Honda CBR600RR returns for 2024 and becomes the cheapest 600 supersport on the market

Honda have announced that their reborn CBR600RR will cost £10,499 OTR when it hits dealers in 2024. That’s £100 cheaper than Kawasaki’s latest Ninja ZX-6R, which also returns this year after departing the range in 2021, it’s also a whole £2401 less than Yamaha’s R6 Race model which can’t even be road registered.

• We’ve ridden it: Read Neevesy’s 2024 Honda CBR600RR review

Just a year ago, the traditional supersport 600 class was dead in the water. However, in the space of six months, we have seen the return of Kawasaki’s ZX-6R and now the Honda CBR600RR – a bike missing from British dealers since 2017. 

With an aging target market unable to deal with the cramped riding position, and tightening emissions regulations making it harder to develop a rev-hungry 600 engine, we began 2023 with just Yamaha’s £12,900 R6 Race on sale – itself sold as a non-homologation track-only special. 

Honda say they have reunited Brits with the CBR600RR for the pursuit of racing success – allowing Honda teams to begin using a 600 once again to help nurture new and younger rider development.

With the new CBR now featuring a TFT dash, and lean-sensitive electronics courtesy of a six-axis IMU, MCN sat down with the bike’s Large Project Leader, Takazumi Hayashi, to find out what went into the redevelopment process. 

“One of the biggest challenges that we faced was making the engine Euro5+ compliant, because of really strict emissions regulations,” he said. 

“You need to increase the density of the catalyser. That will also decrease the flow rate… and result in less power usually, but we wanted to keep [the performance] because it’s a CBR model. We wanted to keep the power at the top level, so we made sure that the engine is Euro5+ compliant at the same time as peak power being better than the previous model.”

Peak power is now a claimed 119.4bhp at 14,250rpm, which is up from the previous CBR600RR‘s 118bhp at 13,500rpm. Alongside this, the new bike has winglets in a bid to improve corner entry stability and cornering under acceleration.

“The winglets make sure that there’s enough downforce and stability when it brakes,” Hayashi continued. The 39-year-old project leader has previously been a mechanic at the Suzuka Eight Hour, worked on the frame and chassis design of the MotoGP-derived RC213V-S, and he also raced a 2003 CBR600RR himself from 2012 to 2013 – something he claims has helped with the development of the new machine.

“Because I [am involved with racing], I know what the users and customers want,” he continued. “From a customers’ perspective, that really helped me greatly in developing this model.”

Away from circuit use, however, Honda say they want the CBR to attract new, younger customers, as well as being more usable than the bigger Fireblade – an argument strengthened by an optional extras catalogue featuring both a 15-litre tail bag, and heated grips.

“When you compare the new 600 with the CBR1000RR-R Fireblade, for example, the Fireblade is dedicated completely to circuit use. The 600 is ideal for the daily usage as well,” the Honda team leader added. 

“We positioned this model as more like an entry model. In the future when they become more mature, riders can switch to the Fireblade. This is more like a stepping stone to it.”

When asked if a more focused SP version would appear further down the line, he smiled and said: “Of course, I wish I could really see that SP in the 600 line-up, but no comment on that.”