Getting bigger, getting stronger, getting worse? Yes, this is a trend in motorcycles. And along the way, an entire class was completely abandoned: the 600cc racing machines. But Honda is now returning to the serious entry-level sport segment. With a lot of technology from its big sister Fireblade, the Honda CBR600RR attacks fully and creates real desire.
She has become so strong, so mature, so high-quality that we want to respectfully call her Babyblade. But despite the cute nickname, you shouldn’t underestimate the little one, because she has a lot going on behind the racing fairing, as I was able to find out on the Portimao racetrack in creative weather conditions. At first I was surprised at how well I could cope with my 1.88 meter height I was able to cope with the space on the rather small bike, even though the wheelbase shrank by 5 millimeters to 1370 mm compared to the previous version that was discontinued in 2017 (at least in Europe). In a direct comparison with the CBR1000RR-R Fireblade, however, it became apparent that the knees were drawn in a lot and that the feeling for the bike suffered somewhat due to the footrests being positioned quite far forward and at the top. The seat geometry is definitely optimized for riders under 1.80 meters. The predecessor once won world championship titles and other titles, and it also supplied the standard engines for Moto2 from 2010 to 2018. The series was then canceled before it was reintroduced in Japan and Thailand with the 2021 model year. Now it’s coming back to European dealers. You have to live with that at 600. If you are taller and don’t want to fold up like that, you can remedy this shortcoming with a retrofit footrest system for a few hundred euros (for example from MB Bike Performance). Then you can also plan for the option of reversing the switching pattern for racetrack operation. Everything you need. Otherwise, the conditions are pretty ideal. The 599 cc 16-valve in-line four-cylinder (meets Euro 5+) produces 121 hp at 14,250 rpm and pushes at 11,500 rpm. powerful 63 Nm torque. Of course, there isn’t much underneath, but with the standard and smooth adjustable quickshifter, the small engine can be kept up to speed in a relaxed manner. Electronics from the FirebladeEspecially in the difficult weather conditions in Portimao, we learned to appreciate the new electronics, which lack nothing: Throttle by Wire and six-axis IMU from Bosch (taken from the Fireblade) are the basis for the nine-stage, additionally switchable traction control (Honda Selectable Torque Control, HSTC) and the three-stage wheelie control. These settings as well as power adjustment and adjustable engine brake can be called up with three fixed driving modes or saved in two user modes once you have learned a little about the operation of the excellent TFT display. The driving modes themselves are simply numbered; on the display you can see: how they are composed. There are no names like Rain, Normal or Sport. Of course, the ABS is also curve-sensitive and prevents the rear wheel from lifting. The winglets are intended to increase stability when braking. Braking is carried out with sturdy four-piston radial calipers on 310 mm discs. Also standard is the speed-dependent, electronically controlled hydraulic steering damper, which does its job unobtrusively and therefore perfectly. The chassis only became uneasy because it dried up in the middle of the turn when we were on soft Pirelli rain tires. The framework of the small blade The skeleton of the Babyblade is a double-braced aluminum frame with a two-arm swing arm also made of aluminum. The 41mm Big Piston USD fork and Pro-Link shock are from Showa and are fully adjustable. The cast aluminum wheels come standard with Dunlop Roadsport2 in dimensions 120/70 ZR17 M/C or 180/55 ZR17 M/C. The suspension travel is 120 mm at the front and 128 mm at the rear – 15 mm more each than before. With the 18 liter tank filled to 90%, the CBR600RR weighs 193 kilograms, making it 3 kg lighter than its predecessor. The majority of the weight advantage is due to the fact that the IMU is 2.5 kg lighter than the electronic “combined ABS” of the previous model. The look with the super-narrow LED slots is so sporty that you can hardly distinguish the 600 at first glance the Fireblade can distinguish. The most noticeable difference: the completely rebuilt 4-in-1 exhaust, which flows under the 820 mm high seat. The price The price list for the Honda CBR600RR is 13,490 euros. If you’re really serious about it, you can also order the racing package, which is intended exclusively for the race track, for 322 euros plus assembly (consisting of ECU control unit, wiring harness, cylinder head gasket, large water cooler, racing exhaust system as well as racing-suitable spring elements at the front and rear as well as matching ones Brake discs).Driving timeThe small but powerful Honda is light on its feet. Can be moved and directed in a playful way. The steering damper ensures stability on straights, but holds back when cornering quickly. The brakes are powerful but also easy to control. This also applies to the electronics, such as the smoothly regulating traction control. A real racing bike for young people, in many ways. Due to the naturally limited performance in the lower to medium speed range, the Babyblade does not overwhelm the somewhat inexperienced rider every meter of everyday life, as would be the case with a 1000. On the other hand, the bike offers everything you need for full fun on the race track. If you feed the engine with speed, it pushes absolutely vehemently, and the chassis and electronics are at super sports car level anyway. All of this for around half the price of a Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade. The resulting desire no longer hurts so much. The baby blade is expected at the dealer in June at the latest. Attention: The demand is already high!Why?Successful bonsai athleteElectronics at the highest levelWhy not?Tall people won’t do any harm with basic knowledge of origamiOr maybe…… Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R 636 (not 600), Yamaha R6 (not street legal ), something used for the route
source site-13