2025 Honda CBR 1000RR-R SP Launched in India: Better Than Before

Quick Highlights

• The bike gets new aerodynamic winglets

• It also gets new equipment and underpinnings

• It’s available only in one colour

Honda has silently launched the new CBR 1000RR-R SP in India. The brand’s litre-class sportbike has come back after being discontinued last year, and it comes back with a whole lot of goodies. And with everything that it gets, it comes with a price tag of Rs 28,99,000 (ex-showroom). 

Performance

The 2025 Honda CBR 1000RR-R SP has a 1000cc inline-four engine that pumps out 217PS and 113Nm. It weighs just above 200kg, pretty impressive for the amount of power it produces. 

It has three riding modes that alter the power output, engine braking, traction control, and wheelie control, which are a part of its electronics package. Like before, it has ABS with 3 levels of adjustability. Honda claims it has shortened the gear ratios, which should make the Fireblade quicker than before.  

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Design

While the new Fireblade might look similar from a distance, there are differences that you will notice when you get up close. 

First and foremost are the aero winglets on either side of the bike replacing the aero ducts on the sides. The headlights have also become slimmer, making them look a bit more aggressive. The Akrapovic exhaust is claimed to be slightly bigger than before but marginally quieter as well. This would be mostly in line with the new emission and sound regulations. Though we wonder how that affects its iconic inline howl.

Equipment & Underpinnings

While the engine continues to be a stressed-member of the frame – giving it the rigidity it requires – most of the bits on the bike are new. 

The new CBR 1000 RR-R Fireblade SP gets updated electronic Ohlins suspension, front and back. More importantly, the bike now shows recommended suspension settings on its console  to help the rider set up the bike properly. Brakes are courtesy Brembo – Stylema R calipers for the two 330mm discs on the front. It has 17-inch wheels with a 120-section tyre at the front and a 200-section at the rear. Goes without a saying, both are tubeless. 

Other bits include a 16.5-litre fuel tank, 115mm ground clearance (ouch! That’s going to make it tough to ride on Indian roads), and a tall, 830mm seat height (shorter riders would need to learn how to manage that – not that it’s impossible). And before we move on, the swingarm is derived from Honda’s MotoGP bike. 

Features

The Fireblade has a  5-inch TFT console with a customisable layout, and a dedicated four-way switch to control it. It has a smart key that enables keyless ignition – yes, that’s similar to the H-smart key on the Activa. The electronic feature kit has a wheelie control, 9-level, launch control, traction control, 3-level switchable ABS, and a steering damper. 

The bidirectional quickshifter is standard. Should you feel the need to charge your phone while riding, there’s an optional USB port, or maybe that can keep your action camera charged while on the track.

Rivals

In the truest sense, the Fireblade rivals the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R and the BMW S 1000 RR. However, its other competitors with V4 engines include the Ducati Panigale V4 and the Aprilia RSV4.

BikeDekho Says

The Honda CBR 1000 RR belongs to the slowly-fading segment of inline-four superbikes in India. Suzuki has completely pulled out of this segment, and the successor to the iconic R1 might be a V4-engined bike. That just leaves the ZX-10R, and the S 1000 RR. It’s good to see that Honda is still staying true to the formula of superbikes that adorned the posters when we were all children – of course, referring to the millennials and the Gen X here. 

But that might just be the very reason why the segment is going away – demand for hardcore superbikes is going down day-by-day, and those who still want them are looking at the most performance money can offer since. This is where the V4 steps in – so much so that Honda was the first Japanese manufacturer in MotoGP to switch to a V4 layout. Who knows, maybe the Fireblade could also get a V4 engine in the future.

Honda Africa Twin Recall

Honda India has announced a recall of the CRF1100 Africa Twin manufactured between 2019 to 2025. This is in line with the global recall of the bike. Honda says that the wiring harness of the left-hand-side switchgear might get damaged prematurely due to the movement of the handlebar. It further states that the wear could cause issues with horn, or high-low beam operation. While the repairs will be done free of cost, the recall campaign will begin in the last week of January 2026 at all Honda BigWing Topline dealerships in India.