The latest from Honda Uk;
Completely new from stem to stern, Honda’s astounding new 2007 CBR600RR launches a blistering assault on the roads and tracks of Europe with a sleek and slippery new, aerodynamically designed race-ready form;
a lighter and more powerful new 600cc Dual Sequential Fuel Injected inline-4 engine with the smallest dimensions in its class;
a slimmer and lighter weight new Fine Die-Cast aluminium frame that realises both a shorter wheelbase and a longer swingarm;
and an impressive list of high-performance features which all come together to herald the arrival of the electrifying new champion of the mid-displacement Super Sports class.
Development Concept; A New Dimension in 600cc Super Sports Design
Setting out to create a more intensely competitive yet more widely enjoyable next-generation successor to the brilliant CBR600RR would be no mean feat. However, unhindered by the limitations of trying to improve on an existing machine, the CBR600RR’s development team were given the freedom to explore the vast possibilities and hidden potential of drastically new design innovations in the quest for even greater advances in performance and handling.
Thus, formulating their ideas for an all-new middleweight Super Sports leader around the main design concepts of “Lighter Weight for Ultimate Control” and “New Dimensions in 600cc Super Sports Design,” the team focused on achieving an even stronger power-to-weight ratio—with all its inherent benefits—through lighter weight and reduced drag everywhere. Engine, frame, bodywork, even the instrument panel; nothing was overlooked in quest for a lighter and faster CBR.
With a targeted 8 kilogramme reduction in overall weight, engine components were lightened by a combined total of over 2kg, the frame was trimmed by a remarkable 4.5kg, other chassis components took away a further 1.2kg, and even the CBR’s electronics were lightened by a small but significant 400g. The end result is lighter weight that translates to sharper acceleration and swifter, smoother handling.
The handling provides an almost fluid response that reacts smoothly and instantly to rider inputs, which has been achieved through a 22mm shorter wheelbase, enhanced mass centralisation and the addition of a new HESD (Honda Electronic Steering Damper) system.
The new CBR600RR’s stunning bodywork sets a new precedent in Super Sports design with a large gap of separation visible between the front upper cowl and the fairing’s side cowls. This design innovation is based on air management design borrowed from the wings and fins used on both fighter planes and Formula One racers to more efficiently direct air around and through its more compact form while giving visual expression to the aerodynamic functionality of its wind tunnel-tested fins.
For a start, the shape of the front upper cowl is now more compact, with its nose and surrounding form repositioned 30mm rearward and closer to the steering head for reduced inertial influence on turning and cornering response. The new lower cowl has also been made more compact, and now more closely surrounds the exhaust headers reaching down under the engine to direct airflow for more effective cooling while visually emphasising the CBR’s improved aerodynamics.
There’s no word yet on the price, but the new CBR600RR is expected to be in UK dealerships around Feb 2007.
(this article was taken from insidebikes.com)
