Honda has issued a recall for the 2020 CBR1000 RR-R Fireblade in the European market owing to a fault in the engine department. The brand has recalled around 300 units of the aforementioned motorcycle pertaining to the engine issues, but it is important to note that no motorcycle has been affected by the failure of the said component and the brand is issuing the recall only as a precautionary measure.
The affected part is the connecting rod in the engine which is a crucial part of the engine operation and connects the pistons to the crankshaft. The litre-class motorcycle has four of them and the recall has been issued as the part could have a defect in its metallurgy which may further lead to failure of the part. If the component fails during operation, it could completely cease the engine and during high-speed operation also damage other engine parts within the crankcase.
The Honda CBR1000 RR-R is powered by a 999.9cc in-line, four-cylinder, liquid-cooled DOHC engine with PGM-FI (Programmed Fuel Injection) with oil sprayed over the pistons for better cooling. The engine has the same bore and stroke of 81mm x 48.5mm as the MotoGP RC213V, a semi-cam gear train, titanium connecting rods, finger-follower rocker arms and new technology the reduces friction. The engine makes 214 Hp of power @ 14500 RPM and 113 Nm of torque @ 12500 RPM paired to a 6-speed gearbox with slipper assist clutch.
The 2020 CBR1000 RR-R draws its design inspiration from the MotoGP RC213V-S and features a central ram-air-intake, split type sleek LED headlights, aero winglets on the side fairing similar to the race machine, bubble-style visor, optimised engine cooling, chiselled fuel tank, a sharp high set tail, step-up seating, rear-set footpegs, turn indicators integrated into the wing mirrors, a side slung upswept exhaust, clip-on handlebars and an electronics package the includes a full-colour TFT instruments console, 6-axis IMU, new throttle components, launch control, traction control, wheelie control, slip rate control, quickshifter, ABS with Sport & Track modes, etc.
