes are coming and will be on lots more bikes in the next few years. The sky will not fall and it will not be the end of the world for most riders. It will, in fact, probably save the odd munchkin from over-braking himself into the Armco. Try locking the back up. I dare you. The Blackbird's units will surprise you. They did me, and I will no longer stand with the men who say that linked brakes are the work of the devil. They're not. Get over it.
CONCLUSION
So, does it fulfil its role as a proper and serious sports tourer? Let's see?
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Tech Box |
| Model Name: CBR1100XX Super Blackbird Engine Type: Liquid-cooled 4-stroke 16-valve DOHC inline-4 Bore x Stroke: 79 x 58mm Displacement: 1,137cm Compression Ratio: 11: 1 Carburettor(s): Electronic fuel injection Maximum Power: 112kW/9,500min Maximum Torque: 119Nm/7,250min Ignition: Computer-controlled digital transistorised with electronic advance Starter: Electric Transmission: 6-speed Final Drive: 'O'-ring sealed chain Dimensions (mm): (LxWxH) 2160 x 720 x 1200 Wheel Base (mm): 1490 Seat Height (mm): 810 Ground Clearance (mm): 130 Fuel Capacity (litres): 23 litres incl. 4 litre reserve Front Wheel: Hollow-section triple-spoke cast aluminium Rear Wheel: Hollow-section triple-spoke cast aluminium Front Tyre: 120/70 ZR17 (Radial) Rear Tyre: 180/55 ZR17 (Radial) Front Suspension: 43mm H.M.A.S. cartridge-type fork, 120mm axle travel Rear Suspension: Pro-Link with stepless rebound-adjustable gas-charged H.M.A.S. damper, 120mm axle travel Front Brakes: 310 x 5mm dual hydraulic disc with Combined 3-piston callipers and sintered metal pads Rear Brakes: 256 x 5mm hydraulic disc with Combined 3-piston calliper andsintered metal pads Dry Weight (kg): 223 Kg |
So, how does Honda do it for the price? Simple. The suspension is not adjustable 10 ways from Sunday. Does it need to be? For most riders, no.
The rear gas shock is adjustable for rebound, which is great if you're two-up, but I left it alone and it worked well, providing a very comfortable and confident ride. Likewise, the forks are normal jobbies, not upside-down ones, and there isn't a welter of expensive and exotic materials splashed all over the bike.
There's only so much track-oriented stiffness I get off on with a bike I gotta use everyday. Did this plushness in the bouncers make a difference when pushed hard? Not really. I'm sure A-graders and dedicated sportsbike monkeys might have a whine about how the 'Bird doesn't quite steer as sharp as the 'Blade, or is a bit too weighty to fling easily from hairpin to hairpin in a bid to slice another 10th of a second off your last lap time. But their views can rightfully be dismissed as the ravings of riders who don't live or ride in the real world. The fact that 99 per cent of the riding public can't, won't, and will never be interested in riding that hard is not to be viewed as some kind of failing on their part.
So what didn't I like?
I didn't like the position of the blinker switch. It sat a long way out from the switch block and was canted outwards, and I was always bumping the horn button whenever I used it. And the horn is so loud, I spooked myself and my fellow road-users regularly. I also thought it looked a bit slab-sided from the tank back, though the front-end still looks purposeful and mean.
So for the money you save, a set of pipes and a power commander (and some heated handlebar grips) would only enhance your riding pleasure and leave an even more potent Blackbird in your shed - which is where a lot of smart money is parked.
The Super Blackbird XX is a basic, honest and immensely capable motorcycle, that can do pretty much everything you want it to, at a price that simply cannot be beaten: $15,990.00.
