Honda’s superbike gets a bit superlative for 2024, with a series of updates. Just about every system on the CBR1000RR—suspension, engine, frame and more—is updated for 2024, bringing Big Red’s machine forward in an era where superike development has mostly slowed down. However, this stuff all results in an evolution, not a revolutionary change for this machine.
Engine updates
It’s still an inline-four that looks a lot like last year’s engine, but the internals are changed for a minor performance boost. Thanks to a new cylinder head which boosts compression, plus new camshafts, new valve springs, new intake/exhaust ports, new con rods and new fuel/air intake system with two motors feeding separate cylinders, we now see… the same horsepower as last year. The 215 hp peak arrives a bit lower in the rev range, at 14,000 rpm, and max torque is 83.3 lb.-ft at 12,000 rpm. No big changes there, but more power at lower rpm is always welcome, and Honda says the bike is stronger through the bottom end now. Honda also says it overhauled the bike’s safety electronics to match the revised power profile.
Despite the advantages of the re-tuned power curve, the most likely reason for these changes is to update the bike’s emissions profile. This could be an extremely important overhaul for the simple reason the bike might not be sellable without them.
Chassis updates
Again, no major revisions, but a series of minor tweaks. The frame itself appears unchanged, but Honda made it more flexible by changing tubing thickness in some places. This also reduced weight, a win-win. The wheelbase is shortened a bit as well.
On the suspension front, the standard CBR1000RR-R model still has the same Showa 43mm BPF fork as last year, and the same Showa BFRC-Lite shock. But once again, Honda is also selling an SP variant. This model runs an up-spec’d Ohlins NPX Smart-EC forks and an Ohlins TTX36 S-EC3.0 rear shock. This electronically-managed suspension has been updated to have finer adjustments on the 2024 model.
The brakes are now updated to new Brembo Stylema R calipers on the SP sub-models, for better race control. They are fitted to 330 mm discs, and there’s a new Brembo radial master cylinder. The rear two-piston Brembo brake is the same as the one found on the 2023 SP model. The R sub-model sees the same brakes as last year (Nissin four-piston calipers up front, two-piston Brembo in rear).
Both models see the handlebars moved higher and further back, and the pegs lowered. The three-position Showa steering damper is back for 2024, and Honda redesigned the fuel tank to make the riding position more practical.
Other considerations
- Honda re-designed the fairing winglets to provide more downforce
- A 5-inch TFT is standard for 2024
- Keyless ignition is also standard for 2024
- Honda is making a 300-bike production run of a Carbon Edition of the SP model. This adds some carbon-fibre bits, as the name implies, but it only shaves a kg off the wet weight (201 kg for the standard SP model). That brings it to the same 200-kg weight as the R model.
- Right now, the 2024 model does not appear on Honda’s Canadian website.
