Honda CBR600RR

Since the original CBR600RR was released in 2003, Honda has boasted claims of kinship to its far-off relative, the RC21IV MotoGP racebike. Sure, the RR shared technologies with the purpose-made Grand Prix racer, like Unit Pro-Link suspension and such, but in reality, that's where the similarities stopped. The bike was overweight from its inception and was more street-focused than any other 600. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but the bike simply lacked the killer instincts of a hardcore sportbike, let alone those of a MotoGP racebike.
For 2007, the CBR is a slimmed-down, super-fit, razor-sharp weapon. Fortunately, Honda has never lost sight of the fact that 95 percent of its sport-bike customers never ride on a track, so the CBR still remains a great middleweight streetbike. We did, however, ride the bike at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama, at the press introduction, but we also spent lots of seat time riding it in the real world of commuting, errands and weekend corner-strafing.

On the track or the street, the new RR delivers. The engine is excellent, but awesome handling is the first thing to grab your attention. This year's CBR only weighs 415 pounds with a full tank, significantly less than before. Turn-in is much crisper than with the previous-generation 600, and flicking from side-to-side also is considerably easier. The bike feels very compact, better balanced and more aggressive than ever. The previous CBR always felt super-stable, but its weight was hard to hide, slowing its reflexes. Not this one; it is nimble and precise like the current-gen Yamaha R6 on the street. And when it's at speed on the track, the new electro HESD steering damper offers a good compromise between rider-input response and damping, providing feedback without getting twitchy.
If you've ever ridden a 2003-06 CBR600RR.



you're not likely to confuse the new pow-erplant with that from the bike it replaces. The '07 engine pulls cleanly from as low as 5000 rpm, allowing it to leap from corner to corner, but at 7000 rpm the motor sinks its teeth in, and at 10,000 rpm (still mid-range, by the way) the claws come out, too. Hold the throttle wide-open and the RR screams toward its 15,000-rpm redline with authority, making 106 hp at 13,850 revs on the Cycle World dyno.

Part of the new 600's exceptional throttle response is the result of new fuel-injection throttle bodies with IACV (Intake-Air Control Valve). The valve makes the transition between on-and-off throttle completely stutter-free while also helping to reduce engine braking in lieu of a slipper clutch.
So, in case you haven't already suspected as much, we're quite impressed with the new CBR600RR. It's light, fast and nimble on the track yet still feels totally comfortable on the street.
It seems, then, that Honda finally has delivered on the original RR's promise of MotoGP-like features with plenty of civility for the street-without compromise. Well done.