Back for good?

It’s funny how only a few months back Johnny and I were talking over the state of the supersport sector and revelling at the idea of there one day being a comeback. Fast-forward to now and that’s exactly what would appear to be happening. Last year, musing away, it seemed as likely as a lottery win that Honda would reintroduce a revitalised 600RR, but that’s what it’ done. And as for Kawasaki and the tried-and-tested ZX-6R – well, it might have been lost and found on the market more times than an old pair of gym socks, but we’re ecstatic that it’s back. It belongs in the showrooms, let alone out on the streets, as Johnny has validated in this issue following a recent joyride. My message is much the same about the CBR600RR that you’ll also find is this mag: it’s a corker and a keeper. The big question is, what happens next? Are we really looking at a comeback of the mid-capacity sportsbike? Or is this a moment of madness from some of the braver manufacturers on the market? Only time will tell, and I guess the most telling factor of all is how quickly the available units wing their way out of dealerships and find new homes. After all, money talks, and the reality is that as hyped as many people are to see such models once more, if they don’t sell, there won’t be any more… that’s for sure. But I’m optimistic that they will sell, especially when you consider how comparably affordable they are. Honda’s 600RR costs less than half of what you’d pay for a Blade, and at an equally similar £10k(ish) cost, it’s also worth bearing in mind that the Ninja 600 isn’t that much more costly than a ZX-4RR. They’re both on the money, the main reason being that the R&D, tooling, and all the big costly stuff was done and dusted years ago, so it’s the literal manufacturing cost that’s largely determining the price of these machines. And, when you think about that, there’s no reason why the likes of Yamaha, Suzuki and Triumph couldn’t, or wouldn’t, do the same. I’m no Mystic Meg, but I imagine all of the above brands are studying the 600 sector sales closely and weighing up their options for a potential comeback of their own. We’ll just have to wait and see, but for now, what I do know is there are two cracking supersport machines back in the mix – and I’m planning to make the most of them.

Enjoy the mag,