2022 Honda CB1000R Black Edition

Buyers looking for a fun, reasonably priced open-class streetfighter with gentlemanly manners, comfortable ergonomics, and exceptional fit, finish, and styling must check out the Honda CB1000R. It may not be in the same range as power brokers like the KTM 1290 Super Duke R, BMW S 1000 R, or Ducati Streetfighter V4, but that’s not what Honda set out to accomplish. The company’s focus was on balanced performance, and the result is a very enjoyable naked bike.

Way back in the day, all sportbikes were nakeds. But the sportbike craze that began in the mid-80s and ran through the ‘90s and beyond brought about the fully faired race-replica. These bikes dominated the minds of buyers looking to emulate their racing heros, even if it was only for a few minutes on the way to work. The Honda CBR line was born during that era. Years later, when a new counterculture emerged in the form of streetfighters, Triumph was the first company to really pounce with their original Speed Triple and give us what we now call the naked sportbike, or streetfighter.

It took Honda a while to get on board, but it eventually introduced the 919 back in the early 2000s, when European sales of this type of bike were really exploding. Since 2008, the same basic concept has been represented by the CB1000R, the current model of which, released for 2019, really raised the bar on styling, features, and performance. The 2022 model is a carryover from the previous year’s model, when it received the blacked-out finishes and became the Black Edition.

Buyers looking for a comfortable, reasonably priced, and overall practical sportbike, one with a proven inline-four engine, modern electronics, broad power, and predictable handling, are exactly the sort of riders Honda set out to capture with the CB1000R.

The CB1000R Black Edition is a carryover model for 2022. The Black Edition was first available in 2021; Honda did not import a CB1000R to the US market in 2020.

The 2022 CB1000R Black Edition keeps it simple in Graphite Black for $12,999.

The CB1000R faces a horde of competition in this class. The Europeans really fine-tuned the class over the years, and therefore represent a big chunk of Honda’s competitors. We can’t talk about streetfighters without first mentioning the Triumph Speed Triple; then comes the totally bonkers KTM 1290 Super Duke R Evo, Aprilia’s Tuono RSV4, Ducati’s Streetfighter V4, MV Agusta’s Dragster RR SCS, and BMW’s S 1000 R. The Japanese have been busy too, with bikes like the Suzuki GSX-S1000, Kawasaki’s Z900 and Z H2, and Yamaha’s MT-10, MT-09, and MT-07.

The heart of the CB1000R is an updated and retuned version of the powerplant that first appeared in the 2004 CBR1000RR. It’s a short-stroke (75mm bore by 56.5mm stroke) four-cylinder screamer that’s been reworked for torque and equipped with the latest two-way slipper clutch for a light pull at the lever. Even so, the engine redlines at 11,500 rpm. On the dyno, it peaks at 121.8 hp, with a noticeable jump in the torque curve at 6,500 rpm. The gearing is substantially shorter than on the original CBR race replica, so that first gear tops out at about 72 mph.

Short gearing and 1,000cc of displacement launch the bike hard with the front wheel effortlessly skimming the ground. Similarly, measured performance is strong, though far from exceptional for a literbike: The CB sprints the quarter-mile in 11.1 seconds, traveling 128 mph at the end. A dash from a stop to 60 mph takes just 3.3 seconds, a time that’s as much wheelie- as power-limited. That quarter-mile time and trap speed are a little quicker and faster than that of a Yamaha MT-09 SP, but behind that of the fire-breathing end of the liter-class streetfighter spectrum.

Fueling is smooth and predictable, with the engine producing a nice steady stream of power through the midrange. It’s this characteristic that makes the CB1000R such an enjoyable bike for both commuting and the occasional ride through the twisties.

On winding roads, the CB’s 25 degrees of rake and 3.8 inches of trail work with big Pirelli Diablo Rosso tires (120/70ZR-17 front, 190/55ZR-17 rear) to produce stable, competent, reassuring handling.

The not-exactly-long 57.3-inch wheelbase and relatively conservative steering geometry add up to a machine that simply goes where you want without either twitchiness or less-than-responsive steering. Instead, the big CB quickly gives you the impression of being on your side, unlikely to surprise riders with unexpected behavior.

Part of that predictability comes from the compliant, well-damped Showa suspension. The Big Piston fork simply absorbs even the big bumps without a hint of harshness.

Radial-mount four-piston Tokico calipers bite into a pair of 310mm floating discs up front and a single piston/265mm setup are out back. The ABS system will, of course, eventually intrude as the bike brakes harder, but the pulsing through the brake lever or the pedal is reasonably minimal, enough to warn the rider they’re on the limit without distracting. Stopping distances are good, if not exceptional: 34 and 135 feet from 30 and 60 mph, respectively.

We have yet to record fuel economy on the CB1000R.

The riding position and ergonomics say more about the bike’s character than the Superbike sourced but detuned engine. In its test of the CB1000R, Cycle World commented, “The pegs are planted directly underneath you, and the reach from the 32.8-inch seat height isn’t as short as that of many supersport bikes, so your legs aren’t tightly folded.”

The seat itself is well padded and wide enough for comfort on multi-hour rides. The handlebars rise enough to encourage a slight forward lean, enough to balance the wind at 80 mph but not enough to require a back massage after a day of riding. This is a gentleman’s express of a sportbike.

The CB has traction control, ABS, and multiple throttle maps, but lacks a six-axis inertial sensor that would allow the various systems to be aware of the bike’s cornering attitude and to adjust their operation accordingly.

While the CB does not have the latest tech, it has an attractive TFT-color display and dedicated switch gear allowing the rider to quickly change between the four operating modes, Standard, Rain, Sport, and User. Sport mode offers the most power and the sharpest throttle response, which is perhaps too sharp at times, and the least engine-braking and traction control intervention. Standard mode tunes everything back just a bit and offers a satisfyingly smooth throttle. Rain mode offers noticeably less power and slower response and, somewhat surprisingly, allows a greater degree of engine braking. User mode is just that. Riders looking for an ideal normal setting should start with the Standard (number 2) throttle-and-power map with minimal engine-braking and traction control selected.

Honda offers a one-year transferable unlimited-mileage warranty. This can be extended with the HondaCare Protection Plan.

Fit, finish, and attention to detail are all top-notch on the CB1000R, and Honda has always been known for its reliability.