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Platinum Weapon
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Honda CBR600RR
Jeff Buchanan
02/01/2007
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Photography by Kevin Wing
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The year 1987 ushered in two well-known lethal weapons.
One was a celluloid roller-coaster ride starring Mel Gibson as a lunatic LAPD
officer in the quintessential cop/buddy flick. The other was equally
audacious—Honda’s introduction of their groundbreaking 600cc supersport machine.
Both of them—one in the realm of movie theaters, the other in the realm of
pavement—were enthusiastically received by the public and became unmitigated
hits, blossoming into iconic franchises with sequels in their respective arenas.
Unlike the subsequent movies, however, the motorcycle has continued to
improve.
 RIDING STYLE
Helmet: AGV Stealth Arabesque Blue
Leathers: MotoGP 1-Piece
Kangaroo Hide Compression Suit
Gloves: MotoGP RPM
Boots: Sidi Vertigo
Corsa. (Click image to enlarge)
In the intervening years Gibson transitioned through various roles
in pursuit of quality, ultimately collecting some fine statuettes for his
mantel. By contrast, since the welcome tempest of its introduction, (with the
aptly named Hurricane) Honda has stayed the course with its prized CBR600 in a
continuity of meteoric refinement. Romancing the middleweight category through
milestone anniversaries, the CBR arrives at the significant platinum 20th. Along
the way it has amassed an astonishing 83 individual Supersport race wins in
AMA competition and the powerhouse manufacturer keeps the flame burning
for 2007 with an all-new CBR600RR.
 Just like Honda’s MotoGP effort for 2007—a
new breed of smaller, more nimble racing machine—the latest CBR600RR has been
shortened and compacted into a highly responsive, maneuverable motorcycle. The
bike shed a full 16 lbs for its 20th birthday. Over 12 lbs were lost by the
completely reworked chassis, while another 3.7 lbs were shaven off the
redesigned engine. Bottom line, the CBR weighs in at a claimed 345 lbs,
dry. (Click image to enlarge)
The CBR’s wheelbase was shortened by almost one full inch, dropping it
to 53.8 inches. The engine has been compacted as well, resulting in the smallest
front-to-rear dimension in the 600 class. Despite the tightened wheelbase, the
swingarm has been lengthened, a direct design rollover from MotoGP that
increases stability. All of this reflects Honda’s continuing focus on mass
centralization to render a more agile, responsive motorcycle.
 The shortened
wheelbase has been augmented by a steeper steering geometry, from 24.0 to 23.7
degrees. These dimensions would suggest an extremely twitchy disposition, and
potentially unmanageable handling, if it were not for the latest-generation
Honda Electronic Steering Damper (HESD). The unit is mounted to the frame at the
steering head and connected to the top triple clamp by an articulating arm.
When the front end is turned, the arm operates a damping vane inside an oil
chamber. As speed increases, oil passageways are systematically constricted by
an electronic sensor to damp sudden handlebar movements. As velocity
decreases, the electronic signal reopens the passageways, reducing
resistance. (Click image to enlarge)
On the track at Barber Motorsports Park, where speeds vary from
slow, second-gear corners to flat-out straight-aways, the system worked
flawlessly. The damping effect is minimal at slower speeds; front-end feel is
unencumbered and turn-in is easy. As speed climbs, the damping is gradually (and
imperceptibly) increased. Even under hard acceleration and cresting over Turn
3—a fast, sweeping uphill right-hander—the Honda’s front end stays rock solid,
without the slightest hint of instability. This remarkable solidity was then
replaced by an easy, neutral feeling turn-in when the damper seamlessly reduced
its influence for Turn 4, the following low-speed hairpin. Likewise, the
in-line 4-cylinder engine has undergone extensive modification. Intake and
exhaust ports have been reshaped along with the taper of the intake velocity
stacks. The two-stage fuel-injection has been refined, and a new lightweight
stainless exhaust system has been fitted with an in-line valve that adjusts
chamber pressure to aid mid-range performance. An RC51-style ram-air induction
system scoops air in at the lead point of the fairing, then channels it
through a passageway in the frame’s steering stem. The airflow increase allowed
Honda to boost the airbox capacity.
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