The New Honda CBR600F

The Honda CBR600F is back and as accessible as ever, with enough performance (around the bends at least) to keep even the most seasoned roundabout surfer interested. Before the heavens opened and left us all tiptoeing around b

olt upright, the CBR was given a thorough thrashing to see if it could live up to s

uch a well established name. On a winding Spanish road, the new CBR promotes confidence levels normally attained through several alcoholic drinks and room full of mates egging you on.

The engine is very refined, offering smooth, usable power throughout the rev range. Which sounds great until I admit that's just a pretentious way of saying it's boring. In fairness to the CBR, on an interesting road the ignorable engine makes sense, allowing you to concentrate on the ride and reading the road. But when you're not chasing vanishing points, trying to make the bikes in your mirror disappear, it would be nice to have an engine that had a bit of soul to it.

The chassis, on the other hand, is just right, offering a good blend of comfort and control. Even when pushing on a bit, braking deep into a bend and then pitching the bike in hard, it still remains composed. Obviously, if you were to start really pushing things on a race circuit, you'd soon have the suspension protesting. If you buy a CBR600F and find yourself disappointed by the performance on track, you've picked the wrong letters; you wanted the CBR600RR. This CBR is aimed at new riders, young riders and riders who want a sporty 600, but not enough to endure the impracticalities of a race bike for the road. With that in mind, Honda has struck the nail in the appropriate manner. For an inexperienced rider, the engine will be a soothing ally, nursing your confidence and allowing you to develop your riding skills.

Also launched in Spain were the Honda CBR250R and the CBR125R, both bearing strikingly similar looks and riding positions to the 600F. Anyone would think that Honda plan to get young riders hooked using the CBR125R and then, as their cravings grow, build them up to the hard stuff. Sounds quite sinister when it's put like that doesn't it?

In easy-to-digest bullet point form;
- Yes, the CBR125R will wheelie, just.
- The new CBR125R looks and feels like a full size bike (unlike the previous model)
- Both the CBR250R and the CBR125R go faster if you lay flat on the tank with your feet stretched out like superman on the pillion seat.
- Racing around the footpaths at the hotel, the CBR250R was fastest but the 125 was the most fun.