By NastyNils·
Motorcycle comparison · Supersport
Honda CBR 600 F (PC 41) vs CBR600RR (PC 40)
Honda CBR 600 F vs CBR600RR: which one to buy for the riding you do.
Tip the Honda CBR 600 F into a bend and it drops onto your line, it doesn't argue on the way in. The Honda CBR600RR folds you tight over the bars at turn-in.
So which one do you buy?
The CBR600RR has the edge if…
Racetrack use
Inches ahead: CBR600RR
The CBR600RR nudges ahead once you're on a closed course. The difference is more suspension adjustment and more lean clearance. Hardly a big enough gap to bank on.
Sporty riding on twisty roads
A touch ahead: CBR600RR
The CBR600RR is a touch more fun when the road starts bending. What tips it: better suspension and harder acceleration.
What makes each one tick
CBR 600 F
There's a retuned inline-four in the CBR 600 F that pulls evenly through the middle revs, then still spins up into a hard rush near the top. The aluminum frame doesn't fight the switch from one corner to the next. The brake lever reins it in from speed while the chassis stays composed. Its drivetrain shrugs off big miles.
CBR600RR
Mass sits packed around the CBR600RR's engine, and the fork answers a change of direction almost the instant it's asked. There's no need to stab a downshift before the throttle opens. The engine hauls hard from mid-tach.
Nils rode the CBR600RR in Hungary in 2007, in Qatar in 2008, in Croatia/Dalmatia in 2013, and in Germany in 2017 (NastyNils Testride).
The Voice of Experience
What actually separates them
- The CBR 600 F has the lower seat: 31.5 in (800 mm) vs 32.3 in (820 mm).
- The CBR600RR has the lower wet weight: 410 lb (186 kg) vs 454 lb (206 kg).
- The CBR600RR makes more peak power: 121 hp (89 kW) vs 102 hp (75 kW).
Which one for the way you ride
Comfortable long-distance riding
Both miss here
Both of these get tiring on a long day. A proper tourer will treat you better on big miles.
There's no real gap on commuting and running costs. Sit on both and let fit and price decide.
Who each one is built for
What's good, and what you'll live with
CBR 600 F
What owners say
Strengths
- Legendary Honda reliability
- Nimble handling and confident chassis
- Smooth and flexible inline-four engine
CBR600RR
What owners say
Strengths
- Excellent build quality and reliability
- Strong midrange for a supersport
Trade-offs
- Cramped riding position
Known problems to check before you buy
CBR 600 F
No confirmed faults on file yet. That's not the same as fault-free.
CBR600RR
- Fuel pump impeller may deform and cause failure Recall 24V864000 A recall covers certain 2007 and 2009-2017 CBR600RR models: improperly molded fuel pump impellers can deform, leading to sudden fuel pump failure and stalling.
What they share
- Displacement
- 599 cc
- Engine
- Inline-four
- Cooling
- Liquid-cooled
- Gearbox
- 6-speed
- Final drive
- Chain
- Front tire
- 120/70-17
- Rear tire
- 180/55-17
Where the spec sheets split
| CBR 600 F | CBR600RR | |
|---|---|---|
| Seat height | 31.5 in (800 mm) | 32.3 in (820 mm) |
| Wet weight | 454 lb (206 kg) | 410 lb (186 kg) |
| CBR 600 F | CBR600RR | |
|---|---|---|
| Power | 102 hp (75 kW) | 121 hp (89 kW) |
| Torque | 47 lb-ft (64 Nm) | 49 lb-ft (66 Nm) |
| Top speed | 156 mph (251 km/h) | 158 mph (255 km/h) |
| CBR 600 F | CBR600RR | |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel capacity | 4.9 US gal (18.4 L) | 4.8 US gal (18.2 L) |
| CBR 600 F | CBR600RR | |
|---|---|---|
| Front brake | 296 mm | 310 mm |
What comes fitted, what costs extra
| CBR 600 F | CBR600RR | |
|---|---|---|
| ABS | Option | Option (from 2009) |
| Quickshifter | Not offered | Option |
Head to head, area by area
Both bikes on the same scale, one area at a time.
