Motorcycle specifications HondaCBR 600 RR 2024 Far from having said its last word...

You're there, no matter how fast you're going, with the ball joint just a few centimetres off the ground and the baculum in action. The trajectory is taut, faithful and inseparable from the very existence of the Honda CBR 600 RR. Born in 1987, disappeared from the radar in 2017, the mother of Supersports has decided to put an end to its desert crossing, much to the satisfaction of track enthusiasts.

it's a staggered return: one of Honda's most famous sports bikes is coming back to us in 2024, but in reality, it's in 2021 that the new generation arrived - only for part of the Asian market. The CBR 600 presented here is therefore new to us, but not to the other side of the world.

Our faithful Japanese readers will discover a new vintage, with satisfaction but no surprises. We, on the other hand, are delighted to rediscover this icon of the category. Its lines have evolved significantly, without really changing its nature. The most striking feature is its sharper look, with multiple LED pupils inlaid in a sadistic frown. The fairing panels and cowling have been slightly redesigned, while the rear end remains unchanged. The 600 CBR also features a very special exhaust arrangement: under the seat. What was once an essential fashion statement is now simply unthinkable, given the obsessive quest for weight optimization. The CBR doesn't care; it's reminiscent of MotoGP's RCV 211.

Winglets are the latest fashion. It makes them its own, without overdoing it. Two small fins have appeared on the sides, like the ducks on the Rafale. Officially improving stability and cornering speed.

here we are: speed. The pursuit of speed is what sports bikes are all about. To achieve this, the CBR renews its faith in its good old 599 cm3 4-cylinder engine. Over the last few years, Honda has increased the diameter of the injection bodies, redesigned the intake ducts, recalibrated the valve train, and added (at last) two useful and much-appreciated assistants: a shifter and an anti-dribble assisted clutch.
However, to return to the European market, it had to be validated for Euro5, thanks in particular to a larger catalytic converter. And the powertrain doesn't fare too badly. It even gains one horsepower, for a total of 121 horsepower at 14,250 rpm. Torque has not been so lucky, and loses a few Nm. The two engines also have to reach their full potential higher up the rev range. The Honda allows itself to be a little more powerful than its best enemy, the R6, whereas for so many years it was the other way round.

when the CBR 600 RR said goodbye to us in 2017, the only riding aids it knew were limited to a coupled ABS (very heavy) and an electronic steering damper. It was the end of an era when only the right hand managed the engine's hysteria.
Those days are long gone, and the mid-size CBR has finally understood. The dashboard alone allows for all possible excitement. The 600 has gone from a sad, old-fashioned speedometer to a 5-inch TFT color display similar to that on the CBR 1000 RR-R; from Starfox to Star Trek. At last, a true control center with gear indicator, 5-LED shiftlight, speed, rpm, multiple info and access to settings for the many electronic assistances.
The CBR 600 RR 2024 features HSTC traction (torque) control, engine brake management, wheelie control, anti-stoppie, a 6-axis IMU inertial unit and several riding modes.

There are five. Mode 1 is the sportiest, Mode 2 is calibrated for fun driving, and Mode 3 is designed for comfort. Alongside these, the driver is entitled to two "User Modes" enabling him to calibrate his own strategies. He can set the HSTC to 9 levels or deactivate it, choose the arrival of power on 5 levels, 3 for engine braking, 3 for pitch control, and 3 more for shifter management. The addition of the IMU enables ABS cornering and rear wheel lift control for hard braking.

There are plenty of new dynamic controls in all this, while the chassis relies on the tried and tested. It's based on the previous generation's hardware, with an aluminum perimeter frame, a large reinforced swingarm - 150g lighter - Showa suspension components adjustable from all sides, including the renowned BPF upside-down fork with large pistons, a Pro-Link suspension unit and brakes taxed by Tokico. The 310 mm front discs are gripped by 4-piston radial clamps, while the much wiser rear uses just one piston to temper a 220 mm disc. All in all, a braking solution that's both classic and effective for the category. But it's about time Honda took a look at Brembo. You can find M50s and Stylemas even on trail bikes these days.

apart from the big infusion of electronics, Honda hasn't pulled out the big checkbook for technical development. This can be seen in the engine update rather than the new block, in the barely touched-up chassis (which doesn't prevent it from having some very nice assets)... but also in the price, which is in free fall. With inflation, the 2017 CBR 600 would cost 14,300 euros today. The new, much better-equipped model is priced at 11,699 euros!

not only is its price well placed, but in constant euros, it's the cheapest 600 CBR in history. A 600 pistarde for the price of a 900 Bonneville, can you believe it?

what happened!?! In recent years, the Supersport market was so moribund that its demise seemed inevitable - only the R6 was still trying to believe in it, on circuit only. In 2024, a spectacular resurrection with the return of the Kawa ZX-6R 636 and the CBR 600 RR, crossing swords with the R6 Race. The GSX-R 600 is missing from the quartet of the great era (it is not allowed to play in Europe). All these models will not regain the sales levels of the beginning of the century, but they allow access to the sport without being obliged to switch to 1000s that are both very powerful and very expensive.

but with all the talk of performance, electronics, winglets, R&D, super-high revs and trajectories, we've almost forgotten something essential: most sports bikes are superb machines. This 600 RR is one of them, as beautiful and racy as a CBR can be. And for some, having a beautiful motorcycle is as delectable as having a beautiful companion.

M.B - Manufacturer's photos

for experienced riders and/or entry into the SuperSport championship, HRC has also designed a "Race Base Model" version, prepared for more radical use. Intended exclusively for the track, this CBR 600 racing loses its road-going fittings and receives a racing ECU and wiring harness, thicker brake discs, revised suspension, ignition cut-off control on corner entry, injection and ride-by-wire reparameterization, plus a few well-spoken racing parts: radiator, exhaust, spark plugs and brake calipers.
Just call HRC to get an idea of price and availability in Europe.