2020 Honda Fireblade | CBR1000RRRRRR

In theory, yes.

 

It really would seem like it. I mean why go to the trouble of reversing cam direction? And why oil pressure?

 

Valves do look pretty long and room for rockers.

 

"Those new coated cams are driven by a patent-pending system that uses a small timing gear on the crankshaft to drive a cam-chain gear that then in turn moves the cam chain. This means the cams now rotate in the opposite direction of the crankshaft, and also shortens the cam chain for reduced weight and inertia."

https://www.cycleworld.com/2021-honda-cbr1000rr-r-fireblade-sp-first-look/

 

.....and facilitates a "quick change crank" system, much heavier and more rotating mass involved with a more complicated valve train incorporating many extra parts, all of which are as good for making big power they are useful to the average user.

Honestly, from the shape of that exhaust port to the overly complicated valve system and Goldwing-sized stator stuck on the ends of the crank I wouldn't identify this as a race engine.
Counter rotating the cams can only be for vibration reduction, not exactly the sort of thing most superbike racers are bothered by. And that is for sure a pressurized oil feed to the end of the crank.

 

Sorry what? You could not be more wrong. Reducing harmonics is 100% the goal of every engine mfg, since 19-dickety, when they figured out it's what was holding them back from revving higher, reliably. Literally billions of dollars in F1 have been poured just into engine harmonics.

 

Is counter rotating cams an added version of counter rotating crank?

PS I know very little about the voodoo that goes on inside an engine.

Sent from my smatrfone

 

Yes. It negates, to some extent, the gyroscopic forces that come from the crank and wheels which spin in the opposite direction. The the result is that it makes it a little easier to get the bike to change directions.

 

Making it easier for Bautista to toss it down the track. Got it.

 

Well, maybe it won’t spin around on its side so much as it slides off the track and into the kitty litter.

 

Nomura-San is pleased.

 

I think sometimes it's just because we're Honda, we're big and fuck you. For years almost all ATV's used 10 or 12 inch wheels, not Honda. They used 11's. WTF ?
Now they use 12's.

 

DOH! I knew that... All the CBR1000 talk and all...

I am no longer Steeltoe approved.

We used to call them "banjos" because of the noise. The first time I adjusted the valves on my 750, I did it twice because when I fired it up after finishing (the first time I started it without the bodywork on), I knew I must have done something REALLY wrong.

 

Shareholders will be pleased with that stator cover. It’ll be the most popular spare part in the catalog, and it’ll cost upwards of $300. Two or three separate holes drilled just for that oil line? A freeze plug or two and that gasket is gonna be another $80.

That extra R stands for “wReckage”

I’ll report back with those part numbers and retail prices this summer.

 

It's ironic how correct you are. I watched a video series of interviews of Honda's start in 4 stroke motoGP racing and they said one of the biggest reasons for using the V5 instead of the more obvious 4 or 6 cylinder layouts was because no one had ever done it and Honda wanted to prove that they could do what no one else could and make it work.

 

I feel like I’m in an engineering think tank.

 

I was thinking more of a dunk tank.

 

My brief synopsis from just staring at photos for an hour. General layout looks very similar, but lots of changes regarding chassis and engine things. These are all compared to the previous Gen RR:

1. The new swingarm pivot appears farther forward, even in photos. This generally means the engine has gotten shorter and the swingarm can now be longer while maintaining a similar wheelbase.
2. The wheelbase looks considerably longer in photos, hard to tell without same scale photos, but I'd be shocked if it wasn't closer to the current normal 1470mm (57") or so. Generally more power results in longer wheelbases and more necessary swingarm length.
3. The subframe and seat high have a considerably steeper angle and higher seating position. Probably in hopes of raising center of mass to have the bike capsize more quickly to combat the longer wheelbase.
4. The stator cover on the new bike looks a lot higher in the frame. I would guess the engine is now mounted higher, again helping capsize. This may have also been done to maintain proper swingarm angle with a considerably longer swingarm than before.
5. The swingarm itself looks a lot more heavily braced than the previous unit.
6. Front end seems to be pretty standard affair. 43mm inverted fork, hollow steel axle, radial brembo this, semi floating discs that etc. Biggest change is the central intake to my eyes.
7. Aerodynamics completely different obviously. Much wider more encompassing bodywork, downforce made via wings etc. Cool.

The engine:
1. We know it's an 81mm bore, and the displacement is 1000cc or less, so a 48.5mm-ish stroke is obvious. This is a huge step from the old 76mm bore, surely done to fit larger valves, rev higher and make more peak horsepower. The pistons appear to be standard large hollow gudgeon pin type, 3 ring with the pin as high as possible. This allows for the longest possible connecting rod resulting in the best rod/stroke ratio and lowest side loading of the piston skirts and therefore lighter possible pistons.
2. Camshafts appear to be hollow and DLC or similar coated. And both have HUGE duration. Finger follower lifters are the obvious choice these days for reving beyond 13k rpm, hard to tell what the rocker ratio is in a photo though.
3. Looks like no variable valve timing/lift control of any sort.
4. Camchain tensioner on the exhaust side is a giveaway that they spin rearward (opposite the wheels). This could have been done for multiple reasons. Shorter cam chain is a plus, but I think this probably allowed for taller deck height and a longer still connecting rod. Just a guess.
5. The clutch drive gear is located almost in the middle of the engine. Wild ass guess says starter motor will be packaged on top of this and drive the primary gear to start the bike, not the crankshaft. This might make for tighter packaging too.
6. Im hearing 13:1 static compression ratio which is a bit lower than I expected. I think Ducati is using 14:1 on their 1103cc v4. I would expect honda to be the same with the same bore size.

I'm sure lots more will come out once someone like Bruno DePrato writes a good technical article for cycleworld or something. Then we'll be able to see parts out on the table and really see what Honda have done. I would say this is a very un-Honda like revolution, rather than evolution.

 

And there was a convenient rules break that the 5 cyl could be the same weight as a 4 cyl.

 

The larger the bore the harder it is to manage the flame and prevent detonation. If they can get the power they want with only 13:1, then its easier to do it that way.