Honda CBR600RR (2003 - 2004) review

he delayed ARRIVAL of the ridiculously attractive CBR caused an understandable stir at TWO Towers. Only Shippey's V-Rod had attracted quite so much attention on its debut. Fortunately supplied in the red colour scheme rather than the forgettable black, the pocket rocket positively oozed class in the afternoon sun.

Predictably, it was raining by the time I fired it up and didn't stop until it was time for the first service. No matter, as you can still make rapid progress at running-in revs and the standard fit Bridgestones were as capable in the wet as the dry. Avonvale Honda (01604 235353) took care of that at a moment's notice - thanks chaps. With its track debut at Donington only hours away, it was whisked away to Kliktronics over in Bury St Edmunds for some electronic gadgetry.

This year's must-have accessory has to be the thumb-operated gear change and whilst I know the bike will be an awesome track tool, with 50% less power than a big GSX-R, it'll benefit from any sneaky lap reducing mods. The Kliktronic kit has been around since 1997 and consists of a control box (tucked away under the pillion seat) which is wired up to the buttons (left handle bar) which in turn activate the actuator unit which is attached to, and operates, the gear lever. Smart, although the actuator is a fair size on such a small and compact bike. It works well too, with the F1 style change only taking around a third of a second. It's great fun but the job is actually only half finished. The next stage is to fit the ignition interrupter which will enable changes at full (and constant) throttle and a blip of clutch for the down change. The Kliktronic unit costs £395 (01284 701800) whilst fitting will be between £100-£150 depending on bike.

The guys at Honda may argue but I think there is room for improvement with the brakes, as they don't have that glorious initial bite of the FireBlade or SP-2. The next step is to try some SBS dual carbon pads and braided hoses and take it from there. I've junked the rear pegs and will try some rear sets next month and hopefully a can and a Power Commander. I've also fitted a screen from Pyramid Plastics (£65 - 01427 612536) and a smaller plate from MAL Plates (£10 - 01933 273274).

October 2003

It's back to square one with the arrival of CBR number two, and this time the keys are staying well hidden. The shopping list is pretty straight forward, just a few mods to round off what is already an outstanding package.

As with the last RR, the running-in period was carried out in the rain before being whisked off to First Bike in Tooting (020 8946 9466) for the first service.

The essential saucy £65 black screen from Pyramid Plastics (01427 612536) was first on while we awaited the arrival of Kevin the dyno fairy from Dynojet UK (01995 600500). Apparently their Power Commander (£335) would work wonders when mated to a quality performance exhaust can. Cue covetous glances as the package from TranAm (01425 620580) produces the most utterly desirable end can from Leo Vinci (£374). I've never been a fan of deafening race systems - a can should look and sound good and contribute a slight improvement to performance. The Evolution II oval titanium fits the bill as it's road legal and comes with a sneaky removable baffle for added racket. On firing it up after fitting, the pipe emitted a purposeful low bur- bling, coughing bark at low revs, as good as an inline four engine can sound in my book, and progressing into a howl at around 8000 rpm.

The Power Commander was fitted first and the dyno showed that the fuelling was immediately smoothed out whilst also giving power gains from 4000 to 14,000 rpm, with an impressive 4bhp increase at 9500rpm. The addition of the Evolution can tidied up the fuelling even further and gave a top end power gain of 3-4bhp. Dyno runs are all very well and good, but road tests are the ultimate judge of value for money (£700 plus fitting for the can and commander, 10% on top of the cost of the bike for less than 5% power gain). The reality out on the public highway is that it is money very well spent. The dyno charts fail to show the improvement in throttle response which is substantial throughout the rev range. The bike pulls more cleanly everywhere and is strong mid-range, the only area in which it failed to impress in standard form. Time to hit the track!

Read more: http://www.visordown.com/road-tests/living-with-a-2003-honda-cbr600rr/15612.html#ixzz2idO5Pn2z

he delayed ARRIVAL of the ridiculously attractive CBR caused an understandable stir at TWO Towers. Only Shippey's V-Rod had attracted quite so much attention on its debut. Fortunately supplied in the red colour scheme rather than the forgettable black, the pocket rocket positively oozed class in the afternoon sun.

Predictably, it was raining by the time I fired it up and didn't stop until it was time for the first service. No matter, as you can still make rapid progress at running-in revs and the standard fit Bridgestones were as capable in the wet as the dry. Avonvale Honda (01604 235353) took care of that at a moment's notice - thanks chaps. With its track debut at Donington only hours away, it was whisked away to Kliktronics over in Bury St Edmunds for some electronic gadgetry.

This year's must-have accessory has to be the thumb-operated gear change and whilst I know the bike will be an awesome track tool, with 50% less power than a big GSX-R, it'll benefit from any sneaky lap reducing mods. The Kliktronic kit has been around since 1997 and consists of a control box (tucked away under the pillion seat) which is wired up to the buttons (left handle bar) which in turn activate the actuator unit which is attached to, and operates, the gear lever. Smart, although the actuator is a fair size on such a small and compact bike. It works well too, with the F1 style change only taking around a third of a second. It's great fun but the job is actually only half finished. The next stage is to fit the ignition interrupter which will enable changes at full (and constant) throttle and a blip of clutch for the down change. The Kliktronic unit costs £395 (01284 701800) whilst fitting will be between £100-£150 depending on bike.

The guys at Honda may argue but I think there is room for improvement with the brakes, as they don't have that glorious initial bite of the FireBlade or SP-2. The next step is to try some SBS dual carbon pads and braided hoses and take it from there. I've junked the rear pegs and will try some rear sets next month and hopefully a can and a Power Commander. I've also fitted a screen from Pyramid Plastics (£65 - 01427 612536) and a smaller plate from MAL Plates (£10 - 01933 273274).

October 2003

It's back to square one with the arrival of CBR number two, and this time the keys are staying well hidden. The shopping list is pretty straight forward, just a few mods to round off what is already an outstanding package.

As with the last RR, the running-in period was carried out in the rain before being whisked off to First Bike in Tooting (020 8946 9466) for the first service.

The essential saucy £65 black screen from Pyramid Plastics (01427 612536) was first on while we awaited the arrival of Kevin the dyno fairy from Dynojet UK (01995 600500). Apparently their Power Commander (£335) would work wonders when mated to a quality performance exhaust can. Cue covetous glances as the package from TranAm (01425 620580) produces the most utterly desirable end can from Leo Vinci (£374). I've never been a fan of deafening race systems - a can should look and sound good and contribute a slight improvement to performance. The Evolution II oval titanium fits the bill as it's road legal and comes with a sneaky removable baffle for added racket. On firing it up after fitting, the pipe emitted a purposeful low bur- bling, coughing bark at low revs, as good as an inline four engine can sound in my book, and progressing into a howl at around 8000 rpm.

The Power Commander was fitted first and the dyno showed that the fuelling was immediately smoothed out whilst also giving power gains from 4000 to 14,000 rpm, with an impressive 4bhp increase at 9500rpm. The addition of the Evolution can tidied up the fuelling even further and gave a top end power gain of 3-4bhp. Dyno runs are all very well and good, but road tests are the ultimate judge of value for money (£700 plus fitting for the can and commander, 10% on top of the cost of the bike for less than 5% power gain). The reality out on the public highway is that it is money very well spent. The dyno charts fail to show the improvement in throttle response which is substantial throughout the rev range. The bike pulls more cleanly everywhere and is strong mid-range, the only area in which it failed to impress in standard form. Time to hit the track!

Read more: http://www.visordown.com/road-tests/living-with-a-2003-honda-cbr600rr/15612.html#ixzz2idO5Pn2z

When the original RR was launched in December 2002 I felt it set new standards in the middleweight class, giving us a one-size fits-all 250cc GP-like bike with the lightweight handling to match and a screaming motor.

I would have thought a few minor tweaks would have been enough to keep Honda£s CBR customers happy. But the competition has raised its game recently, so the factory has pulled out all the stops in an attempt to reassert themselves as the manufacturer with the best supersports bike for the road and the racetrack.

The lack of mid-range punch was always evident when comparing the current CBR with the competition, but saving weight and increasing torque have gone hand-in-hand in addressing the problem.

Honda claim their all-conquering supersports machine has changed by 40%. When you look closely £ and you do have to look closely, because many of the changes are subtle £ you£ll notice the new front mudguard, fairing and seat unit giving a sleeker appearance while helping ram air induction and saving on power-sapping weight.

The mods are instantly apparent. Just riding down Estoril£s pit lane I could tell the engine had lost its lethargic feel, gained a mid-range surge and acquired a raspier exhaust note. Although the track stayed damp for most of the sessions, riding the little Honda is now more enjoyable as short shifting through the lower gears works well, whereas before you would have to ring its neck all the way through the box to maintain optimum acceleration.

The wide spread of power is nicely complemented with silky fuel injection allowing smooth, predictable throttle control out of turns. Acceleration is also noticeably better in first to third gears £ and so it should be, as more than 6kg has been trimmed off the CBR, bringing it in line with the competition at a claimed 163kg dry.

Thinner section walls on the still rigid frame have also helped significantly and, with Honda£s emphasis on £mass centralisation£, many components, including the rider, are brought as close as possible to the machine£s central turning axis. The tail unit is slimmer, the underseat exhaust is redesigned plus the lighter muffler helps direction change, all resulting in more agile handling.

Stability through the high-speed sections of the track inspires confidence, while the pin-sharp steering made lining up fast corners effortless and safe. A lighter swingarm now incorporates the upper shock mount, replacing the previous bolt-in unit, and the clever self-contained (but difficult for me to figure out) Unit Pro Link rear suspension system remains the same, giving great feedback at all times.

For sure the new CBR does feel lighter and more agile, though a back-to-back test would be the only real proof. A test is not needed, however, for the new upside down 41mm forks and radial mounted brakes, as they are both unquestionably more efficient and better looking to boot. The two-piece calipers and 310mm discs provide a powerful combination which need to be treated with the utmost respect in the wet £ as I found out on those opening few laps. From the moment you touch the lever the brakes are progressive, strong and consistent. The new suspension also gives a higher static seat height, which Honda claims assists ground clearance.

The best looking and most ergonomic supersports dash remains unchanged, while hazard warning lights have been added to the right-hand switch gear. They even managed to come on during my crash, just to add to the embarrassment.

Honda also produces a range of extras and accessories, from a carbon tank pad to a data logger, and there is even an HRC race kit if you fancy being the new Karl Harris/Muggeridge. Finally, there are three new colour variations: the tri-colour red, silver and blue option, a simple candy blue and my favourite, black and silver.

As Honda says, the CBR gets its DNA from the superb RC211V MotoGP machine, both in looks and technology, and who could argue? But, like I said two years ago at the current RR£s launch, I£d compare it more to Kylie £ compact, perfect curves and bursting with talent. She£s been mightily impressive over the last two seasons and now, with a thorough makeover, it£s going to take something special to knock her off that pedestal.