Honda CBR1100XX Blackbird

Honda CBR1100XX Blackbird 1996-2007

When Super Blackbird riders are asked to describe their bikes, you’ll probably hear the words powerful, consistent, fast and smooth. And who are we to argue? After all, the CBR 1100XX has the reputation of being one of the fastest sport-touring bikes around. Honda introduced major technological advancements for the CBR-1100XX Blackbird which paved the way for other models, such as the PGM fuel injection and Ram-air systems.

In the mid 1990's, Honda Motorcycles were determined to produce the world's fastest production motorcycle and to take over the associated bragging rights and marketing impact, at the time held by Kawasaki with its ZZ-R 1100. This led to the creation of the CBR1100XX Super Blackbird which was released to the market as a 1996 model and achieved a verifiable 177 mph (285 kph). The Blackbird name is a nod to the Lockheed SR-71 aircraft, once the world's fastest aircraft.

Two years later the title had passed to the Suzuki Hayabusa which was able to exceed 188 mph (300 kph).Nonetheless the Blackbird has earned a solid reputation as a powerful, fast, smooth and very reliable sport-touring motorcycle.

The Blackbird was a founding bike in the hyper sport touring niche market, along with the Kawasaki ZX-11.This market has since expanded to include the Suzuki Hayabusa and Kawasaki ZX12R and ZZR1400/ZX-14. In Europe, the CBR1100XX proved to be very popular, selling over 10,000 examples in the UK alone. In the US it never sold as well as the Suzuki Hayabusa but has its cadre of afficionados who find the bike supremely reliable and with features that they prefer (see below).