HONDA F4i – Riding for fun without consequence
By Nicholas Frankl
Riders buy 600 cc bikes for two reasons.
Either they’ve saved up all they can and when the pennies are all added
up they reach a suitable mid-size mountain.
Or, they feel that the size, weight and performance envelope matches
their own characteristics and will fit nicely into the “ I’m responsible,
use it for commuting and only ride at weekends with a few mature friends
down to the bar for lunch”.
The problem with that tag line is that modern day 600’s develop around 90bhp,
which for a bike weighing only 370 odd pounds, means that they are not only
capable of making a slalom course out of everyday traffic coned highways,
they also happily do 160mph.
Discounting the first reason – because we all know that no-one has to buy a
600 sports bike if they don’t want one – for the same amount of money you
can have a second hand anything.
The real reason that riders buy these miniature rockets (they remind me a
little of Banzai trees, the Suzuki Hayabusha, or RC51 being the oak trees
so to speak) is that they want to go as fast as possible, with their knees
very close to the ground – or preferably in contact with it on mountain passes
and canyons. Now that we’re all on the same page I can tell you that the
Honda 600F4i is an excellent way to vent any frustration you might have.
Simply pull on your one piece leather suit (I was testing a summer vent suit
from First Gear and hoping for the best due to the fact that it was one size
too small and over 90o F in the valley) gas up the bike with 98 octane,
lower the tire pressures slightly to take into consideration the upcoming
requirement for as much rubber surface contact with the asphalt as possible
and head for the hills.
This was exactly what a friend of mine, equipped with a rather tasty and tweaked
Aprilia Falco and I did one magical Saturday afternoon.
Taking the 101 Highway north out of LA we headed for the route less well traveled
and the “backend” of Angeles Crest highway. Angeles Crest is a State park and nature
reserve. It has lots of hills and climbs to over 2000 feet.
More interesting is that interlaced within these hills is one of finest pieces of
road architecture I’ve ever seen. Clearly who ever built this road was an enthusiast
of some persuasion as this private race track is wide, smooth, tight, twisty, fast,
slow and ridiculously void of any other obstacles, including wildlife, cars, caravans,
campers, children or even other bikes.
The first thing you notice about the F4i is that it isn’t too great on highways.
Being light has its disadvantages too. You get blasted about with the cross winds and
even the drag produced by big trucks.
Also the most evident Achilles heel raises its uncomfortable head. Rider protection
from the front screen is pathetic. OK I am 6 feet tall, but that’s not so uncommon is it?
I found long distances on the F4i tough on the head and arms even when I was lying on
the tank. This was only emphasized when I swapped for a quick stint on the Falco –
which had a lip on the screen and performed far better for it.
A quick after market addition would do the job – but that’s not really the point.
The good news is that we didn’t intend to hang around freeways all day and soon we
were out of the hustle bustle and into the hills, climbing effortlessly and beginning
to learn and enjoy how the Honda reacted to different inputs and approaches.
The bike is a ready and wiling partner. Uphill, down hill, this baby screams its
lungs out and begs for more. Below eight thousand RPM the little 4 cylinder will
pull keenly and surprisingly smoothly, I remember not so long ago when if you weren’t
in the right cog at the right revs you’d judder your fillings out. Above eight thou
and the action becomes a lot more intense right up to the red line at 13,000 revs.
Yes it gets a little raw but you can easily be pressing on using second and third
gears at the top of the range and hit the limiter, where’s the V-TEC when you need it?
Coming in the new VFR I hear you say).
Under braking the two pot calipers haul off the speed like a parachute, one supposes
that a triple pot would do even better AKA Ninja 600. But these more than suffice.
The real pleasure is in the turn in. Precision and instrument are two words that come
to mind when explaining how the F4i turns in.
It may not be the sharpest knife in the surgeons cabinet, that probably goes to the
Yamaha R6, but nevertheless it does fall into corners in a very controlled and easy manner,
almost like a well trained Polo pony, which can read the field and see the ball,
anticipating the riders next move and helping to guide you along. The Falco with it’s
1000 cc V-twin motor may have had more than 20 bhp up on the F4i but this was negligible
as I made up the difference in braking and mid corner speed. Topped out I hit a registered
154mph on the digital dash, Andrew on the Falco closing out at 158mph, with the benefit
that he knew where this piece of straight road ended!
The dash and display is very good. My bike had covered over 5,000 miles and someone
had managed to scratch up the instrument facia, but apart from that the combination
of digital speed read out and analogue rev counter work well. I was particularly
impressed with the fuel gauge that come up when you hit reserve and blinks down to empty,
it is far better than some poxy amber light and should be standard on as many bikes as possible,
including cruisers.
With the front and rear tires nicely scrubbed in, it was time to take the appraisal to the next level.
After lunch high up at what is normally a ski resort, we turned around and headed back to repeat
the 150 miles of glory in reverse. Now well saddled in, both of us could feel the distances were getting
shorter, the turns more aggressive and the acceleration out of corners more pronounced. Every time
I asked for more the F4i never flinched. The grip from the 120/70ZR-17 front and 180/55ZR-17 rear
Dunlop’s was excellent if not outstanding, The Falco having been shod with noticeably softer rubber.
Despite this neither one of us ever had, what I refer to as, a white knuckle moment - which is the
benchmark against which I measure any hard days riding or driving activity I ever do. Out in the
middle of the California desert with only the odd eagle flying above for company, the two of us
agreed that this is what 600s and the like were meant for. Taking you physically, mentally and
even spiritually to a place that you couldn’t otherwise visit. With that we packed our water bottles
into the rear compartment of the Falco (the F4i has a compartment suitable only for the smallest of
mobile phones and a garage opener if lucky) and sped back to civilization, although you could never
describe LA as a civilized motorcycle environment.
Of course back in Hollywood, I found myself taking the corners just that little bit quicker, the
angle a tad sharper, but the speed much slower.
Two days later I flew off to New York, arriving by the World Trade Center at about 8.30 am on
that bright and sunny Tuesday morning. People ask me what went through my mind as the first tower
fell down around us and we ran up the west side highway. Well I can tell you what I told them.
I thought back to being out there in the hot sun, surrounded by nature, green trees, brown dirt,
bronze hills and peace all around and in the distance.
It seemed so surreal that at one moment I should be belting along with nothing but concentration
in my mind, reading the road and anxious not to make a mistake and suffer the consequences.
The difference between excitement, exhilaration and catastrophe just inches apart. And here
I was down town surrounded by massive buildings running, concentrating and reading the situation,
trying not to make a mistake that could also lead to serious consequences. The big difference
was that on the bike – it was my decision to take a ride, my desire and the marginal belief in
controlling my own destiny. And it was also a heck of a lot of fun.
I resolved to do the fun things more often that morning – without thinking too much of any
consequences.
I wish you all safe and exhilarating riding.
MORE INFORMATION:
www.hondausa.com
Thanks to:
Arai helmets: www:araiamericas.com
Intersport Clothing: 1 800 416 8255 / www: intersportfashions.com
Specifications
Model CBR600F4i
Engine Type 599cc liquid-cooled inline four-cylinder
Bore and Stroke 67mm x 42.5mm
Compression Ratio 12.0:1
Valve Train DOHC; four valves per cylinder
Carburetion PGM-FI with automatic choke
Ignition Computer-controlled digital transistorized
with three-dimensional mapping
Transmission Close-ratio six-speed
Final Drive #525 O-ring-sealed chain
Suspension Front: 43mm HMAS cartridge fork with spring preload,
rebound and compression damping adjustability;
4.7 inches travel
Rear: Pro-Link HMAS single shock with spring preload,
rebound and compression damping adjustability;
4.7 inches travel
Brakes Front: Dual 296mm discs with four-piston calipers
Rear: Single 220mm disc
Tires Front: 120/70ZR-17 radial
Rear: 180/55ZR-17 radial
Wheelbase 54.5 inches
Rake (Caster Angle) 24.0°
Trail 96mm (3.8 inches)
Seat Height 31.7 inches
Dry Weight 370 pounds
Fuel Capacity 4.8 gallons, including 0.9-gallon reserve
Colors Red/Black
Pearl White/Red
Metallic Silver/Black
Meets CARB 2004 emissions standards.
