Editor Bruce Wilson tells us what we need to know…
Last year Honda reintroduced its CBR600RR to the world and kitted it out with a raft of new features and tech. On a track test it shone, but what does it have to offer for sports-inclined road riders? There was only one way to find out…
Without getting too philosophical and putting you in a coma from my musings, I can’t help but kick off my take on the Honda without mentioning that this is a bike for those who are prepared to work a little harder to reap its plentiful rewards.
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We live in a world where everything’s instant, from the food we eat to the news hitting our phones… and the same goes for the zest of a contemporary litre bike that’s dripping in performance and ready to rip your arms out of their sockets at any given moment. For that reason, I was understandably underwhelmed when I hopped on the CBR600RR and realised all too quickly that the Honda’s rev-hungry motor took an absolute eternity to get its act together and deliver the kind of speed I was hoping for.
Those first few miles on this thing had me questioning my inaugural ravings for the machine, having sampled it on its launch at Portimao at the start of last year. On track, even in the wet, this thing felt capable of putting the biggest smile on my face, screaming its way through the revs with a soundtrack that could make even the most hardcore of bike haters happy. Honestly, one of these on song is a sound to behold, and the same has to be said about chucking one around a racetrack – life doesn’t get much better.
Out on the road, however, I was cursing its lack of life, that only began to warm up over 7000rpm, with the real zest kicking in above 900 0revs. That’s where the party started, and that’s where I had to keep things for the sake of my sanity. It was hard work, but with time, miles and an ever-growing understanding of how important gear selections were, the bike was beginning to win me over.
For context, it’d probably been a few years since I had last ridden a 600 on the roads and in that time I’d clearly forgotten how to pedal one, but with every apex and twist of the throttle, the fun and challenge of nailing such a bike seemed to lure me in rather than push me a way. Making around 120bhp, the Honda’s not exactly lacking in ponies but it’s when you consider the peak power hits home at 14,000 revs you realise the writing on the wall, backed up by peak torque at over 11,000rpm.
Ask yourself, when was the last time you saw 11k on your rev-counter, let alone 14k – a figure that some bikes don’t’ even offer? On the roads, hitting those kinds of revs felt ludicrous and sounded pretty mental, too. At times it felt like I was having to risk an ASBO on the RR as it screamed its way through the sleepy villages I was traversing. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cringe, but the one thing I wasn’t prepared to do was let off.
Life on a 600RR is not only loud, but full-on, and the same can be said of the riding position that demands you fold yourself up life a piece of origami to fit its condensed ergonomics. At 5’ 9” I’m hardly a giant, but I found the CBR to be appreciably small, with relatively swept-back bars, a low seat and pegs that test the arthritis in your knees – if you’re as flexible as a brick, this definitely isn’t the bike for you.
Just like the low-down lacklustre performance of the engine, the riding position on the Honda took a little getting used to and, like the engine, it seemed to get better with speed. I am a hanger-offer by nature, so when chucking this bike around a few bends I actually enjoyed the compactness of the machine, which was easy to move around on thanks to its small profile and large seat. It feels very much like a race bike, albeit without a crazy ‘on your wrists’ demeanour.
The bike’s actually quite flat in its profile and the bars, although sportily angled, are relatively high up, sitting just above the yokes. In short, if there was a bit more leg room on tap, this bike could be pretty comfy… for a sports bike. But do you buy a bike like this to tackle a round-the-world tour? Probably not. For me, the hook to this Honda was a combination of the motor being screamed and the way it handled in the corners.
The machine I was riding featured the stock Showa units and, as far as I’m aware, the settings were as standard – I hadn’t touched a thing. What impressed me was firstly how much front-end feel there was through the forks, but also how stable the bike was. A bit of bounce in a straight line is one thing, but the lumps and bumps through some of the bends I rode on the CBR were harsh to say the least. And they’d have been a hell of a lot harsher had the Honda’s pogos not have done such a cracking job of mopping up the terrain the wheels were coming into contact with. On the faster, sweeping bends the CBR felt on rails and in and out of the tighter stuff I was in awe of how easily the bike could be made to flop on its side. The RR proved to be a proper point-and-shoot machine, being as eager to corner as it was to exit a bend.
In 2024, the reintroduced model got kitted with a whole load of rider aids, including power modes and traction control, which I’d indulged in for a while before realising that, on dry roads, the tech was only holding the Honda back – I switched it all off and everything made so much more sense.
With high corner speeds and a committed twist of the wrist when gunning out of bends the CBR felt nothing short of awesome, made all the sweeter by the decent fuelling on offer. As already mentioned, the power from the motor is far from overwhelming, but when you hit the right revs it’s hardly slow either.
Keeping the bike in that sweet spot became something of a game that hooked me line and sinker, demanding an ever-growing level of concentration to extract the bike’s potential. It was, to put it simply, a whole lot of fun. But, as I’m a law-abiding citizen and acknowledge the laws of the land, I concluded a visit to the local airfield was in order to really milk what was on offer.
With the best part of a mile-long runway at my fingertips, the time had come to see this bike for all it was worth. Needless to say, a good time was had and many wheelies were pulled – some more sketchy than others. To get this bike on its back wheel demands yet more concentration, a whole lot of revs and cat-like reactions for when the front wheel pings, else it will have you off the back. First gear seemed the best point of entry, revving the bike out before hooking second and seeing how long and how fast the front could be kept hovering. Eventually, the motor would run out of puff and the process would need to start again, but I never got bored of such antics. As with on the road, the Honda’s stunting credentials only made me like it more and appreciate the brilliance of the shifter that was seamless during upshifts and super-slick on the way down, too.
Another thing I’ve yet to mention is the braking, which was reasonable when decelerating from fifth gear, pinned. The lever doesn’t lack in feel, but I’d have preferred a bit more bite from the front anchors, while the rear did next to nothing regardless of how hard I stamped on it. Of course, better brakes can be bought, more horsepower can be, too, but I’m yet to think of a more worthy protagonist of £10k.
As if seeing this bike back on the market wasn’t a gift enough, having it in showrooms at the CBR’s fantastic price point is nothing short of a present from Honda. During that day’s ride, and several rides since, my appreciation for this machine has only got greater, to the extent I’ve been weighing up what I can sell to get one of these in my grasp. It really is that fantastic and, with a bit of luck, it also holds the scope to revitalise the much-missed supersport 600 sector.
The only thing I ask is that you guys get out there and try one for size, because this thing’s got so much to like about it – most of all that price tag.
Specs: Honda CBR600RR
Engine:
Type: 599cc, liquid-cooled, in-line-four
Bore x Stroke: 67mm x 42.5mm
Compression: 12.2:1
Fuelling: EFI
Claimed Power: 119bhp @ 14,250rpm
Claimed Torque: 63Nm @ 11,500rpm
Chassis:
Frame: Aluminium twin tube construction
F Suspension: Showa 41mm USD forks with full adjustability
R suspension: Showa monoshock with 128mm of travel and full adjustment
Front brakes: Four-pot calipers, 310mm discs
Rear brake: Single piston caliper, 210mm disc
Electronics:
Riding Modes: Yes
Traction Control: Yes
ABS: Yes
Quickshifter: Yes
Autoblipper: Yes
Wheelie Control: Yes
Launch Control: Yes
Dimensions:
Wheelbase: 1370mm
Seat Height: 820mm
Wet Weight: 193kg
Fuel Capacity: 18 litres
Info:
Price: £10,529 From: www.honda.co.uk
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