Honda · 2026
CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP
Honda's race-bred litre bike, revised for more mid-range.
Jun's rating
out of ten
In one line
A 214 hp track weapon that Honda made easier to ride fast without making it any less serious.
What is new for 2026
The 2024-generation update, carried over for 2026, brought a two-motor throttle-by-wire, 13.5:1 compression, a lighter frame with revised rigidity, new winglets, and third-generation Öhlins S-EC 3.0.
- Engine
- Liquid-cooled 999.9cc inline four, DOHC, 16 valves
- Displacement
- 1000 cc
- Power
- 218 hp
- Torque
- 113 Nm
- Wet weight
- 202 kg
- Seat height
- 831 mm
- Fuel
- 16.7 L
- Base MSRP
- $28,999
107.9 hp per 100 kg
US, subject to change
The review
Five parts, no spec-sheet copying.
“At two hundred horsepower, the electronics are not a luxury. They are the reason you get to go home.
Mechanical Breakdown
The Fireblade SP's inline four uses a bore and stroke shared with the RC213V MotoGP bike, titanium con-rods, and finger-follower valve actuation. The 2024 update focused on rideability: a new two-motor throttle-by-wire, revised intake, a shorter final drive, and a lighter crankshaft, all to strengthen the mid-range that racers said was missing.
Öhlins semi-active suspension, Brembo Stylema R calipers, a lightweight aluminium frame with reduced lateral stiffness, and a full IMU suite with a nine-level TC make it as sophisticated as any road bike Honda has built.
Ride Character
The Fireblade SP is a track bike. The riding position is severe, the engine is quiet below 8,000 rpm and terrifying above 10,000, and the electronics are the only reason mortals can use it. On a circuit, the semi-active Öhlins and the revised mid-range make it far more usable than the 2020 bike, and the front-end feel under trail braking is superb.
On the road it is wasted, and it knows it.
Maintenance Outlook
Sixteen valves with finger followers at 24,000 km are a specialist job, and the fairing is a jigsaw. Honda's reliability is excellent, but this is a machine that expects to be serviced by people who know it. Consumables at this level are expensive: tyres, pads, and the Öhlins service.
Track use accelerates everything.
Who It's For
The track-day rider with the skill and budget for a litre bike, or the racer who wants Honda's reliability under a superbike. Nobody else.
Jun's Verdict
The Fireblade SP is the most refined litre bike Honda has made, and the 2024 changes finally gave it the mid-range to match its top end. It is not the fastest in a straight line nor the most exotic, but it is the one I would trust to do thirty track days without drama.
Watch a review
MCN - Motorcyclenews.com. An outside opinion, chosen because they ride the bike properly.
Gallery
Photography from Unsplash contributors. Some frames show a close relative of this exact model.
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Prices are US base MSRP at time of writing ($28,999 for this bike) and change without notice. Specs are manufacturer claims unless stated.