Honda’s CBR600RR is long overdue for an update, but fully faired sportbikes aren’t selling as well as they once did. That helps explain why seven years have passed since this AMA Supersport championship-winning middleweight was fitted with more aerodynamically efficient bodywork and a fully adjustable 41mm Showa Big Piston Fork. “Excellent fuel mapping and throttle response work in concert with a broad spread of power,” Senior Editor Blake Conner wrote after riding the 2013 model. “The clutch and transmission are incredibly slick and provide very light shift action. The BPF provides a taut and responsive ride for carving apexes but never feels harsh droning on the freeway.”

Years of use in domestic and international roadracing competition means many aftermarket components and loads of technical data exist for those who want to squeeze even more performance from a Honda CBR600RR. For 2020, Matte Black Metallic is once again the only available color, and antilock brakes carry a $1,000 premium as well as a 24-pound weight gain. But if you’re looking for a racetrack-bred sportbike that will still run circles around most late-model motorcycles, this four-cylinder machine is an excellent choice.