Honda CBR929RR

Author's product rating:   

Comfort	Good
Handling	Excellent
Looks	Good
Features	Good
Fuel consumption	Satisfactory

Advantages:	good sports bike
Disadvantages:	none

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

I know its not a 929, but can't seem to get a CBR900 catergory set up.

The Blade as it is commonly known by its vast amount of admirers, has to rank as the most awesome bike I’ve ever owned.

I acquired mine in the summer (ha ha summer in the UK, whats one of them?) of 2002, it is one of the earlier models, which was manufactured in 1993, it has the twin headlights and not the foxeye lights of the following 1994 models and onwards.

Well the Fireblade as it is commonly known first arrived in 1992 (Priced at £7000+ when new, although I only paid £1800 for mine secondhand, well third hand if you really want to know), to a chorus of disbelief, as here was a bike with the outrageous power of a litre class sports bike (126bhp) and a speed of 165mph plus but it weighed only 185kg, this was the same weight as the 600cc sports bikes of the day.

Well, back to my bike, it has just over 40,000 miles on the clock. I have done 7,000 of these in all kinds of weathers, and have encountered no mechanical problems to date.

I must admit to wearing out two back tyres, (which at £140 ago, puts a dent in your wallet).
I have also done 2 oil & filter changes, one when I acquired the bike and another after 5000 miles, but I do this as standard practice with any bike or car I own. These can cost up to £40 a time, but it depends on what brand of oil and filter you use.

Other maintenance includes drive chain check and lube, tyre pressure, oil and brake level fluid checks, but you should be doing these Regularly with any bike.

Insurance is quite expensive, as being a sports bike it is group 16. So it helps to have a few no claims bonuses and a few years of age behind you.

Some good points to note if you’re interested in buying a fireblade. –

Rear shocks on early bikes can lose their damping.

To check that the shock is working properly, hold the back of the bike and pull it upright so the side stand isn't touching the floor. Flick the stand up. Now push down on the rear seat and see how quickly it returns when you release the pressure, It should return at a controlled rate. If it springs back and then takes a little while to settle, the damping is shot and the shock needs to be replaced. A new shock will cost from £300, but a better option is to fit an Ohlins shock, these are about £425 but the improvement to the handling is worth the little bit extra.

Headstock bearings are the most commonly replaced components after the chain and tires! Blade owners love wheelies, but heavy landings will wreck headstock bearings. To check them, pull the bike over on its side stand until the front wheel is off the floor. Now move the bars from left to right. They should move freely with no notches. Put the bike back down and wheel it forward five to six feet and then grab the front brake hard. If you hear a clonk the bearings may have given up the ghost.

Wheelies and hard riding also take their toll on the wheel bearings. Get a friend to help you lift the front off the ground then grab the top and bottom of the wheel and try and move it towards you at the top and away from you at the bottom. Even the slightest play means you need new bearings.
Snatch from the chain in the beginning of a wheelie puts huge strains on the rear wheel bearings so you need to check them, too.

New bearings front and rear cost about £95 to be fitted.

MANY Blades have been crashed and suffered frame damage. To check, grab the bars and turn them from side to side. This is best done sitting on the bike in a normal riding position. As you push the bars through their full range they should stop before your hand or thumb gets trapped between the tank and the bar.
If you do trap your hands look closer for frame damage.

That all for tips, now the other bits.

Petrol – the tank holds just over a tenners worth of juice and I get about 40mpg, sometimes more sometimes less, depending how liberal I get with the right wrist (no smutty jokes please).

Reliability – It’s a Honda, nuff said.

Comfort – well it’s a sports bike, so it ain’t gonna be on par with a Harley, but I’ve done Essex to Cornwall, with only two stops, and I was still in a fit state when I arrived.

Pillion – well according to my wife, as I have never been on the back. Pillion is quite good; legs are not to bent up, Although more than two hours on the bike does start to give her backache.

To sum up –
I use this bike for daily commuting to and from work, thrashing at the weekends, and its even done a track day, Its 10 yrs old but I am happy to keep it as it is just soooo good.

Expect to pay anything upwards of £2000 as the old blade is now liable to become a bit of a collectors item.

Keep it upright,
Lozza.