Introduced in 1992, the Honda CBR900RR FireBlade came to dominate the litre-class Super Sports category with a heady combination of hard-charging engine performance, smoothness, responsive handling and all this was packed into the proportions of a 600cc-class machine! The lightweight FireBlade soon gained an astounding level of world-wide popularity, becoming a benchmark best seller that played a central part in reviving the 900cc Super Sports category. One man, the designer Tadao Baba, with a vision for the future, started his quest in 1989. Being disillusioned with the then current crop of sports bikes, he set out to design a new breed which was light in weight, had the power to thrill and yet was easy to control by the rider. Honda chiefs had originally wanted the bike to be a sport's 750 but it only became the bike we now know and love today because of Baba's tenacity in demanding a big bore machine. The name FireBlade came about because the Japanese word for lightening got lost in translation from French into English! In March 1992, the bike that was to change the face of sports bikes forever was released on to an unsuspecting public. The FireBlade was here, and was a name that was to become permanently etched on the minds of motorcycle riders for years to come. Happily for Baba and Honda, the FireBlade was set to win the hearts of riders and dominate sales charts for the next decade. The first 893cc Blade sold like hot cakes, and demand soon out-stripped supply as riders quickly recognised its class breaking qualities. In the hands of owners used to the heavyweight bikes of the period (like the Kawasaki ZX10, Suzuki GSX-R1100 and Hondas own CBR 1000F), the new FireBlade soon found itself with a fearsome reputation. Over the following years, it saw some minor updates as the bike received new clothes in the shape of a bodywork redesign. In December 1993 the now familiar Foxeye/Urban Tiger proved exceedingly popular and soon sold out, as indeed it had the year before. November 1995 saw a big revamp, as the RRT model was introduced with an all new dedicated 918cc engine, not the previous (Japan only) bored out seven-fifty. The bike also received a revised suspension package and improvements to the riding position. In 1997 the RRV was released but little had changed from the 1996 bike except a new set of colour schemes and slight weight loss, now down to 183kg, mainly due to the new aluminium silencer. In 1998, Honda resisted the temptation to build a radical Blade to compete with the newly released Yamaha R-1. They chose to further refine the look with a redesigned fairing and headlamp and a wider seat/tail light unit. The biking press were underwhelmed, and gave the 1998 Blade a Sports Tourer tag. In 2000, the millennium year, whilst everyone else was partying, Honda had been busy refining the FireBlade, which now saw it with an all new fuel injected 929cc engine, Usd forks and at long last the much awaited 17 inch front wheels. Baba had also given the bike a squarer look, but even with a new dry weight of just 170kg, sales could not match those of the Yamaha R-1. For 2002 Honda released the all new 954cc FireBlade to a rapturous welcome. It had an altogether much leaner, sleeker and tougher look with all new body panels. The new 954 Blade also made serious power, 149bhp and 77ft.lb. torque, due to a much improved Efi system with bigger injectors and more processing ability. It also handled better due to frame and headstock strengthening and a more rigid swing arm. Weighing in at a class leading 168kg, it also weighed less than Honda's own CBR600 and for many, its the best looking FireBlade since the early Foxeye of 1994. The Honda FireBlade CBR900RR from 1992-2003 is story told through 28 articles drawn from three continents. Included are road & comparison tests, model intros & buyers guides. Models covered: CBR900RR 893cc, 918cc, CBR929RR & CBR954RR.
