Honda CBR 1000 RR Fireblade SP BSB replica 2018 — Specifications

When Honda decides to celebrate its Fireblade, it never does things by halves. To mark 26 years of the lineage born in 1992 with the CBR 900 RR, the manufacturer's British arm came up with the idea of decking out its CBR 1000 RR Fireblade SP in the colors of the Honda Racing team — the very one that battles it out every weekend in British Superbike. The result: a limited edition of just 26 units, a symbolic number likely to turn each example into a collector's item before the first owner has even worn through a set of 190/50 tires.

Don't expect to receive Dan Linfoot's or Jason O'Halloran's machine in your garage. The base remains the production SP, with its 999 cc inline four-cylinder, its 192 horsepower unleashed at 13,000 rpm, and 112.8 Nm of torque peaking at 11,000 rpm. The aluminum twin-spar perimeter frame, the Öhlins NIX30 front forks and TTX36 rear shock, the radially mounted calipers biting 320 mm discs — it's all there, untouched. What changes is the livery. The belly pan and front fairing receive the BSB color scheme, faithful enough to send a shiver through the paddock if you park the thing next to a Suzuki GSX-R 1000 R Buildbase. The rivalry between the two camps doesn't play out only on track.

On the equipment front, Honda has put together a generous package. An Akrapovic exhaust lets the engine breathe, a lightly smoked sport screen refines the silhouette, and an extended rear fender adds a touch of practicality. On the top yoke sits an engraved and numbered plaque, a reminder to the owner that they belong to a very exclusive club. The manufacturer even goes so far as to include a polo shirt signed by the factory riders and two VIP passes for a round of the 2019 BSB championship. It falls somewhere between a motorcycle and a premium gift box.

On the road, the 195 kg wet weight and 820 mm seat height are reminders that this Fireblade SP remains a demanding sportbike, built for riders who know how to make the most of a 16-liter tank on the right circuits rather than for the daily commute. The power-to-weight ratio places this Honda at the top of the heap against the Yamaha YZF-R1M or Kawasaki ZX-10RR, even if the Japanese inline-four must contend with rivals that are increasingly electronics-laden. The 13:1 compression ratio and 76 x 55.1 mm bore and stroke speak of an engine designed to chase revs, not to cruise along back roads.

Then there's the question of price. Listed at around £20,800 across the Channel — roughly €23,300 once conversion and taxes are factored in — this BSB replica has the audacity to cost noticeably more than a standard SP. For the 26 lucky few willing to play the exclusivity game, it's the entry ticket to a circle where the Fireblade is no longer content to be merely a sportbike. It becomes a piece of British championship history, with the scent of the pit lane and the bark of the Akrapovic thrown in for good measure.