The 2010 EICMA show in Milan might have taken place in the nation of Italy far across the Atlantic Ocean, but the US motorcycle market seems to have been a primary story of the event. There were either new announcements or confirmations of rumors concerning some new models from many different marques which would finally land on the shores of the US or North America. This American Honda news actually came a week after the EICMA news that the CBR250R is US-bound, but it does have connections to the Milan show in at least two ways; the CB1000R is designed and manufactured in Italy and it first broke cover at the 2007 EICMA show there. For the first time, after beginning production in 2008 primarily for the European market, the 2011 CB1000R will be in dealer showrooms throughout the US.
The CB1000R became a replacement for the rather popular (in Europe) CB900F Hornet/919 in the Honda line-up. It is powered by a modified version of the 998cc liquid-cooled inline-four fuel-injected engine sold in the 2007 CBR1000RR (Fireblade outside US), which has been tuned for around 125 HP and 74 lb/ft of torque with a meaty
low and mid-range as a naked bike should have. The chassis is a single backbone design allowing for rigid construction, thin-walled for light weight, and comes with a nicely-sculpted single-sided swingarm out back. All of this is held up with suspension which is directly sportbike-derived and exceptionally adjustable. Twin front discs are grabbed with radially-mounted calipers allowing for hard charging in the corners with confidence.
The stance and stylistic Transformers-like headlight convey a certain image of power with hooligan-esque leanings and a touch of modern art at heart. While it may not be pleasing to everyone’s eye, the 2011 Honda CB1000R will satisfy a very deep need for a powerful standard motorcycle reminiscent of the 1969 CB750KO with modern running gear. One important question remains – how much will it cost? Building motorcycles in Italy is not cheap…
