Supposedly based on Rossi's RC211V, the 2003 CBR600 disports similar styling and underseat pipe, which does tend to make the bike look rather uncomfortable - and so would you be with one of those shoved up your posterior. However, this arrangement does allow one to savour the full charms of the massive swingarm with no tatty old pipe to obstruct the view. And a very nice swingarm it is too, doubtless well up to the job of handling the 90 bhp or whatever from the screaming 600 motor ... shame they didn't stick Rossi's V5 in there, though.

Attached to this monstrous swinger is the rather novel rear suspension. The shock seems normal enough, but a quick shufty under the seat reveals the absence of the usual top mount. Instead the shock is bolted to a casting which runs back down through the swingarm and thence transfers the loads horizontally to the engine via two ally torque arms.

Front forks are normal right-way-uppies. In any event, suspension seems to be nice and compliant while still offering decent control of the bike. Seems Honda have learned from the current Fireblade that rock-hard suspension does not a happy rider make. And the this CBR handles B roads easily, staying well in control while absorbing the worst bumps.

David, the proud new owner, is very happy with the bike, and advised that it's already done "over 140". So enough go, then. But from my quick blast I wasn't so sure of the steering. I expect 600s to steer really easily and quickly, but this one didn't want to steer at all initially, then suddenly fell into the corner and felt like the front wheel was washing out. I was so confused I stopped to check the steering damper, assuming that David had turned it too far up. I was more confused when I found that there wasn't a steering damper. Hmmm, praps Honda have tweaked things a bit after some of the comments about the flighty Fireblade and gone a bit too far the other way?

John rode the bike and felt the steering was a bit slow but otherwise OK, so it depends on your expectations I guess. But shouldn't 600s steering quicker than anything else?

Top looking bike, though. I prefer the R1 style twin headlights to the strange confection on the Blade and the bodywork has a nice racy air to it. Riding position is a tad more extreme than the usual comfy commuter style of older CBRs, with more weight now on the bars and the pegs a decent distance from the tarmac.

Engine is very growly through it's new pipe, and pulls reasonably well from 4000rpm, with proper go appearing around 8000.

B road testing proved that the bike was well suited to charging about bendy lanes and the suspension really is very impressive. You can maintain good compliance and still keep razor sharp handling. And so it should be.

Poor old Dave has been in the wars again. Pottering home yesterday he comes upon a line of oncoming cars. At the last moment young Dastardly Willoughby in a Porsche convertible pulls out of the queue and gasses it, straight bang-slap head on into Dave - combined speed around 100 mph.

Sensing he was about to shuffle off the troubles of earthly life David departs his CBR600 with unwilling ease and flies straight over the top of the car, landing on his head in the road behind. Then he stood up! Thinking something like "Bugger me, I'm still alive!" he set off to remonstrate with the murderous wretch in the car, the Porsche now having buried itself into another car in the queue. Luckily one of the other drivers was a nurse and she got him on the ground pronto (see, there are always compensations) and he was ferried off to hospital for yet more damage limitation.

Damage to the bike is a bit terminal as apart from the usual plastics and levers a section of frame which runs over the engine has gone awol and the motor took a bit of a bang. The cases were smashed and the crank damaged. So lots of oil everywhere and an aircooled clutch now.

So that's a new CBR600, please ....

The good news is he's OK apart from a sore neck and back. He must be made of rubber.