As if our day was not complete enough already, Honda had a few more surprises for us. They had on hand a new track-tuned Honda S2000 CR "Club Racer" and HRC kitted CBR600 for us take a few laps on. I had never been on a racetrack with a car before so I don't have much to compare it to but the S2000 was quite a blast in the limited laps I did. The suspension was very stiff and the short shift pattern and top end rush of the 237 hp motor made it an exciting and capable track weapon.
The HRC CBR600RR was a little more familiar to me although the GP shift pattern on the bike had my mind confused on more than one occasion during my 3 laps on the bike. Trying to remember the opposite shift pattern had me so consumed I swear if I would have been chewing gum at the same time there is no way I would have completed a lap! The bike was set up noticeably stiff and had a much different feel from the more street oriented bike I had just stepped off. The motor seemed to have pretty good pull and the quick-shifter was absolute perfection making full power upshifts effortless. I only wish I could have had a few more laps to get accustomed to the GP shift and really see what the HRC kitted CBR600RR had to offer.
Although I was a big fan of the previous generation CBR1000RR due it's great all-around ability the new version is definitely a sharper tool on the track. With a more powerful motor, significantly lighter weight, sophisticated slipper clutch and a more compact chassis the new CBR1000RR has transformed into a literbike that reminds me more of the original CBR that was the benchmark in power-to-weight ratios.
Against the competition? There is no doubt the new CBR1000RR will be in the hunt for top literbike in 2008. In the handling arena I believe the new CBR will be very hard to beat. Couple this with a motor boasting a healthy midrange grunt and you've got the makings for a class leader. While it may not trounce the class like the original CBR900 in 1993, the competition now has a serious fight on it's hands.
Now if only Honda would equip the CBR1000RR with hand warmers and sticky snow radials for our riders up north!
