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Leon Haslam & Cal Crutchlow testing new Fireblade at world launch

18/02/2008 - New Fireblade tested

Honda Racing HM Plant team-mates Leon Haslam and Cal Crutchlow both got a taste of the new CBR1000RR Fireblade while attending the world launch of the bike in Qatar.

The road-going Fireblade that they got to grips with around the challenging 3.34-mile Losail circuit will form the basis of the machine that they will campaign in the 12-round British Superbike Championship. A more standard version of the bike will also be taking part in the National Superstock Championship in the hands of Steve Brogan.

The all-new machine is the 9th generation of Fireblade, and has a history that can be traced back to the original 893cc machine, first launched in 1992.

New recruit to the Honda Racing HM Plant team Cal Crutchlow reckons Honda has a winner on its hands with the new CBR1000RR: "We rode it for quite a few sessions at the launch. There was Jonathan Rae, Leon, his dad Ron and myself. I’ve not got a road licence but I’ve ridden for a few different manufacturers and so have been lucky enough to ride plenty of road bikes on track – and I can say it’s the best road bike I’ve ever ridden. It’s awesome!"

Leon meanwhile is very familiar with the Fireblade. As an instructor at the Honda Ron Haslam Race Academy, run by parents Ron and Ann, Leon has ridden most of the Fireblade models produced in the last decade. The Blade is used in the ‘Elite package’ at the school where riders get to grips with Donington Park on a Fireblade equipped with data-logging so students can see where improvements around the track can be made.

Leon said: "After riding the 2008 bike I’m really surprised – the difference between the new and old bike is like night and day and the improvements are huge. There’s more mid-range on the new bike and the stability of the thing is superb. I’ve never ridden a four-cylinder four-stroke race bike before, but this new Fireblade as standard feels closer to any of the other four-stroke race bikes I’ve ever ridden."

For more details on the new Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade visit www.honda.co.uk/motorcycles and click on the 2008 models.