HONDA CBR900RR FIREBLADE (1992-1999) Review

Bought an unloved 97 blade a few years ago and loved it. Spent loads on it to get it back up to shape and used it as my only vehicle for 3 years. Sold it and instantly regretted it. Just recently bought a mint 99 model for silly cheap money and it's like an old fling. It's surprisingly comfy, practical, quick and economical, and a great balance of all. I've tried lots of other bikes over the years but for the money, you just can't beat them.

Bought an unloved 97 blade a few years ago and loved it. Spent loads on it to get it back up to shape and used it as my only vehicle for 3 years. Sold it and instantly regretted it. Just recently bought a mint 99 model for silly cheap money and it's like an old fling. It's surprisingly comfy, practical, quick and economical, and a great balance of all. I've tried lots of other bikes over the years but for the money, you just can't beat them.

Favourite bike I have owned in 40 years of riding.....never going to sell it.

Comfortable and capable, I’ve owned it for 17 years and am very sad to now have to sell it.

In great shape - it's like new

Bought in 1997 2.5K miles on clock toured 2 up for 34K off road 2004/2017 full service new paint runs like a dream used solo only now, great machine.

Never skipped a beat.

perfect handeling & very versatile allrounder

Amazing motorcycle and performs excellently. Great rider experience

Easy to ride, extremely comfortable. If you want to go you just open her up - any gear any rev range, she will just start pulling

fast and easy to ride

I have had this bike from new. Why change from the bench mark of all sports bike. You have to ride this bike in your life-time

i've had mine 7 years now ,great all rounder, more comfortable than naked bikes (and i'm a big bloke 50+ ) quality stuff, you should try one.

I bought my RRX '99 Blade in 2010 with 16k miles on it. It came with full service history and was totally standard. Since then i've added a few bits, K&N air filter, Beowulf can and some cosmetic changes replacing lights, indicators etc... I have been living in Central Europe since 2010 and i brought the bike with me. Over the last 4 and a half years i've covered around 14k miles on it with trips to the Stelvio pass, Grossglockner pass and weekend blasts through Czech, Germany, Poland and Slovakia. Before this bike i had an '02 plate ZX9R and i thought that was a good bike but the Blade is in another league in terms of handling, this bike just inspires you to push harder through corners and when you do get it wrong it always seems to get you out the other side. In over 4 years of ownership it hasn't missed a beat and when i go out with other riders they always ask how old it is and seem surprised when i tell them it's a 15 year old bike, says something for the build quality and the design of the time. There is a limited choice of tyres as the front is a 16" wheel. I'm running it on Bridgestone S20's which are excellent but don't last very long. I'm getting around 3k miles out of the rear but they more than make up for the longevity in terms of grip. I'm always looking at what to replace the Blade with but struggle to see why i would need to replace it as the bike is the perfect blend of power and handling for the road. More than enough to get you into trouble! I maintain the bike myself and it's generally pretty easy to work on with a vast amount of help and info across the web for when i do get stuck. The bike is comfortable for long rides, fast as hell and handles sublimely. If you are looking at one of these and not sure, i would go for it as you won't be disappointed.

Having always wanted a blade in the blue/gold colouring I won one on the bay for £1370. 3 owner, 25k and loads of paper. It's only my 2nd bike, I've been riding for a 18month. I wanted this as a first bike, but was adised not to! So far, I've knocked up 500 miles and the bike is a dream to ride, so confidence building. I'm 6' and find it really comfortable, truely is a Brilliant bike.

Bought my RRW off eBay around 3 yrs ago & it has never let me down. Used daily as a commuter, few trackdays & a tour of the Loire region (France) Had 21k on it when I got it & now on 43k & still going strong!! Mine is a Colin Edwards Laguna Seca replica & has several mods on it including a 17in VFR800 front wheel conversion which is a relatively easy mod & allows a massive choice of rubber. The tip in is still quick as I dropped the yokes by 5mm to compensate ;-) I use Metzeler Racetecs or Dunlop D211GP Racers on track & Metzeler Sportec M5 on the road. Has got Braking front waveys and Galfer rear discs with braided lines. Hyperpro progressive spring internals in the front & rear. Sprint Pro steering damper (it will shake it's head at you if you don't respect it!!) Has been Dynojetted & will easily keep up with newer more powerful marques. I fitted Renthal 15T/45T sprockets which I feel gives it immense acceleration with only a slight loss in top end (even on track) Have ridden several other makes of bike & I still prefer my ole Blade!! The Blades are well put together & have bulletproof reliability too... Get one & you will be surprised how good they really are!!

Bought mine new in 2000 and have never regretted it stil as fast as ever and wil keep up with lots of the new bikes,handles well and still in good nick.definately not for resale

Owned my 97 RRV since 1998 after the first owner put 3k miles on it. Having now done 21k with a few mods later, I will never sell my fireblade. Owned R1's, GSXR's, supermotos etc but this bike always seems to delight. First mod was a VFR 17" front wheel, excellent choice. Now I run a set of MAG Dymags, RC45 front forks and yokes. Billet 6 calipers with PFM discs. Ohlins damper with Harris bracket, Ohlins rear shock and PFM disc. 1998 stainless downpipes with a stubby and Ti Vance and Hines pipe. Harris rearsets and Dunlop D208RR tyres are the best suited since the D207RR, tried many others but I like these overall. Internals are TTS finest with Bigbore JE pistons, flowed and polished, HRC cam with dynoed 41mm flatslides, the result is a sweet handling 158bhp 97 Fireblade that on the road the only thing that can slow you down is YOU !

If you are pondering as to whether a pre-injection blade is for you, then stop thinking and start buying! Not just are they classic's in the making, but they are a serious bike even by todays standards. I currently have a 1999 RRX/W and dont think for a minute that because it is a 10 year old bike that it must be slow! The blade still screams to breath taking speeds in no time at all and with a micron end can it sounds amazing! I use my blade every day and in all weathers and I love it! It rides two up with no problem at all with bearly any difference to the power and gets nods of respect every where you go. Two up, touring, around town, open roads...the list is endless! The blade is happy doing it all! As for fuel I normally reach about 140 miles before I hit reserve which is fine by me. I clean the blade all the time but even in winter the bike scrubs up really well. Excellent build quality, the likes of which you rarely ever see. If your new to riding to be put off by the blade. It really is very easy to ride, and as long as you respect it you cant go wrong. The 1998/99 blade is more like a sports tourer now especially in comparrison to the new blade which is more like a 600 is weight and shape. It is still big and bulky around its front end which gives it a menacing look! I really cant fault my bike. You really should stop thinking and get out there and buy one. I picked my 1999 blade up for a small sum of £1900! The bike only had 10000 miles on the clock and is and remains in excellent condition! I love it. For more photos check out my blog at www.hondafireblade.com.

I own an RRN and an Evoblade having owned both from new. The RRN has only 4,000 miles on it so it is really like new. Looks a little dated in a semi classic way but still great fun to ride, although 17 years on my riding is a little more sensible!

i can't praise this bike enough. considering it's very nearly 10 years old it's brilliant. i bought it with 9000 miles on the clock and have done 3500 miles over summer and loved every minute of it. fitted pirelli diablo tyres, which work really well with the bike - now need a new pair. pillion seat is good, just add a grab rail. i changed to braided hoses and new pads and it made a real difference on the power of the brakes. it's the only bike i've had that i can't say a bad word about! good mpg, brilliant handling, cheap insurance.

had it for 3 years now just done 8000 mile and in great condition ,does eveything i need in a bike ,just got great bike insurance 130.00 fully comp ,the works ,carole nash , cheaper than the 12 bandit i had a few years ago.ive been riding for 14 years and i dont want anything else ,there were conti force tyres on it when i bought it and they were pants ,, pilot sport now 134.00 a pair not bad at all..for some tyre makes the front wheel is a killer on prices sometimes more than the rear , anyway its a great machine and i got a cracking deal with this one, never looked back.....

Bought new in August 97 on an "R" and now showing 102,015 Miles.I would say this bike just got better with more miles i put on it.Bridgestone tyres suit this bike well and have no probs with the 16" front wheel.Had to be quite firm with the gearchanges from new but got progressively better after 30,000miles.My only complaint has been the Alternator windings failing on 3 occasions now along with a couple of Reg/Rec"s.Keep to the 4000/8000/12000/16000 service intervals and the bike will do very high mileages.Top tip from a Honda Technician/Keep the revs down for the first 12miles while the engine gets to working temp and it will last forever.More than happy with this bike even after all the miles on it.It burns NO oil between 4000 mile changes and still does 40mpg when used quite hard.

mines a 98 rrw i've had it sixteen months and averaged a thousand miles a month using it every day all year round for cmmuting to work and weekend rides , fuel consumption is between 45 - 52 mpg depending on what mood takes you , its been absoluteley reliable and is one of the most comfortable bikes i've owned in thirty six years of riding , pillion comfort is good to say's my missus . I won't trade it for later fuel injected model because the fuel consumption on these is dreadfull .

After three dirtbikes, two streetbikes, an rvf400 and a big 'ole Pan, a blade was to be my introduction to sportsbikes. I got it to find out what all the fuss was about and plumbed for the original '92 blade for that reason. Very happy I did too. I got the bike off ebay with 47K miles on the clock but otherwise looking like a minter. My first probs were electrical, solved by replacing the charging system and reg/rect with electrex gear, job done. Second problem was a slight tickiness at start up which seemed to disappear after warm, this was the cam chain. Sorted by replacing cam chain and tensioner (tensioner was fully extended ie. spent). I then bought a claimed 6k mile carb from off a 94 blade and swapped that in.. cheapest carb rebuild in history.. this helped sharpen up the throttle response. One horrible problem showed up as an intermittent loss of power to cyls 1 and 4, this turned out to be a control cable, rotted through. Sorted by splicing in a replacement. The old motad exhaust fell off just a few weeks ago (well just the tip), swapped that for a scorpion. I've now done a total of about 12K miles on this bike. The last 4k have been completely trouble free. It does 150 miles a day commute (rain or shine, day and night), trackies and the odd weekend blat. It does these things effortlessly and without drama -- in the dark it's got the brightest stock lighting of any bike I've owned. Obviously not a green laner but in road-holding terms the most sure footed thing I've ever ridden. Oh yeah, handling. Nearly forgot to mention, the bike came with a 190 rear.. a 190 rear shags the handling, end of story. Use a 180. Also the 16" front wheel will have a 17" rolling radius if the correct tyre is used, this is also very important, otherwise erhh.. shags the handling. Some months later when one of the forks started leaking I took the bike to have a full fork rebuild and front and back setup, result.. massively improved ride, super-stable in turns, really quiet over tarmac snakes and hatching etc, no, repeat, no chatter under heavy breaking and no tank slappers eg under heavy acceleration over hatching or shitty tarmac. So if you're getting any of these symptoms, don't blame the bike, check you have good tyres and pressures and get the suspension set up! Additional stuff learnt during this exercise is that the rear shock is not easily user serviceable. For now mine seems to be working but soon to be replaced with an ohlins unit. Also, front forks (on '92 model) have only rebound adjustment, I've got a set off a '97 which have rebound and compression adjustment, and I believe will bolt straight on, these will be getting the full treatment (linear springs + ktec damping gubbins) before fitting. Eventually I may also swap out the stockers for some lighter dymag wheels, this looks to be the sweetest (if not the cheapest) way to get a 17" front (for better choice of rubber). Lighter wheels will also be fun I think ;) All in all a bloody descent bit of kit, and no fecker's tried to nick it yet... the thieves round our way seem to prefer K7's, guess I would too but plenty happy enough with my old blade for now.

Well its new to me, looked for months and finally got a cracker, looks like brand new, 1998 with 3500 on the clock and all mot's etc to prove it, absolutely spotless and what a bike, handles, goes like stink, yet is just as happy pottering about, even Miss Daisy would feel safe on this, great in the wet, better in the dry, good brakes, bit of patter from the front wheel from over eager throttle and impending kerbside furniture. Huge grin factor and you can actually get stuff in the underseat storage. Only issues after 800 glorious miles in 3 weeks is a slightly noisey clutch, mmmm puzzling and an odd high pitch vibe through right hand bar, sent my hand dead within 20 miles yesterday, but after asking around current thinking is that it needs carbs balancing ???? and or new fluid in the front forks, dunno but I'll give em a try. Otherwise a stonkin bike and plenty fast enough to lose yer licence. Get one, have fun.

I had one of these brand new at T reg and was, like most people, pretty damn impressed with the performance. Many people on this site rave about its handling, for me though, it was too harsh. I ride on back roads, almost exclusively and found it too nervous, too crashy on bigger potholes and generally pretty rubbish to live with. Like all my bikes, I used it every working day and some weekends for good measure. My Blade covered 26k miles in 3 years and was really not all that reliable... various bearings collapsed, alloy surfaces corroded badly and needed constant cleaning and the suspension was fully cream crackered at the end of the 3 years. The list could go on. If you ride this bike on sunny weekend track-days and have the patience to pamper it, it will serve you well. If you want a real bike, look elsewhere.

I love this bike. I've just bought a "T" reg 918. I'm loving it. It is a little hard in the seat, but goes like stink. It makes you look good, as it does all the cornering work for you. Got £ 900 for my old CB 500 "R" reg 57000 miles & only had to fork out an extra £ 1200 for the Blade...what a bargain...Has a tendancy to go too fast, just getting used to how little throttle action is required to get well over the ton...Bit to much speed for our roads, but love it!! Looking forward to a long, hot summer... Later G

Back in 92/93 there was nothing close. What made it work was the weight (or lack of it) and, for me, the 16 inch front wheel. Nothing has come close since in terms of all round grin factor. Why doesn't Honda build another just like it but with uprated everything. I'd buy one tomorrow. Strengths: Low weight, ease of cornering, reliability, build quality... everything. Weaknesses: It got through an awful lot of front wheel bearings in the 50,000 mile I did on it. Back in '93 bikes were much more expensive than today in real terms.

Having owned many types of bikes, this is the best bike I've owned. It looks good, it sounds awesome and performance is execellent for running around town or going for a hard blast. It does it with ease and I intend to keep the bike for many years.

The bike is the absolute bollox. The choke is a pile of shit. It's could do with being a bit quicker.

Comfortable, but no sports tourer, Blistering acceleration, straight out of the box, Great handling (more sure footed than most bikes of same year). Next service is a biggie at £250. Only gripe is that, in the world of Gixer thous', R1's and 'Busas, its looking a bit tired. You will keep up with 'em but that's about it.

The bike has been across Spain and seen two MCN events and still runs strong. Not a problem ever and I mean ever! Would buy another at right price. Insurance very high but worth every penny.

Flippin great bike! Pity about the clunky gearbox as usual with Honda, not a problem just not as good as Suzuki or Kawasaki. Dealers are a rip off especially for spares, I got excellent deals with David Silver, try them for all Honda parts. EG Honda top fairing, £300 + vat, David Silver top fairing £180 + vat. Same parts! Dont worry about mileage, some low milage bikes are dodgy and some high milage are great. Worry about condition, not bits of paper!

Went from a CBR600 to the blade. What a bloody great idea that was! Best bike ever!  The ART exhaust end can sounds fantastic!

The RRS is still a hooligan and not as civilised or easy to ride fast as newer versions. The inexperienced should look elsewhere. Long trips (over 150miles) result in trips to the physio. The bike is very sensitive to suspension settings - get it wrong and you'll ruin the handling. Start with factory settings and increase rebound damping and front preload slightly and the same for the rear (one notch increase in pre-load is all thats needed). It rates at 100% for grin factor and is fast becoming a classic that'll still match pub heroes on GSXRs or R1s in real life on real roads! 100% reliable and still looks great today. Buy with confidence and enjoy!

Good reliability, fast and very light, good looking, easy to use daily. Dont have anything bad to say because I´ve had it just a little while.

Like the racey position, which isn't uncomfortable on the daily commute to Manc' city centre, or for long distances on A roads. Like the sudden surge of oomph at 8000 to redline. Like mirrors you can see things in! Dont like the way the previous owner had wound all the suspension adjustments up to full to make it a hard ride, thus leaving the springs and damping well abused. Ohlins internals for front and new rear shock on order.... Forks to be dropped and rear to be raised when new shock arrives to sharpen up the steering a little. Other than that, fantastic. Piece of history that still runs with all the pretty R1s and Gixer Thou's out there.

My dream bike grin factor 110%. Road an R1, well what can I say! Blade wins hands down!!

Well, what can I say about this bike. Awesome! Handles fantasic, its reliable, easy to work on. I just can't fault it -  BLADES KICKASS!

Still find the 16" front end sensitive, but that is purely down to me. Handling is superb. Comfort poor for my 6ft height Pillion comfort surprisingly good (so I am told!) Excellent storage area under the rear seat. Asthmatic below 5000rpm Motor happy at 7000rpm - trouble is that is 95mph! Fitted aftermarket exhaust (Remus) which improves the sound and response (welcome improvement) with no jet changes required. New chain fitted due to poor maintenance of original by previous owner/dealer servicing. Onw maintenance carried out - not too difficult - hardest service is the valve clearance bucket and shim adjustment. Great motor for quiet rides out or for the odd adrenalin buzz.

Owned for three years, totally reliable, used all year round, no complaints.

I purchased this from a racer buddy who didn't ride it anymore. Compared to my cruiser ST1100, this is like being on a rocketship. Almost as comfortable and tons more fun riding in the great twisties in the Santa Monica canyons and Highway 1 up to Big Sur...I will never get close to riding this machine to the max, but having all this great performance in hand is reassuring since it's such a forgiving and responsive machine. My Ducati buddies may be faster, but I'm more comfortable and just behind them.

Can't fault this bike, outstandinng handling, lovely smooth power delivery, never change it.

Love the handling and quick turning in. No dislikes at all

First big bike, px'ed my VFR 400R, fell in love with the urban tiger colours. Gets a bit twitchy on bumpy roads if you're too enthusiastic with your right hand, suffers slightly from brake fade on spirited rideouts. Handling is ace and has got me out of trouble on many occasions...if it drifts wide then just look where you want to go and accelerate and the bike does it for you..! Only complaint after a 200 mile round trip was a numb bum and cramp....but then again I didn't want a tourer...! Glad it's got an electronic speedo so you can still see what speed your doing while on the back wheel...!

Another born again, I bought a VFR800 and within a month realised that I wasn't up for touring, I just want a bike to safely ride fast, just for fun. My 'blade handles beautifully and is forgiving when I mess up. The injection seems to have got smoother or maybe I have got used to it. It is light weight and for the type of bike very easy to ride. The engine rattles and the clutch is noisy, normal apparently. Love it :)