2011 Honda CBR600F - First Look

Another brand-new Honda was unveiled at EICMA: the revived CBR600F. Like previous editions, this middleweight sportbike is nicely styled, fully faired and powered by a 600cc inline-Four. Tuning is milder than that of the CBR600RR. Thanks to balanced ergonomics, the CBR600F is intended as a versatile mount suitable for everything from commuting to backroad peg-scraping.

The rectangular-section, aluminum-backbone frame uses the engine as a stressed, structural member. Steering geometry is definitely on the sporty side, with the fully adjustable inverted 41mm fork providing 25 degrees of rake and 3.9 inches of trail. Wheelbase spans 56.6 inches. Dual 296mm discs are pinched by four-piston Nissin calipers. Integrated ABS is available. According to American Honda, there are no current plans to bring the CBR600F to the U.S.

A restyled CB600F Hornet was also shown in Milan. This is the naked version of the CBR600F. It shares rolling gear with the faired machine but has a marginally less-powerful engine. Smartly styled, it has become the class reference model. The main updates are a new instrument panel and colors. Don’t expect to see the middleweight Hornet in the U.S. anytime soon, either.