The new CBR600RR from Honda for 2013 was received with mixed reactions, while some were awestruck by the new design, there were some that were not particularly happy about the rather ‘different’ design approach. This mixed reaction is what probably made Honda post a rather interesting update on its blog. This post highlights the advantages of the new design and shows that the new CBR600RR is infact as aerodynamic as Honda MotoGP bike the RC212V.
Using knowledge and techniques gained from the Honda RC212V MotoGP race program, aerodynamic improvements were made to the newest CBR600RR, which shows a 6.5 percent decrease in drag over the previous model. The development and testing processes used to design this all-new CBR600RR bodywork included CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) analysis to study and improve the airflow around the fairing at high speeds. This work led to aerodynamic advancements that reduced drag and also reduced other high-pressure areas to produce lighter, more agile handling and improved wind deflection for enhanced rider comfort.
Thanks to the favourable results for the CBR600RR that were achieved through this process, the same approach was successfully applied to airflow analysis and design changes with the next-generation RC213V MotoGP racing machine, further improving the function of this cutting-edge racing platform.
