’93 CBR900RR-P

BY November 1992, Britain was gripped by FireBlade fever and a nationwide shortage had loomed. Honda hastily shipped in 100s more to appease fed-up customers who had been waiting since the August 1 registration date for theirs.

Many were still waiting by January the following year – and the majority promptly thanked their lucky stars when they saw the 1993 machine. It was available with a brighter-than-ever-before fluorescent paint option.

Aside from that, the only changes were to fasteners and the price, which crept up £100.

Honda introduced a new phenomenon to the model, although it was something it had tried previously with its Pan European – rider events. If you owned a ‘Blade, you were immediately a member of a privileged club.

The firm hired a couple of circuits that year and invited owners of ’92 and ’93 models along. It was the first real opportunity many of them had had to open their bikes up fully.

As owner Paul Leaves puts it: ” Dozens of us turned up at various venues.

” I met loads of owners at Pembrey in Wales and I remember a strange air of machismo coupled with nervousness. Everyone eyed everyone else suspiciously. We all had this mega bike capable of mega things. It would have been a bit of a sham if we weren’t mega riders, too. I wasn’t but my inability was masked by the carnage that day.

” Those that had to prove something did – they proved it was expensive to rebuild your bike when you dumped it. Insurance didn’t cover track use and they went down like flies. It was scary at the time and it’s still scary now. Flighty? Bloody right. ”

Leaves sold his shortly after that and admits to being one of the first who found out the ‘Blade was too hot to handle.

If you want one expect to pay £2500-3000