zippity

I am looking to get into another motorcycle and the Honda F4i seems to be the bargain bike for the 600cc bikes. What is the biggest difference between this bike and the 600rr? What are your general thoughts on the F4i? I really like the look and have always been a fan of Honda reliability. Any other comps that you would prefer? Thanks!

lleron

I used to have one. Other than the timing chain tensioner issues (sound familiar..?) they're pretty bulletproof. You can buy an aftermarket manually adjustable TCT for pretty cheap if the factory one starts making noise.

zippity

Thanks for the advice! How was the ownership experience? Were you eager to move on to another bike? If so, which one?

thepassionofthegoose

The RR was the next evolution of the F4, which was previously the F3, F2, and lastly the Hurricane or CBR (depending on the market). The i in F4i indicates fuel injection, which is a nice upgrade over the previous carbureted model.

I'd go online and read up on the F4 and RR simply because the differences are too numerous to list, and the rider's experience from the saddle is completely different on both machines. The short of it is the RR is a more track oriented model than the previous F-bikes, kinda like an R6 or a gixer6 which were the benchmarks at the time for an out of the box track bike.

Regardless, an F4i is a great bike for any ability level. When they were new I had several friends that raced them in AMA 600SS class and were quite competitive on a regional level. They're also fantastic street bikes.

Highly recommended, especially considering price.

deegaw11

I had a F4i and a 600rr and they're both great bikes. The F4i has a much more comfortable riding position compare to the 600rr. The 600rr is more raw and feels like it pulls harder but I've raced a few 600rr with my F4i and they pretty much dead even. The F4i feels like it has a much more forgiving powerband. The F4I had tct issues but it was an easy fix and they basically last forever besides that problem. I remember there was a guy on the f4i forum with over 200k miles on the original engine I believe. You won't go wrong with neither bikes but if you'll be doing long commutes for long periods of time then the f4i might be the smarter choice.

thepassionofthegoose

One more thing,

Since we're all likely Honda fans I don't feel too inclined to sell you on how fantastic their bikes are, but I've owned or had constant access to most brands/models of sportbike and I still own every Honda that I've ever bought. I don't still have them because they're still running, I still have them because they're fantastic riding machines.

I'm such a fan of Honda motorcycles that I'm looking for an RC51 to do a works conversion on. It'll cost me more than a new BMW 1000RR when done (and not be as fast around a track), but I'd rather have the 51 for purely emotional reasons. And yes, it will be punishingly fast.

Suzuka_Joe

both great bikes. my brother had a 2001 F4i for a couple years and i had a 07 600rr and now i have a 03 600rr for a track bike. can't go wrong with them

zippity

Just started looking at a 50th anniversary R6 (2206) with 13k miles. What do you guys think about this bike as far as reliability. I understand it may be a little more track oriented and aggressive compared to the F4.

charlox5

I loved my F4i. built like a tank, I had 54K on it when i sold it. plenty fast enough for the track, comfortable enough to put real miles on, and dead reliable.

the 06 R6 is a great bike, but is very much a streetable track bike. the 06-07 R6 powerband puts all of the emphasis on the top end, is gutless below 8k.

The R6 is technically a "faster" bike, and represents a more modern design as the current R6's look more or less the same, so doesn't look as dated as the F4i. The F4i is easier to ride, not only over distance, but it's easier to ride fast--which is always Honda's approach to sport bikes: don't sweat the paper stats, focus on making a bike that most riders can get the most out of. And that is the F4i to a T.

slightly off topic, The 03-05 R6 was a completely different monster--very well designed bike that had a more linear powerband, was more comfortable, and easier to ride. I really liked that iteration of the R6.

zippity

Awesome information! Thanks