HONDA The Power of Dreams

The CBR600F launched in 1987 as a mid-size 600 cc super sports model, was popular with a wide spectrum of riders, mainly in the US and European markets. It also demonstrated its potential in production bike races.

In 2003, the newly developed CBR600RR adopted many new technologies introduced in the RC211V, the championship-winning racing bike in the FIM Road Racing World Championship MotoGP class, in order to achieve even higher performance on the track.

The newly developed liquid-cooled, 4-stroke, 4-valve, in-line 4-cylinder DOHC engine delivered powerful output characteristics from the low- to mid-range to the high revs. The chassis was a hollow aluminum die-cast frame, the same as the RC211V. Its rear suspension was also the same Unit Pro-Link system used in the RC211V.

This suspension system, unique to Honda, had a revolutionary structure in which the shock-absorber unit was not directly mounted on the main frame, effectively reducing the impact of shock transmitted from the suspension.

The full fairing, with superior aerodynamic characteristics, also followed the design of the RC211V, reflecting the racing technology throughout the entire chassis of the production-model CBR600RR.

At the same time as the 2003 CBR600RR’s launch, the CBR600RR Race Base model was released in Japan for riders competing in production races.

In 2003, when the CBR600RR debuted in the FIM Supersport World Championship, Chris Vermeulen of the Ten Kate Honda team won the series championship, and Honda won the manufacturers’ title.

The CBR600RR continued to prove its potential by winning both the Supersport riders’ and manufacturers’ titles for six consecutive years, from 2003 to 2008.

In Japan, also debuting in 2003, Yoshiteru Konishi rode his CBR600RR to championship victory in the ST600 class of the MFJ All Japan Road Race Championship. In the same class, a CBR600RR rider won the series for nine consecutive years from 2003 to 2011, demonstrating its overwhelming performance.

In 2010, Honda supplied CBR600RR engines for the newly launched Moto2 World Championship. Honda’s role as official engine supplier continued until 2018, contributing to the development of motorsports.

Weight significantly reduced and combustion efficiency further improved.
Overall performance improved by adopting inverted front forks, etc.

Further weight reduction of the chassis and engine, and new styling.

CBR600RR<ABS>, equipped with the world’s first electronically controlled combined ABS for super sports models, added as a new type. This system, which electronically controls both the combined braking system and ABS, provided more precise control and greatly improves braking confidence.

Newly designed full-fairing. More aggressive styling with improved front suspension performance and newly designed wheels.

Advanced technology developed for the MotoGP championship-winning RC213V is applied throughout. This super sports model met strict emission regulations while pursuing athletic performance on the track.

The CBR600RR continues to evolve as a mid-size super sports model that can be enjoyed in a wide range of situations, from production racing to touring.