Stiri HONDA MOTO !

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Cu motocicleta prin lume... http://www.partireper.it/

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in sfarsit ceva miscare adevarata in tabara celor de la Honda...sa se fi terminat criza oare?
YouTube - 2011 Hondas at Milan: Crossrunner, CBR600F, CBR125R, CBR250R

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Honda NC700X comes stateside:

http://hellforleathermagazine.com/2012/01/honda-nc700x-comes-stateside/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaig n=Feed%3A+HellForLeather+%28Hell+For+Leather%29


Starting at just $6,999 and available with an optional Dual-Clutch transmission and ABS, the 2012 Honda NC700X is going to be an extremely practical entry-level all-rounder. That’s $1,300 cheaper than its nearest competitor, the 2012 Suzuki V-Strom 650 and $900 cheaper than the Kawasaki Versys. Over the Suzuki, the Honda brings that optional transmission, as well as way-more-practical 17-inch wheels. This is a lot of bike for very little money, even if does make less power than either rival.


Update: The DCT and ABS package brings the price up to $8,999.

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http://www.motoflash.ro/stiri/evenim..._control”.html

http://www.motoflash.ro/stiri/modele...r_1000_rr.html

http://www.motoflash.ro/stiri/modele...nu_la_fel.html

[tokyodream Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close tokyodream]

arigato, Sensei !

HONDA FIREBLADE CBR954RR


Loved by thousands, respected by all, the FireBlade has been revamped for 2002. But something's not quite right.
The Honda FireBlade went back to its roots in 2002. The only older model here is the CBR600 and while both have evolved almost beyond recognition it's the Blade that has rediscovered much of that 'wild stallion' sensation of the original. If this is Honda's idea of 'Total Control', I'd love to see one of their Friday afternoon designs based on the concept of 'Screw control, let's just make it stupidly quick'.

For all the marketing hype and new technology the FireBlade has become less rideable. On the road it's the fuel injection and stability that cause the gravest concern. At low revs in town the fuelling is snatchy and hunts below 3,000rpm. At higher speed it works better but still demands a delicate, yet confident, touch. Wheelies are hard work but landing them can be even worse. Every time we have tested this bike it terrifies at least one of us with a massive tankslapper. On the flip side this is a faster bike than ever and a track hides its worst faults. Despite posting only the sixth best lap time there was little in it and the limiting factors are easily addressed. The needless hero-blobs provide the tiresome soundtrack to a lap of the tight Val de Vienne circuit as they grid relentlessly through every apex. If you go in too hot you sit on the peg with no more lean available until you scrub off some speed. Only the CBR600 struggles more with ground clearance.

The standard suspension settings limit faith in the front tyre turning in, negating the advantage of the new rapid steering. The rear suspension can also feel under damped at times, possibly adding to the head shaking. Such misdemeanours are easily rectified, however. Whip the toolkit from the generous boot space and lob the hero blobs in the bin. Follow our set-up quite to get the suspension right for your weight. Our staff 2002 longtermer has four small tweaks to the suspension, a steering damper and no blobs. It feels like twice the bike without those limitations. In totally standard trim the Blade lags behind, and the two 600s ahead of it feel like more complete road and track bikes for riders of any ability. But like the CBR600FS, the Blade suffers most from Honda's built-in limits and, once relieved of them, gains ground on its rivals.

The rate of turn is very impressive and the compact proportions mean you will never struggle with it. The brakes would be too good were it not for the excellent feel. The power is there too. After years playing catch-up it's now almost equal to the R1 but doesn't quite feel it through the taller standard gearing.

Or then again...
“I think that the FireBlade (or CBR954RR) looks superb in its latest incarnation, with the build quality and attention to detail that'll make it a winner in your garage for years. It goes pretty well too – like fuck-off fast, the fuel-injected engine making oodles of power in progressive dollops of drive. On the track, the ace brakes and light weight meant it felt only slightly more oppressive than the 600cc bikes.”

Mind you...
“If you ask me, the 'Blade has been going downhill since 1999. Power has increased but so has the flighty nature. Today's model is a shadow of what it once was. More power and steeper head angles equalls instability. If the TL1000S was recalled for steering damper fitment, so should this bike. I can't believe it made it this far without a lawsuit.”

Aussie Paul the pro racer says...
“I know 'Blades can be set up a lot better than this. The standard suspension settings aren't well balanced, OK at the rear but too soft at the front. The Blade didn't respond well to aggressive riding and braking deep into corners it was nearly impossible to hit the same line twice. The Blade's brakes are good when the front end is set right, but without damping control in the forks it doesn't matter how powerful your brakes are. Like virtually all the fuel injected bikes here, the Blade has a snatchy throttle response at closed and small openings. Once pointed out of a corner things improved, the rear end felt planted and power delivery, though not inspirational, was rapid and seamless. It looks like the dingo's danglies.”



•Honda CBR900RR FireBlade
•Price Ł9,045
•954cc liquid cooled inline four 16v
•Dry weight 168kg Insurance group 17
•Measured power 137bhp @ 11,000rpm
•Issue tested: October 2002
•Honda UK on 01753 590500


http://www.superbike.co.uk/viewers/viewcontent.aspx?contentid=1466&catid=bikes&subcat id=honda&longtitle=HONDA+FIREBLADE+CBR954RR

[tokyodream Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close tokyodream]

BIKES: 2012 Honda CBR1000RR

http://motorcycling.speedtv.com/arti...nda-cbr1000rr/

No traction control, no variable engine mapping, no ride by wire throttle, and no power increase; could we possibly be at the press introduction of a new 2012 open-class sport bike? With the technology war that’s been raging over the past few years, it would be some sort of mechanical suicide to introduce a sport bike with such seeming lack of technological progress one would think. Not, however, if you are Honda Motor Corporation, as the venerable CBR1000RR has finished at the top, or near the top, of most superbike shootouts these last few years without a host of electronic wizardry.

With the introduction being held at Infineon Raceway just north of San Francisco a couple of weeks before Christmas, the start to our test was delayed a couple of hours waiting for the famous fog to burn off, but once we got underway it was fast and furious. Honda had us split into two groups of six, with a rotating schedule between the new 2012s and last year’s model. It’s the first time I’ve ridden a new model like this with the previous year’s offering for such direct comparison, and it was positively eye opening, not to mention an excellent opportunity to really feel the difference between the two machines as riding the new 2012 alone relying on memory wouldn’t have allowed me to recognize so clearly the improvements.

In the press brief we learned the new model uses a new Big Piston Fork, and this Showa 43mm inverted Honda Multi-Action System (HMAS) features spring preload and rebound and compression damping. Once on the track, heading up to turn 7 was the perfect place to see if the hype was true, as there’s a lot of runoff in this area if you overcook things. Glancing at the digital speedometer, I saw 128 mph registered as I went for the brakes. By comparison, I never saw more than 123 mph on the 2011 model, which would have the rear end lifting and squirming as I got ready to turn in. On the ’12, even with the higher entrance speed, there was none of this behavior. With a piston nearly four times the cross-section of a cartridge fork, the damping control is improved at lower suspension speeds, as in when you apply the brake and the fork starts to compress, and this makes all the difference. Feeling rock solid and with the rear wheel staying firmly connected to the asphalt, it made the turn-in easier and, consequently, my exit speed higher. This stability under hard braking was confidence inspiring, and with the fast run down the hill to turn 9a also requiring some heavy application of the radial-mount, four-piston Tokico front calipers, the new Big Piston Fork certainly allowed me to hold the throttle open longer than I could with the 2011. These actions didn’t come at the expense of front-end feel, though. Heading down through the carousel there are a lot of bumps, and at this point your knee is on the floor and the bike is really moving as you get ready to pin the throttle for the drive up to turn 7. This corner just clearly showed how much better the new fork is, with less drama and higher exit speeds.

The new CBR has a softer feel over the bumps and transitions, but a sharper ride turning in and flicking through the tighter sections. The newly patented Balance-Free Rear Shock is compliant and competent over the bumps, with no squat or fuss when hard on the gas, and it made yanking the throttle open more confidence inspiring out of the slow corners. Overall the new bike made me feel like a hero, as I certainly rode more aggressively and went faster everywhere on the track.

The brakes are unchanged this year, and they are extremely strong, although I had to squeeze the lever harder than I felt comfortable with to get to the monster bite zone. Once in that zone, it was as if the track suddenly turned to Super Glue, especially setting up for turn 1 where the AMA race chicane was in place. You can also choose your new CBR with or without electronic anti-lock brakes (C-ABS). Honda uses a linked system between front and rear, and this system has undergone some revision with the rear brake exerting less pressure on the front for more sport-focused riding. It adds $1,000 to the base model’s $13,800 price tag and has no provision to turn it off. During the test I didn’t get a chance to cycle through on one of the new models equipped with the new system, but I have no personal objections to the Honda system, having used it previously on the track and street.

My first laps were interesting, as the level of steering input needed is less than our recent long-term Ducati 848, so I had to rethink my turn-in strategy to not push the CBR too much to the inside. As liter bikes evolve, they become easier to ride and the CBR is certainly one of the easiest. On the spec sheet it doesn’t appear as if it should be a threat to the other open-class machines on offer, but howling round Infineon Raceway feeling comfortably within the CBR’s limits, I certainly didn’t feel it was missing anything. Exiting the carousel, there are some cracks in the asphalt and a yellow line that would get the rear wheel spinning if I wasn’t careful about staying away from them, but even as cold as the track was I didn’t spin the rear Dunlop anywhere else on the track.

The main reason for this is the fueling and seamless power delivery. The connection between the throttle and the rear tire is the most precise of all the liter bikes I’ve ridden this year. We had the earlier-generation CBR1000RR on test back in 2010, and I certainly had no complaints about the way the bike made its power anywhere in the rpm range. However, coming off the slower corners in second gear as I re-acquainted myself with the track, a good fistful of throttle exposed a noticeable dip in the power around 4,500 rpm that doesn’t exist on the 2012 under the same circumstances. Later in the test with the weather warming up, I started using first gear as I was getting more comfortable, and it was still enlightening to see graphically see how much Honda has improved the fuel injection this year on a bike I had thought was faultless in this area

For 2012, Honda gave the CBR new instrumentation with an all-digital display. As the engine screams its way repeatedly to redline, a bar-graph tachometer lets you know you are approaching the 13,200 rpm red line. Speed is shown on a smaller display in the center, and to the left you will also find the very useful gear-position indicator that is big enough to read even if like me you need reading glasses. All the usual warning lights are found below in a recessed area, and the digital display features a clock, trip meters, and fuel gauge. There is also a lap timer built in and a five-level shift indicator.

Sitting inside the elegant and refined cockpit, there have been some changes to the external bodywork. The overall look is very similar, but delve deeper and you notice a new, layered fairing design is used to create a larger area of calm air around the rider. It also helps to draw air through the cooling system, and the integrated chin spoiler is said to reduce aerodynamic lift and in turn improve the handling. As the two bikes are still very similar visually, the easiest way to pick out the new 2012 from a distance is the cutout in the front fairing and the differently colored lower. Coming this year in a choice of red or black, or pearl white with blue and red accents, this last one is the bike for me.

Another visual difference when you look more closely is the new 12-spoke cast aluminum wheels, and they are simply gorgeous to look at. They are not significantly lighter, but they are supposed to provide more consistent rigidity. They come wrapped in the usual 190 series 17 inch rubber in the back and 120 series 17-incher in the front, so no surprises here. There is also a MotoGP-derived Honda Electronic Steering Damper (HESD). This does its job so seamlessly, it’s only the lack of headshake and drama under full acceleration that lets you know it’s there and working. A slipper clutch is also in place to save you if you are a little too eager on a down-shift, and, like the steering damper, it works so smoothly you are hardly aware it’s there.

After our day on the track, we were able to sample the CBR on the streets for a few hours, and starting the ride in cold, wet conditions just brought home the user-friendly nature of the big Honda. When you are about to take a 440-pound motorcycle putting 150 horsepower to the rear wheel on a wet, busy, public road, you could have some trepidation. Not so with the Honda, as the perfect connection between the throttle and the rear tire makes light work of even the slipperiest of surfaces. The riding position doesn’t put you in an extreme racer’s crouch, and you could certainly spend a day in the saddle on your favorite back roads without needing a chiropractic visit the next day.

Back at our hotel and climbing off the bike it was time to reflect on Honda’s new liter bike for 2012. While it might not be the most technologically advanced, lightest, or most powerful on offer, it is certainly one of the best for all the reasons it has always been in this position. It’s comfortable, precise, and so easy to ride it allows the rider more time to focus on the road or the track ahead.

View Photos Here!

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http://www.rushlane.com/honda-cbr150...28Rush+Lane%29

Honda CBR150R coming next month to compete with new Bajaj KTM Duke and Yamaha R15 (Photos)

HMSI (Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India) is gearing up for the launch of its eagerly awaited 150cc sports bike, CBR150R in the Indian automobile market. The CBR150R is expected to be launched in the second week of March at a price of around Rs 115,000.

With the launch of this bike, Honda will be pitted against Bajaj Auto's freshly introduced KTM Duke 200 priced at Rs 117,000. and Yamaha R15 version 2. The company is upbeat about the launch of its forthcoming bike and has already devised a plan to promote its two-wheeler in the Indian market.

HMSI is well-known for its sales, marketing and advertising strategies in the two-wheeler segment. With the launch of this product, the competition will get tougher. Experts believe it's going to be a battle between Yamaha's R15, Bajaj Auto's KTM Duke, and Honda's CBR150R in the future. HMSI aims at selling over 3,500 units of CBR150R ever month after it is launched in the Indian market.

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http://hellforleathermagazine.com/20...For+Leather%29

Spoilers, speed holes and the 2012 Castrol Honda CBR1000RR

The 2012 Honda CBR1000RR gains fancy new suspension and revised aerodynamics. The former won’t carry over to the already incredibly high-spec world of SBK racing, but the aerodynamics should. Peak under the chin of this new Castrol Honda and you’ll see the same tiny spoiler, designed to reduced lift, as the production bike, as well as the new-for-2012 layered fairings and their use of a low pressure area to draw cooling air through the radiator and smooth airflow over the rider.

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Honda Announces "Win Big Weekend" As New For 2012 Models Go On Sale

http://londonbikers.com//news/25213/...rcycle+News%29


To celebrate the start of spring and the launch of several new and hotly anticipated models, including the Crosstourer, NC700S and Integra, Honda (UK) is pleased to announce its Win Big Weekend, taking place at Honda motorcycle dealers across the country on 14-15 April.

Visit your Honda dealer over the spring weekend to see and test ride the latest additions to the Honda range, lining up alongside other dynamic 2012 models including the Vision 50, NC700X and the exciting new 20th Anniversary CBR1000RR Fireblade, as well as put yourself in the running to win one of many great prizes.

The superb prize pool includes Shark helmets, gloves, VIP BSB tickets, Mick Extance Off-Road Experience days, Honda clothing and merchandise, Ron Haslam Race School courses, Honda electric lawnmowers, 12 month subscriptions to a variety of magazines and much, much more. A detailed list of the full range of prizes can be viewed on www.honda.co.uk.

To be in with a chance of claiming a prize, simply visit www.honda.co.uk/winbig and fill in your details on the online registration form. You will then be sent either an email or text with your unique winning code, to take to a participating Honda dealer during the Win Big Weekend, to find out what you have won.

Honda motorcycle dealers across the country will be holding weekend long celebrations, offering test rides as well as their own individual schedule of events. All dealers will be participating with the Honda (UK) free prize draw and a guaranteed prize will be allocated to all that have registered and visit the dealership to claim their prize.

So whatever Honda you have your eye, take a trip down to your local dealer over the Win Big Weekend to see and test ride the great two-wheel range and claim your guaranteed prize. For further details about the Win Big Weekend visit www.honda.co.uk/winbig or contact your local dealer.

http://www.honda.co.uk/winbig

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Honda's latest V4 a great all-rounder

http://www.iol.co.za/motoring/bikes/...nder-1.1249241

Picture tour of Honda VFR800X tourer

Generally speaking, I can return lower fuel-consumption figures when I have a bike on test than at a model launch, mostly because I know where I'm going, I'm more relaxed and my riding is smoother.

So it came as a surprise when the Honda VFR800X Crossrunner recorded an average of 6.9 litres per 100km over 10 days of mixed commuting and hooning around the countryside, after most of the bikes at the SA launch of this model in September 2011 were averaging about 6.5 over two days of backroads lunacy.

However, that still gives you a guaranteed 300km on a tankful, more than many sports-tourers can deliver, and it's a feather in the Crossrunner's cap that the yellow light always came on before old bones called a halt to proceedings.

The term “all-day comfort” is all too often bandied about, but a couple of three-hour stints in the saddle of the VFR800X left me keen for more, although the unusual seating position, with upright 'bars and raised, slightly rear-set footpegs may not suit riders significantly taller than my 1.78 metres.

COMMUTER OR CANYON CARVER?

The latest iteration of Honda's Great All-Rounder leans more towards the road less travelled than previous models (bearing in mind that it is derived from the RC45 World Superbike racer) and, as today's touring bikes must, even handles hard-packed gravel roads with aplomb.
IOL mot pic mar5 Honda VFR800 2

The latest iteration of Honda's Great All-Rounder leans more towards the road less travelled than previous models.

Dave Abrahams

But what we wanted to know was how it would cope with the other two facets of the all-rounder portfolio: weekday commuting and Sunday morning canyon carving.

A week's commuting showed us that Crossruner is even better in traffic than the 'standard' VFR800. The slightly detuned engine (longer, narrower inlet tracks and remapped ignition and fuel-injection curves) has noticeably more midrange grunt and the previously jerky V-Tec transition has almost been ironed out.

There's still a slight hesitation - very much like a momentary misfire - as the extra valves kick in at around 6500rpm (that's about 155km/h in top) but, even in first or second as you grab a gap in the traffic, it's not enough to upset the chassis' composure.

The rest of the drivetrain is, in a word, superb.

It shares with the earlier models a crisp, positive six-speed gearbox and virtually lash-free final drive, due in part to the most thoroughly sorted version of the Elf Racing single-sided swing-arm on the road.

The upright eating position gives you a better view over the surrounding cars and the wider handlebars provide leverage for quick changes of direction in the daily cut-and-thrust.
IOL mot pic mar5 Honda VFR800 3

Compact instrument panel is difficult to read in direct sunlight, especially the narrow bar-graph rev counter.

Dave Abrahams

It's a big bike, at 238kg ready to go, but never clumsy, thanks to Honda's emphasis on mass centralisation, and has appreciable presence on the road, making the 5pm gridlock far less nerve-wracking than on my little red sports bike which, I am told, tends to disappear between the cars.

SLIGHTLY NERVOUS FEEL

But when we threw it at our ride and handling test route, we found that quick changes of direction and supple suspension translated into a slightly nervous feel through fast corners; the bike didn't easily achieve that 'locked on line' feeling that makes the earlier version such a confidence builder and we found that mid-corner speed was decided by rider bottle (or lack thereof) rather than by corner clearance.

So I was a little nervous about the top speed runs, even taking the precaution of removing the colour-coded, quick-detachable 31-litre top box you see in the pictures to smooth the airflow around the bike.

But I needn't have worried, the bike zoomed up to a true 196km/h, exactly on the power peak at 9000rpm, running straight and true without a hint of headshake, showing 206 on the digital speedometer - and stopped accelerating so abruptly it felt almost as if the bike was electronically governed.

BIG HANDFULS OF THROTTLE
IOL mot pic mar5 Honda VFR800 4

The 31-litre top box swallows a full-face helmet with room to spare.

Dave Abrahams

Nevertheless, if you give it big handfuls of throttle and keep it the revs on the naughty side of the V-Tec transition, the engine note picks up a hard edge, a little vibration comes through the 'bars and pegs, and this previously mild-mannered bike becomes something of a hooligan, reacting sharply to throttle input, squatting slightly on its rear suspension and doing its best to shorten the distance to the next corner.

Come to think of it, that may be part of the reason for my poor fuel consumption.

The 31-litre top box (a R5343 extra) is beautifully finished inside and, out once you've mastered the slightly finicky mechanism, can be fitted or detached in seconds. It also swallows a full-face helmet with room to spare which, let's face it, is the reason we have top boxes.

VERDICT

My earlier quibbles from the launch ride still stand: the compact instrument panel (borrowed from the CBR600F, I've since realised) is difficult to read in direct sunlight, especially the narrow bar-graph rev counter, and the (extra-cost) taller screen isn't an accessory, it's a necessity.

But the Crossrunner will take you to work all week with a grin on your face, and to places you never dreamed you'd go on weekends, in more comfort than you'd expect and with enough of a hooligan streak that you're unlikely ever to get bored.

Price: R109 999 (31-litre top box R5343 extra).

Bike from: Honda SA.

SPECIFICATIONS

Engine: 782cc liquid-cooled four.

Bore x stroke: 72 x 48mm.

Compression ratio: 11.6:1.

Valvegear: DOHC with four overhead valves per cylinder and VTEC variable valve timing.

Power: 74.9kW at 10 000rpm.

Torque: 72.8Nm at 9500rpm.

Induction: PGM-FI electronic fuel-injection with four 36mm throttle bodies.

Ignition: Computer-controlled digital transistorised with electronic advance.

Starting: Electric.

Clutch: Hydraulically actuated multiplate wet clutch.

Transmission: Six-speed constant-mesh gearbox with final drive by chain.

Front Suspension: 43mm conventional cartridge forks adjustable for preload.

Rear Suspension: Pro-Link with gas-charged monoshock adjustable for preload and rebound damping.

Front brakes: Dual 296mm discs with Nissin three-piston floating callipers and ABS.

Rear brake: 256mm disc with twin-piston floating calliper and ABS.

Front tyre: 120/70 - 17 tubeless.

Rear tyre: 180/55 - 17 tubeless.

Wheelbase: 1464mm.

Seat height: 816mm.

Kerb weight: 238kg.

Fuel tank: 21.5 litres.

Top speed (measured): 198km/h.

Fuel consumption (measured): 6.9 litres per 100km.

Price: R109 999 (31-litre top box R5343 extra).

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http://hellforleathermagazine.com/2012/03/is-the-mugen-shinden-just-a-disguised-honda-rc-e/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaig n=Feed%3A+HellForLeather+(Hell+For+Leather)

Is the Mugen Shinden just a disguised Honda RC-E ?




The bike you see here is the Mugen Shinden, a prototype electric race bike that will compete at this summer’s TT Zero, racing bikes like the MotoCzysz E1pc. Mugen is a japanese race team and tuning company that’s long existed as sort of a Skunk Works-like, external R&D company for Honda. There’s no public link between Honda and the Shinden. But, now that we see the bike, it’s evident that it does share some major parts with the Honda RC-E. Like that motor, which comes out of the Honda Insight hybrid car.

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Honda's 2012 'Blade all about control

http://www.iol.co.za/motoring/bikes/...trol-1.1256939

It's all about control. If you go into the first of the esses at Port Elizabeth's Aldo Scribante circuit right on the outside edge of the track, it sets you up perfectly for an effortless flip-over into the second, left-hand, turn and after that it's continuous acceleration, modulated by ultra-fine throttle movements, about a third of the way around the circuit, right up to the point where you stand the bike on its nose, braking for the hairpin.

And that's what the Honda staffers had been emphasising all morning: control. We were at Scribante for the South African launch of the 2012 Honda CBR1000RR, almost exactly 20 years after the release of the original Fireblade in November 1991.

That bike was the result of some inspired lateral thinking by Honda development engineer Tadeo Baba and his team - one of whom, Hirofumi Fukunaga, is the project leader for this model, two decades later.

The idea was to build a bike with the power of a litre-class machine in the chassis of a 600cc midweight, and what they achieved turned the world of sports motorcycling on its ear - a shrieking 893cc transverse four that was good for more than 90kW, in a motorcycle no bigger and very little heavier than the current 600cc Honda, its fairing full of holes to aid cooling.

It was very much a bike of its time, with a 16” front wheel that made it twitchy under stress, and it would bite if its tail was injudiciously twisted.

MAKING THE POWER MORE ACCESSIBLE


The new Fireblade uses a layered fairing, as first seen on the VFR1200F, to create a pocket of still around the rider while drawing fresh air through the cooling system.



Ever since, the Slide Rule Samurai at Honda A&D in Asaka have been working to retain that explosive performance, while making the power more accessible by making it more controllable.

The 2012 Fireblade has no more power than its 2008 predecessor, and is in fact about 12kW down when compared to its major competitors, but it is how that power is applied to either a race circuit or your favourite Sunday morning twisties that makes this bike what it is.

The eighth-generation CBR1000RR has new suspension at both ends, new wheels, a revised slipper clutch, a second-generation electronic steering damper, and completely re-written fuel-injection mapping developed with the aim of eliminating jerky take-up at small throttle openings - the notorious 'spritzer snatch' that affects almost all fuel-injected motorcycles.

The previous model was styled to be as compact as possible, leading to comments from customers that it looked a little stubby, so the nose of the new 'Blade is a little longer, a little more pointed, the tailpiece slimmer and more elegant - but it's not just for looks.

The new Fireblade uses a layered fairing, as first seen on the VFR1200F, to create a pocket of still around the rider while drawing fresh air through the cooling system - hence the longer nose.

ELECTRICKERY


All-liquid crystal instrument pod has a bar-graph rev counter across the top and digital readouts for speed, distance, clock/lap time, gear position, coolant temperature, how much fuel is left in the tank, and fuel consumption.



Inside that fairing there's a new, all-liquid crystal instrument pod with a bar-graph rev counter across the top that offers four display modes: conventional, reverse with the bars retreating as the revs rise, peak hold with one bar staying lit to indicate your highest revs during that session, and single segment with one bar moving around the face like the end of a conventional needle.

Below that you'll find digital readouts for your speed, distance, clock/lap time, gear position, coolant temperature, how much fuel (in litres!) is left in the tank and fuel consumption.

I'll admit I was too busy riding the bike to fiddle with them; that will have to wait until we get a 2012 CBR1000RR on review, as promised by Honda SA.

SPACE AND TIME BEGIN TO BEND

Honda quotes 131kW at 12 000rpm and 112Nm at 8500 for the 999cc, four-cylinder engine - but that's only half the story. There's useful torque from 4500rpm onwards, by eight the engine is beginning to shriek as the power comes on strong and from 9500 space and time begin to bend as the bike throws itself at the horizon.

Yet you can pull out of a slow corner at 4000rpm and the 'Blade will pick up speed smoothly and accurately, responding gently and predictably to the tiniest throttle input.
IOL mot pic mar15 Honda CBR1000RR 4

Former Grand Prix rider Dave Petersen has the front wheel just kissing the tar as he accelerates on to the main straight at Aldo Scribante.



The only time I ever got the slightest jerk was when I suddenly closed and then opened the throttle, going into a downhill corner a little faster than my sphincter was comfortable with, and even that wasn't enough to unsettle the chassis.

The 2012 Fireblade is the first Honda to feature Showa's 'big piston' forks, the beautifully simple front suspension system pioneered by Kawasaki a couple of years ago.

The set-up does away with conventional valving in favour of smooth-flowing channels inside the dampers, preventing cavitation and reducing heat build-up in the oil, making the forks at the same time more compliant at the beginning of their stroke and more consistent throughout.

The result is a superbly planted front end that will stand up to kamikaze late breaking without losing its cool, letting you balance the bike on the brakes going in to a corner without pattering.

By the way, to let you control this aspect of the bike's performance more accurately, Honda has listened to its top riders and dialled back the amount of rear-pedal pressure that gets fed to the front brakes via the combined braking system.

BALANCE FREE REAR CUSHION

The rear suspension, by contrast, sends its fluid on a complex journey through a maze of channels and sleeves (also without valving) to achieve a perfectly smooth transition from compression to rebound without a dead spot in between.

For reasons known only to the inscrutable Nipponese the system, unique (for now) to this motorcycle, is called a balance free rear cushion. Whatever that means, the effect is to banish rear-wheel chatter under braking almost entirely while keeping rear-end squat during acceleration to a minimum, without relying on super-stiff springs like a 1980s Italian bike.

Not only does it work, but the compression and rebound damping adjustment screws are on the gas reservoir of the monoshock, offset to the left and easily accessible for fine-tuning between track sessions.

For 2012 the wheels have 12 narrow spokes rather than the previous three big, hollow columns; they're no lighter but the rim is more evenly supported, helping the tyre to retain its shape and do its job of sticking to the tar.

All of which adds up to a superbly controllable motorcycle; a few laps to get used to just how hard it can brake and how accurately it turns in, and you're flying by the seat of your pants, listening to the engine's high-pitched wail, feeling the almost linear connection between right wrist and rear-wheel revs, aiming at the perfect exit from every corner rather than surviving the entry - and the smoother you ride the better it works.

The bike almost seems to adapt to your riding style.

Don't get me wrong; you never get used to the top-end rush as this thing shrieks down the main straight with the shift lights flashing in your face, but the entire back section of the circuit becomes a flowing pas de deux as you and the Fireblade do what motorcycles were invented for - carving corners with a precision that car drivers can't understand, let alone appreciate.

It's a beautiful thing, total control.

Price: R141 999 (R151 999 with ABS).

SPECIFICATIONS

Engine: 999cc liquid-cooled transverse four.

Bore x stroke: 76 x 55.1mm.

Compression ratio: 12.3:1.

Valvegear: DOHC with four overhead valves per cylinder.

Power: 131kW at 12 000rpm.

Torque: 112Nm at 8500rpm.

Induction: PGM-DSFI electronic fuel-injection with four 46mm throttle bodies.

Ignition: Computer-controlled digital transistorised with electronic advance.

Starting: Electric.

Clutch: Cable-operated multiplate wet clutch.

Transmission: Six-speed constant-mesh gearbox with final drive by chain.

Front Suspension: 43mm inverted Showa “big piston” cartridge forks adjustable for preload, compression and rebound damping.

Rear Suspension: Gas-charged Showa 'balance free rear cushion' damper with 10-step preload and stepless compression and rebound damping adjustment.

Front brakes: Dual 320mm discs with Tokico four-piston radial-mount monobloc callipers and (optional) ABS.

Rear brake: 220mm disc with single-piston Tokico floating calliper and ABS.

Front tyre: 120/70 - 17 tubeless.

Rear tyre: 190/50 - 17 tubeless.

Wheelbase: 1407mm.

Seat height: 820mm.

Kerb weight: 200kg (211 with ABS).

Fuel tank: 17.7 litres.

Fuel consumption (claimed): 5.6 litres per 100km.

Price: R141 999 (R151 999 with ABS).

[tokyodream Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close tokyodream]

Honda scooter commercial employs Steve Jobs lookalike

http://www.autoblog.com/2012/03/16/h...obs-lookalike/

Like Elvis and Tupac before him, Apple icon Steve Jobs is showing up in all kinds of unexpected places after his passing. This latest sighting comes in a commercial for a Honda SCR 110 scooter that channels The Jobs himself. Up close, the male actor isn't a ringer, but the black turtleneck and design theme leave no doubt about his inspiration.

The Chinese-language tag for this commercial says "Wuyang Honda Motorcycle." We don't know if they made it, but a post house called CN Post Production takes credit for some of the work on it. Follow the jump to check out the bizarre advertisement, and for thie other side of strange, you can check out their JianLi Bo apple juice spot.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1th1g...layer_embedded

[Rumburak Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Rumburak]

SMAEB & ExpoBike 2012

Sunt curios cum se prezinta Honda anul asta. De cand Carpati a devenit importator oficial miscarea mi se pare slaba de tot.

"Ajuns la a X-a editie, Salonul de Motociclete, Accesorii si Echipamente, Bucuresti (SMAEB) va avea loc in weekend-ul 21-22 Aprilie. Pentru a doua oara, evenimentul va avea loc la ROMAERO in Hangarul 107 Vest.
SMAEB va fi deschis publicului Sambata intre orele 11 si 20 si Duminica intre orele 10 si 18:30. Pretul biletului de intrare va fi de 10 RON.

In paralel cu SMAEB se va desfasura si EXPOBIKE - Salonul de Biciclete si Accesorii 2012, ajuns la a III-a editie. EXPOBIKE III a avea loc in Hangarul 2 iar intrarea va fi gratuita. Traditional-ul STUNTSHOW, cu 2 reprezentatii pe zi la exterior si TATTOOSHOW - deja la a III-a editie - vor completa evenimentul. Pe pista amenajata la exterior va avea loc SCOOTER CUP organizat anual de catre revista SCOOTERFUN."

Sursa: motociclism.ro

[tokyodream Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close tokyodream]

IMPORTATOR:

Honda Trading Romania
Bd. Dimitrie Pompei nr.10A, Cladirea Conect Business Park, Etaj 5, Sector 2, Bucuresti
Tel: 031/ 71 01 903
Fax: 031 71 01 902


E-mail: office@hondatrading.ro


CARPATI MOTOR este dealer : http://www.honda-moto.ro/dealeri

=====================================

Honda CBR150R set for March end launch at a price of Rs 1.16 Lakh

http://www.automotto.com/honda-cbr15...-116-lakh.html

The Japanese two-wheeler giant Honda has begun production of the CBR150R at its Manesar plant and has also started accepting bookings for the new vehicle. The bike is reported to be offered at an ex-showroom starting price of Rs 1,16,385 for the standard version and Rs 1,17,385 for the Deluxe version.

The bike is being built by the company’s Indian unit Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMSI) and features a six-speed gearbox with an 18 bhp single- cylinder four-stroke engine that develops 149.4cc of power. The CBR150R will be launched in two variants with the Standard variant featuring Pearl Sunbeam White on Sports Red and Pearl Sunbeam White on Black paint options and the Deluxe variant being offered in Pearl Sunbeam White on Vibrant Orange and Candy Palm Green on Black paint options though the two variants will not differ in terms of engine and performance.
The bike is expected to hit Honda showrooms across the country by the end of the month. The company aims to manufacture around 750 units of the bike in the first batch. Bookings have already commenced and the bike will be available at all Honda dealerships by the end of March, 2012.