Long-term Honda CBR600RR review update three | Hitting the CBR's natural habitat at Cadwell Park

The last 2500 miles with Honda’s CBR600RR have been flipping brilliant. It’s beautiful to look at, nimble on the lanes, and roomy enough over distance. To find out if it goes as fast as it looks, I booked a hot date at Cadwell Park via the team at msvtrackdays.com.

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

A fabulously run day, split into three ability groups, I found my natural home with the intermediates – dropping down from the fast lot after feeling a touch exposed with my lack of tyre warmers. 

Despite clearing its lungs to produce an addictive supersport scream at the top end of the tacho, the CBR breezes the morning noise test, reaching just 94dB at 7500rpm. 

The tyre pressures needed to be altered before going out. Gone are the standard Dunlops, which have now been replaced by a pair of Continental ContiSportAttack 2 sporty road tyres, which required 30psi in the front and just 22psi in the back when cold on track at Cadwell.

• Related: Best sporty bike kit tried and tested by MCN

Sighting laps are taken with trepidation, with the low cold tyre pressures making the steering feel slow and heavy but with some heat in the rubber, things start to feel better – returning that familiar cornering prowess. In fact, once up to speed, my main problem is that I’m turning into the bends too early – sometimes caught out during quick direction changes at the Gooseneck in the early sessions.

Once I’d found my rhythm, the Honda began to come to life – egging me on to hold onto the revs longer, and downshift aggressively with the crisp autoblipper. 

There’s a surprising amount of top-end pull too, out dragging some other machines of a similar capacity. I’d consider a bigger rear sprocket to liven things up at the bottom-end though, with the RR only ever reaching the top end of fifth gear down the straights.  

I’m no Jack Kennedy, but I’d also like to take the bike to a suspension specialist and get some bespoke settings dialled in. I’m fairly sure a few clicks here and there could just unlock more enjoyment. 

All in all though, a fun day, with the bike even covering 92.6 miles on track before flicking the fuel light on – even then only taking on 13.5 of its 18-litre capacity.