2022 Honda CB1000R Black Edition Review Specs

That’s the Same Picture

To be blunt, there’s not much separating the CB1000R from the CBR1000RR. The 998-cc inline-four is just as wild and sounds just as good as the CBR1000RR’s. That’s because it’s the same damn engine. The aluminum chassis is the same, as are the brakes, suspension, display, and tires. It’s very much a case of Pam’s two “different” pictures. Noticeable changes don’t appear until you get to the motorcycle’s ECU, its body cladding, and atop the front forks in the rider interface. Gone is the front fairing. Only the headlight remains. There’s no windscreen or deflector to protect you, but that isn’t a problem until you’re well into extra-legal speeds. Also gone are the clip-on handlebars putting you into the stereotypical sportbike hunched-over seating position. Instead, you get more upright bars that give your back a break. Digging beneath the motorcycle’s surface and into its brain, you’ll find a retuned heart. The CB1000R has to make do with just 143 horsepower and 77 pound-feet of torque, compared to the CBR1000RR’s 189 hp and 84 lb-ft. Honda changed the torque maps so that power comes in lower in the motorcycle’s rev range, but that’s where my issue with this motorcycle lies: the updated torque map.

Where’s Our Groove?

I was beyond stoked to get seat time with the CB1000R. I haven’t had much in the way of sporty offerings since we moved to Utah two years ago. I chose a tight and technical 20-mile path for our first dance. The road climbs from 5,500 feet to 8,000 fee...

Go Fast, Then Go Faster

On a whim, I snagged another afternoon to take the CB1000R out for a ride. I still wanted to find the groove with it. Honda’s not the type of manufacturer to build a bad anything, so I kept hoping our union would come. It did, but the insight I derived ma...

Sleek Honda Seeks Torque Tuner

The disconnect I felt in those earlier runs was likely because of its naked superbike appearance. I expected something more akin to the Streetfighter, KTM’s 1290 Super Duke R, Yamaha’s MT-10, or even Aprilia’s Tuono RSV4. Those torque monsters could pu...

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