I ride a Honda CBR600RR a thousand miles a month and here's what's so good about it

I got the keys to Honda’s returning CBR600RR just shy of four months ago and in that time I have made tweaks to the rear suspension, improved distance comfort with a double-bubble flyscreen, and have tried three different sets of sportsbike tyres.

Previous updates

• Update one: Dan nips across to the Isle of Man for some TT fun
• Update two: The hits and misses of the Honda CBR600RR after 1675 miles
• Update three: Hitting a Cadwell Park trackday on the CBR

As you’d expect, there’s been plenty of miserable English rain, unseasonable cold snaps, and even a few days of scorching sun (when it could be bothered to turn up) – and this is what I’ve learned so far.

Auto throttle

The first thing I noticed about the RR (besides its stunning side profile, HRC inspired livery, and imposing face) came after just a few hundred yards of riding on a cold engine. On initial start-up you’re greeted with a positive throttle input in first gear without twisting your right wrist.

It’s not going to get away from you or cause a mishap, but when I came off the gas at the end of my housing estate, it continued to ride itself forward at around 20mph with the clutch out, rather than slow for the junction. The fast-idle disappears once the engine’s at around 40 degrees, but it caught me off guard the first time. 

Hot stuff

One thing that I’m still unable to get used to though is the engine heat. Granted, the CBR600RR is the only bike I’ve ever lived with that has an underseat exhaust, but other members of the team have also commented on the Honda’s poor heat management. 

As the temperature has dropped into September it’s actually been quite pleasant – however, low-speed summertime riding can get decidedly uncomfortable, feeling most pronounced where the seat unit meets the 18-litre fuel tank beneath your bum.

In shorter boots, you can also feel the warmth against your ankles to an alarming degree, however pillion passengers have reported less discomfort.

I suspect that this warmth comes from the Euro5+ exhaust system, which now needs to be stuffed with catalytic converters in order to meet European standards. These cats get very hot, very quickly, when operating, with the piping running under the rider and passenger, down the back of the subframe and under the rear of the engine.

Racing soundtrack

There’s a chance an aftermarket full system exhaust could cure things, but it already sounds fantastic as standard and breezes trackday noise tests with 94dB at 7500rpm. 

Once you climb into five-figure revs, it screams like a true race bike, and I fear anything louder than standard would be a bit silly on the road and quickly irritate my neighbours – not to mention risk getting a black flag on circuit – if you were allowed out at all.

A daily delight

Keeping the neighbours onside is imperative as I leave for the office at around 7am – covering a round trip of 110 miles at least twice a week. 

Here, the CBR excels. The pegs are high, and the bars are low, but they are widely splayed with a broad fuel tank between your legs, and plenty of room on the seat to move around. 

It’s no BMW GS, but it’s one of the comfiest sportsbikes I’ve ridden on a daily basis, and I rarely get any aches or pains in my joints. The narrow front end and easy-to-fold mirrors also make it a filtering dream. The biggest let downs over distance are actually the foot pegs and seat, which give me tingly toes and a numb bum after around 100 miles of continuous riding.

What are the best tyres for a Honda CBR600RR?

Having ditched the hard standard Dunlops after around 1500 miles, I fitted a set of Continental ContiSportAttack 2s, which I used for around 2000 miles and saw off a trackday with ease. Although they had plenty of meat left, they had started to square – making the bike feel lazy on tip-in into a corner – but they were exceptional in the dry when you up the ante.

These have now been swapped for a set of Pirelli Diablo Rosso IVs, which still sit at the sportier end of the spectrum, with more tread for a little more grip in the cooling, often damp autumnal conditions. Early impressions are good, with decent front-end feel, and quick warm up.