2007 Honda

As predicted Honda launched a brand new CB600F Hornet (599 in the US). The new motorcycle gets the 2007 CBR600RR engine in modified form.

These are the very first official pictures of the 2007 Honda CBR600RR. One thing is for sure and that is that not much have been left untouched on the new bike! Notice that huge centrally mounted Ram-air in the same style as the SP2. It has got 118 horsepower and it weighs 155kg dry. And you can see the electronic steering damper. Ohh, and the displacement is 599cc! TS

The only news regarding the CBR1000RR is that it has got some great new colours. Tricolor anyone?

Honda have brought out its best paintjob again for the 2007 VFR800 or Interceptor as the pictured US model is called. Anyone thinking RC30 when looking at this paintjob with special 25th anniversary decals? TS

New fuel injection, dual shotgun exhaust, "bobbed" rear fender, 21inch front wheel and new handlebar position. Dry weight: 230kg. Max power: 40hp. Max torque: 58,8Nm

Along with a revamped CB600F Hornet, Honda is expected to dump the old CBR engine in the CB900F and bring out a heftier version of the CBF1000 engine for a brand new CB1000F Hornet. Styling will be more adventurous than the CBF hopefully. A CBF1000 engine means the latest generation Fireblade genes, but with much more than 100bhp this time. To bring it up to the level of the competition from Yamaha FZ1 and Kawasaki Z1000 it needs more than 130bhp. Our best guesses is a max power output of around the 140bhp mark. We also believe that the bike will get a very similar chassis to the CBR1000RR to really make an impact on the big nakeds market. Honda has got the CBF1000 for the sensible types so no problem to make the big Hornet both powerful and sporty. TS/CG by Luc1

If there is one bike that has been neglected for years in Hondas line up it is the VTR1000F Firestorm. Honda has been reluctant to develop its V-twin engine in the past but now they have to due to Euro 3. We know that a new XL1000V (or 1200…) Varadero is coming this autumn with a more powerful version of the VTR1000F engine. Perhaps with so many changes that it in effect is a new engine. At the same it is expected that the Firestorm will get its first major update and fresh design since 1996! Firestorm was launched as the first Japanese sports twin to rival the now iconic Ducati 916. We do not know whether Honda has opted for a large bore engine yet, but strategically it would have made sense if the new Firestorm became a 1200 to make it stand more out in a range that might contain two in-line four half faired 1000s next year (CBF1000 and CB1000F Hornet). Our artists impression shows a very sporty Firestorm with parts taken from the firms CBR1000RR Fireblade. With a new grunty 1200cc V-twin the bike needs a new chassis that will have been developed only for this bike. TS/CG: Xavier Gordillo & Luc1

It is expected that Honda will launch an updated version of the road biased adventure bike Varadero this autumn. To get closer to the all conquering BMW R1200GS it is believed the new Varadero will get a more sporty edge with a stronger engine. Expect the engine to increase performance from today's 93bhp to closer to the 100bhp mark. The Varadero is thought to still feature a slightly detuned VTR 1000F engine that easily conforms to Euro 3. Rather than just being a big heavy tourer with offroad design we believe Honda has lightened the chassis, used new wheels more adaptable to varying tarmac and better suspension with more wheel travel. Whilst at it we believe Honda has redesigned the whole bike for a more sleek less massive appearance to make it more agile off the beaten track. It is up for speculation whether Honda will actually follow BMW and KTM in offering one standard, ABS'd road biased model and one more sporty version more suited to gravel and obstacles in the road. I any case it was high time Honda did something to the ageing Varadero. Do you want a new Varadero? TS/Image by Luc1

Honda is restructuring its whole model range these days and we will see more and more different models with similar engines-much in the lines of how the European manufacturers operate today. For the 2006 season Honda launched six new motorcycles where only the Deauville had any real differences to its engine in a larger capacity. Honda CBR1000RR had some big tweaks and refinements to its already powerful engine. CBF 1000 got virtually the same engine, but with more torque and less horsepower. We believe Honda has been and still is hesitant to launch yet another new engine configuration, such as a V5 XX. This is to rationalise the huge model range and make it even more profitable. Honda can easily do so and a large capacity FMX could be one of the bikes in the pipeline.

Honda launched the FMX 650 in 2004 following the growing Supermoto trend both in Europe and in the US. Now that both KTM and Ducati will have a "king-motard" in its range a market has slowly been created. As soon as these start selling in considerable numbers it will be worthwhile for a huge corporation such as Honda to start their R&D machinery too. Bear in mind, as far as we know it has not started yet and our FMX 1000 is an artist's impression to illustrate what could happen. Or perhaps the FMX concept bike from the Paris show could be the basis for a new model? Add some radial brakes, spoked wheels and sporty tyres. Take one VTR 1000 V-twin engine, take the Varadero 1000 chassis and style it like the FMX 650 and you have got a Honda Hypermotard. Would you buy one?