2008 Honda CBR 600RR

A lighter crank and lighter con-rods means lighter — and smaller — everything else, so the entire package — capped off with 11-ounce lighter magnesium valve covers — measures up as 27.5mm shorter than the 2006, all the while making more power and torque and weighing in at 3.7 pounds less.

“The clutch is lighter, smaller and stronger, and the transmission gets closer ratios and a redesign to reduce driveline lash.”

Engine improvements don’t stop there. We didn’t complain about last year’s clutch or transmission, but Honda improved them anyway. The clutch is lighter, smaller and stronger, and the transmission gets closer ratios and a redesign to reduce driveline lash. There’s also a new gadget called the Intake Air Control Valve (IACV), which smoothes throttle response, avoiding the jerky fuel injection-induced response some other motorcycles are cursed with.

The airbox — which now sucks air through a hole in the front of the frame like the RC-51 — gains seven percent of additional capacity, and the radiator is 40mm narrower, but 34.2mm taller so not too much frontal area is lost. The exhaust now has titanium baffles; they could have put that bling-bling on display like some OEMs do, but they put it inside where it would do the most good.

Suspension and brakes are standard, if effective, fare. In front, a fully-adjustable (except for high-speed settings) 41mm inverted fork and four-piston radial-mount calipers get the job done, (although Toland said the new braking components offer more sensitivity) and in the rear the Honda Unit Pro-Link is bolted to the three-way-adjustable shock. The Unit Pro Link shock linkage is GP-tech for the street; it isolates the suspension almost totally from the frame to ensure the smoothest possible ride.

A Honda Electronic Steering Damper (HESD) that’s half the size (and 20 percent lighter) of last year’s damper keeps the compact chassis — with a steeper rake than the old machine’s — under control by adjusting damping force according to speed.

To wrap up the package, the Honda stylists added a thicker seat (although it’s roadcourse as a DOT race tire on dry pavement would be. I say “probably” because I didn’t want to be that guy who pushed it too hard in the rain and crunched a brand-new bike: I was happy at an 8/10ths pace.

The increased traction meant I could settle down and really get a feel for the machine’s suspension, braking and other qualities. With a team of Honda technicians on hand to ensure a perfect set-up, the suspension felt spot-on, even though they misunderestimated my weight by 20 pounds. Although the track is very smooth, there are some pavement ripples in one high-speed braking zone (thanks, Grand Am cars!) that translated into some choppiness, but I imagine any motorcycle would get bounced around there.Accelerating off of Turn Six down the back straight, the front end gets light but the HESD damper works fine and there’s no drama.

Serious sportbike pilots have eagerly anticipated the arrival of the potent new 2007 CBR600RR, and now the industry experts have confirmed this incredible machine was well worth the wait. Cycle News crowned this middleweight missile winner of its ‘07 600cc Class Shootout, with the more compact, more powerful and lighter-weight 600RR easily besting the competition on both track and street. Roadracing World went one better, calling the CBR600RR “the best 600cc sportbike ever.” Praise doesn’t come much higher. And neither does performance.

Make Model Honda CBR 600RR
Year	2008
Engine	Liquid cooled, four stroke, transverse four cylinder, DOHC, 4 valve per cylinder.
Capacity	599
Bore x Stroke	67 x 42.5 mm
Compression Ratio	12.2:1
Induction	PGM-DSFi fuel-injection with four 40mm throttle bodies.
Ignition / Starting	Computer-controlled digital transistorized with electronic advance and independent four-cylinder 3D-mapped computer control. / electric
Clutch	Cable-operated multiplate wet clutch.
Max Power	118 hp 88.1 KW @ 13500 rpm
Max Torque	66 Nm @ 11250 rpm
Transmission / Drive	6 Speed / chain
Front Suspension	41mm inverted HMAS cartridge fork with spring preload, rebound and compression damping adjustability, 120mm wheel travel
Rear Suspension	Unit Pro-Link HMAS single shock with spring preload, rebound and compression damping adjustability, 129.5mm wheel travel
Front Brakes	2x 320mm discs 4 piston calipers
Rear Brakes	Single 220mm disc 1 piston caliper
Front Tyre	120/70 ZR17
Rear Tyre	180/55 ZR17
Seat Height	820 mm
Dry-Weight	156.5 kg
Fuel Capacity	18.2 Litres
Standing 1000 m	20.6 sec / 243.9 km/h
Standing ¼ Mile	11.1 sec / 207.3 km/h
Top Speed	253.9 km/h