Tadao Baba
Encyclopedia
Tadao Baba is a retired Japan
ese motorcycle
engineer
, the original designer of the Honda Fireblade
.
from High School
in 1962, aged 18 - the company itself was only 14 years old. Working in the machinery section, he made crankcase
s and cylinder head
s for Honda’s Honda CB72 and Honda CB77
. At age 20, Baba moved to Honda's R&D department, which is where he spent the rest of his career until retiring in 2004. He continued as a consultant until 2009.
Baba began developing a new concept in sports motorcycles under the title Total Control, based on the fundamentals of fun to ride, easy to control.
The first bike developed under Total Control was the Honda CBR750RR around a 750cc engine, but Honda already had the Honda VFR in that segment; the idea to develop the bike in the 1000cc market was also dismissed, with the existing Honda CBR1000F
. Instead Baba proposed to develop Total Control around the chassis dimensions of a 750, using the same base motor and its bore, but with an increase in stroke to create an 893cc engine, keeping it closer and hence performance-competitive with the existing 1000cc bikes.
After winning over the Honda Marketing team who were sceptical about creating a new class of motorcycle, the new 900cc class was created with one bike from all manufacturers globally in the class. This created both a marketing risk, but also a technological advantage should the class take off. The result of the original Fireblade in 1992 on the market, which was 90 lbs lighter than the nearest competitor, was that it sold so many units by capturing sales from both the tourer and existing sports bike ranges. This resulted the competition not catching up until Yamaha
created the lighter 1000cc R1 in 1998, which created the modern 1000cc Supersports category.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese motorcycle
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
engineer
Engineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
, the original designer of the Honda Fireblade
Honda Fireblade
The Honda Fireblade is a family of sport motorcycles manufactured by Honda since 1992. The first model was designed by Tadao Baba.*CBR900RR, 1992–1995*CBR919RR, 1996–1999*CBR929RR, 2000–2001*CBR954RR, 2002–2003...
.
Career
Baba joined Honda MotorcyclesHonda
is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...
from High School
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
in 1962, aged 18 - the company itself was only 14 years old. Working in the machinery section, he made crankcase
Crankcase
In an internal combustion engine of the reciprocating type, the crankcase is the housing for the crankshaft. The enclosure forms the largest cavity in the engine and is located below the cylinder, which in a multicylinder engine are usually integrated into one or several cylinder blocks...
s and cylinder head
Cylinder head
In an internal combustion engine, the cylinder head sits above the cylinders on top of the cylinder block. It closes in the top of the cylinder, forming the combustion chamber. This joint is sealed by a head gasket...
s for Honda’s Honda CB72 and Honda CB77
Honda CB77
The Super Hawk CB77 was a twin-cylinder Honda motorcycle produced from 1961 until 1967. Honda also produced a version called the CB72 Dream Sport, while various advertisements referred to the 305 cc CB77 as the Dream Super Sport. The CB77 is also known as the Honda Super Hawk, or Honda305...
. At age 20, Baba moved to Honda's R&D department, which is where he spent the rest of his career until retiring in 2004. He continued as a consultant until 2009.
Total Control
In the late 1980s, sports motorcycles were very fast, with magazines rating bikes on their top speed. To house a 1000cc engine the bikes became heavy, while to ensure the stability of the bikes at high speed, the chassis became longer. The result was a series of fast bikes, which didn't handle in corners. Baba states this as the reason which inspired him to design the FireBlade:Baba began developing a new concept in sports motorcycles under the title Total Control, based on the fundamentals of fun to ride, easy to control.
The first bike developed under Total Control was the Honda CBR750RR around a 750cc engine, but Honda already had the Honda VFR in that segment; the idea to develop the bike in the 1000cc market was also dismissed, with the existing Honda CBR1000F
Honda CBR1000F
Launched in 1987 the Honda CBR1000F, also known as the Hurricane, is a sport touring motorcycle manufactured by Honda from 1987 to 1999. It is powered by a liquid-cooled, DOHC, 998 cc, 16-valve four-cylinder, it crossed the barrier and is capable of .- History :Manufactured from 1987 to late...
. Instead Baba proposed to develop Total Control around the chassis dimensions of a 750, using the same base motor and its bore, but with an increase in stroke to create an 893cc engine, keeping it closer and hence performance-competitive with the existing 1000cc bikes.
After winning over the Honda Marketing team who were sceptical about creating a new class of motorcycle, the new 900cc class was created with one bike from all manufacturers globally in the class. This created both a marketing risk, but also a technological advantage should the class take off. The result of the original Fireblade in 1992 on the market, which was 90 lbs lighter than the nearest competitor, was that it sold so many units by capturing sales from both the tourer and existing sports bike ranges. This resulted the competition not catching up until Yamaha
Yamaha
Yamaha may refer to:* Yamaha Corporation, a Japanese company with a wide range of products and services** Yamaha Motor Company, a Japanese motorized vehicle-producing company...
created the lighter 1000cc R1 in 1998, which created the modern 1000cc Supersports category.