Date - 08th September 2005

Dear Honda (UK) motorcycles,

Earlier this year I bought a brand new Honda Fireblade CBR1000RR. This was the 6th Honda Fireblade I had purchased since the launch of the model in 1991, therefore you could say I am an avid fan of the marque and model. However, this is the first time I have felt compelled to write to you with a letter of complaint/inquiry.

Currently, I am riding this bike with the HESD unbolted from the top yoke of the motorcycle. This I had to do to ensure I did not end up changing the bike for another sports bike after a very short period of ownership.

Let me explain. Twice this year I have taken the bike abroad for trips to France, Belgium and Germany and I must say the bike is far more comfortable to ride than previous models over a distance, but on the first trip to France, (in excess of 2000 miles), I came home unhappy with the front end of the bike in terms of a lack of feel for the road holding and suspension. Adjustments to the suspension could not bring the 'feel' ethic through, so I blamed the tyres, being the Bridgestone BT014R. My thoughts were also backed up by the fact that I wore out the front tyre in the same distance covered as the rear (approximately 2500 miles) and I have never experienced a wear rate of a front tyre to that degree before, from any motorcycle I have owned. I only ride on the road, I do not do track days etc.

For the 2nd trip, I changed the tyres to Pirelli Diablo Corsa front and rear. These tyres I know well and trust, but I experienced exactly the same problem, no feel and riding it on wet roads compounded the problem ever more.

So unhappy was I on this second European trip that I had decided that upon my return to the UK, I would take the bike back to P&H Motorcycles, (my local dealer where the bike was purchased) and exchange it for a 2005 GSXR 1000, this is how unhappy I was, I was prepared to go to a lesser quality machine to ensure my future happiness, but in the end I decided to remove the 2 x plastic covers on the top yoke whilst still abroad and see what the HESD looked like, as I had come to the conclusion that it was this unit that was 'damping' out the feel from the front end. Upon discovering that it was only a 8mm headed bolt that needed to be removed I removed it and rode the bike home and have done ever since in a state of euphoria as to how good the bike now feels, turns and generally handles, the difference was a revelation to say the least, but I had had approximately 3000-3500 miles of unhappy riding!! Not what I had expected from a brand new motorcycle and certainly not what I had expected from a Honda!!

Now, I am used to what a steering damper does, as I have had manual ones (Arrow/Ohlins) fitted to my last 2 x Fireblades, an RRY and an RR3 model. So upon reading the write up on the HESD, it seemed the perfect accessory to have already fitted to a bike when you bought it, but, only if it works as it should. This is the problem, I don't think it does?

I reported this fault to P&H Motorcycles and asked them to check it when the bike went in for it's 4000 mile service recently. P&H found the unit to be working perfectly, but after the mechanic called with a progress report and informed me of this, I mentioned to him the unit was unbolted from the top yoke so how could the resistance offered by the damper unit be tested by raising the front wheel off the ground and turning the steering from side to side, this being their test method. Needless to say, he felt rather shame faced as that level of information had not been placed upon the job card!! However, when I arrived to collect the bike, I spoke at length to the service manager and he said he could not really comment on it being faulty or not, so I decided to write to yourselves, (sorry this letter has taken so long).

My understanding of how the damper works is that at low speed or no speed the damper should offer no resistance and would increase resistance as speeds and road conditions increased/worsened?? If this is the case, my damper offers extreme resistance at low speed and no speed and makes no difference if the ignition be on or off or the engine running or not. In terms of my experience with 'quality' manually adjusted steering dampers, I would say the HESD unit on my bike is already offering approximately 30-40% resistance when the bike is at low/no speed and therefore as the resistance increases, so too does the loss of feel and steering, meaning that when taking corners, too much effort is being placed on the front end and the rider is therefore having to correct the steering upon entering and at mid corner, which can be very unnerving and may explain the wear rate encountered from the Bridgestone tyre?

Could I please ask you to comment on the above concern and advise on the way forward? Personally, I would much rather have the damper attached if it will work correctly as I am more than aware of the advantages a good steering damper can offer.

I have also spoken to other CBR1000RR owners, but they report no problem, so maybe this is isolated, I really don't know? However, what I do know is that I am not as happy a Honda owner as I have been with the previous Honda motorcycles I have owned and this concerns me.

I await your prompt and hopefully detailed response to this issue I have encountered with my new bike.

Yours sincerely

Reply awaited ......