Thanks to the introduction of machines like the Ducati 916 and the Yamaha R1, the 90s were a glorious decade for sportbikes. But the start of what we consider modern sportbikes came out of Honda when they introduced the CBR900RR in 1993, and it’s primarily due to Tadao Baba. Baba started at Honda in 1962 out of high school, and he steadily worked his way up through R&D.
The CBR900RR was his first solo project with Big Red, and the goal was to create a sportbike that was easy to ride. The CBR900RR was just 4 pounds heavier more than the CBR600F2, and it was a whopping 76 pounds lighter than its lightest literbike competition! Simply put, it was a revelation.
This example (VIN: JH2SC2808SM302865) in Rochester, New Hampshire is one of the cleanest ones we’ve come across, and the condition belies the 9,298 miles on the odometer. The neon of the delightfully nineties purple/yellow livery is as bright as it was off the showroom floor, and the bike is 100% original. It’s a beautiful example of a defining motorcycle of the 90s.
