Many of you will remember Honda’s pre-RR middleweight sport bikes: the original CBR600F Hurricane introduced in 1987, through to the 2006 CBR600F4i.
If you’re feeling nostalgic, Honda is bringing back the CBR600F for 2011, though you won’t see it in Canada, at least not yet.
This is a less focused, more street-worthy machine than the track-oriented CBR600RR, and instead of being a re-engineered 600RR, the 600F was designed from the ground up.
The machine was conceived at Honda’s design studio in Rome, Italy, where the CB1000R originated. It uses a single-backbone aluminum frame and a detuned 599 cc engine sourced from the current-generation CBR600RR, claiming 100 hp at 12,000 rpm. The riding position is more relaxed than on a supersport machine.
A 41 mm inverted fork and linked rear shock provide the suspension duties, using lighter compression damping, heavier rebound damping and softer spring rates than the RR for improved road comfort. Rebound damping and preload are adjustable at both ends.
The CBR600F will be available with and without combined ABS.
I really hope this bike does come to Canada at some point. I’m currently riding a CBR600F4i and there is no bike out there that really does it for me right now. I want sporty but reasonable. I don’t want a twin 650.
My wife rides an 09 ZX-6R and its too peaky for my daily commute and riding around town. Its great at the track and twisties. We need this CBR600F5i!!!!
This bike will not be sold in Canada, but it will be sold in the US.
ditch the lower 2/3 of the fairing and you would have a nice bike
This would seem to be the European-only 600 Hornet with new fairings. The exhaust contours look almost the same. However, this is one shell game I’m down with.
Nice one. Dumped the dorky graphics, and it’s sweet real world ride.
That’s a nice looking bike … .even the pipes look good, at least from the side view. Nicely done Honda.
I hope Honda brings this to Canada and not call it CBR just so the insurance companies don’t blacklist it (I’m looking at you Kawasaki Ninja 1000). I tried to get my hands on a 2010 CBF600 but they were sold out in Calgary.
The riding position on that looks very reasonable!
Competition for the Ninja 650R … and much, much nicer lookin’ too!