Mention literbikes and all kinds of things spring to the mind, from early eighties air-cooled steel framed racebikes, to lead sleds and to high speed, long wheelbase superslab inhalers. Most brought an element of overkill, manifested in excess horsepower, weight, size and/or reluctance.

Thus begins the balancing act to develop toward the ideal large displacement sportbike, and any such discussion immediately brings to mind Honda's CBR900RR series. Honda, having enjoyed great prior success with this model, enters the red-hot 2002 sportbike marketplace with the new CBR954RR, introduced to the press at Las Vegas Motor Speedway recently.

American Honda's Gary Christopher took a moment to share Honda's market outlook at the recent press intro. This year brings the tenth consecutive year of market growth for motorcycles, with sales for 2001 up nineteen percent. That translates into 695,000 motorcycles sold and the total goes to 1,300,000 units when ATVs are included.

Even though you'd think it might be the Cruisers making the numbers, Honda's sportbikes are currently showing the strongest category of growth, with 107,000 units sold. This seems rightly so, with the technology involved in sportbikes pushing the performance envelope.

The U.S. market for Honda is second in global sales numbers, with the total Euro-market consuming roughly double the number of motorcycles as us Yanks.

Indications are that September eleventh has had no adverse effects on motorcycle industry sales numbers. (And yes, Honda ATVs are seeing action in Afghanistan.)

"Exact same weight as our CBR600 F4i, 370 pounds." Honda's Senior Evaluator Doug Toland made that opening statement about the 2002 CBR954RR. The unsaid punch line, of course, the claimed 154 horsepower. With the competition ratcheting up the level of the playing field, it is time for Honda's wizard behind the curtain for the CBR954RR and all it's predecessors, Mr. Tadao Baba, to perform some more Baba Magic.

Honda offers that the CBR954RR's number one priority is to be the fastest thing on the racetrack, but also that it is not just a pro's bike. Optimum power to weight ratio and overall balance have been hallmarks of the CBR900 line, and the evolutionary 954 continues this focus. No detail was considered too small for Honda's engineers to scrutinize.

Visually, the most noticeable changes from last years CBR929 and the new 2002 CBR954RR are the blacked-out aluminum frame, the massive rear swingarm and the more angular and aggressive fairing and bodywork.

The rear swingarm is said to showcase HRC racing technology, upgraded with extensive use of pressed, stamped sections replacing most of the cast components used previously. It is a beautiful piece, larger and with additional bracing but 9.2 ounces lighter than the 929 arm. With Honda paying careful attention to chassis tuning, the swingarm has less lateral stiffness but is more rigid torsionally to balance the overall chassis.

Honda maintains the pivotless swingarm design, and the blacked out aluminum main frame runs the same geometry numbers as the prior version, but has also been tuned to deliver increased torsional stiffness and reduced lateral stiffness as compared to the 2001 chassis. Tapered steering head bearings replace last years ball bearings in the quest for increased feel at the clip-ons.

The fuel tank is updated, now 10mm shorter and 10mm lower, which, in turn, move the rider seating position that much closer to the front wheel. The tank is hinged and now uses a prop rod for ease of maintenance. Fuel filler cap is now aluminum, as is the front fairing stay bracket and the footpeg brackets.

The rear spring is made with smaller diameter spring stock saving almost half a pound, new linkage rates produce a flatter curve, 5% softer than the last year, and adjustments to the rear shock are now accessed from the right side of the machine.

Front brake rotors are 330mm items and the front brake calipers are all new, sporting stainless steel internal pistons with a special Nimuflon coating and Teflon coated seals for reduced friction and better feel. The trailing pistons have been reduced slightly in size and updated brake pad material specified. Front and rear wheels feature smaller hubs and spokes for an important reduction in unsprung weight of 154 grams each.

Other than the aluminum endcaps, the muffler is now completely Titanium with a weight savings of 11 ounces for the unit. The collector remains a stainless steel piece, the HTEV exhaust valve is unchanged, switching the path of the spent gases from 180 degree collector design to 360 degrees on to both as the engine rpm increases.

A very tasty LED tail light assembly graces the new, slimmed down and oh-so-trendy angular tail cowling.

The new front fairing of the 2002 CBR954RR not only is striking in appearance, the rider benefits from a 10mm taller windscreen and improved aerodynamics. Night riders take note, toggle up to high beam and triple Halogen H7 bulbs, each with 40% more illumination than H4 bulbs, serve to flood the road for a 2002 interpretation of the historical "deer-in-the-headlights" scenario.

The 954cc powerplant grew out of the 929cc design by means of a 1mm increase in piston diameter. Cylinders are now a scant 1.5mm apart from their neighbor, and cylinder sleeves are constructed by pressure forming sintered aluminum powder impregnated with graphite and ceramic for lighter weight, improved wear and heat resistance. The forged 75mm pistons are lighter, have shorter skirts, reduced dome thickness and are screen printed with a LUB coating for friction reduction.

A few additional grams have been removed from the piston pins.