Here is a proposition for the adventurous Fireblade lover. Before getting to the figures, let’s remind ourselves why the CBR 900 RR is a ’must have’ sport bike. First of all, it is in my experience the most refined and do-it-all road bike ever made. It also has wonderful aggressive looks featuring: double headlights, beautiful exposed frame, analog clocks surrounded by simple and lightweight foam, stripped down fairing, many perforations on the front discs… and some on the front and lower fairing too :-). It doesn’t only look the business, it also means it. As one of the lightest Superbikes of the last 20 years, it was fitted with an extra 150cc of combustion volume to take it from the competitor’s 750cc capacity to the very original 900cc.
The combination of all this didn’t deserve the logo ’R’ as for ’Racing’, it deserved the double ’R’, as in CBR 900 RR. I was lucky enough to purchase just last year an original ’92 model with less than 5000 km for..well, I won’t say, otherwise you will all hate me. I now ride this Blade everyday to work (weather and other major forces permitting) and…I love it! This is an amazing bike for the road, even today. I mean, I sold my S 1000 RR (hey, where did e Germans take this name from ?) because it was simply silly to ride that thing on public roads.
The CBR is comfortable, really easy to flick around, you have power from 2000 rpm all the way, and even though it is coming from a 4 cylinder in line motor, it is so torquey. What more do you want for the streets.
Ah, I almost forgot, you can use this in the city, country side, mountain passes, highway, you name it, it simply will never stop to please you…just don’t try moto cross…Did I mention that it is reliable ? Ask anybody who knows anything about motorbikes, about what is the most reliable engine ever made and, guess what ? I bet 9/10 will say it is the CBR 900 RR.
Well, let’s get back now to the “adventurous proposition for the Fireblade lover.” I say you budget about 5000 $ and you get the following:
1) a beautiful low mileage 1995 CBR 900 RR (see pictures). This particular 100% stock sample found in Switzerland will knock you off about 3500 bucks
2) get an airplane ticket from wherever you are to Switzerand. Let’s say this will cost you up to 1000 bucks
3) If you can do math, you should be left with 500 green bills. Budget about 200 for gasoline to take you around some of the most scenic and great-to-ride routes in the country, like my two favorite Sustenpass and Fluelapass (again, see pictures).
4) Use the remaining 300 dollars for food, beer, ice creams and whatever you feel like picking up along the way. (just please, drink the beer after riding, ok ?)
(picture of Sustenpass’ road)
(picture of Fluelapass’ road)
Please notice that accommodation is not included in the “proposition for the adventurous Fireblade lover” , nor it is included an insurance against speeding tickets or a plan of how to return to your home country with the newly acquired double R. But what is included, is a memorable experience, a great simple adventure on the Swiss Alps with one of the best motorbikes ever made (they don’t make them like this anymore), an immense sense of freedom coupled with a time traveling feeling (you will still ride a 20 year old bike) and most of all, an idiotic expression on your face for the whole duration of the trip…with a big smile, see to side.
Honda CBR 900 RR in Switzerland
Claudio
I love the color combos of the euro and canadian bikes.