The Honda CBR600RR bears a bona fide pedigree tempered and tested on the track to give the everyday rider a taste of what it feels like to ride a racebike proper. Fair warning: if you are looking for a mid-displacement, raw beginner's bike, this is not the machine for you.
Having said that, Honda carries forward its current CBR600RR into MY2023. As a proven supersport machine, it comes with all the race-tastic goodness that keeps it popular and competitive in the global markets.
2023 Honda CBR600RR
- Unit Pro-Link® Suspension
- Technology Derived from the RC211
- Optional Brake-By-Wire ABS
- Electronic Combined ABS
- Honda Multi-Action System Inverted Fork
- Model: CBR600RR
- Engine:: 599cc Liquid-Cooled inline 4-Cylinder
- Power Output: 113 HP
- Torque: 47.8 LB-FT
- Transmission: Close-ratio six-speed manual
- MSRP: $12,099 - $13,099
- Powerful For The Displacement
- Benefits From Honda's MotoGP Racing Technology
- Proven Design
- Lacks Electronic Support Systems
- Way Too Much Bike For Public Roads
- Same Paint Job As Last Year, No New Choices
2023 Honda CBR600RR Performance And Capability
Nothing screams “racebike” quite like a transverse-mount inline-four engine, especially when adding multiple “R” designators to the model name. Bore and stroke mic out at 67 mm and 42.5 mm respectively to give it a 599 cc displacement. As expected, the compression ratio is through the roof at 12.2-to-1, so you can forget about feeding it cheap gas. It's worth it though.
The CBR600RR's high-revving in-line 4-cylinder engine produces 113 horsepower and 48.7 pound-feet of torque. This engine likes to operate at the top end, so the ponies max out at 13,500 rpm and the grunt comes on fully by 11,250 rpm. CBR600RR top speed is 160 MPH with a zero-to-60 time of 2.8 seconds and a 10.6-second quarter mile.
Dual ram-air scoops feed pressurized air through the Intake Air Control Valve and Direct Air Induction System with Dual-Stage Fuel Injection facilitates clean running. It sports Denso 12-hole injectors to aid in fuel atomization and linear power delivery, which ensures seamless transitions throughout the range.
The piston skirts, shot-peened with molybdenum, have a low-friction finish. In addition, the piston crowns are cooled from beneath through a directed oil jet for extra thermal stability.
Removing the nuts from the connecting rods in favor of threaded holes and bolts reduces reciprocating weight. This reduction contributes to the snappy throttle response and short spool-up times. There is a conspicuous absence of ride-control electronics. This means the pilot has nothing but his skill to rely upon instead of an electronic safety net. Overall, this 599cc in-line four-cylinder offers superb engine performance.
Engine & Drivetrain | |
|---|---|
Engine Type | Liquid-cooled inline four-cylinder four-stroke, DOHC, four valves per cylinder |
Displacement | 599 cc |
Bore x Stroke | 67.0 mm x 42.5 mm |
Compression Ratio | 12.2:1 |
Power | 113 HP @ 13,500 RPM |
Torque | 48.7 LB-FT @ 11,250 RPM |
Final Drive | #525 O-ring chain; 16T/42T |
Gearbox | Close-ratio six-speed manual |
Design
Form follows function, as well as it should with this compact design. You can count on every inch of the light weight engineered bodywork is wind tunnel-tested delightfulness that aids in penetration and ventilation alike.
As part of its aerodynamic design, the bike has a pared-down and vented fender leading the way under line-beam headlights bifurcated by the intake ram funnel. The bubblescreen up top is as race-tastic as they come with a teeny wind pocket that you'll have to tuck all the way in to find.
If there's any good news it's that the clip-on bars leave you plenty of room for the tuck. Indeed, they encourage the most aggressive of riding positions. Keep that in mind if you are thinking of using this as your main daily means of transportation, 'cause that may get a little wearisome in the arm/shoulder area.
The CBR600RR's 4.8-gallon fuel tank isn't exactly under the whole of the hump, which itself comes sculpted to allow for full-on body English. Seat height is typical of the genre at 32.3 inches off the deck.
Meant to be street legal, this race-tastic machine is able to quickly get ready for track-day use. The gear in the rear comes mounted on the short mudguard for removal as a unit. I expect there is a kit for track days that also sees the mirrors and front blinkers removed, and their mounting ports plugged along with a cover for the p-pad.
Honda CBR600RR Specs | |
|---|---|
Seat Height | 32.3 inches |
Wheelbase | 53.9 inches |
Fuel Capacity | 4.8 gallons |
Curb Weight | 410 pounds |
Chassis
Honda leans on cutting-edge Fine Die-Cast technology to make the CBR600RR frame as light as possible without compromising strength and rigidity. It's a complicated process, but this is how the factory shaved 12.5 pounds off the weight of the previous frame generation.
Naturally, the engine on this 600-class machine is a stressed unit that displaces a large chunk of the framework. The steering-head angle is sharper than ever at 23.5 degrees with a dead-short, 3.9 inches of trail. This makes for a very nimble ride, for maximum rider comfort. Factor in the 410-pound curb weight of the non-ABS model or 434 pounds for the ABS variant, and you have a very quick and agile machine.
The suspension offers a range of adjustability and comes off the top shelf with 41 mm, Showa inverted Big Piston Forks up front, and a Unit Pro-Link HMAS shock out back. Both ends benefit from the full trifecta of tweaks with 4.3 inches of travel ahead of 5.1 inches of travel to give you plenty of room to squat in the corners.
Cast 12-spoke wheels come shod in a 120/70-17 and 180/55-17 with a ZR rating that will handle speeds up to and over 149 mph. In spite of the light weight, the CBR600RR carries dual, 310 mm front brake discs with four-bore calipers to slow the front wheel and provide powerful stopping performance. The rear wheel mounts a meager 220 mm disc, but it has less work to do overall.
As the name implies, you can score this bike with or without ABS. You can get a regular ABS, or pony up for Honda's optional C-ABS that is brake-by-wire and sports a combined brake or balance effect for extra stability in case you make a panic-brake action and go overboard with one of the levers.
Chassis & Suspension | |
|---|---|
Front Suspension/ Travel | 41mm inverted Big Piston Fork with spring preload, rebound- and compression-damping adjustability/ 4.3 inches |
Rear Suspension/ Travel | Unit Pro-Link® HMAS™ single shock with spring preload, rebound- and compression-damping adjustability/ 5.1 inches |
Rake | 23.5° |
Trail | 3.9 inches |
Front Tire | 120/70ZR-17 radial |
Rear Tire | 180/55ZR-17 radial |
Front Brake | Dual 310 mm radial-mounted full-floating discs with four-piston calipers |
Rear Brake | 220 mm disc |
2023 Honda CBR600RR Price And Availability
You have ABS and non-ABS versions. The 2023 Honda CBR600RR costs $12,099. That's for the base model. The ABS version will set you back another grand.
Pricing & Features | |
|---|---|
Model ID | CBR600RR |
Warranty | One Year Included, Transferable unlimited-mileage limited warranty |
Colors | Grand Prix Red |
Price | $12,099, ABS: $13,099 |
Competitors
At the top of any given displacement, it's a game of inches and ounces. Honda has no shortage of homegrown competition, so I decided to see how Suzuki's GSX-R600 stacks up.
Suzuki GSX-R600
Aesthetics should be a non-issue with such a bike since performance is the front-burner topic, but all the same, the Gixxer balances the two quite nicely. I'm particularly keen on the mirror/blinker combo up front as it seems like a safer location than the afterthought-class turn signals that the Honda carries lower down in a more vulnerable location on the engine cowl.
As far as middleweight machines go, just like the CBR, the GSX-R relies on the power of a four-cylinder engine with 599 cc packed away. It turns out 110 horsepower and 46 pound-feet of torque to fall right near Honda's 113/48.7 power figures.
Suzuki gets a leg up on the Honda through its Drive Mode Selector which lets you dial in the delivery based on the prevailing conditions to give it a flexibility the CBR lacks. Brakes and suspension are a wash, but it seems the Gixxer rolls without ABS, so there's a tradeoff to make up for Suzuki's Drive Mode feature.
Price lands in the same ballpark; the GSX-R600 rolls for $11,699. That's too close to be a real point of contention at this price point.
He Said
“Folks, this here is a whole lot of bike, don't let the relatively low displacement fool you. It's built to perform as a race bike, so you'll never do it justice on civilized roads, but I suppose it's enough to know that you can blow the doors off just about everything you might meet on the superslab.”
She Said
My wife and fellow motorcycle writer, Allyn Hinton says, “The CBR600RR looks, sounds, and feels much more mature after the 2014 upgrade. It's faster and more flickable. It's a serious contender in the supersport mid-displacement range, and I can see this being a worthy superbike trainer.”
FAQ
Q: Is a Honda CBR600RR fast?
The transverse-mount 599 cc inline-four engine in the CBR600RR produces 113 horsepower and 48.7 pound-feet of torque. Top speed is 160 MPH with a 10.6-second quarter mile and a zero-to-60 of 2.8 seconds.
Q: How much does a CBR600RR cost?
The 2023 Honda CBR600RR costs $12,099 without ABS and $13,099 with ABS.
Q: How much HP does a Honda CBR600RR have?
The transverse-mount 599 cc inline-four engine in the CBR600RR produces 113 horsepower at 13,000 RPM and 48.7 pound-feet of torque at 11,250 RPM.
Q: What year was the Honda CBR600RR introduced?
Introduced in 2003, the CBR600RR was the race-replica version of Honda's CBR600F4 street bike. Visually, it was based on the RC211V MotoGP bike and brought technologies from that superbike down to the mid-displacement range.