How Honda made the Greatest Sportbike Ever

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The Honda Fireblade is one of the most iconic and influential sportbikes of all time. This is the story of its development
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[@bartmotorcycle]

Go to ground.news/bartmotorcycle to feel more engaged and in control of the news. Subscribe through my link for 40% off unlimited access this month.

[@crazysofast7521]

8:48 I think I am recognizing my friend F.B who was bike tester and lived in Japan. He also prime tested japanese motorcycles for a french magazine for 15 years 1985-2000. Glasses, caracteristic head position and... no angle 😀 Do you have more informations about this test ?

[@dangerkingston]

Had a 99' 900RR, rode it across North America two and a half times until she blew up on me in Illinois one night while I was trying to get my iron butt certification (all documented on my Instagram with same handle as I have here)... Saved the frame as a souvenir and I'm looking at it right now. I named that bike Marceline, best bike I've ever had.

[@2naPhish]

May her name forever ring in the halls of glory my friend

[@funstuff192]

What made it blow?

[@dangerkingston]

@@funstuff192 My Iron Butt route was between Madison, Wisconsin and Shamrock, Texas, just over 1000 miles. I set it up so that I would be running through Illinois at night, because the roads are bullet straight, and they have a law there that requires cops to use radars instead of lasers and I had a radar detector on the bike. I had the bike geared up on the rear sprocket and lowered a tooth on the front, gave the girl a lot more pep and made throttle wheelies possible, but not ideal when you're trying to break your families land speed record on some deserted Illinois highway. I really should have brought a gear change along, but in those days I used to travel for work and I was riding back home to San Francisco after a job out East. The plan was working perfectly, I had her absolutely pinned in sixth, which really only translated to about 145ish with the gearing, and held it that way for about a half an hour, off and on of course, but it was really easy to keep those speeds on that highway, and I felt invisible to cops. I wasn't concerned about keeping the engine pinned at 10,500rpm, over the course of years that engine had proven itself to be far more reliable than it had any right to be, I bought her for $2,000 with 70,000+ mi on the clock already years beforehand, and had bounced off the limiter frequently, I just had this feeling that she was immortal. Crazy little overengineered spaceship that never skipped a beat, never complained about being taken to its limits. Then pooosh... Loss of all power.... Rear wheel started to feel squirrely as it was slowing down from hyperspace so I knew it was bad bad (riding through my own engine oil). Connecting rod on the number 3 cylinder shot through the front of the engine like a bullet. I felt like I had killed my favorite horse. I cried, felt so bad for hurting her. I never cry.

[@darksu6947]

​@@funstuff192A little blow and a lonely night......

[@Nick-Emery]

Why marceline?

[@sonik954]

The pinnacle of Tadao Baba's work was the CBR954RR. To this day still the lightest Fireblade produced. Some say the best even.

[@lesterburnham509]

Yeap 954 is the sexiest.

[@MathewsGuitarWorks]

Agreed. Had an ‘01 929, ‘02 & ‘03 954 and can attest that the 954 is one the greatest street bikes ever created followed closely by the 2k up gsxr750.

[@rm25088]

I miss my '03 954RR. I was young when I had it so I don't remember much of it, other than it being really light and fast, head shaked liked crazy though. Needed a steering dampener from the factory.

[@johnnyblue4799]

I own one... great bike...

[@jackallen6261]

As Colin Chapman of Lotus once said don't add horsepower, add lightness! Words to live by!

[@michaelschneider-]

+1. .. Agreed. .. To the power of 10. .. A case in point. .. The old '80's Porsche 944 which wasn't known for a high HP spec. .. Other than the turbo cars. .. Anyway, take a garden basket 944 coupe stripping out its interior, ditch the A/C, the sound deadening, et al. .. Think Jenny Craig Weight Watchers for 944's. .. Now, hundreds of pounds lighter,, have a day at the local track or DE with the PCA club outings. .. Less weight, more fun. .. Cheers,

[@michaelschneider-]

@@jackallen6261 +1.. Ditto. ..The 944 Turbo's are hot stuff! .. I'd own a 89 944S2 coupe...(Stone Grey over Grey-Beige leathers) Drove that puppy for 10 years. .. The 944 dynamic is/was hard to beat. .. "Don't under estimate a Turbo 944" is what I'd say to the guys at the PCA club DE track days. .. Luv'ed that 944 S2,,, even though I'd take delivery of an ordered '98 Carrera S (993) coupe. Drive safe. .. Cheers, P.S., Have you ever run into a stroked 2.8l turbo 944 coupe? .. There out there - the poor 911's of the day had no chance. .. Game over. .. Cheers

[@hi_tech_reptiles]

While I love Lotus, made some of my favorite cars (especially with Toyota engines) at some point ya do have to add *some* horsepower lol

[@SkinPeeleR]

Exactly! Ask Jim Cla...... oh wait..

[@robertg.durant8489]

Add weight + a briggs & stratton engine

[@StratfordDanBurrell]

As a current Blackbird CBR1100XX rider - (based off the Fireblade 900 motor) - the incredible quality/DNA and Honda rideability is one of my favourite things about it. Honda builds/built amazing machines.

[@XPsychowaffleX]

Now THAT is a bike that deserves a video. And a bike that deserves a resurrection

[@gcrain464Crain-rd6hf]

Love my 99 Blackbird

[@twozup1098]

Based on the CBR1000F I’m afraid.

[@ozzyp97]

​​@@twozup1098It's the "successor" to the CBR1000F, but they don't really have that much in common, the Blackbird is mostly it's own thing. As for the engine, I guess you could say it's based on either of the two, I don't think there's any radical difference between them in that regard.

[@ozzyp97]

The Blackbird is such a well built machine, and incredibly smooth and stable well beyond any reasonable speed. Honda really knew what they were doing, even if it's a bit too easy to ride for it's own good.

[@charliecoutts3003]

I bought one of the first Fireblade '93 models secondhand in 1997 cost me just under 5 Grand (Stirling). I had previously owned going back 10 years a GPZ600R 'Ninja' and the original 'Jellymould' CBR 600R with a Vance And Hines pipe (Oh yes! ), so was used to riding hooligan machines 😊! (I was a London and Countrywide Bike Courier back then and 'despatched' on both bikes.....happy days!). But nothing prepares you for the sheer mentalness of wringing the neck of one of those first Fireblade models. Having owned the GPZ ten years earlier, I was used to the 'twitchy' quick cornering that comes with a 16 inch front wheel, which always concentrated your mind😅 but the brutal torque and top end power was something else. It was useable power though and by then I had been riding bikes for pleasure and work for 20 odd years. I can imagine how unstuck a less experienced rider would become if they jumped on one as their first big bike though. As you said in your excellent (as always) video, the Blade was a revelation in large capacity sportsbikes at the time in much the same way as Kawasaki invented the middle-weight sportsbike 600 class with the GPZ 600R..... please make a video on that. I still get dewy-eyed when I see a photo of one of those in the classic red, black and silver paint scheme 😢. I've turned 60 recently ( how the f*ck did that happen!) but glad to say still riding and soon to buy a 2015 MV Agusta 920 Brutale......some people never learn do they? Grow old disgracefully peeps 😊😊.

[@challacustica9049]

The fairing of the original Fireblade and it's smaller sibling MC22 is by far my favorite looking motorcycle fairing. So clean and elegant.

[@kingkire1556]

The 16inch front wheel with the 130/70 tyre was the only way to get the 900cc engine jammed into a 750 frame motorcycle to actually corner well enough to be signed off for release to the public. Honda's marketing said "Less weight"

[@--onewheelskyward--]

the red+white 929 was my second bike, ever. Graduated to a 1000RR in '08, and I still have it.

[@OlsonsGarage]

Love the 929! It was my second bike too

[@nocturnalcadence1676]

@@OlsonsGarage I have 2! I love the 929

[@ninadganore]

08 cbr was so much like 900rr in spirit.

[@davidbarton7463]

My friend had a Fireblade when I passed my bike test and fortunately for me another friend was selling his CBR400RR which I bought in 1994, you want to talk light and agile now this is it, I have had it for 30 years now and it still impresses me on the twisty's. Wouldn't pass on a ride on the 2024 Fireblade which has taken a leap forwards with the tech.

[@literallyhuman5990]

As much as I loved the firebird, it still can't beat my love the 2 strokes like the NSR250R and RG500 Gamma. They're such a beast

[@ReCheck_WotTheFluck]

Had buy a baby blade 600 08 because I'm priced out of another RGV250P(shouldn't of sold it) got the same colours blue/white. Best bike I've had for handleing. The RG500 sounded great and was quick, but was just lacking in handleing and stopping power, did have a few scares on it. But the 250 was just so planted and the brakes were great. Had the most fun on the RD's tho 250/350's and the LC2 YPVS. Cheap to run back in the day.

[@johngalt97]

@@ReCheck_WotTheFluck Everybody should experience an LC2 YPVS, they were a special flavor of fun…

[@GavinM161]

I remember riding my friend's RD350 and having my mind blown with the acceleration on that thing!

[@justinvanaulen2478]

I feel like there are so many things that have "Honda" and "Greatest Ever" in the same sentence. 100% respect to them.

[@vadimbellous8313]

All joking aside, I have a Honda push lawnmower and that thing refuses to die, and I have taken it places for jobs no push mower has the business of mowing. The best I have ever seen.

[@scottcates]

And then there's the PC800

[@rm25088]

They used to be at least. Their bikes back in the 90s-2000s were something else. CBRs, VFRs, RCs, Magmas, pretty much everything they made was at the top with the others trailing behind. Except when suzuki introduced the GSXRs in the 80s and kawasaki had the GPZ. Lets not forget the 70s CBs as well.

[@brdllc]

My personal favorite is the 954rr, the lightest model they’ve ever made to date, perfect amount of power, and looks great, and the last model baba had complete control over. However I wish it had undertail exhausts though 😭 Tied with that is the 2004-6 purely because of its looks, a lot like the rc211v

[@krishaz1]

Had my 1992 BabyBlade CBR250RR Tri-Colour for about 19 years now. Most reliable motorcycle I have owned. Dont think I could ever sell it now

[@johnturner7458]

Still riding a 2011 Fireblade. Love it. Great fun on the track.

[@emperorsnewclothes9405]

as colin chapman at lotus said 'add lightness'

[@MarissaTheMuse]

Simply, then add lightness!

[@invizzziblecitizzen7092]

Hold on Bart , I love your content it’s always brilliant BUT you said that the fire blade never won a title in world superbike ???? Are you forgetting James Toseland in last race of the 2007 season he beat Haga and Biaggi on the Honda !!!! An amazing championship win in one of the best seasons ever in WSB History 🤦‍♂️

[@MarissaTheMuse]

You really going to bust his balls over a single detail like that? Yamaha was so close that year it was crazy. change any single outcome for the better and they’d have had it

[@invizzziblecitizzen7092]

@@MarissaTheMuse it’s a big detail , he said they never won a title on the blade , and it was a privateer team , and as u say that year was one of the best seasons in history for ups and downs and some crazy racing 😎🤘

[@stevenspilly]

​@@MarissaTheMusethey still won the championship though.

[@commentaryking5165]

Nitro Nori was my guy. This memory hurts!!

[@stevenspilly]

@@commentaryking5165 still can't beleive they banned him for losing weight with diet pills....he was never the same after that

[@richardloo6572]

I still ride my 1999 Honda CBR 919 RR Fireblade . It the most fun bike I own . Leaves a smile on my face every time I ride it. It's the last bike I'd sell in my collection of 7 motorcycles. One bike I regret selling was a Yamaha RD 400 2 stroke Daytona Special. A bike I wished I owned is a Honda NS 400 2 stroke. I like old school fully carberated motorcycles. Not into all the new electronic gismo motorcycles these days , to me they are junk & brake down way faster , not to mention the cost to fix them. Old school motorcycles last for ever, providing one changes the engine oil on a regular basis. Most are built like tanks to last .

[@jameswoodward8063]

I'm on my 2nd 99 RRX, such a simple bike compared to modern stuff but still puts a smile on my face everytime... Less is more sometimes... Great vid👍

[@BulaMeister]

As a Honda CBR600F4i owner, this makes me proud 😀

[@italocanadase4221]

Correct me if I'm wrong but I thought the Fireblade did win the 2007 WSBK with James Toseland

[@ricklukic104]

I love the '93 RR so much, I have two. Gotta have both color options!

[@davidlagno7717]

There will never be another era of motorcycle performance competition like the 90's to 00's. No engineer like Baba San.

[@hyenahallstrom7034]

Totally disagree, we're seeing it now, but instead of top end beasts, it low-end mid range begginer bikes. Just look at how everyone is making new beginners full of tech for low low prices.

[@ricklukic104]

Totally agree. That's why I currently own ten '90's era sportbikes. Golden age of sportbikes

[@rm25088]

I also agree. 90s- early 2000s was the era. No fancy tech at all but maybe primitive fuel injection. It was all about who can create the best motor, chassis, and suspension. No thrills. Everything comes standard with saftey precautions now. Back then it was all up to the rider. I have both, a '23 and a 03. I ride the 03 more. Engine is more brutal and fun. If you learn how to ride without rider aids, it makes a better rider out of you.

[@tonyb9735]

I had a Mk 1 Fireblade, it was revvy and twitchy, and it was very hard to keep the front wheel on the ground. I never had a bike that wanted to kill me as much as that bike did. It was wonderful. In the UK, the contemporary Yamaha was not the FZR1000 (which I also owned and was another wonderful, wonderful motorcycle) but rather the Thunder Ace. When I was looking to replace my FZR1000, I test rode both the Thunder Ace (which was a big improvement on the FZR1000, but not the generational leap forward that the Fireblade was), and the Fireblade in the same week before buying the Fireblade. Also, the GSXR750 of that year was an absolutely superlative machine. It is no great injustice for that to have won bike of the year. The twitchy, tank-slappery nature of the Fireblade could easily have put people off. I used to have to hold the handlebars almost by the fingertips and let it shake its head when it started to tank slap. Fighting it just unsettled the whole bike.

[@omitted_hornet8641]

I’ve got a yellow 98’ CBR900RR. I got it for $2,000 off a guy in Cali. It was his friends bike, but the friend moved away and gave him the bike. It sat for 5 years and the guy was gonna junk it. Thank goodness I found it. Currently restoring her to stock.

[@rm25088]

Stock is the way to do it. Do some tasteful mods but keep the bike looking stock. Stock blinkers, stock rear fender, even keep the reflectors on it. A bike that old deserves to be unmolested. Like my 2003 TLR, I kept it stock looking, except for pipes, but underneath I have done a lot to make it perform and run the way it should. A lot of wiring mods that can be done, hotter coils, modifying the airbox, ect. Runs strong.

[@therealstevedye_121]

Really really like your channel. Only very occasionally do I think "well.... no..." The 16-inch wheel fad had began (more or less) with the original Honda Interceptor, released some 10 years before the CBR900R. Along with Yamaha's FJ100 and FZ and FZR bikes, the early 80s Suzuki stuff... hell, the original Ninja 900. I'm going from age-fogged memories, but yeah. By 1993, it was well on its way out. Wasn't aimed at weight reduction, but primarily quicker steering. Twitchy bunch of bikes that lot, but also really fun. Anyway... always great content. Keep up the good work.

[@judih.8754]

I loved my Suzuki 750ES and that 16 front.

[@jbred6049]

I believe they were also putting the smaller front wheels on the Magna's.

[@patrickfracisco8120]

The 1st street bike I purchased new was a CBR1000F- I still have fond memories of that bike- so much so that I have a framed pic of it on my wall- she was an amazing machine! Current owner of a 18' Triumph Street Cup, 09' Buell XB12Ss, Triumph Trident 660 & a cute 24' Honda Super Cub

[@prototype9904]

I had one also, it was smooth, fast, and comfortable. My first bike was a FZR600 88'. Now I've got a fully restored (by me)TL1000S 97' \m/

[@RedBud315]

I started riding in '78 on a stock RD250 then about a year later picked up an RD350 that was basically a race bike with a head and tail light. It smoked all Honda 750-4's stop light to stop light until the VFR-750 Interceptor came out. My 1st new bike was an '86 FZ600 that I raced at Willow Springs and once at Riverside before it was torn down. The best handling bike I ever owned was my '05 XB12 SCG. I really have no need for triple digit HP bike any more so I currently have my '76 RD400 and could not resist getting a '23 XR150L after seeing many YT videos of it. Such a fun little bike to ride.

[@peoplehavetherights]

Of all things I bounced around, first the 900RR, then the ZX-11D, and finally the 2000 R1. It was pretty scary, very light steering, using ball bearings rather than more standard modern bearings. This made the R1 pretty squirrelly. After riding a Honda CBR929RR, IT really was the most fun if them at the time versatile and planted.

[@richardwimbush2064]

Twin headlight Blade is the best bike I’ve ever owned. Light, nimble, contient crosser.Not twitchy, as some commenters make out.Easy to service, ride position makes sense at 70mph, it was even economical at sane speeds. Fabulous machine.

[@rm25088]

I will be looking for one of those eventually. Anywhere from a 92 to 94. I like the flat nose with dual headlights. I think in 95 they changed it a little. Or maybe 96 I don't remember.

[@ErickLopez-sz8pd]

I had a 2003 954rr and is one of the best bikes I've ever ridden

[@hardykornfeld1733]

I had a CBR900 and the front end spooked me. Not so much twitchy as lacking in feedback, at least for my primitive brain back then. I worked with Peter Kates at GMD Computrak to get it more to my liking. We put on a CBR600 17” front wheel and he fabbed a triple clamp to adjust the geometry. Night and day. One of the sweetest handling street bikes I ever owned.

[@gotojames]

I love my street rideable 2019 Blade. Not the best on the track but for sure the best on the street. You nailed the DNA in your report! Great Job!!

[@marcuspetford1098]

Still have my 99 RR. Previous owner did a 17" front wheel swap and Hindle exhaust. Such an awesome, comfy bike, I may never sell it.

[@nocturnalcadence1676]

I have two 929's, one of which I'm restoring. I think they are the best fireblades for real-world use. I commute all summer on mine. Comfy, reliable, powerful, relatively easy to service. With the launch of the Yamaha XSR900, it would be cool to see Honda make a retro/throwback fireblade with modern technology.

[@ThomasMitchell-kr8yy]

I’m a Honda fan they absolutely care about everything they make

[@siddharththakkar9579]

You're amazing Mr Bart, your vids are like medicines for calming mind. Love you Mr Bart.

[@peterjackson5995]

I had 3! My 2nd road bike was the CBR250RR the baby blade (does this count?), then my next bike was a 95 893 fireblade. I loved that bike, she ended up being my track bike. The next fireblade was a 94 893 and it was set up as a stunt bike. A couple of times I put knobby tires on it and went dirt track racing on friends farms haha.

[@genieb]

I had a 929 for a few years and it was a dream to ride (especially in New Zealand with our twisty roads here). I still miss it, it was the best steering bike that I have ever owned.

[@rcdrifts4942]

wheres the urban tiger paint scheme, has to be one om my favorite

[@ebutuoy8272]

The tiger themed blade was one of the best looking bikes.

[@andresbolanos993]

What a fantastic video, easily one of your very best. I was already enthralled with the Fireblade, but this has made me fall in love with it and supersport bikes in general.

[@YacolJ]

In the late 90's and early 2000's, the Cbr 900rr was THE bike to have. I drove around a 98 900 rr as I'm a mechanic and was doing some clutch work on it. It was wild and fast af. It accelerated like a banshee. Downshifts were epic with no slipper clutch, the whole bike would shimmy or wiggly. It always reminded you that it was a wild bronco, that let you ride it.

[@coastalhillbilly3419]

Had a brand new 1994 CBR 900RR, hyper twitchy fast handling, acceleration wheelies, smooth as a sewing machine, great bike

[@gregorkuhar1801]

I had 1997 CBR900RR and 2000 CBR929RR and I did about 70.000 km on each. It was a blast.😊

[@rickee2652]

I think its worth noting how many of the ideas that went into the fireblade were concept tested in the development of the CBR400RR NC29. The twin spar multipart frame, the retention of the unfashionable RWP forks, massively braced swingarm and even that newer 90's styling, as early as 1989.

[@czerogr]

fireblade 2005 black, the most beautiful from all

[@bigbird2523]

The first edition still catch my eyes

[@TimPiloto]

Here i was watching a vídeo about one of my favorite bikes when all of a sudden… “Hey THATS ME!” Ahah awesome work man! You gave me a reason to record another ride on my blade with better quality and audio! Cheers

[@GavinM161]

I loved my 1995 'Blade. Traded in my ZXR 750 for it and was hugely happy. I felt I could go faster with more control yet still feeling like I didn't have to do anything to get it there. Unfortunately, I was beguiled by the charms of an R1 and switched. I should really have just upgraded to a newer FireBlade.

[@stevenspilly]

I had 2 of these, the 93 model and later the 95 model. Everyone says it wasnt that powerful. I can assure you it FELT powerful. I remember riding a friends FZR-1000, the new GSX-R 750 SRAD and the limited edition ZX-7R. The all felt tame and slow in comparison. The blade is still the only bike i have ever ridden where you could be cruising in 2nd at sau 40lph and if you gave tje throttle a tiny blip your ass would slide back on the seat.

[@chiefline7084]

Loved my CBR 929RR and still miss it to this dsy

[@victorshteinberg6042]

Please make a video about the Honda CBR1100XX The SUPER BLACKBIRD. It was the next evolution of the fireblade & still the most powerful (per volume) naturally aspirated engine ever designed.

[@gcrain464Crain-rd6hf]

Love my 99 XX

[@chuckb470]

Love my 99 as well. 😁

[@sailtradition-1928]

that yellow f3 600- so fun

[@spmoore3954]

I spent a large portion of my college student loan money on a 900RR in 1994. I had to make a lot of pizzas in the following years to make up for the gap, but I never regretted that decision. I've owned a lot of different bikes since then, but the 900 is the "if you could only have one..." bike for me.

[@automotomahi]

every generation model of blade under Baba was a master piece

[@DogMania]

Babe Wake up! Bart dropped a new motorcycle video!!!

[@CathodeRayNipplez]

Why is she always asleep? You can do better dude.

[@nohandlefound.]

Why is this commented on every single video?

[@claytoncarroll8265]

Just bought a 97 CBR400RR that is being shipped over from Japan, soooo excited!!!!

[@nonyabusiness4151]

Congratulations, it will be a solid built purring machine.

[@S4WYERonPC]

The Fireblade has always been the jack of all trades - one of the few bikes that will actually make you feel like a better rider. Incredible machines with an equally spectacular legacy.

[@chrisblacklock9468]

I made the mistake of buying a Yamaha FZ1000R the year this Honda came out and always regretted that decision! I do think the Suzuki RG500 gamma in 1985 and the Suzuki GSX1100R in 1986 were perhaps even more groundbreaking than the Fireblade that followed, as they truly blew everyone's minds with the low weight and high horsepower compared to what was available then.

[@brianlekei8920]

Nice work again. I would love to see you do the story of the birth of Super bike. Honda, Kawasaki Freddie Spencer, Eddie Lawson 70s air cooled monsters. Your work is fantastic, thank you.

[@Qassu78]

I have a 2009 Fireblade and I just love it.

[@Emily-ou6lq]

the 929 were recalled because of tank slapping due to lack of steering damper which arrogant honda consistently refused to acknoledge. The recall consisted in swapping the taper bearing out for a old school loose ball one but it didn't resolve the issue. It also misses parts of a proper bike frame LOL

[@rm25088]

my old 2003 954rr was a serious tank slapper. NEVER understood why there wasn't a dampener on it. Didn't make any sense and it was a liability for Honda.

[@Emily-ou6lq]

@@rm25088 That's arrogant, stubborn, know-it-all Honda for ya

[@rm25088]

@@Emily-ou6lq yeah some of those Japanese men are very stubborn.

[@morcosboci]

I had 929, great bike, it was more comfortable than the VFR 750 I had before that, even the storage Under the seat was bigger.

[@JukeboxGothic]

I owned one of the 93 models. It was twitchy and always felt like it wanted to kill me. I loved it and should have kept it. The singer from the Prodigy had one as well. Wasnt he the fire starter so I guess it was appropriate.

[@user-tj5wb2ik6y]

I bought a wrecked CBR900 1994 and built it back up my self. It would do 175 mph. I could brake so hard the brakes would fade. It never had a twitch ! I never understood why others were complaining that there's twitched when mine was rock solid. I guess I just didn't ride hard enough. Now I believe that that frame came from MotoGP and was pretty much a copy from the two-stroke 500 machines. And that those machines were running the 16-in front wheels. To this point I have had many CBRs . They're very capable road machine they're not a tract machine. My Aprilia was much better suited to the track especially when it was all outfitted to ride on the track.

[@jasoncordoba9004]

I totally clicked this thinking it was going to be about the RC51. Speaking of, it would be interesting to understand how that line of bikes was being developed at the same time as the fireblade. Was it for homologation only? As much as I have respect for the 'blade, my bike-bucket-list has a few RC's on it before you get to a 'blade.

[@gcrain464Crain-rd6hf]

RC 30 4 me

[@jasoncordoba9004]

@@gcrain464Crain-rd6hf For sure. I've seen a couple of them in the wild, they just look like pure sex. I've also wanted to go for a long spin on that 400cc version, I've heard it's one of the best 'small bore' sportbikes ever made.

[@m.b.82]

I had a '94 cbr900rr Can confirm it was the best bike I've ever had

[@Rizla64]

Nice to see my video in someone material about model ☺️ Thanks for adding reference 😉 Greetings from me and my Blade !😂

[@H8FUL4IM]

To this day, still my daily rider! ❤

[@rbselfdefense3868]

Still have mine a 99 model and I love the thing

[@SmallAndSoft]

"You've Got Mail!"

[@leonmusk1040]

Mate gave me his one to get some beer for a bbq while he cleaned up the skid pad. Got back to him saying " Oh I was going to tell you the rears regrooved for inspection so stay under 180." Was only under 4 times getting the beer being 2. leaving and arriving being the other 2.

[@JozefLucifugeKorzeniowski]

the bit about the fireblade being deceptively faster because the rider didnt have to work as hard brings up the question; "what makes a better consumer experience; posting better lap times or feeling like you did?" i had 2 snowmobiles, one was a 600cc and the other a, 5 years newer, 800cc . the 600cc was slower in a quarter mile, it had no legs at the top end but, with some aftermarket mods, it had tremendous power low in the rev range (such to where, if you werent ready for it, and hit the throttle hard it would give you mild whiplash and yank your arms straight). because of this it felt alot faster than the 800cc even though it wasnt. when i sold it; the guy i sold it to said to me after test riding it, even though he was a very experienced rider, that "this thing is almost too powerful" i just told him "it will get you into alot of trouble very quickly if you're not careful". the 800 i still have does certain things better, the 600cc was more of a deep powder/high mountain sled that would overheat quickly on trails, and the 800cc does everything pretty well, but i still sometimes miss the burst of power that 600cc had.

[@bloodyhell451]

I have a 2005 and a 2015 - and I never should have sold the 2000. I love them, and for a fast road rider, with occasional track days, there is no better.

[@lynnlittle8671]

I drive a 2023 (ND2) Miata RF, manual transmission. She's not all that powerful, but she weighs a bit less than 2500 pounds. The fun factor is off the charts! That light weight, combined with the handling, makes for a car that regularly surprises drivers of the heavier, more powerful cars that I drive alongside. I'd chose light weight over crazy power any day, car or motorcycle.

[@mamoruchiba3301]

The first blade still my favourite dream sport bike, apart of the NSR250. Because the first Fireblade is fun to ride.

[@punchbuggyyellow7097]

Suzuki's RG250 had a 16" front wheel & it is the sharpest handling bike I've ever ridden. The Fireblade came pretty close though. The Fireblade was such a popular bike here in Australia that when companies started grey importing the Honda CBR250RR MC22 "Babyblade" for the learner market they sold like hot cakes. They imported almost every inline 4 250cc bike that Japan made but nothing sold any where near as well as the Honda. If you were in to Japanese sport bikes in the 90's in Australia you either rode a Fireblade on a full license or a Babyblade on a restricted license. The market was so big that Honda Australia started officially importing them from 1996 until stock ran out in 1999.

[@Dex99SS]

I've got one of them Yzqshioon Flame Sabers, from amazon.... 200cc. Pretty sweet, pretty much the same thing.

[@kevinbartram5302]

I don't do it myself but it has always fascinated me that you can go and buy almost any motor cycle and out of the box can commute to work ride on the road as normal usual transport then race it if you want to on an appropriate track if you want. If as a rider you are good enough do well on it too. and in the world of transport and racing for relatively pocket money.

[@jokeeffe2006]

i done my college engineering thesis on the engineering development of the fireblade over 10 year period

[@RickOAA]

Haters aside, it did usher in a new area of sportbikes. The original 900RR is a timeless classic in my book.

[@Diemerstein]

What Honda should really do is bring back the VFR Interceptor with gear driven cams, love my 5th generation.

[@DownUnderMotoTV]

Great video man such a sexy bike, I have a CBR 250R sitting in the garage ready for resto might have to start on it after seeing this

[@xenoaltrax485]

Damn, this video made me miss my '96 blade.

[@NooBDad84]

CBR954 the last of babas design and the ultimate in his refinement

[@nigelcooper4285]

Very good.Thank you

[@riehle.j8561]

My 1st bike was a brand new pearl white 86 VFR-700 FII.

[@MarissaTheMuse]

The 1988 NC23 & later the 92 & 94 NC29 will always be the best Fireblade to me. Its sacrilege that the CBR400R isn’t even listed as a Fireblade by Wikipedia

[@curtis026]

I missed out on buying a brand new..roughly 99 to 2001 (I’m no expert) 954? Honda fire blade circa 2007 for below retail. We ALL did I should say. Everyone who lived near Butler county Pennsylvania, and knew of the Honda dealership in Butler at that time (I don’t remember) had a chance at it. Leave it to that era to leave a RC954 (again I forget, but I think you know what model I am speaking of, it was not a 927, but the badest model of that era) unsold and begging for money years later. The lesson here kids is that THESE YEARS, yes, THESE YEARS, are the best of times. It only gets worse year after year

[@bombaya85]

Please do a video on the history of Kawasaki ZZR1400

[@francislutz8027]

Why the ZZR1400 when there are also the Concourse 1400 and ZX1400 models. All the same once you take the clothes off basically

[@hk74654]

Years ago my local Honda dealer bought up a '94/'95 Fireblade and have it as a permanent exhibit in their storefront. I'm not sure it's even for sale, probably just there more as a piece of history than anything else (or until the right buyer comes along).

[@rickrickard8765]

Rode a buddies ol 900rr Big fuckin smiles and didn’t even give it all the beans Gave it some hell Didn’t flog my friends bike

[@keithallan8200]

Awesome video!

[@pierrebroccoli.9396]

mid 80's 500cc Two Stroke - Hold my Beer. Nice that Honda was quite active in killing off Two Strokes - more money in 4 Strokes. Anyway - I got me a 04 Fire Blade and it was a great bike. Still going strong.👍

[@manolispapadopoulos1404]

Make a video on the cbr1100xx blackbird (aka the best motorcycle ever made)

[@StratfordDanBurrell]

As a current owner. I agree. It's amazing, like nothing else I've owned.

[@manolispapadopoulos1404]

@@StratfordDanBurrell planning on getting one,and i haven't seen a single negative review about it. Its just difficult to pick between carburetors and fuel injection

[@chuckb470]

I love my 99 XX!

[@boseymour1]

I ride a 01 929, best bike I've ever had

[@vincemarshall8550]

i had a 93 ,it was a safe bike i spent more time admiring it than riding it

[@gopherchucksgamingnstuff2263]

It is true today. We may look at Honda as the "safe" buy. But Mu Gawdd The CBR 1000 RRR Fireblade SP2 is an advanced track weapon.

[@avecchi220]

I have a 2002 CBR954 and it is incredible but I might be a bit biased as a big fan of hinda bikes from that ear

[@christopherdesbaux5950]

I had a 92, still ran light new and pulled the front wheel aloft. 16 inch front wheel was a pain though.

[@davidpshaw1969]

Seems to me the 2024 fireblade sp is the super sports bike that everyone is rating the best.