Only a few weeks ago, some mysterious “Japanese informant” told our colleagues at Cycle World that a new Honda CBR600RR was in the works. According to the anonymous source, the entry-level RR was expected to receive a few aesthetic and technological upgrades for what is suspected to be its last generation.   

Well, folks, the secret informant was right. Honda Japan released a teaser video confirming the impending arrival of a new CBR600RR. Due date; August 21, 2020.   

As any good teaser goes, we only get a few brief glimpses at the upgraded bike but in this case, it’s just enough to get an idea of what we can expect.   

Visually, the bike was made to look more aggressive with a slimmer headlight design and redesigned fairing, clad in a Honda Racing Corporation’s (HRC) livery. We also get a peek behind the windscreen where we see what looks like a new, full TFT instrument display that replaces the analog tach.   

2021 Honda CBR600RR Teaser
2021 Honda CBR600RR Teaser
2021 Honda CBR600RR Teaser

The video also reveals that certain features such as the under-tail muffler and the wheels remain seemingly unchanged.   

Everything else including potential engine performance and emission tweaks and suspension and brake hardware will have to wait until August 21. We couldn’t expect Honda to make it too easy on us, right?  

As to whether or not this will be the model’s last hurrah, we won’t know for sure until later on. That’s unless Honda decides to take a fatalist approach to the bike’s launch and introduce it as the last iteration.   

Rumors that this is the CBR600RR’s last update stem from the fact that the model was pulled from the European several years ago—an important market for sportbikes—and that keeping a 600cc inline-four mill up to date with emission standards is increasingly challenging. For all we know, however, the changes could be enough to make the bike compliant to European emission standards which would allow Honda to reintroduce the model on the Old Continent. Who knows!  

Until then, we’ll celebrate the rebirth before worrying about the funeral.   

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