One of the promotional events in this year’s AirAsia Australian GP will be GP legend Mick Doohan riding a Repsol Honda RC213V MotoGP machine for some demonstration laps around the famous circuit.

To promote the upcoming race and organized by Honda Australia and Team Honda Racing, the former five-time World champion took several media personalities around the track for some hot laps with a 2012 Honda CBR1000RR painted with same Repsol livery that gave the Australian champion his fifth and last World title in 1998.

Doohan looks like he could still kick butt even today.

During the Mugello GP weekend, Honda Racing Corporation donated to the Simoncelli family two very special motorcycles, their son’s factory 2011 RC212V MotoGP machine # 58, that will be displayed in the Simoncelli Museum and a ‘Super Sic’ special edition CBR1000RR Fireblade designed by Aldo Drudi.

This CBR will now be put up for auction on eBay starting on Thursday September 13th at 9pm CET during this year’s DEDIKATO event and the starting price will be one euro. The auction will run until September 19th 9pm (which will also include other items) and all the proceeds will be going to the Marco Simoncelli Foundation and the bike will be presented to the winner at EICMA Milan in November.

It was a very emotional ceremony at the Mugello in front of the Honda Gresini hospitality earlier today, the parents of late Marco Simoncelli were presented with one of his son’s factory RC212V MotoGP machines and a ‘Super Sic’ special edition CBR1000RR by Honda.

HRC Vice-President Shuhei Nakamoto and Minoru Kato, Honda Europe Motorcycle Division Director, donated to Paolo and Rosella Simoncelli - who returned to a MotoGP circuit for the first time since their son’s tragic death at Sepang last year- to receive the bikes. The CBR will be auctioned off to raise funds for The Marco Simoncelli Foundation.

Honda released a new video starring the 2012 version of the CBR 1000 RR. The video quickly retraces the Fireblade history to introduce the 2012 model, the one that marks 20 years since the first big CBR designed by the mighty Tadao Baba (then CBR 900 RR, powered by a 893 cc) made its debut.

Throughout these two decades, we saw the ‘Blade changing shape, colors and engine quite a few times, hosting also 919, 929, 954 and 998 cc units along the way and then adopting the current 999 cc displacement in 2008. All models have been somewhat historic in their own right, but we have to give credit to Mr.Baba for that very first CBR: that was the one that did indeed change the whole game forever back in 1992, forcing every other manufacturer to find a way to keep up with it. All modern sportsbike are basically inspired by that vision.

20 years down the line, its direct progeny is the way slimmer Honda CBR 1000 RR m.y. 2012, powered by a 999 cc in-line four unit delivering the same output of the current version: 175 hp at 12,000 rpm and 112 Nm at 8,500 rpm. Other remarkable features of the new ‘Blade include Dual Stage Fuel Injection (DSFI), 43mm Showa Big Piston Fork (BPF), balance free rear shock, braced aluminum “gull wing” swingarm, Combined Anti-Lock Braking (C-ABS) by Honda and a brand new LCD instrumentation. Click on the ‘Continue Reading’ link below the thumbnails to see Honda CBR 1000 RR m.y. 2012 full specifications.

Continue reading: Honda releases official video of the new CBR 1000 RR

Without providing a whole updated, brand spanking new V4 Superbike, Honda is giving its former glory CBR1000RR for 2012 a minor facelift. The leaked pics of last week are now followed by some new Fireblade “spy” videos from Hong Kong where we can see more of the fairing upgrades and tail design of the 2012 model.

The 2012 CBR1000RR will get new big piston front forks, Showa shocks and some electronic upgrades which are under wraps at this stage. We can’t figure out why a dealership in Hong Kong should be in possession of the new 2012 Fireblade before Honda reveals it, but we’re not complaining.

The original leaked pics were of the beauty shot variety, but in these videos (also after the jump), we get a look at the brand new Honda digital display in the style of the latest creations from Ducati and MV Agusta on the Superbike front. While Honda looks ready to run away with the MotoGP, it would have been great to see them throw their weight behind a new V4 Superbike as well, to compete with the likes of BMW and Aprilia, but so far we’ll have to content ourselves with a restyling.

Continue reading: 2012 Honda CBR1000RR videos

If you were expecting a revolution from Honda, you might have to think again. The highly anticipated new Honda V4 for the 2012 Superbike rumours seem unfounded when looking at these pics of the 2012 Honda CBR1000RR restyling. Asphalt&Rubber say these are the new Fireblade pics and if so, we get merely a “cosmetically different” bike and not a return to the RC badge as hoped by many.

The changes to the 2012 Fireblade look to include a freshly angular front end, new colours (including this HRC livery), and will probably reveal some mechanical upgrades, including Showa big piston front forks. Otherwise, we don’t know what other changes might be brewing under the very familiar fairing.

Other minor details on the CBR1000RR updates look to be slightly more aggressive headlights, upgraded aerodynamics and air intakes and new multi-spoke wheels in the place of the traditional three-spoke design. Mechanical details are scarce right now but we wouldn’t exclude a double-disc clutch, more evolved quickshift electronics with new traction control and sport ABS. We’re guessing that as a bike on the market, Honda is sticking to keeping the CBR1000RR the sporty road goer it’s famous for, while studying how to get back to being Superbike competitive.

Continue reading: 2012 Honda CBR1000RR pics

Rumors of a new Honda CBR1000RR have been floating around for awhile, with some pundits even going as so far as saying that Honda has been putting off the launch of the revamped motorcycle due to downtrodden superbike sales in the motorcycle market.

However, Ronald ten Kate whose team has taken a nose dive in this WSBK season, with only one win and one podium at their home track at Assen with both Jonathan Rea and Ruben Xaus out with injuries, in a recent interview confirmed that they will be using an upgraded Fireblade in 2012, which could mean that they may be getting a bunch of new electronics, but it could also mean that Honda will be finally ready to show us something slightly newer.

“We will have a new machine from Honda, an upgraded version of the Fireblade in 2012, though I can’t reveal too much because Honda hasn’t revealed the bike,” said the Castrol Honda team principal. “The FIM has also made the decision that we can introduce ride-by-wire to the machines for next year, which we already have but isn’t on the bikes yet. We are planning to use it in the private tests, so we will be ready for 2012. This season is virtually behind us, but when Jonathan returns, we will still be targeting podiums.”

Honda Europe signed a three-year agreement with Ten Kate back in October 2010 to continue their partnership, but it remains to be seen if Jonathan Rea will want to continue with Castrol Honda after an injury packed season, and if the team will want to keep Ruben Xaus whose best results this season have been two eighth places (Assen and Misano).

Source | crash.net via A&R.com

With just two tests under his belt and amazing fans with the immediate ease he’s adapted to his Honda, Casey Stoner is widely tipped to be this year’s MotoGP champion, so Honda Australia is already putting out a special and limited edition of their CBR1000RR dedicated to the Australian rider.

Only 170 (numbered) units will be available at dealerships at the end of February, this Casey Stoner Repsol special edition will come with his # 27, autograph and other decal branding.

This bike will retail at AUD $18,790 about 13.900 euros.

Source | mcnews.com.au

There is so much motorcycle eye candy in this sports bike of the year test that it gets difficult to pick which is the best, unless you’re a die-hard fan of one particular brand or another. The guys from Fast Bikes and Bike Channel teamed up to test each and every 2010 sports bike they could get their hands on, namely: the Kawasaki ZX-6R, Suzuki GSX-R 750, KTM RC8 R, Yamaha R6, Triumph Daytona 675, BMW S1000RR, Ducati 1198S, Aprilia RSV4 R, Yamaha R1 and the Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade.

That’s some mighty equipment sitting on the track and frankly, we’re jealous of just how much fun these guys must have had. The bikes are a real mix of everything that Japan and Europe has been able to throw at the sportbike/superbike sector. There are a couple of surprises in the final three and one big un-surprise as well. The word on the winner is: “you just wouldn’t believe what you can get away with on this bike”. Watch the video to see which one it is.

We totally forgot a sexy biker gallery for Christmas! So, in the hopes you’ll accept this as a belated Christmas gift from us here at TwoWheels, we’ve gone red in the spirit of the season, with Denise Milani and her CBR1000RR (also in red in case you were having trouble noticing). She’s a 28-year-old American model, originally born in the Czech Republic.