Updated Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade spotted

The litre-class superbikes is a special genre of motorcycles for two-wheeler manufacturers. It is the platform for two-wheeler giants to showcase their technical prowess and push the envelope of performance. In the Japanese context, Kawasaki has been leading the charge with its new Ninja ZX-10R while Yamaha launched the new generation R1 few years ago. One manufacturer in particular which has kind of lost its footing in this battle for supremacy is Honda. It’s been ages since the Japanese two-wheeler giant has updated the CBR1000RR Fireblade which has started to show its age. In terms of performance numbers, the current generation Honda CBR1000RR is no slouch but it loses out on electronic package that its rival possess and better hardware. Honda hasn’t been a mute spectator though, it has been working on the next generation of the Fireblade for many years with rumours and details of the bike being posted on regular basis. 

Now pictures of what looks like the 2017 Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade has been posted on the internet while undergoing photo shoot on a race track. The bike seems to have got revises styling as the front section is much sharper. It sports new headlamps that are reminiscent of the recently launched Honda CBR250RR. The rear section of the bike has been tweaked a bit and so have the panels. Other visual additions include multi-spoke alloy wheels and a new exhaust muffler that is larger than the older bike. But it’s not all good news. It seems that the above bike is an update of the current-generation Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade and not an all-new motorcycle. The frame and the swingarm looks carried forward from the existing motorcycle and so does the engine casings suggesting that it’s the same powerplant. 

What we think is that the bike in the above picture is an updated Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade and not an all-new motorcycle. We can expect the updated Fireblade to get electronic package so that it can put up a fight with the new breed of motorcycles. Expect traction control, quickshifter, various ride modes and more such electronic wizardry. No details on the engine specifications but we can expect a minor bump in power output. The engine though would be much cleaner and greener to comply with Euro4 emission norms. We can expect the updated Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade to make its debut at the 2016 EICMA motorcycle show in November and a possible global launch by early 2017.