Four stroke, transverse four
cylinder, DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder.
Capacity
998 cc / 61 cu-in
Bore x Stroke
77 x 53.6 mm
Cooling System
Liquid cooled
Compression Ratio
10.0:1
Induction
4x 34mm Keihin carburetors
Ignition
CDI
Starting
Electric
Max Power
98 hp / 71.4 kW @ 8500 rpm
Max Power Rear Tyre
91 hp / 67.8 kW @ 8400 rpm
Max Torque
84 Nm / 61.9 lb-ft @ 6000 rpm
Transmission
5 Speed
Final Drive
Chain
Front Suspension
43mm Telescopic forks
Rear Suspension
Dual shock adjustable preload.
Front Brakes
2x 310mm discs 4 piston calipers
Rear Brakes
Single 276mm disc 1 piston caliper
Front Tyre
120/70-18
Rear Tyre
170/60-18
Dry Weight
236 kg / 520 lbs
Fuel Capacity
22 Litres / 5.8 US gal
Consumption Average
16.4 km/lit
Braking 60 - 0 / 100 - 0
13.5 m / 38.8 m
Standing
¼ Mile
11.3 sec / 190.2 km/h
Top Speed
226.7 km/h / 140 mph
An attempt, a few years ago, to
lure the ageing and lapsed motorcyclist back on to two wheels, many of the
motorbike manufacturers adopted what is known as the Retro look.
Time was when all superbikes were
gas-guzzling monsters unadorned by acres of fibreglass bodywork. A superbike
was a machine with a very powerful engine, two wheels and a seat. They
required nerves of steel and a will of iron to tame, and they had a brutish
appeal almost totally absent from most modern superbikes . . except for
the retro ones.
The retro superbikes are designed
to appeal to those who are old enough to remember unfaired muscle-bikes the
first time round - those who rode bikes in the '70s and who aren't now
limber enough to squeeze themselves aboard a state-of-the-art race-replica.
The born-again biker is the target market for these bikes, and one of the
best examples of these retro machines is the Honda CB1000.
Using a de-tuned engine from a
Honda CBR1000F, the CB1000 harks back to the days of the CB1100 and the
CB900. The water-cooled, double overhead cam, 16-valve, in-line four
cylinder engine is a far cry from the air-cooled eight-valve engines of the
'70s, but it is the focal point of this superbike. Pumping out lOObhp at
8500rpm the CB1000 has a top speed of around 140mph.
.
The engine is capable of
producing a lot more power than it actually does, but Honda have tuned it
for low and mid-range output, and brute acceleration, rather than top speed.
This is because without a fairing on it, the CB1000 is a struggle to ride at
speeds over 120mph. So it might as well be tuned for eyeball-popping
acceleration instead.
I the USA muscle-bikes such as
Yamaha's V-Max have proved to be very popular, combining brute power with an
upright and unfaired riding position. The retro bike is a similar animal,
offering old-fashioned good looks with straight-line acceleration that is
the envy of the sportscar world.
In Japan the CB1000 is called the
CB1000 Big One, and with good reason - this is one BIG motorcycle.
Weighing in at 5201bs dry, with a seat height of 31.5ins, and with a
wheelbase of 60.6ins, the CB1000 is a massive machine. It's not in the
same league as bikes such as the
Gold Wing or the Harley tourers, but compared to modern sportsbikes the
CB1000 is massive. Anyone without a 32-inch inside leg measurement and the
upper body strength of Arnold Schwarzenegger is going to have trouble
manoeuvring this machine at walking pace.
But once you get it moving, the
CB1000 doesn't feel quite as ponderous as you might think. The acceleration
is awesome, rattling off standing-quarters in the 11-second bracket and
laying 50-yard strips of rubber on the road behind if you give it all it's
got. And even through the turns the Honda's steel cradle frame and
traditional suspension (non-adjustable 43mm telescopic forks at the front
and a pair of Showa shocks adjustable for preload only at the rear) keep the
bike handling well. The CB1000 isn't going to win many races, but it
actually handles considerably better than you'd expect from a bike that
weighs this much and comes with a relatively low-tech chassis and
suspension.
But the real appeal of the CB1000
is its brutish but linear power delivery and its traditional good looks. It
is the essence of the retro look, and that look seems to be here to stay.
Any corrections or more information on these motorcycles will be kindly appreciated.