Honda has unveiled the all new 2018 CB1000R. The 2018 CB1000R is designed to stand out from the crowd by moving away from the standard super sports-derived big naked formula.The motorcycle features ultra-minimalist look under the design theme of ‘Neo Sports Café’. Freshly conceived from the wheels-up, the CB1000R has been designed to be exciting to ride.
The 2018 CB1000R is 12kg lighter than the outgoing design, making for a 20% improvement in power to weight ratio. It’s also smaller, yet has a more relaxed riding position. And supporting the radical new look is a box section mono backbone steel frame, with Showa Separate Function Fr Fork Big Piston (SFF-BP) USD suspension up front and a Showa monoshock at the rear. Radial-mount front brakes, ABS and a 190-section rear tyre complete the chassis’ upgrade.
Conspicuous by its absence is plastic – there are only 6 exterior parts constructed from that material, the largest being the svelte front mudguard. All lighting is LED and the thin round headlight (with its metal-tone painted rim) employs a horseshoe-shaped light ring as well as distinctive two-bar light signature. The rear light is also a semicircular light bar. The T-shaped instrument panel – finished in the same metal-tone paint as the headlight rim – integrates into the top yoke, minimising bulk and the ignition switch is positioned at the front of the fuel tank.
The rider triangle is relaxed, with a ‘natural crouch’ afforded by the 12mm wider tapered aluminium handlebars sited 13mm higher than the previous design, matched to a seat height 5mm taller at 830mm.
Up front dual radial-mount four-piston front calipers bite 310mm floating discs, matched to a twin-piston caliper and 256mm rear, and 2-channel ABS. A 190/55 ZR17 rear tyre sits on a 6.0-inch rim, replacing the 180/55 ZR17. The front tyre remains a 120/70 ZR17.
The 2018 CB1000R’s 998cc DOHC four-cylinder engine – which shares its architecture and layout with the CBR1000RR Fireblade – has been re-worked to provide a healthy increase in both power and torque: 107 kW (143 hp) @ 10,500rpm and 104Nm @ 8,250 rpm compared to the outgoing model’s 92 kW (123 hp) @ 10,000rpm and 99Nm @ 7,750rpm. Bore and stroke remain 75mm x 56.5 mm but compression ratio is up 0.4 to 11.6:1 and the pistons are now forged (rather than cast) like the CBR1000RR SP.
The engine has also been tuned to deliver its torque with strong character especially in the 6,000-8,000rpm range. The redline begins at 11,500rpm and the rev-limiter cuts in at 12,000rpm. With the increase in output comes Throttle By Wire (TBW) with 3 preset riding modes plus a USER setting. Power (P), Engine Brake (EB) and Honda Selectable Torque Control (HSTC) work together across the presets to offer optimum benefit to the rider dependent on conditions.
- RAIN mode employs the lowest Power setting, medium amount of EB and high HSTC. The lower levels of power and torque are focused on the first 3 gears.
- STANDARD mode uses the middle setting for Power, HSTC and EB. It knocks a little output out of first and second gear, and uses a power curve that sits just below that of SPORT mode, with reduced torque at partial throttle openings. It also allows for small rear wheel slides and the front wheel leaving the ground.
- SPORT uses high Power and lowest levels of EB and HSTC to deliver 100% power through all six gears, maximum torque at all throttle positions and minor intervention from HSTC.
- The USER mode allows the rider to choose between the 3 settings for each parameter and save the setting for future use.
Other information available to the rider is a shift-up indicator on the top right corner of the dash, which either flashes white with increasing frequency as rpm passes the preset value or goes yellow-amber-pink as a visual guide to change up. Further functionality options in that space are an ECO riding indicator, gear position indicator and riding mode indicator.
A range of Genuine Honda Accessories are ready to customise the 2018 CB1000R. They include:
- Quick Shifter
- Heated Grips
- ACC socket
- Instrument Visor
- Seat Cowl
- Aluminium front Mudguard Panel
- Aluminium rear Hugger
- Alcantera rider and pillion Seat
- Wheel rim Decal
- Engine Case Protector
- Tank Pad
- Tank Bag & ATT
- Rear Seat Bag & ATT
A ‘CB1000R+’ version will also be available with a wide range of ‘factory-fit’ accessories including heated grips, aluminium front fender panels, aluminium rear hugger panels, flyscreen with aluminium inserts, single seat cowl with aluminium inserts, radiator grille,with CB1000R logo, and quickshifter.
Technical Specifications
| ENGINE | |
| Type | Liquid-cooled DOHC In-line 4 cylinder |
| Valves per cylinder | 4 |
| Engine Displacement (cm³) | 998cc |
| Bore and Stroke (mm) | 75mm x 56.5mm |
| Compression Ratio | 11.6:1 |
| Max. Power Output | 107kW @ 10,500rpm |
| Max. Torque | 104Nm @ 8,250rpm |
| FUEL SYSTEM | |
| Carburation | PGM-FI |
| Fuel Tank Capacity | 16.2 litres |
| Fuel Consumption | 17.2km/litre |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | |
| Starter | Electric |
| Battery Capacity | 12V/8.6AH |
| DRIVETRAIN | |
| Clutch Type | Wet, multiplate clutch |
| Transmission Type | 6-speed |
| Final Drive | Chain |
| FRAME | |
| Type | Steel mono backbone |
| CHASSIS | |
| Dimensions (LxWxH) | 2120mm x 789mm x 1090mm |
| Wheelbase | 1455mm |
| Caster Angle | 25 degrees |
| Trail | 100mm |
| Seat Height | 830mm |
| Ground Clearance | 135mm |
| Kerb Weight | 212kg |
| SUSPENSION | |
| Type Front | Showa SFF-BP USD fork |
| Type Rear | Pressurised Seperation Type |
| WHEELS | |
| Rim Size Front | Cast aluminium |
| Rim Size Rear | Cast aluminium |
| Tyres Front | 120/70 ZR17 |
| Tyres Rear | 190/55 ZR17 |
| BRAKES | |
| ABS System Type | 2 channel |
| Front | 310mm double disc |
| Rear | 256mm single disc |
| INSTRUMENTS & ELECTRICS | |
| Instruments | LCD |
| Headlight | LED |
| Taillight | LED |
