Sad trombone. The new Honda CBR600RR that we have been so excited about is destined not to come to US soil, American Honda has told us.
As we knew already, the 2021 Honda CBR600RR would not be coming to the European continent either, making the 600cc supersport a rather odd duck in terms of where it will be for sale.
Honda has confirmed to Asphalt & Rubber that the new CBR600RR will come to the Japanese market, and perhaps some other select Asian markets, primarily for racing homologation purposes, meaning it likely will be made in a small production volume.
Now Euro4 compliant, the 2021 Honda CBR600RR could come to the US and be legal for sale, but American Honda says the primary hurdle for the 2021 model is its price.
With the current Honda CBR600RR selling for $11,800 MSRP, the price of the new supersport would likely be several thousand dollars more, and thus putting it in near-superbike territory on price (but obviously not on performance). That is a non-starter for many buyers.
Compounding the issue is the fact that the 2021 Honda CBR600RR isn’t Euro5 compliant (Honda judging this R&D to be too expensive for the likely payoff, as the European appetite for 600cc machines has all but disappeared), meaning it cannot be sold in the European Union.
This takes away a one of the largest markets for Honda when it comes to selling the CBR600RR sport bike, which only increases the per unit cost of design, development, and production.
With 600cc bikes already an expensive proposition in Japan and other Asian markets, the would-be buyers of the 2021 Honda CBR600RR are more resistant to the effects of a higher price tag – thus the increased cost for the electronics and engine development are likely only a fraction of what the taxes and cost-of-ownership expenses will look like.
It is a bum deal for supersport enthusiasts in the western world, especially those riders who have graduated from smaller displacement bikes, but don’t want to move directly into a liter-bike offering. Is this the end of the middleweight sport bike segment?
Source: American Honda
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