Machine of the Year

Shortlist: KTM 950 Adventure. BMW K1200LT. Suzuki SV1000. Suzuki GSX-R1000. Honda CBR600RR.

Winner: Honda CBR600RR

IT is the big one, the award every motorcycle manufacturer wants: The MCN Award for Machine of the Year.

And for the first time ever a 600 has grabbed top slot. Suzuki’s GSX-R1000 may be formidable but the judges felt Honda’s amazing CBR600RR was so special it warranted pushing even the big Suzuki into second.

Everybody who has had the pleasure of riding the Honda has come away raving about its pin-sharp handling and class-topping performance. But it’s not the only award it has won – it also claimed the MCN Under 601cc Sports bike award as well as the World and British Supersport championships in its first year.

” The RR is truly a fantastic bike. On a race track its handling means it can run with a FireBlade – that’s no mean feat, ” said MCN Editor Marc Potter.

Mark Davies, Honda UK’s General Manager, Motorcycle Division, said: ” It’s great to receive this on behalf of our design team and proves that MotoGP technology does benefit our customers. Winning two awards shows the CBR600RR is an all round package. ”