New Honda CBR600RR image appears in Japan

THERE’S nothing like a bit of wild speculation to start the week, so here’s the front cover of the latest issue of Japanese magazine Young Machine, which shows a new Honda CBR600RR.

We can’t say for sure what’s going on here, but we’ll hazard a guess and say that it looks like Young Machine is claiming some inside knowledge about the future of Honda’s middleweight sports bike.

It’s even created an image suggesting what the new CBR600RR might look like and as you can see, it’s heavily based on the RC213V-S, with the same sleek and smooth front fairing design. The seat unit, while not identical, isn’t too dissimilar to the RCV’s either and the CBR600RR in the image also continues to use an under-seat exhaust.

The front cover is claiming a ‘Scoop!’, so is there more to this than wild fantasy from the Japanese journos?

We’ll have to wait and see, but with Yamaha bringing out a new YZF-R6 this year, the possibility of Honda breathing some new life into its ageing CBR600RR doesn’t exist outside the realms of possibility. The recipe for a new CBR600RR could be similar to Yamaha's: give the CBR a sexy restyle, some modern electronics, make the existing engine comply with Euro4 regulations and boom - a new CBR600RR.