Keen to get a piece of the action in the always popular liter-sized naked bike scene, Honda debuted an all-new entry in the class with its 2018 CB1000R ($12,999). The CB slots in Big Red’s newly coined Neo Sports segments, which infuses classic styling elements with modern proportions—exuding a true sport appeal.
You won’t hear us dispute the merits of this concept, as both the CB1000R and its affordable little brother, the CB300R are some of the most attractive streetbikes we’ve seen roll out from a Honda showroom. The CB1000R stands out with its liberal use of metal (as opposed to plastic with the 300R) and the exquisite level of fit and finish.
Loaded with all the bells and whistles, the ride-by-wire-equipped Honda employs traction control and adjustable engine power modes that are tweaked through a tasteful-looking digital display and logically designed switch gear. This allows riders to tune the 2006–2007-generation CBR1000RR inline-four engine making it more friendly to wield on the road.
In this week’s MC Commute review, we dive into the positioning of this model and discuss the features and overall riding dynamic of the 2018 CB1000R as we commute to the Motorcyclist magazine office in Southern California. Click the “play” button and see for yourself what it’s like to ride.
Related: 2018 Honda CB1000R First Ride Review
Source: MotorCyclistOnline.com
Yamaha jump-started the liter-class sportbike segment 21 years ago with its original ’98 YZF-R1. Over the years it evolved, at times teetering toward a more street or track focused design depending on model year. But for its 2015 major redesign, Yamaha had its sights set on track performance first and foremost.
Right away it was apparent the Tuning Fork company certainly did its homework, engineering a competent sportbike for setting fast laps at the track. But how does it perform on the road, on the way to work? We find out in this episode of MC Commute.
The YZF-R1 is powered by Yamaha’s ferocious 998cc crossplane-equipped inline-four engine. Compared to other inline-four configurations, Yamaha’s CP4 mill offers a rowdy powerband that feels like a cross between the punchy feel of a V-twin and the screaming high-rpm performance that I-4s are renowned for. On our dyno, the 2015–2018 generation R1 engine belts out over 160 hp at the business end of the Bridgestone Battlax tire.
The engine is hung in a racy chassis with ergonomics that follow the lines of the Doctor’s YZR-M1 bike. It’s also loaded with capable and easy-to-manipulate electronics that truly complement the engine and chassis allowing the rider to set fast laps with ease. For 2018, engineers tweaked the functionality of its wheelie control (Yamaha calls it “Lift” control) as well as adding auto-blip downshift functionality allowing the rider to downshift without the clutch at lean. Will these gizmos help us wield the R1 from stoplight to stoplight? Find out now this episode of MC Commute.
Source: MotorCyclistOnline.com
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