Mr.Turbo Honda Cbr1100xxs

MR.TURBO HONDA CBR1100XXS

The Blackbird gets a boost

FOR CYCLE WORLD'S XS '97, MR. TURBO DEBUTED ITS latest creation, an injected, boosted Honda CBR1100XX that looked and sounded wicked.

Our testing schedule pushed the Mr. Turbo crew right to the final deadline, but the team unveiled a well-sorted project. While Terry Kizer and Mo Parsons engineered the fuel-injection and turbo systems, Larry Ellett and Tom Holman prepped the bike’s chassis and engine. Ellett beefed up the engine internals, adding Carrillo rods, 9.0:1 Wiseco pistons, and Mr. Turbo valve and clutch springs. The chassis benefited from a Penske rear damper and Lindeman Engineering-modified fork. Next came a Mr. Turbo chromoly swingarm with two axle slots-way-rearward for dragstrip duty, 5 inches forward for street and road course running. The stock wheels were replaced with Marchessini 17-inch rims in 3.5and 6.0-inch widths, mounted with Dunlop D207 skins. The stock linked-brake system was canned for a trio of Brembo calipers and rotors in an effort to shed the speed this bike could generate.

Honda’s XX leaves the factory with some of the sexiest bodywork this side of Bimota, yet Mr. Turbo improved it with Air-Tech fiberglass pieces-including a solo tailsection-finished in one of Hired Gun’s high-zoot paint jobs. Kizer knew that wrapping this drivetrain in basic bodywork would be a serious injustice. In other words, if you’ve got it, flaunt it.

The heart of the horsepower comes from the Mr. Turbo fuel-injection system and Garrett T03 turbocharger, complete with air-to-air intercooler to reduce intake-charge temperature. Additional electronic trickery comes in the form of a progressive boost control-anytime the horn button was pushed when the engine was running, a second stage of boost doubled the excitement. This particular XX was fitted with Mr. Turbo’s larger compressor housing and the company’s high-flow fuel pump; for customers who prize idle quality and improved low-speed driveability over skull-stretching top-end, the company offers more streetable packages.

Mr. Turbo’s effort certainly amazed us with its performance, but also with its detail-oriented competence. The team didn’t have long to prep this piece, yet the XX came off the trailer and performed immediately, running a 9.13-second quarter mile at 163 mph during its first few hours of lii£.

Nick Ienatsch

Mr. Turbo, 4002 Hopper St., Houston, TX 77093; 281/442-7113