My Current Motorcycles

Honda CBR-1000RR Fireblade and VTR-1000 Firestorm.

My Major interest is Motorcycling, (big time)!!  Over the past 8 years I'd guess that I have travelled approx. 160,000 miles (256,000km) on my bikes!  If you are a biker and you're fairly local to Basingstoke, (Hampshire), UK.  Please feel free to drop me an e-mail, we could arrange a bike ride one evening or a day at the weekend.  I often go to the Lord Derby (Hampshire) or the Alton Cafe on Wednesday evenings.  On Sundays I sometimes go to the Box Hill (Surrey) meeting, or just have a general ride out and about anywhere in and around.
Hampshire (to the South Coast), Wiltshire, Berkshire, Surrey and West/South London.  The A339 (to Alton), and the A272 from Winchester to Midhurst, (via a slight detour stopping at Harting Hill) are excellent roads.  The roads around Salisbury are good, sometimes I go to West Meon Hut, the A32 is also good.   richard.stevens23@ntlworld.com

Bike #1.....  The Honda CBR1000RR FireBlade.

   

On the 3rd May, 2008 I took delivery of a 2007 Honda CBR1000RR FireBlade.
It is very smooth in the power delivery side of things, and handles superbly.
It's looks are very pleasing to the eye too.
(I will write more when I have fuel usage, etc. information to hand after riding it some miles).
 
FireBade (left view).
Changes so far:  Full Road Legal Acrapovic Exhaust System, Gilles Rearsets, Double Bubble Screen, Rear Seat Cowl, (click on image to display it enlarged).		 FireBade (right view).
Changes so far:  Full Road Legal Acrapovic Exhaust System, Gilles Rearsets, Double Bubble Screen, Rear Seat Cowl, (click on image to display it enlarged).		 Front view. Rear view.
Instrument Panel.

Features

  • New, more compact instrument panel design
  • New smaller, lighter and more compact seat and tail cowl
  • New 2.5kg lighter, more compact engine with sleeveless plated cylinders and lighter internals for stronger, faster power delivery
  • Newly developed Assist Slipper clutch for smoother downshifts and lighter clutch feel
  • New lighter and narrower 4-piece cast aluminium frame
  • New gull-wing design hybrid aluminium swing arm
  • New lighter-weight hollow-section triple-spoke wheels
  • New, lighter-weight mono block front disc brake callipers with aluminium pistons and 6-pointfloating rotors
  • New second-generation steering damper
  • New aluminium side stand
Specifications
Type Liquid-cooled 4-stroke 16-valve DOHC inline-4
Displacement 999.8cm³
Max power 130.7kW / 12,000min-1 (95/1/EC)
Max torque 113.8Nm / 8,500min-1 (95/1/EC)
Fuel capacity 17.7 litres (including 4-litre LCD-indicated reserve)
Dimensions (LxWxH) 2,075 x 685 x 1,130mm
Kerb weight 199kg (F: 105kg; R: 94kg)
Tyre front 120/70 ZR17M/C (58W)
Tyre rear 190/50 ZR17M/C (73W)
Clutch Assist Slipper clutch, Wet, multiplate with diaphragm spring

Bike #2.....  The Honda VTR1000 FireStorm.


On the 15th July, 2003 I took delivery of my second Honda VTR1000 FireStorm.....  I was mad to part with the last one, so I have another now......  This bike has a Penske front fork tune.  I fitted an Öhlins rear shock, Pyramid Plastics Belly Pan together with braided front and rear brake lines.  The bike had a rear hugger and a Fabrari double bubble screen already fitted by it's previous owner.  It is in very good condition for a 2000 model bike.....  I know they have a short tank range (95-105 miles, (152-168Km)), but the fun you have on the bike far outweighs the few minor pitfalls it has.  The power delivery is fantastically linear and the bike has lots of grunt once you have climbed above 4,000rpm.  For it's size and weight it handles superbly and you can carry a pillion passenger quite easily indeed, just not one with very long legs.

I'd always keep a FireStorm in my bike collection, as it's a fantastic all rounder.

One thing..... just keep an ear out for an appearing rattling noise more apparent on the overrun, this may mean the cam chain tensioners are on their way out.....  Get them replaced, else you'll be looking at a seriously busted engine!

This one appears to deliver about 33.2-36.7 MPG (11.7-12.9 Km/l), (with the Stage 1 Dynojet kit fitted).  I use this bike as my main mile muncher / commuter bike.  I'd also recommend Bridgestone BT010 Tyres, as I have ridden FireStorms over 60,000 miles (100,000Km), and tried many different brands and types of tyre.  I reckon the Bridgestone BT010 seems to suit the bike and my riding best, also the BT010's are very good in the wet.
 
FireStorm (left view).
Changes so far:  Carbon Rear Hugger, Double Bubble Screen , Quill Powerflow T3 (Road Legal) cans, Penske fork tune, Öhlins rear shock, Pyramid Plastics belly pan, braided brake lines and heated grips, (click on image to display it enlarged).		 FireStorm (right view).
Changes so far:  Carbon Rear Hugger, Double Bubble Screen , Quill Powerflow T3 (Road Legal) cans, Penske fork tune, Öhlins rear shock, Pyramid Plastics belly pan, braided brake lines and heated grips, (click on image to display it enlarged).		 Front view. Rear view.
Instrument Panel, DigiGear & heated grips

Specifications

Engine:

Liquid-cooled 4-stroke 8-valve DOHC 90° V-twin

Bore x Stroke:

98 x 66mm

Displacement:

996cm³

Compression Ratio:

9.4 : 1

Carburettors:

48mm slanted flat-slide CV-type x 2

Max. Power Output:

110PS/9,000rpm (DIN) (81kW/9,000min -1)

Max. Torque:

9.9kg-m/7,000rpm (DIN) (97Nm/7,000min -1)

Ignition:

Computer-controlled digital transistorised with electronic advance

Starter:

Electric

Transmission:

6-speed

Final Drive:

‘O’-ring sealed chain

Dimensions (LxWxH):

2,050 x 710 x 1,155mm

Wheelbase:

1,430mm

Seat Height:

810mm

Ground Clearance:

135mm

Fuel Capacity:

16 litres (including 2.5-litre warning light reserve)

Wheels:

Front/Rear Hollow-section triple-spoke cast aluminium

Tyres:

Front 120/70 ZR17 (58W) (Radial)

Rear 180/55 ZR17 (73W) (Radial)

Suspension:

Front: 41mm H.M.A.S. cartridge-type fork with adjustable spring pre-load and rebound damping, 109mm axle travel.  Rear: Pro-Link with pre-load and rebound damping-adjustable gas-charged H.M.A.S. damper, 124mm axle travel

Brakes:

Front 296 x 4.5mm dual hydraulic disc with 4-piston callipers and sintered metal pads. Rear 220 x 5mm hydraulic disc with single-piston calliper and sintered metal pads

Dry Weight:

192kg


Dyno time!!  The only problem (nothing major) with the FireStorm is the lumpy bottom end (below 3,500rpm, which is sorted easily with a stage 1 Dynojet kit.  At the same time this resolves the fuelling, where below 6,000rpm it's way out.  Setup correctly with the stage 1 Dynojet kit it's around 12-13% all the way now.  This is a good £200 to spend on a FireStorm, you get a smoother bottom end and a much more crisp throttle response. An additional 4 extra horsepower at the top end is also evident.  At the end of the day it's not horsepower with the FireStorm, it's making the ride more enjoyable than it already is.  A cracking bike made even better!  This in conjunction with Revolution Racing's (Penske) fork internals and the Öhlins rear shock makes this bike go and handle superbly.  It is smoother (power/engine wise), rides over bumps, the forks don't constantly bottom out when pushing the bike hard, and it handles completely differently.....  It steers into bends much quicker too, fantastic!  The FireStorm as standard has a nice linear progressive power delivery, but the stage 1 kit makes it even more progressive, responsive and crisp.

Dyno time - 104.01 brake horsepower and 68.21 ft lbs torque at the rear wheel.
 
Torque & Horsepower to rear wheel, click on image to enlarge. Horse Power before (red) and after (blue) to rear wheel and air/fuel mixture, click on image to enlarge. Horse Power through the gears at the rear wheel and air/fuel mixture, click on image to enlarge.

For good insurance deals on motorcycle insurance, I'd recommend giving Carole Nash Insurance a try.
They have looked after me for the past 6 years, and my three bikes cost just over £500 to insure.
http://www.carolenash.com/bike/bike.asp