2020 CBR1000RR-R Fireblade, Fireblade SP bookings open

At EICMA 2019, Honda took the wraps off the all-new CBR1000RR-R Fireblade and CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP, ushering in a new era for Honda’s litre-class motorcycle badge. Now, the manufacturer has just announced that the bikes will be making their way to India as CBU units and has begun accepting bookings at BigWing dealerships across the country. While prices have not been revealed yet, Honda has confirmed that deliveries will begin towards the end of August.

• Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade and Fireblade SP bookings open.

• Peak output figures are 214hp and 113Nm of torque.

• Deliveries to begin towards the end of August.

 For 2020, the Fireblade received some rather significant updates. The styling, to begin with, is sharper than before, with a clear focus on improving aerodynamic efficiency. A sleek pair of LED headlamps are separated by a central ram-air duct, providing unobstructed flow to the intake port. The new fairing also features winglets that generate a claimed downforce equivalent to the 2018 Honda RC2013V MotoGP machine. 

The new Fireblade happens to be 5kg heavier than the outgoing model, tipping the scales at 201kg. That shouldn’t be a concern, though, considering the all-new 999.9cc, in-line, four-cylinder liquid-cooled engine produces a stonking 214hp at 14,500rpm and 113Nm of torque at 12,500rpm. Both, the CBR1000RR-R Fireblade and CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP get an Akrapovic exhaust as standard and the SP also comes equipped with a quickshifter.

The engine is placed within a new aluminium chassis with greater flex, which Honda claims will allow for improved rider feel. There’s a new swingarm as well and a longer wheelbase of 1,455mm.

The standard CBR1000RR-R Fireblade gets Showa BPF fork at the front and a Showa BFRC-Light monoshock at the rear, whereas the higher-spec Fireblade SP gets Öhlins electronic suspension at the front and rear. Both variants of the new Fireblade get dual 330mm discs; however, the base variant gets Nissin calipers, while the SP uses Brembo’s Stylema brake calipers. 

As is expected with a top-flight litre-class machine, there are a host of electronic rider aids assisted by a new Bosch six-axis IMU. There are nine levels of traction control, along with launch control and ABS, and all of this can be accessed and controlled via the new 5.0-inch colour TFT dash.

In the UK, the 2020 CBR1000RR-R costs £4,000 (Rs 3.89 lakh) more than the 2019 CBR1000RR, and the SP costs an additional £4,000  more. The 2019 Fireblade was on sale in India with prices starting at Rs 16.43 lakh, and so we could see base prices for the 2020 model sit near the Rs 20 lakh mark.