Honda's 1994 Cbr600f2
HONDA'S 1994 CBR600F2
new for '94
NEW SUSPENSION MEANS A NEW LEASE ON LIFE FOR THE CBR
OLLY DUKE
ANY DISCUSSION OF SIGNIFICANT SPORTbikes of the last 20 years has to include Honda’s CBR600. Since its release in 1987 as the Hurricane, and the introduction of the second-generation F2 in ’91, CBRs have pretty much dominated the hotly contested 600cc sportbike class. No other middleweight has so successfully blended performance, ridability and comfort, a notion backed up by the bike’s sales success and impressive racetrack results.
This year, though, the CBR faces its stiffest competition ever in the form of Kawasaki’s swift ZX-6 and the track-honed GSX-R600 Suzuki. The CBR remains a hot seller both in Europe and America, though in the U.S. recent back-to-back wins by Team Green in the opening 600cc supersport nationals, as well as excellent showings by GSXRs, have begun to erode the three-year-old CBR’s leadership position in the class.
To counter assaults from other brands, Honda blessed its European CBR600 with all-new suspension componentry for 1993. Included is a spring-preload and rebound-damping-adjustable 41mm cartridge fork in place of the non-cartridge unit fitted to earlier CBRs, and a high-quality, fully adjustable rear shock featuring a remote reservoir. U.S.-spec 1993 models, available since mid-’92, lack the Euro-CBR’s new legs, though 1994 models slated for American consumption will be so equipped, and should be available in June. The rest of the revised CBR remains as before, which is good considering how capable it is in a wide range of riding situations.
Jump aboard the new bike and you’ll feel at home right away; the plush saddle, roomy riding position, well-designed instruments and crisp control feel are all evident, while the bike’s rounded, full-coverage bodywork promises relatively good wind and weather protection.
Thumb the starter button, and you’re greeted with a sound and feel that’s instantly familiar. Though a bit buzzy, the liquid-cooled, dohc, inline-Four revs willingly and is thorough-
ly satisfying to use, producing plenty of power and delivering it over a relatively wide rpm range.
Full-boost motivation requires use of the upper end of the CBR’s rev band, though there’s plenty of midrange oomph available. Not as quick as the new ZX-6, the CBR remains a startlingly fast motorcycle; Cycle World's last CBR testbike produced 85.2 rear wheel horsepower, and posted a top speed of 147 mph, respectable numbers both.
That feeling of familiarity lessens once underway, however, a fact related directly to the bike’s new suspension parts. On the street, the CBR feels slightly more taut than the old machine, the bumps and pavement imperfections more noticeable from the saddle, the rider receiving more feedback through the chassis.
Despite the added firmness, the CBR’s ride remains plenty compliant for day-today use, with well-chosen spring and damping rates at both ends.
Where you really notice the CBR’s revised legs is during more aggressive riding, the type of highvelocity, cut-and-thrust maneuvering this bike lives for. The firmness noticeable during slower going remains, though the rider quickly senses a degree of wheel and chassis control absent on the older machine.
CBR
This added sense of control stems largely from the new cartridge-style fork, which gives the CBR’s front end a far more planted feel at speed. Gone is the somewhat vague feel the old bike exhibited during quick-flick corner entrances; gone is the excessive dive encountered during aggressive braking maneuvers. With both spring-preload and rebound-damping adjustability, the CBR fork is one of the best conventional fork assemblies on the market.
Things are equally impressive in back. Where the old shock would heat up and fade during serious backroad use, the new reservoir-equipped unit has more staying power, and offers excellent bump absorption and wheel control in addition to a ton of adjustability. No longer must CBR600 ""cers toss the stock shock in favor of an iftermarket unit.
Honda sportbikes typically remain in production for four years, so we probably won’t see an all-new CBR600 Honda until 1995. Whether the new bike will be a repli-racer or simply an advanced version of the current CBR’s all-around design isn’t known. What is known is that this latest with its new suspension, is an even better motorcycle than before, and should be well up to the task of fending off Kawasaki and Suzuki’s 600cc advances until the new machine hits in early ’95. U
When not racing his Harris-framed, Rotax-powered roadracer in Sound of Singles events, or running marathons, Oily Duke functions as a staff writer for England’s Motor Cycle News.
