On 6 September, 2006, Honda revealed an all new CBR600RR for the 2007 model year.
Honda's middleweight sport bike underwent a complete and total redesign for 2007 with reducing the CBR600RR's weight as their primary focus. The result was a 20 lb (9.1 kg) reduction in dry weight over the 2006 model, from 361 lb (163.7 kg) to 341 lb (154.7 kg).
In redesigning the CBR600RR for lighter weight and increased performance, Honda's R&D engineers started with the engine. The completely new engine is the smallest and lightest powerplant in the super sport class by a significant margin - its designers having used careful positioning of all internal components to achieve significant reductions in the motor's length, width, and height, as well as reducing weight by 2 kg (4.4 lb) compared to the 2006 model's powerplant. While the new engine is smaller and lighter than its predecessor, it also offers increased performance, to the tune of a manufacture claimed 118 hp (88 kW) at 13,500 rpm. At speed, that figure is increased significantly by the highly efficient centrally-located ram-air duct in the bike's nose.
Wrapped around this tiny but powerful engine is an all-new frame, significantly lighter, slimmer, and more compact than that of the 2006 600RR. The frame is produced using what Honda calls Fine Die-Cast (FDC) technology, which allows them to build a lighter frame without compromising strength or rigidity. The reflexes of the new bike are sharpened by its 22 mm (0.87 in) shorter wheelbase, as well as by the designer's focus on strict mass centralization. Despite the shorter wheelbase, the 2007 model's swingarm is actually 5 mm (0.20 in) longer than that of the 2006, made possible by the more compact dimensions of the new bike's engine.
The suspension of the 2007 model is carried over almost unchanged from the 2006 bike, with the same 41 mm (1.61 in) inverted fork in front, and Honda's unique Unit Pro-Link rear suspension configuration damping the rear wheel. The 2007 machine's lighter weight and better chassis configuration allows the carry-over suspension to perform much better than it did on the old model. The new three-spoke cast aluminum wheels are also lighter than those on the 2006 bike, which further contributes to the enhanced performance of the suspension. The brakes feature dual radial-mount 4-piston calipers clamping twin 310 mm (12.20 in) discs up front, and a single-piston caliper squeezing a 220 mm (8.66 in) disc at the rear. Hidden below the steering head is an updated version of the Honda Electronic Steering Damper (HESD) system, which also available on the CBR1000RR. This latest iteration of the HESD offers faster response and more seamless operation than ever before.
The smaller, sharper-edged new front upper fairing is dominated by the large central ram-air duct which feeds the airbox through an opening in the steering head section of the frame and is separated from the sides of the fairing by a large gap which Honda claims is for air management purposes. The tail-section is similarly smaller and sharper-edged, riding atop a heavily restyled under-seat muffler.
The 2007 Honda CBR600RR was made available in U.S. dealerships in Spring of 2007 at an MSRP of US$9,499. The motorcycle carried over with only color scheme changes for the 2008 model year.
No comments:
Post a Comment