Honda will ship in an updated Fireblade SP for 2015 with Ohlins suspension and a new shock mount to give more flex and feel.

But it looks like it will get stamped in the engine department with only 178bhp. Yamaha is claiming 200bhp for its new R1 and Ducati’s 1299 Panigale also in the double ton club.

The Öhlins inverted front fork has an outer diameter tube of 55mm (1mm more than the Showa unit on the stock bike) and the revised top and bottom yoke use a steel, rather than aluminium, steering stem. The top yoke itself features high precision CNC machining and features a greater surface area in contact with the forks, improving rigidity.

As on the stock CBR1000RR the aluminium gull-wing swingarm operates through MotoGP-derived Unit Pro-Link rear suspension. Rake is set at 23° 30’ with trail of 96mm and wheelbase of 1410mm. Kerb weight is 199kg with front/rear weight distribution of 52.7%/47.3%

The second-generation Honda Electronic Steering Damper (HESD) monitors speed and tailors damping force accordingly. It enhances stability at high speed by minimising sudden steering angle changes, while also leaving the steering untouched – and light – at low speed.

Brembo mono block four-piston calipers are used for their compatibility and performance potential with the Öhlins fork. The caliper body is standard but Brembo manufactured special pistons for use in the new machine, with pad material designed to give consistent and linear feel when braking hard from high speed.

In terms of the motor, the SP differs is in the selection of ‘middle value’ pistons as the engine is manufactured. Essentially a factory blueprint, each batch of pistons and rods are weighed and those that most closely match the middle tolerance – and each other – are used. This injects an even greater level of balance into the engine, especially at the high rpm generated on track.

Bore and stroke is set at 76mm x 55.1mm with compression ratio of 12.3:1. A nickel-silicon carbide (Ni-SiC) surface treatment on the cylinder walls reduces friction and ensures reliability. At 35mm (from 38mm) the exhaust pipe diameters are smaller, increasing torque and a new vertical connecting pipe balances pressure between cylinders two and three. Peak power of 178bhp arrives at 12,250rpm; torque is peaking with 84ft-lb delivered at 10,500rpm.

The Programmed Dual Sequential Fuel Injection system (PGM-DSFI) delivers precise fuelling and an accessible power delivery, perfect for driving hard out of slow-speed corners. At throttle openings of up to 25% the PGM-DSFI delivers relatively fine and consistent changes in power and torque output – perfect for extracting maximum drive at full lean.

As throttle openings become larger, the changes in output are progressively greater and the overall result (at the throttle) is an engine that responds with great accuracy to rider input, giving superb feel from the rear tyre and highly usable, linear acceleration.

The MotoGP-derived slipper clutch ensures full power transmission together with ultra-smooth gear shifting and light feel at the lever. In the critical hard braking, back-shifting corner-entry phase it decreases the torque passed from engine to the rear wheel, reducing the chance of traction loss and increasing stability.