The main reason for this is the fueling and seamless power delivery. The connection between the throttle and the rear tire is the most precise of all the liter bikes I’ve ridden this year. We had the earlier-generation CBR1000RR on test back in 2010, and I certainly had no complaints about the way the bike made its power anywhere in the rpm range. However, coming off the slower corners in second gear as I re-acquainted myself with the track, a good fistful of throttle exposed a noticeable dip in the power around 4,500 rpm that doesn’t exist on the 2012 under the same circumstances. Later in the test with the weather warming up, I started using first gear as I was getting more comfortable, and it was still enlightening to see graphically see how much Honda has improved the fuel injection this year on a bike I had thought was faultless in this area

For 2012, Honda gave the CBR new instrumentation with an all-digital display. As the engine screams its way repeatedly to redline, a bar-graph tachometer lets you know you are approaching the 13,200 rpm red line. Speed is shown on a smaller display in the center, and to the left you will also find the very useful gear-position indicator that is big enough to read even if like me you need reading glasses. All the usual warning lights are found below in a recessed area, and the digital display features a clock, trip meters, and fuel gauge. There is also a lap timer built in and a five-level shift indicator.

Sitting inside the elegant and refined cockpit, there have been some changes to the external bodywork. The overall look is very similar, but delve deeper and you notice a new, layered fairing design is used to create a larger area of calm air around the rider. It also helps to draw air through the cooling system, and the integrated chin spoiler is said to reduce aerodynamic lift and in turn improve the handling. As the two bikes are still very similar visually, the easiest way to pick out the new 2012 from a distance is the cutout in the front fairing and the differently colored lower. Coming this year in a choice of red or black, or pearl white with blue and red accents, this last one is the bike for me.

Another visual difference when you look more closely is the new 12-spoke cast aluminum wheels, and they are simply gorgeous to look at. They are not significantly lighter, but they are supposed to provide more consistent rigidity. They come wrapped in the usual 190 series 17 inch rubber in the back and 120 series 17-incher in the front, so no surprises here. There is also a MotoGP-derived Honda Electronic Steering Damper (HESD). This does its job so seamlessly, it’s only the lack of headshake and drama under full acceleration that lets you know it’s there and working. A slipper clutch is also in place to save you if you are a little too eager on a down-shift, and, like the steering damper, it works so smoothly you are hardly aware it’s there.

After our day on the track, we were able to sample the CBR on the streets for a few hours, and starting the ride in cold, wet conditions just brought home the user-friendly nature of the big Honda. When you are about to take a 440-pound motorcycle putting 150 horsepower to the rear wheel on a wet, busy, public road, you could have some trepidation. Not so with the Honda, as the perfect connection between the throttle and the rear tire makes light work of even the slipperiest of surfaces. The riding position doesn’t put you in an extreme racer’s crouch, and you could certainly spend a day in the saddle on your favorite back roads without needing a chiropractic visit the next day.

Back at our hotel and climbing off the bike it was time to reflect on Honda’s new liter bike for 2012. While it might not be the most technologically advanced, lightest, or most powerful on offer, it is certainly one of the best for all the reasons it has always been in this position. It’s comfortable, precise, and so easy to ride it allows the rider more time to focus on the road or the track ahead.

View Photos Here!