The Honda CBR600 and longtime Honda factory racer Miguel Duhamel have a relationship bordering on synonymous that dates back to his first of five AMA 600 Supersport titles back in '91. More recently, that relationship resulted in two consecutive AMA Formula Xtreme championships aboard a Honda CBR600RR, in '04 and '05, when the former literbike category was changed to a 600cc format. Duhamel's illustrious record with the middleweight CBR includes still holding the record for most wins in the 600 Supersport class (41), as well as an amazing 10-race win streak.
In commemoration of Duhamel's incredible career-but more importantly, his two AMA FX titles-the boys over at Lockhart Phillips USA (the title sponsors of the class, 'natch) decided to build a project bike using an '05 Honda CBR600RR as a starting platform. By sourcing LP USA's extensive list of vendors in its catalog, company technician Aaron Martin put together the company's best "street legal" impression (which is subject to debate-the bike had no mirrors, front turn signals or license plate, and the slicks provided were for track use only) of Duhamel's factory FX racebike.
Unfortunately, our track testing of the bike was cut short by a loose oil pressure sender unit, which spewed oil all over the right side of the bike while El Jefe was out running hot laps (as evidenced by the plume of smoke near the exhaust header, as well as the oil dribbling along the lower fairing). Thankfully, disaster for both him and the bike was averted when he noticed his foot slipping on the footpeg and pulled over.
The monstrous 195-size rear Dunlop slick wraps around a 16.5-inch Marchesini forged magnesium hoop, with a Galfer rear Wave rotor slowing things down. Note the trick Gilles chain adjuster and rear stand setup.
A Bazzaz Performance Design quick shifter enables upshifts without backing off the throttle. Vortex multi-adjustable rearsets provide easy custom tailoring of footpeg and foot-control positioning; knurled footpegs provide excellent boot grip. A color-coordinated 520-size EK MVXZ chain and Vortex sprockets transfer power to the rear wheel.
The Aaron Martin-built engine features a plethora of trickery, including an Erion Racing-ported cylinder head and numerous HRC racing kit parts. The kit parts include cams, valve springs, close-ratio transmission, airbox/air filter and radiator. Adjustable cam sprockets and the manual cam chain tensioner were provided by APE, while an LP USA M+ by Dynatek fuel-injection box controls fueling. The engine pumped out 115.8 horsepower at 15,000 rpm on the Dynojet dyno at Mach 1 Performance in Cerritos, Calif.
The front end consists of a Dunlop slick mounted on a 16.5-inch Marchesini forged magnesium wheel, with Galfer's superbike Wave rotors grabbed by a Brembo brake system with a radial-pump master cylinder and radial-mount calipers. Goodridge brake lines maintain feel and feedback, while the fork features Race Tech internals.
Progrip-shod Vortex clip-ons utilize trick CRG lever assemblies that not only have pivoting centers to prevent breakage in the event of a tip-over, but also feature an easy-access freeplay takeup lever.
An Akrapovic Evolution titanium racing exhaust system handles spent gases, while LP USA's own LED integrated taillight/turn signal combo takes the place of the stock taillight.