Island Girl
ISLAND GIRL
POWER PACKED SECTION
Born on the Isle of Man, blessed by the factory, not available at a Honda dealership near you...
NICK IENATSCH
THOUSANDS OF MOTORCYCLES HAVE LAPPED England's legendary Goodwood Motor Circuit in the past 50 years, but few if any have topped 165 mph on the back straight between Lavant and Woodcote corners. Lap after lap, this wicked Honda CBR900RR Evolution Fireblade lunged down the kinked pavement between the two right-handers, snapping through the gears like a shark in a koi pond. The digital Stack speedo read 166 mph just before the gentle arc into Woodcote demanded every ounce of attention, and the Brembo brakes under lined a truth Cycle World has often appreciated: Great engines need great brakes. This bike has both. And much more. If you're an Isle of Man fan, you've already heard of this RS Performance special edition, dubbed the TT100. Its track results reveal much more than a built engine and trick brakes. To flourish on the Island, a bike needs stump-pulling torque off the slow, gnarly stuff, a big hit on top for the flat-out bits and the right combination of bump-eating suspension rates with enough damping control to keep it safely between the houses, shrubs and sheep. An Island Bike needs to survive the long race, return decent gas mileage and be docile enough to handle wet, slippery pavement halfway up the mountain. Hmmm...sounds like the making of a pretty good streetbike, huh?
When rider Jim Moodie won the 1998 IoM Production TT on a Sanyo-backed RS Performance CBR900RR, it marked Honda’s 100th victory on the Island. A party ensued, and suddenly Russell Savory-the “RS” in RS Performancefound himself in serious discussion with Honda big-hitters like Tadao Baba, project leader of the 900RR development team. Baba and the rest of Team Red asked Savory to produce a run of 200 Evolution Fireblades based on Moodie’s TT-winning machine. Savory, luckily for us, agreed.
As TT100 production flowed, Cycle World arranged for two days of kneesdown examination of this Hondaapproved hot-rod. Through the good graces of Mark Knopfler (Dire Straits’ singer/guitarist, a gearhead supreme and a potential TT100 owner), we shared historic Goodwood with about a gazillion dollars’ worth of four-wheeled jewelry-though nothing that day could stay in the draft of this rapid Honda, no matter what the price tag. Santa Pod dragstrip was laid on for quarter-mile tests. Our two days of testing in England yielded impressive results and proved that well-directed modifications can significantly improve even today’s top Open-class machines.
You must remember one important item: This is a streetbike, complete with turnsignals, mirrors, a sidestand and a one-year warranty, sold through select U.K. Honda dealers. We’ve tested many racebikes that don’t tum and bum as well as this Evo 900, and the fast and bumpy Goodwood circuit pointed to the balance of the TT package. Yes, it’s outrageously fast, but Savory and crew have combined components and experience to produce a motorcycle that feels composed and confident at any speed.
Much of the credit goes to the Öhlins fork, a high-water mark in upmarket motorcycle suspension. Savory told me, “We stuck with the stock steering geometry because it works well and most riders are overwhelmed with adjustable steering-head concentrics, anyway. Harris built the triple-clamps and we added the 17-inch Dymag wheel and Brembo brakes to get the front working pretty well.”
As the bike was set-up at Goodwood, it dropped nicely into comers as the front brake was released, a characteristic I appreciated when trail-braking into late-apex comers. Trust in the front end is the true secret of rider confidence, whether on a favorite backroad or a racetrack, and the RS Honda’s big-money front end is dinero well spent. Try a complete Brembo front-brake system and you’ll know the definition of one-finger braking.
An Öhlins shock matches the fork and allows the usual adjustments plus rear ride height. The seat height felt about an inch taller than a standard RR, and team manager (and former racing great) Mick Grant said they sometimes run it even taller to help load the front end. I found the extra rear ride height helped me “read” the front Dunlop’s traction, though the bike still felt balanced front to rear. In other words, we didn’t have to sacrifice entrance speed because the bike was set-up to get off the comer, as is the case with many ultra-fast motorcycles. In fact, we only added three clicks of rebound damping at the rear, proving that the stock settings of the TT100 were well-researched.
The rear damper is hooked to some pretty trick stuff, starting with a RAM (Race Application Monaco) singlesided swingarm that was originally made in magnesium, but then redone in aluminum to satisfy Euro-market transportation regulations. Savory expounds on that subject, saying, “The Evo weighs about the same as a standard 900RR because it is a production motorcycle and must meet certain criteria. There were doubts about the longevity of a magnesium rear swingarm, so RAM made it for us in aluminum. There are a few of those examples throughout the bike, but the slight extra weight should pay off in durability.” The boys at RS tried a Honda RC45 rear wheel, but weren’t happy with the fitment so Dymag got a call and a beautiful 6-inch-wide wheel was the result.
Every piece of bodywork is newly designed and made of durable, streetweight fiberglass that comes in only one color choice. The ’glass fuel-tank cover hides an absolutely beautiful aluminum tank that holds 6.1 gallons of fuel, 1.3 gallons more than the standard RR. The ram-air tubes in the fairing upper feed a carbon-fiber pressurized airbox and the 41mm Keihin flat-slides residing within. Like the standard CBR fuel tank, the Evo’s cover is still quite tall and adds a feeling of size to an otherwise light bike. You’ll immediately notice the ergonomically improved tank sides and the slightly slimmer feel to the Evo tank, but the impression of a wide and tall bike is still apparent, especially when combined with the low, under-thetriple-clamp handlebars.
The front and middle fairings need to come off to remove the tank and access the carbs, which is a hassle, but Savory and designer John Keogh wanted a functional ram-air system that looked right. “It might take an extra five minutes to remove the tank,” Savory said, “but we wanted the tank cover and air intakes to be one piece.” And what if you drop your Evo and need a new fairing and seat cowl? “Part of our deal with Honda was to commit to providing Evo parts for the next 13 years. If you need a part, your Honda dealer can order it for you.”
Producing this kind of factoryapproved high-performance sportbike is almost unheard of, with the notable exception of the Muzzy Kawasaki Raptor. Given RS Performance’s impressive track record in British Supersport competition, it’s clear that Honda picked the right partner to develop a street-legal superbike that won’t embarrass the Flying Wing by breaking or underperforming. Savory said, “We retained the stock mirrors, tumsignals and lights just to avoid any regulation difficulties, and Honda helped us with things like the mandatory spacing between the tank and frame, and the necessary clearance between the rear tire and the inner fender at maximum wheel travel.” The big parts, like the RAM swingarm andÖhlins front end are easy to spot, adding significant cachet to the machine, but detail fanaticism is what’s needed to blend all these parts together. “You can’t believe the amount of time we spent on the carburetion, me and Mick riding the bikes after work and in all kinds of weather and temperatures,” Savory recounted.
The 41mm Keihins were absolutely faultless during our testing, the engine firing up with no choke, just two twists of the throttle prior to cranking. There’s an electronic sensor to help the Superchips ignition box measure throttle position along with engine load and rpm, a degree of sophistication that exceeds even the excellent stock ignition. The Superchips box allows the engine to rev to 12,200 rpm, up from 11,600 stock, illustrating the fact that every part and piece of Honda’s 900RR has been examined and refined.
We ran the Evo only four times at Santa Pod, each pass quicker as I balanced the spot-on throttle against the stock clutch with upgraded springs. The bike ran just as it came off Goodwood, with full ride-height, the same stockratio AFAM sprockets and pump gas in the tank. Had we lowered the bike and beat on it a bit more, it surely would
have run in the 9s. But out of the truck and in racetrack trim, the RS Evo ate up the quarter-mile in just 10.22 seconds at an impressive 143 mph. Not too shabby for a “little” 900.
Savory sticks with mostly stock engine components, but pulls everything apart to balance connecting rods and pistons. The head is ported at RS
Performance (Units 5 & 15, Hoddesdon Industrial Centre, Pindar Rd., Hoddesdon, Herts., England EN 11 IAO; telephone 011-44-1992-443399, fax 011-44-1992-443398), and special cams are added, along with high-performance valve springs. “We rework the cases to breathe better at high rpm,” Savory admits, “but the real performance comes from our cams and pressurized airbox.” On a Dynojet rear-wheel dyno, without the benefit of ram air, the engine pumps out 149 horsepowerestimates put it close to 160 with the airbox doing its magic. And that’s with the stock bore and stroke and stock pistons. Yes, it wheelies in third gear!
The small engine doesn’t have a huge midrange hit, which makes the bike considerably more ridable. Think about it: You’re cranked over on your monster-motored beast, afraid to open the carbs because the bike accelerates too hard at partial throttle. That’s one reason mega-horsepower Formula Extreme bikes can’t outrun AMA Superbikes. Too much midrange and you can’t get the drive off corners. With the Evo’s dialed-in carburetion and powerband, the throttle can be picked up early in a corner and the drive started that much sooner. When the power really starts rippin’, you’re already off the side of the tire and ready for a straightaway assault.
Some of the TT 100’s neatest parts reside aft of the cylinder block in the form of a custom close-ratio transmission developed by Savory and produced by Hewland. “Stock trannies can develop problems with this much power, and the standard ratios aren’t suited to our engine,” Savory said. In the real world, which I explored for a few hours in and around Hertfordshire, the TT’s taller first gear takes slightly more attention on the clutch lever when leaving from a stop. But I all but forgot about it the more we rode, because the crisp carburetion made the tall first gear a moot point. And truth be told, the tall first gear helped at the dragstrip, even though I still had to “peddle” the throttle to keep from flipping over. If you’ve ever shifted through a close-ratio box, you know the wonder of rowing through the Evo’s six-speed. Like butta, as they say in Willow Grove, PA.
Details. You want details? How about the multi-adjustable footpegs? How about the impeccably finished fiberglass? How about a carbon-fiber airbox that appears as if a Formula One team produced it? How about the Stack dashboard that incorporates an analog tach, digital speedo, turnsignal indicator, high-beam indicator and can recall information from your last ride, such as maximum rpm and water temperature? How about the fact that the bike comes with front and rear stands, two Micron tapered-head stainless exhaust systems (one street, one track) and a handful of extra sprockets? Not to mention a hardearned racing pedigree that includes victory at the 1998 Isle of Man Production TT, and first and second in the 1998 British Powerbike Championship. When you add a 12-month warranty, the durability of a Honda and the performance of a proven race winner, the RS Performance Evolution Fireblade could rightly be described as the world’s ultimate production sportbike.
Savory hopes to complete 100 Evo Blades in 1999, asking price $36,000, including Britain’s 17.5 percent valueadded tax. Yes, American Honda is aware of the bike. And, no, they’re not saying if stateside TTlOOs are a possibility (though we would guess not). Don’t bother contacting RS Performance to dial up a bike, either: You’ve got to place your order at an authorized Honda dealer in the U.K.good luck dealing with U.S. Customs. And for all you quick-thinking current RR owners out there, the parts aren’t sold separately. Sorry.
I initially feared my trip across the Atlantic to sample the TT100 might yield little more than a hotted-up CBR with a pretty paint job and a few aftermarket goodies tacked on. How wrong I was! Sure, the bike’s parts list is impressive. But it’s the overall balance of the package that left a lasting impression as I chased Savory and his RC45 through the British backroads at twilight on the second day, touching triple digits on the left side of a road I’d never seen before. It’s times like that when you appreciate a bike born and bred on the Isle of Man.
