A minor oversight last month...
A minor oversight last month meant that the quickshifter wasn’t exactly quick to shift at high RPM because of the CBR’s secondary injectors. A few more bucks in Dynojet’s pocket allowed us to have wide-open throttle shifts at all RPMs. The Secondary Fuel Module controls the upper injectors and cuts the fuel supply as needed. It installed in just a few minutes too.
There’s a simple way to determine whether or not you’re piloting a great bike: each time you throw your leg over are you excited to thumb the starter and let ‘er rip or is it sometimes a humdrum event? If your mood doesn’t instantly improve then you need to keep modding or look for another bike. To date, the CBR has impressed us highly and we can confidently report that the former sentiment is true across the board. The amazing exhaust tone and quickshifter, smooth and punchy power delivery and nimble handling all add up to offer exactly what any “great bike” should.
With each mod the CBR has noticeably improved. Even the seemingly small appearance upgrades installed this month make a significant difference, and when viewed as the total package the bike is moving solidly in the right direction. With performance and appearance as the focus areas we’re continuing to chip away at any shortcomings en route to anticipated perfection in the near future.
The massive midrange makes...
The massive midrange makes launching the CBR a little tricky due to excessive wheelies. A handful of passes saw a 10.2@138 MPH, but we’ve got some easy bolt-ons coming that’ll hopefully knock a lot of time off without compromising streetability.
During a trip to the strip we found the quickshifter was struggling at high RPM, but the solution was easy, if not embarrassingly obvious. With eight fuel injectors, the PCV was only cutting fuel to the lower injectors. But at high RPM it’s the secondary injectors handling a lot of the work, and without controlling them the quickshifter won’t shift. An easy install of the Dynojet Secondary Fuel Module is all it took to solve that issue and we were shifting at redline with merely a tap on the shift lever again.
After addressing the minor quickshifter glitch (caused by operator negligence) it was time for a few dress-up bits. A smoked windscreen is always a surefire fix to a boring front end, and after wrestling the stock unit loose (Honda incorporated some frustrating tabs into the fastening system) the Hotbodies screen installed cleanly.
What a massive improvement the Yoshimura fender eliminator made to the rear. And it retained the stock wiring so installation was quick and easy—no silly splicing to crappy indicators necessary.
The CBR1000RR flaunts the tiniest tail on the market, but the oversized mudflap and plate hanger obscure it. Yoshimura solved that issue without the need for a wire stripper. The fender eliminator incorporates the stock turn signals so the bike retains its stock wiring. Unbolt the stock parts, swap in the Yosh setup and you’re off with a slim and tidy tail fully equipped with a street legal plate display. It’s a small part but it offered significant appearance improvement.
Next Month: Hunting for hidden power.