They won last year's World Super Sport Championship and they've gone to town with a limited edition CBR600RR.

The marque celebrated the win by coming out with a race-replica look, complete with race team livery.

Enter the 2008 Hannspree CBR600RR, the sportsbike which propelled Kenan Sofuoglu from team Ten Kate Racing to victory.

The Hannspree is still the same CBR600RR like those offered by Honda in red, black and white.

The big difference is perhaps the extra $1,000 price tag for the special paint scheme.

Psychologically, riding the Hannspree gives you an edge.

You imagine you're as fast as the next rider on the grid.

But compared to the other sportsbikes in the 600cc category, the 118hp Honda has less power than its rivals.

Depending on who you ask - the local Honda distributor or a parallel importer - you could get the Hannspree for about $18,000 (machine price only).

Against the high-revving Yamaha R6, which boasts 133HP and innovations like the YCCI (Yamaha Chip Controlled Intake) and fly-by-wire operation, the Honda may pale in comparison.

But not everybody would like to ride a screaming beast on the road.

The CBR600RR has better road manners and is more practical than its rivals.

Unlike the R6 or the Suzuki GSXR600, the Honda has more mid-range punch.

You don't need to rev the immobiliser-equipped CBR600RR to the moon to get decent drive on the road.

You can lazily chug along or punch the throttle, if you like, in a blink of an eye, without worrying that the engine will bog.

Whatever you do, don't mistake the CBR600RR for a road bike.

It's a streetbike, which in the right hands, will face off respectfully with riders on other marques on the circuit.

TRACK HERITAGE

The aggressive riding position, which appears more forgiving than the R6, will nevertheless remind you of its track heritage.
The rider seat is naturally uncomfortable and small, leaving little space to move about.

The pillion seat is also a minimalist venture.

Your thighs and wrists will ache after spending more than an hour on the Honda.

But the bike feels compact and light - ideal for carving corners.

At 184kg (fully fuelled), the CBR600RR is the lightest in its class.

Get it up to speed - read anything above 150kmh on the circuit - and you will know why the bike is built that way.

On the throttle, the CBR600RR is stable - the electronic steering damper keeps the front end shakes in control, the faster you go.

The weight of the bike is centred towards the middle of the bike, making it agile in corners.

Braking on the radial-mounted front brakes is as good as braking systems found on European machinery.

The best part is, you're carrying less momentum when braking on this light machine.

The exhaust note from the underseat exhaust is as aggressive as the one from an R6.

The CBR600RR accelerates progressively to its 15,000rpm redline without surprises and without making you sweat for speed.

Some see this as boring, but it's a sure bet of getting you to the finish line safely.

Doing urban riding, the sportsbike can cover about 230km before hitting reserve.

The CBR600RR has a fuel capacity of 18 litres, including 3.5-litre reserve.

On highway cruising, the engine purrs and registers about 77degC on the digital clock.

Get it stuck in traffic and it will object by activating its radiator fans at about 106degC, just like other sportsbikes.

What we did not like on the Honda was that the heat which is transferred to the bike's black-coloured frame can burn a rider's knee.