1987 to 1990 CBR600 (FH/FJ/FK/FL)
And so it was born. The 'jelly mould' fairing hid a steel frame, an inline four of 598cc with 16 valves and 70-80bhp, good for a top speed just shy of 150mph. Around 10bhp up and, at 182 kilos, more than 10 kilos down on Kawasaki's then shit-hot GPz600R. The CBR had 37mm forks, 276mm front discs and a three-spoke 17-inch front wheel. Changes in 1989 added rebound adjustment on the shock, modified fairing and a span-
adjustable brake lever.
CBR memories: Iain MacPherson, hard-bastid Scottish racer
"I rode my CBR to my first race at Knockhill on 9 April 1989 as I didn't have a van. And I didn't have a clue what to do either. It was completely standard, with lights, hero blobs, even a number plate! All I did was tape up the rear light. I was up against stars such as Ian Simpson and Jim Moodie. I wasn't the smoothest out there, but I tried hard and came seventh!"
CBR memories: Don Morley, original launch photographer
"I used one in Japan at the launch and thought the CBR was the best bike I had ever ridden. Except I always ended up scaring myself shitless as I never reached its limit but usually overstepped mine! Strange, because I never had the same problem with the VFR 750."
1991 to 1994
1991 to 1994 CBR600 (FM/FN/FP/FR)
If there's a 'classic' CBR, perhaps this is it. Despite the ZZ-R600 being faster and the FZR600 winning more races, it was the Honda that sold by the shed-load. Pleasing new aesthetics hid a developed frame with braced engine mounts. The engine was now 599cc and made around 85bhp with, on a good day, a true 150mph top end. It's thought data from the then on-going, yet-to-be-seen FireBlade programme contributed much to the FM's greatness. Beefier 41mm forks up-front gained rebound adjustment in 1993, when along came a remote reservoir for the shock with compression damping. Weight was around 185kg.
CBR memories: Grant Leonard
"This to me is the definitive CBR600. It was the first model that felt on the right side of sporty but retained real road rideability and it stood head and shoulders above the opposition. I was working at SuperBike at the time and we'd blagged Donington for a day: the first CBR600FM in the country versus the ZZ-R, RF600 and FZR6. Scoop test of the year. We arrived at 10am. By 10.30am I was kicking Sonic in the stomach screaming
"Bastard!" as he lay in the gravel moaning about his collarbone, the CBR and FZR scattered all around. The other rider was half running and limping up to Coppice. "Bastaaards!" Those were the days."
1995 to 1998
1995 to 1998 CBR600 (FS/FT/FV/FW)
The 600 class was hotting up with the introduction of the Kawasaki ZX-6R and Yamaha Thundercat, so
a new CBR600 was needed. The FS was it, with slightly smoother aesthetics, but still the old-school CBR look. Underneath was a ram-air system, bigger carbs, a higher compression motor and revised ignition, which all added up to a claimed 95bhp and 155mph. Chassis-wise you got a wider rear wheel for fatter rubber, revised suspension and larger diameter 296mm front discs. Weight was still 185 kilos. 1997 updates included an improved ram-air system, ignition changes, sleeker rear end, new lights, alloy grab-rail and a racy white-faced tacho.
CBR memories: Chris Moss, freelance legend
"The very best CBR600 I've ridden was my 1996 V&M-prepped TT race bike. With its tuned motor and sorted chassis it was up there with ANY road bike of the time. I managed a 110mph lap of the TT on it and it felt superb all the way round. Very few bikes since - including the 2007 model CBR600RR I rode very recently - have felt as sorted as that race bike. Shame I wrecked it going through a wall at Greeba..."
CBR memories: Iain 'Fearless' MacPherson
"I raced CBRs in 1989, 1992, '93, '94, '95, '96, 2002 and 2003, but my proudest CBR moment was probably in 1995/'96. In 1995 I ran two CBRs, but was so skint I could only afford to have one of them tuned. I was able to pay my mechanic £100 for a weekend and that was it, but my results got me noticed by the Ten Kate team, who then ran me on their bikes in 1996 in the FIM Thunderbike series [run alongside the European grand prix rounds, cynics would say as a spoiler to Flamini/SBK's European Supersport Championship] I won the Austrian round at the A1 Ring and came fifth overall."
1999 to 2000
1999 to 2000 CBR600 (FX/FY)
With updated ZX-6R models and the new YZF-R6 giving 600s an even sportier edge, the CBR600FX was better than before, but still the do-it-all 'F' model. Out went the old steel frame, replaced with an ally beam-frame, new 43mm forks and updated brakes. The motor was designed months before the chassis and featured a revised ram-air intake with side-mounted NSR500-esque (ish) snouts, a larger rad and more plates in the clutch for a lighter action, all adding up to almost 100bhp on the dyno and breaking the 160mph barrier. Meanwhile a 180-section rear tyre and bolt-on subframe hinted at race intentions in World Supersport. Weight overall was now just 170 kilos.
CBR memories: Satoru Horiike, CBR600FX designer
"We needed the engine to be right, so we started this before the chassis. But it was an 'F' model, which meant we wanted torque over revs. I've helped to build many bikes, but to see people ride and enjoy this model of CBR gives me more satisfaction than seeing racers on top of the podium with the race bikes I have designed."
2001 to 2006
2001 to 2006 CBR600 (F1/F2/FS-1, FS-12L)
Much better aesthetics gave the CBR a sportier, two-headlight stare for the first time. Apart from the new clothes, the major addition was that of the fuel-injection system, developed from the FireBlade's, and a bigger airbox. Power wasn't too much more at around 100bhp, and weight was the same at 170 kilos.
For a better shot at the World Supersport title we actually got two models - the F and F-S or F-Sport. Differences were minimal. The FS had a two-piece stacked seat, different cams and valves (which lended themselves better to race tuning), a lighter flywheel, an extra clutch plate, and black frame and swingarm. The F-S was dropped in '03 with the arrival of the sharper 'RR', but even today the dependable, flexible 'F' has a place in Honda's range.
CBR memories: Jon Urry, deputy editor
"I had a CBR600F Sport and did 20,000 miles in one year. I missed a few services, thrashed it every day and the bugger refused to miss a beat. It was almost disappointing - any other bike would have had the decency to go wrong after being subjected to such abuse."
2003 to 2004
2003 to 2004 CBR600RR (RR3-RR4)
Way back in 1999, while working with the FX, Satoru Horiike and the main men at Honda had been toying with the idea of building a race and track-focused 'RR' model. Four years later, in 2003, it arrived. In came looks from Valentino Rossi's RCV211V, and with it an almost identical Unit Pro-Link rear suspension linkage and braced swing-arm. An all-new, rev-happy engine with 'centre-up' underseat exhaust and updated fuel injection pushed power to around 110bp with a 165mph top end and a cleverly mass-centralised weight of 169 kilos. Pillion provision was token, but this was no all-round two-up middleweight tourer.
CBR memories: Niall Mackenzie, road test editor
"I remember at the launch that the bike looked so compact - more like an RS250 two-stroke racer than a four-stroke middleweight - and when the bodywork was off, it actually looked like a factory four-stroke racer. Very cool, and stunning to ride."
2005-2006
2005-2006 CBR600RR (RR5-RR6)
The looks from the RCV are still there for the '05 machine, but 40 per cent of the bike is all-new. Gone are the tired old right-way-up forks and in come a set of spangly new upside-downers with radially-mounted brake calipers. Some subtle bodywork modifications make the bike look slipperier and help the ram-air system's efficiency. Mods under the fairing such as improved fuel-injection and changes to the inlet ports give the bike more midrange -something notable by its absence from the previous '03/'04 RR's repertoire. Weight is now down to 163 kilos, with power around 112bhp at the back wheel. Top end is still around the 165mph mark.
2007 and on...
2007 and on... CBR600RR (RR7)
All change once more. Ram-air now comes from a snout at the front, a-la the Aprilia RSV and the ol' SP-2 Honda V-twin. The aesthetics are all-new as is the motor, which is lighter and more powerful than ever before, benefiting from Dual Sequential Fuel-Injection. The new CBR is 22mm shorter than the previous model and now has Honda's Electronic Steering Damper fitted. All this helps to add up to a total claimed power output of 118bhp, pushing along just 155 kilos of machine! Will this 600 break the magic 170mph barrier?
Niall Mackenzie, road test editor:
"The CBR600RR is back and healthier than ever!"
