• The highly-anticipated 2020 Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade debuts.

• The engine was developed with HRC and the body features aerobodies.

• The new engine produces 215 bhp and 113 Nm.

Finally, after all that waiting, the 2020 Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade debuts. It’s not a typo, its name has an extra “R” and the big CBR is finally in the 200bhp club.

Honda released the details of the all-new bike just before EICMA 2019 opens later today at 4pm, Malaysian time.

As usual, there will be two models — the base CBR1000RR-R Fireblade and the higher spec’ed CBR1000RR-R SP Fireblade. The new engine is said to be co-developed with HRC, the manufacturer’s racing arm.

The 2020 model marks a departure from the previous flagship model. Project leader Yuzuru Ishikawa says that the battleground has moved from the streets to the track, thereby ending the “best superbike on the road” unofficial tag for the CBR1000RR.

Highlights of the base model:

• New “ultra-compact” inline-Four engine with 215 bhp (160 kW) at 14,500 RPM and 113 Nm of torque at 12,500 RPM.
• It’s way up from the current 189 bhp, although torque is reduced by 1 Nm.
• The engine isn’t equipped with any sort of variable valve timing or lift, as speculated, though.

• New finger-follower rocker arms for the valves.
• Forged aluminium pistons.
• Titanium conrods.
• Feeding the engine is a centrally-located ram air duct in the fairing.

• Spent gasses exit through an Akrapovic 4-2-1 exhaust system ends in an oval-shaped titanium silencer.

• New Throttle-by-Wire enhance feel further.
• Three default riding modes with customisable Power, Engine Braking, Wheelie Control through the optimised Honda Selectable Torque Control system.

• Launch Control is standard.
• Bosch six-axis IMU.
• New full-colour TFT screen.

• New aluminium diamond frame uses the rear part of the engine as the rear monoshock’s upper mount, thereby eliminating the frame crossmember.
• Vertical rigidity increased by 18%, torsional rigidity by 9% and horizontal rigidity by 11%.

• The revisions are aimed to increase feel.
• New longer swingarm based on the RC213V-S.
• Meaty 200/55-ZR17 rear tyre.

• The base model is fitted with Bridgestone R11 tyres.
• Showa 43 mm Big Piston Fork (BPF) in front, Showa Balance Free Rear Cushion Light (BFRC-L) monoshock.
• 330 mm front brake discs, gripped by 4-piston radial-mounted Nissin calipers.

Highlights of the SP model:

• All the same as the based model except for the suspension, brakes and colour scheme.
• Second generation semi-active Öhlins Electronic Control (S-EC) suspension.
• 43 mm Öhlins NPX forks.
• Öhlins TTX36 Smart-EC monoshock.
• Öhlins Objective Based Tuning Interface (OBTI) adjustment.

• Brembo Stylema 4-piston radial-mounted calipers up front.
• Rear Brembo brake calliper is the same as the one on the RC213V-S.

The new bike has new aerodynamics, as expected. Both the base model and SP share the same bodywork, albeit different colour schemes.

Aerodynamics package highlights:

• Winglets embedded inside aerobodies on both sides of the fairing.

• Fuel tank lowered by 45 mm for better riding position (the previous CBR1000RR already had the best riding position so far, excluding the 2019 BMW S 1000 RR).
• Redesigned front mudguard to lower drag.

There’s no indication of price yet, but heck, we still want it!