Honda’s CBR1000RR Fireblade Awarded ‘Sports Bike of the Year’

Honda’s high-performance CBR1000RR Fireblade has received the prestigious ‘Sports Bike of the Year’ Award from Fast Bikes magazine.

The new-for-2008 Fireblade beat nine other top sports bikes in a thorough test, which appeared in the recent Summer 2008 issue. The gruelling competition took place over four days - two days of track testing at the Spanish circuit of Calafat with two days of road riding - in the hands of Fast Bikes’ experienced test riders.

Editor of Fast Bikes, Richard Newland, said of the award, “Fast Bikes’ 2008 Sports Bike of the Year test was the most hotly contested, and exhaustive, ever. Two days of road testing was followed by a further two days of exclusive track testing at Calafat, conspiring to separate the best ten bikes in the world. Honda’s CBR1000RR Fireblade combined stunning performance with sublime handling and everyday usability, proving untouchable in every test, and a unanimous winner. This truly is a spectacular machine for both the track and the road.”

Tester Alastair Fagan – himself a British Supersport racer – added, “What other superlatives can I chuck at the new ‘Blade other than say it’s the best production motorcycle in existence! Whether on road or track, it’s your new best mate and we really can’t fault it. It raises the bar again and it’ll be interesting to see what it takes to beat it.”

Steve Martindale, General Manager of Honda (UK) Motorcycles commented, “It’s a pleasure to win the Fast Bikes Sports Bike of the Year award. Since its launch the new CBR1000RR Fireblade has impressed many people with its unique blend of power, performance and style and is the top seller in its motorcycle sector this year to date. We’re proud to have such an acclaimed machine in Honda’s motorcycle range.”

HM Plant Honda rider Steve Brogan currently races a near-to-standard Fireblade in the National Superstock 1000 series, which he leads by a country mile and looks set to take the title at this coming weekend’s penultimate round of the championship at Silverstone. “The bike is making things so much easier for me,” explained Brogan. “I knew when we first saw this Fireblade that the improvements the development team had made for the new 2008 model would result in a fantastic bike. I’ve been so happy with my Superstock machine, I’ve hardly had to touch it. It’s been fast with amazing handling straight out of the crate.”

Honda’s impressive CBR1000RR Fireblade has been a winner in the showrooms and on the track since it first appeared back in 1992 in CBR900RR form. Over the last 16 years the machine has been constantly developed and further refined to give discerning sportsbike riders the ultimate machine for the track or road.

With racers and road riders alike choosing the Fireblade due to its incredible mix of performance, poise, power and practicality, this amazing machine is priced at just £9,321 and is now even more affordable with 0% finance over 42 months on offer, for a minimum deposit of just 10% - making the monthly payments on a CBR1000RR under £200 per month. Offer ends 31 December 2008.

For more information on the CBR1000RR Fireblade and all other models in the Honda Motorcycle range, visit honda.co.uk. Honda motorcycle dealers can be located using the ‘Dealer Search’ facility within the motorcycles area of honda.co.uk, where you can also find all the latest new and information, offers, genuine parts and accessories and forthcoming events.