Honda CBR 600RR Forum banner

The new 2013 cbr600rr..... Is awful looking!!

106K views 300 replies 142 participants last post by  M03RR 
#1 · (Edited)
I feel pretty let down... after 6 years of production of an absolutely beautiful bike... This is Honda replacement! Even if it's technically better, and I'm sure that it is, I'm not sure I'd ever be caught riding it..

Now that Audi has purchased Ducati, Audi will have quality and reliability influence over future bikes, and it may be time to jump ship...

http://powersports.honda.com/2013/cbr600rr.aspx Here's the Honda Website link

Thoughts?







:director: WHAT IS THIS, HONDA?!
 
See less See more
2
#70 ·
I love how every year everybody complains about the same old bike, but when it is finally redesigned nobody likes it.

Funny because it is/was the same thing on the GSX-R forums, the Corvette forums, the S-10 forums, the Camaro forums and the Mustang forums.
 
#75 · (Edited)
Funny because it is/was the same thing on the GSX-R forums, the Corvette forums, the S-10 forums, the Camaro forums and the Mustang forums.
This is an interesting phenomenon with vehicles that people really love. Same thing happened on the Z forums.

On the performance side of things, I'll admit I do wish they had gone a bit further (e.g. slipper clutch, upgraded master cylinder), but at the same time the 600rr is still a hell of a bike for the price. This weekend I actually heard a story about a guy (some amateur racer or something) that jumped on a bone stock 600rr, street tires and everything, and ran within 10-12 seconds of the lap record at some track around here. There are not many people out there who can use this bike to it's full potential. I certainly can't.

The other thing is, it's clear Honda has a slightly different strategy for it's mass-market sportbikes over the past few years. Let's remember, they ARE trying to run a business here. But their strategy is no secret: they are trying to sell the "most balanced" sportbike out there. Kawasaki has gone a different direction - big hp, nice gadgetry, slipper clutch. The difference is, Honda is targeting street riders and giving them what they actually NEED on the street (smooth mid-range torque, ABS, and now hopefully better feel through the forks), whether they know it or not. The result of this is a slightly more mature/reasonable crowd compared to some of the "squiddier" bikes (it's not the bikes that are squiddly, mind you, just a slightly different balance of riders). These are obviously generalizations, but I think there is some statistical truth there too, not to mention noticeable differences between forums.

On the other hand, the street riders targeted by Kawi are the ones who THINK they need all the track goodies to go faster than their buddies around town and will probably never do a track day in their lives. And it looks like Kawi has set themselves up nicely for this corner of the supersport market. And of course, they are also set up nicely for the track-junkie corner of the market, but how many track junkies are out there buying brand new 600s?

Honda seems to have been working on a nice little niche for its supersports--track-ready but streetable--and they are hoping to ride that reputation with this new model (and the 2012 1000rr for that matter). Just go take a look at the website and read their little marketing blurb.

So, all of this puts the aesthetics into perspective. Call me crazy, but the new look fits the reputation quite well. The front end is clean, less aggressive, less angular, might even say sophisticated. The undertail exhaust is still attractive and is now somewhat unique and becoming more of a "classic" 600rr feature. I'd still like a black swingarm but they'll probably pull out that little trick next year.

I can see this bike becoming a real sweetheart over the next few years, and the next redesign will have people vowing never to relinquish their beloved 2013s. Just wait!

/2cents
 
#72 ·
I like the headlights. They gave it a brow; makes it look a little meaner. And I always did like the older tail section with the vents. Of coarse the new forks and rims are awesome. The only thing I wish they would have left is the '09 and up lower engine farings. I prefer the full cowl look.


Sent from my iPhone using Motorcycle.com Free App
 
#74 ·
I like the headlights. They gave it a brow; makes it look a little meaner. And I always did like the older tail section with the vents. Of coarse the new forks and rims are awesome. The only thing I wish they would have left is the '09 and up lower engine farings. I prefer the full cowl look.


Sent from my iPhone using Motorcycle.com Free App
It's a Neanderthal brow in my opinion :|
 
#82 ·
The '13 in red looks amazing!

Im so happy Honda is staying conservative while all the other manufactures attempt to make there bikes as busy looking as possible. Not into the new 636 styling at all though im sure the motor is fun. I'm to much a Honda guy now though. Like Macs are to Viruses, the Hondas still seem to retain there general resistance to squiddiness.

The new wheels are amazing, I was worried honda was gonna leave them as 1000rr pieces only. Would liked the all LCD gauges though, oh well.

The real question for me is, '13 600rr, or the new '13 CB1100F that finally coming to the US. Nothing like the 70's look with 0 miles, fuel injection and a warranty. I guess ill have to ride both when they show up dealers...
 
#83 ·
I really like the red. With the new front-end, it looks a bit like a panigale. The wheels are awesome. I like the simplicity if the side fairings as well...motogp-like.

The only thing I think I don't like is the tank. I think it got higher... would be harder to hang-off with my short frame :(
 
#84 ·
Have plenty of opinions about the new style, some things I think are great and honda went in the right direction with them and others I think they took a step backwards.. but all in all I like it, I cant say that if one came across my path for the right price I wouldnt take it.... One thing I was holding my breath on and was relieved when I saw it was that they continued with the undertail exhaust!! so happy for that lol
 
#85 ·
Agreed

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Motorcycle.com Free App
 
#86 ·
Everyone keeps saying they are disappointed in the dated tail..... Really people. Every year has the under tail exhaust. That's what makes our RR's so special. I have a 03 so I got the one who started it all. IF YOU DON'T LIKE YOUR UNDER TAIL EXHAUST.. THEN RE ROUTE IT


Sent from my iPad using MO Free
 
#95 ·
i'm with you bud! i got an 03' the bike that started the under-tail exhaust.

now that i've had more time to look/think/research the new '13's i'm quite happy. great all around bike, doesn't stand out in any one department (except maybe reliability). makes for a really good bike for your everyday street rider. not that the others aren't either
 
G
#89 ·
I like it much better than the previous generations look. I guess I'm a little old school. I still look at my 2004 CBR600RR red/black as a dead sexy bike. This has a few visual cues from Honda's past and gets away from the Yamaha look which I never really liked. Don't get me wrong, the last generation was ok, just not my cup of tea. The new bike in all red is pure honda in my opinion. Good stuff.
 
#90 ·
I promise you guys the front end will grow on you. It looks beautiful to me now. Like the others mentioned, next year we'll get an all black model, a black swing arm, it'll probably still come with ugly bulky turn signals, but it looks like Honda tries to save a few bucks there.

Besides, what would be the fun in a bike you can't mod or customize? They know the people that want to mod it will mod it anyway. I think they've done good. Nice work Honda!
 
#96 · (Edited)
So I'm trying to digest this thing and not jump on the hate brigade right away but what are we getting? New air intake and factory map? That's just a different street tune of the same bike. New BPF forks & tweaked rear shock? I say BFD forks and you'll still have to set it all up to notice any difference. That leaves us with styling as the only update. IMO there's things to like about the new look and things that make me say hmmm... I like the mid and lower fairings. That's what a race rep should be. Clean & simple. Make it slippery in the air and make any ducting minimal & purposeful. The tank & seat portion that mates with the tank & covers the subframe are also smooth & no nonsense. I see where some think early 600RR but I'm seeing more nods to the couple years of Moto2 bikes with us. All of the above I'm a big fan of and think it's an improvement over the 09-12 years. Jury's still out in my book on the face & ass. The tail looked like a no brainer. Really does look like they lifted the 04-07 CBR1kRR tail, threw a new LED light , and smoothed it into the seat tank portion. Don't hate it but thought they might do something a little more svelte like the 08+ CBR1KRR. That face though I'll venture is downright ugly. In a four wheeled analogy they went from sports car to muscle car. I like how the windscreen is now only functionally long rather than extending down practically to the air intake. More like their race bikes. The lights and truck grill lines though I just can't like. Does look like the Honda Civicized the Panigale face. That's not a compliment.
 
#97 ·
Since I'm relatively new here I just wanted to say that I knew the 600RR was going to get a revision. I picked up my "spirit of the 90's" Red/White '12 600RR a couple months ago and was certain Murphy's Law would reward me with a '13 redesign. was thinking they would go with a short GP or underbelly exhaust, minimal CBR1K like tail, get rid of the one eye winking headlight array, and maybe throw a host of electronic options at it. I'm happy to say I love my '12 even more today than two days ago.
 
#107 ·
At first glance, it was definitely not what i expected but i don't thing it's ugly. Just speechless and no emotions whatsoever... I was confused and i guess it didn't look as futuristic as i'd like. It looks a little dated

But then i started analyzing it and realized it had everything i was hoping for:

1. New wheels
2. IT
3. They kept undertail exhaust
4. One solid color option (with no wings)
5. Gear Indicator??? does it have one?

I actually like the nose, definitely 850 like but i'm not a fan of the tail section and silver frame/swing arm













 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top