Honda CBR600F4 - 2001

The Honda has dominated the 600 supersport class since way back in the late 80’s when the original CBR600 invented the class. But of late its crown has slipped. It’s no longer the fastest, no longer the best handling and it isn’t even the best selling supersport motorcycle. The 2001 model year has seen the good ole CBR6 get a big update, but the older F4 model is still worth looking at, especially as it will be substantially cheaper to buy used now its not the current model.

The CBR600F4 is a great bike. It’s not quite as sharp looking as the R6 or the GSXR but then it has often appealed to the more ‘sensible’ 600 pilot. The aluminium beam frame is a boon too, all previous models have steel frames,. It probably doesn’t make a huge difference to the handling but it helps with the marketing in what is an extremely fashion-conscious marketplace. But is it all enough?

Out on the road the bike feels ok, in isolation. The engine is businesslike, not too buzzy and very capable. But ride almost any of the other 600s, even the Triumph TT600, and it feels a bit flat and lifeless. Like most 600s it needs plenty of revs to get it to really wake up, and there’s a flat spot low down, which is especially noticeable in the higher gears. It’s not manic like the GSXR600, which needs a firm hand to keep it spinning but it isn’t as hard charging as either the Yamaha R6 or the Triumph either. Oh it’s purposeful enough when wound up but it manages to go fast and feel slow. Capable? Yes. Exciting? Sadly, not really. But in its favour the F4 does have impeccable manners, it’s the gentleman in the 600 paddock.

It has enough sophistication in the chassis with its multi-adjustable suspenders and aluminium frame to hustle it along at a pace and a half along almost any road. The steering is neutral and the bike turns fast enough and holds a given line, or changes it readily on command. There is some evidence of headshake though. I rode the CBR to a local bike meeting place along with the a friend riding the Triumph TT600 and the CBR was much more lively on the same stretch of back-road than the Triumph. In places where the CBR was getting squirrelly the Triumph was rock solid. I got the feeling that had we tweaked the forks, which are adjustable for everything, much of this might have been dialled out - but the Triumph was doing fine on factory settings. I’m a very light rider and the bike was possibly set up for a heavier rider. Or maybe the Dunlop 207 tyres might have been to blame for some of the liveliness. They have loads of grip and will allow all but the baddest of riders to get away with murder without anything like a push from the front or a spin from the rear.

You’ll need that grip if you get stroppy with the brakes as the front set-up has all the power you’ll need to stop a bike that only weighs 170 kgs. The power isn’t at the expense of feel either. The brakes are progressive and the forks sophisticated enough to give plenty of feedback, despite being the ‘old fashioned’ right-way-up style. They didn’t dive, hardly at all, which left me wondering if I could have made them just a little softer on compression to try and tune out the handlebar flap over the bumpy stuff. The rear shock also felt a little harsh for my weight, there was perhaps too much preload or compression damping dialled in as I was getting the odd kick in the pants from the more uneven roads. Many riders probably won’t ride hard enough to notice any of this, and those that do will probably be able to spend a little time (or money) setting things up to smooth out these worries. I’ve ridden a CBR600F4 prepared by ex-GP racer Ron Haslam and I rode it considerably harder than the road version, yet there absolutely was none of this liveliness evident on that bike, even over some of the bumpier bits of Donington Park’s Tarmac.

What the Honda definitely has, and it has more of it than any of its competition, is a user-friendly feel that is hard to beat. The bike is a cinch to ride. It’ll reward your abilities whether you’re a novice or an expert and it conspires to hide your shortcomings. In town, while it’s not exactly setting the world alight, it’s also not disturbing it. It’ll pootle around in heavy traffic with perfect decorum, a welcome change after the low speed fussiness of the TT600. The comfortable saddle and relatively low footpegs help, and they provide an ideal set-up for longer rides. The bars are clip-ons but they’re mounted above the yokes, aiding the comfort package. This helps to fortify the go-anywhere feel that the CBR has long had. I wouldn’t bat an eyelid if the Editor asked me to ride this bike to Barcelona and back (which is about 900 road miles from my English country home!) If you asked me to whiz around the Catalunya Grand Prix circuit on it when I got there even better - the CBR would take all of this in its stride. Those same low set footpegs that would keep me comfy on the ride to Barcelona might turn into a bit of a liability when I got out onto the Circuit at Catalunya though.

This bike is so civilised that it even has a centre stand - when was the last time you saw one of those on a sportbike? The cockpit is well laid out, if a little understated. The clocks are both analogue, no sign of the digital speedo as fitted to the CBR’s big brother, the 929 Fireblade. That might be a plus point to some of you, others may find the rather cramped black faced speedo a little hard to read, especially at higher speeds. You can’t say the same about the excellent warning lights though, they are just right, they are correctly positioned and well balanced for brightness, day or night. There’s an extra little trick hidden in the clean lines of the cockpit, the H.I.S.S. (Honda Ignition Security System) This is Honda’s key actuated immobilising system. The ignition barrel recognises the original key, which emits a unique signature, and the ignition is immobilised if anything other than the correct key is used to turn the lock. So no starting this one with an old screwdriver then. If you lose your keys you need to quote the chassis number and prove ownership to get Honda to replace it.

The Honda has another thing that no other 600 supersport bike can match: A reputation. The CBR has been around for 13 years and has spent most of that time firmly planted at the top of the pile. The CBR600 is a byword for reliability, civility and dependability; they’ve built over 250,000 of them so they should be getting it right by now. I’ve even seen them used by despatch riders in central London, and perfectly good courier hacks they make too. You still see plenty of the older models about and I’ve met few owners who have a bad thing to say about them. All this counts in motorcycling, as nobody wants to own a lemon.