Honda debuted the new CBR1000RR-R for the World Superbike Championship this Thursday in Jerez, during the first of two days of testing with Iker Lecuona and Xavi Vierge. Initial indications are positive, but there is caution

Speaking to the championship’s official website, team manager Leon Camier stated: ‘There are a few changes with the new bike; the split throttle bodies is something that’s a good step in the right direction for the race bike and what we want on track. The normal thing to expect is more edge grip and better connection when you first touch the gas because you are only opening two cylinders, not four. Many other manufacturers are running this but for us, it’s something we wanted for the race bike. For the lighter crankshaft, it’s a small difference but we should expect a little bit better acceleration and deceleration. We have a different weight distribution of the bike; Honda wanted to go in this direction because it’s better for what we need for racing; it’s all going in the right direction’.

Regarding the innovations in the motorcycle, the official detailed: ‘The first feelings with the bike are quite good, even though there are positives and negatives. With it being the first test, it’s good that the riders are feeling the positives and with the negatives, they are things we have to work with. Setting the bike up, putting things in the right places… it’s normal that it takes time to smooth things out. Both riders need time to set it up for their style and their way of riding. First impressions are positive so we need to get through these two days, see where we are at the end of it and keep making a step forward’.

Despite the innovations, Camier revealed that the super concession, which Honda is entitled to for 2024, has not been incorporated. The British leader talked about more details about the new CBR1000RR-R: ‘It’s done in a different way with a different weight distribution; the centre of gravity is a little bit different. Overall length, I’m actually not sure where we are but I think it’s something similar but you can play around with that anyway. Alter the swingarm length a little bit and you can have a big change, so it’s just done in a slightly different way’.

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O conteúdo New CBR1000RR-R encourages Honda for the next WSBK season aparece primeiro em Motorcycle Sports.