With this year’s EICMA show just a few days away, we probably don’t have to wait too much longer to find out all the details about the much-talked-about 2020 Honda CBR1000RR, but we just got a tip from a Bothan spy and thought we would share it with you.
The reason for our excitement, is what this reliable tipster tells us. Namely, that the 2020 Honda CBR1000RR will be a fire-breathing monster, with 215hp on tap.
To reach that figure, the eggheads at Big Red have been working hard, and have managed to coax that power figure by optimizing the bike’s four-cylinder engine. Making peak power at 14,500 rpm, the new CBR1000RR will use 52mm throttle bodies as well as titanium connecting rods.
As we have seen on the BMW S1000RR and Suzuki GSX-R1000R, the 2020 Honda CBR1000RR will also use variable valve timing, which should mean that the high power figures will still come with a meaty middle range.
However, it is not clear if the VTEC setup will function on only the intake valves, or if Honda will expand its use to the exhaust valves as well.
Our spy says that the wet weight will be under 440 lbs, which is certainly a lithe number, and it compares very well to the 434 lbs from the BMW S1000RR and the 436 lbs quoted for the Ducati Panigale V4 S.
This also means that the 2020 Honda CBR1000RR should have a class-leading power-to-weight ratio. Boom goes the dynamite.
We expect the electronics suite to be fully updated and on par with the competition, and recent patent applications and spy photos have confirmed that the superbike will feature active aerodynamics, with side-mounted pods deploying winglets when the motorcycle requires them.
Our source says that we will see two trim levels of the bike, with pricing set to similar spec as the current SP and SP2 models, which means in the USA that we will see the 2020 model year CBR1000RR at $20,000 and $25,000 MSRP (assuming the bike comes to the USA on time).
What is interesting at this price point is that Honda seems to have abandoned the lower end of the liter bike market, which might make sense when coupled to the news that our colleagues at Motorcycle.com discovered – that Honda has trademarked the “CBR1000RR-R” name.
While it is hard to imagine a motorcycle needing four R’s in its name – go head, say it out loud CBR, 1000, R, R….R – the naming convention does leave room for a “regular” CBR1000RR model in the lineup, which could be the current generation machine, with its $16,500 price point.
With those pieces of the puzzle adding up in our minds, it will be interesting to see if we have the right picture here. It will also be interesting to see if the information we have received hits true, because if it is, this could be a huge moment for Honda in the superbike space.
Thankfully, we have only a few more days to wait. Be sure to check back to Asphalt & Rubber for the official details about the 2020 Honda CBR1000RR, as well as all of our EICMA coverage from Milan.
Source: Bothan Spies
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