2008 Honda Fireblade - Mossy Rides

After stiffening up the bike’s suspension the feedback improved distinctly, as did my confidence to push the bike a lot harder. There were some protests from the rear tyre under power from some of the slower corners, but the slides weren’t scary. Given that the BT-015 Bridgestones are made for road use, and were still being run at higher road pressures, that was hardly a surprise. The situation did underline just how predictable the

Honda

is though, even when it’s at the limits of its rubber.

The test started proper after lunch when race tyres were fitted and run at the appropriate track pressures. The level of grip from the BT-002 Bridgestones is in a different league to that of the road tyres, and the real capability of the Honda then became obvious. Despite the much greater strain the Fireblade was suddenly being subjected to, it continued to behave impeccably. And even when I started to make mistakes it still maintained its composure.

With the extra adhesion it was possible to turn into corners even faster, yet the precision of the steering remained sharp and solid. Two other aspects of the bike really showed their potential when the pace was increased too. Thanks to the solidity of the front forks and the huge strength of the new monoblock front brake calipers, slowing the bike is really safe and secure. Nowhere was this more obvious that at the end of the main straight where you needed to lose around 100mph and drop three gears in double quick time. Lap after lap, the Honda just got on with the job with impressive consistency and without fade or complaint of any sort. Perhaps even more remarkable though is the bike’s slipper clutch that allowed all of this sudden and massive deceleration without any loss of grip from the rear wheel. Maintaining this sort of stability shortens your stopping distance and lets you perform Alex Barros-style levels of late-braking at each and every corner. It’s arguably the single best feature of the bike and really shows just how civilised it can be, even under such massive duress.

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Helping to generate this sort of stress on the brakes is the Honda’s engine. It only makes an extra 5bhp compared to the 2007-spec bike, but the additional grunt in the mid-range is what sets it apart from the current bike’s power delivery. Even at the high speed Losail track, that extra drive was really welcome from exit of corners, and helped to get the bike onto and down the straights faster. The civility of the added surge helps the rear shock and tyre to maintain their grip and will be of particular use when conditions aren’t at their best.

With a smooth, linear and fluid build up of horsepower all the way to the rev light indicated max of 13,000rpm, the in-line four can only be described as very useable and friendly. The civility masks just how powerful the in-line four is, though a quick look at the digital speedo within the Fireblade’s new clocks soon reminds you of the fact. On track the Honda is clearly a very fast and powerful bike, but it does a good job of disguising that feeling at times. Motors making over 170bhp don’t often feel as deceptively calm as this one.

This is one of two contentious points of the machine, and very much the part of the bike with the most ‘Honda-factor’ about it. Some will criticise the way it goes about its business of powering the big CBR to its insane speeds in the gentlemanly manner that it does, and may label it as relatively dull and uninspiring. I personally like the highly effective way it accelerates and lets you use it more fully without feeling you’re going to run into problems with things like slides or impromptu wheelies. Racers are constantly looking for engines to be made more friendly and useable to enable them to lower their lap times. I’m like them and am quite prepared to sacrifice a bit of the thrill generated by some peakier and revvier engines (like Yamaha’s R1 motor) in order to get more of what it has to the ground and go faster. My own view of the Honda engine is that it’s remarkable in that it can make so much power feel so friendly to use. My only criticism of it was with some abruptness in its fuelling from a closed throttle, and that only occurred after being shut for a few seconds at the end of the straight. Overall, I’d give it a 9/10 score for its strength and sophistication.

The most debateable issue with the Fireblade though, and one that may well turn people against it, is its style. Most of the testers thought it was pretty damned ugly. I have to admit that it’s no oil painting, and can’t touch something like an R1 or 1098 for aesthetic appeal. But I also reckon it’s just the expanse of bodywork above the headlights that needs work, and if you made that look a bit more like the CBR600RR than you’d have a lot more voting for it. Either way, I was so impressed with the Blade that it could look like Jade Goody and I’d still like it.