A guide to picking a bigger bike… sort of.
By Eric Jacobson
Since having written October’s column, I’ve received a number of emails from other loyal SVRider readers asking how I went about picking the 2005 Honda CBR600F4i I now own and what I think of it now that it’s been awhile since buying it in August. I’ve taken my answers to some of the questions that I’ve been asked and compiled them into this month’s column.
The F4i vs. the SV650
as a first bike:
A number of people have emailed me asking which I think
makes a better first bike, the SV650 or the F4i. In addition, at least one individual
mentioned the Suzuki GS500F and the Suzuki Katana 600 as alternative first
bikes. Having ridden all four of these
bikes gives me good perspective on my feelings across the board (my brother
bought a brand-new 2001 Katana 600 when I bought my 2001 SV650 and my current
riding buddy owns a 2005 GS500F).
The F4i Experience So
Far:
First off, let me describe myself. I’m about 5’9” and I weigh about 180-190 pounds (fluctuates depending on how often I can get my lazy ass to the gym). When I started thinking about getting a bike to replace the SV, I was crazy about bigger displacement (there's no replacement for displacement as they say) so I assumed that I was going to need a larger bike than a 650 (since the SVs have 645cc). I'm so glad that I decided to take the R6 out for a spin before doing what I had been planning on and grabbing a Hayabusa (1300cc). I ended up on the F4 because of its comfort and the price (getting a brand-new 2005 for $1,000 off the MSRP left the GSX-R600 and R6 way over-priced by comparison, I had a dealer with a good deal).
Here's what I've learned on the CBR in the 1,000+ miles I've put on it since I got it in August. It's very fast. It's significantly faster than the SV (in fact, it blew me away how much quicker the inline-four could be when the V-twin was pumping out 645cc). The SV's torque and horsepower are ~43 ft-lbs. / 67HP or something like that. The F4 has virtually the same amount of torque (somewhere in the low to mid-40s) but produces over 100 HP. It's a VERY different experience. There's a point where I'm pouring on the throttle that the power is so much I just have to grab on for dear life. I must admit, it's a ton of fun.
As I've been describing to some of my riding buddies, the big difference in the handling between the SV and the CBR seems to be the intent -- the SV always seemed to know what I wanted it to do; I could lean in on a curve and know exactly how much more I could go before I chicken-scratched myself off the road. The SV seemed to just click right in to exactly the lean angle I'd need. The CBR, the GSXR series, and the R6 are all race bikes. They'll do everything the SV can do and a whole lot more at much greater velocities. However, my F4 seems to require a lot more attention to detail than the SV; whereas the SV knew what I wanted, the F4 can do anything I'd want it to (and a whole lot more) but it needs to be told. I have to be very precise about dialing in the amount of lean, wheel angle, etc. I'm several thousands of miles away from being as comfortable with the F4 as I was with the SV but already my riding speed on my favorite roads has increased dramatically.
The brakes on the F4 are stupendous. Like all of the 600cc-class bikes, the rear brake is virtually worthless (even more so than the SV, which had a sizeable rear brake). If you look at any of the 600-cc bikes (particularly the F4), you'll notice the rear disc is tiny. Hitting the rear brake feels like the equivalent of pushing your foot on the ground to stop the bike. The front brakes, however, are truly where it's at (as they should be). If you want to stop so fast that you'll throw yourself over the handlebars into the back of the pickup truck in front of you, that dream is only a good fistful of gripping away.
One thing that I've been really impressed at with my Honda, in particular, is in regards to break-in period and maintenance. The SV had specific, strict guidelines for RPM limits when you were shifting within the first 1,000 miles. Honda's break-in period is 300 miles and their requirements are: "Do not overaccelerate. Do not drive too fast." That was neat. Also, the 600-mile service which cost me upwards of $150-180 on my SV only cost $90 on my F4 (the dealer changes the oil, the filter, checks some cables, and you're done). It's different.
All that being said, there are times when I miss the cachet that the SV650s have; they're a cult classic and it shows. People drool over SVs even if they don't really know what they're looking at. Granted, I've gotten a lot of compliments on my F4, but it's not the same thing as owning a bike that no one knows exactly how to classify. I'm just another one of those 600-cc riders.
Also, the F4 doesn't have the same appeal as the Hayabusa. The Hayabusa is HUGE. It is the bike. There's nothing else on the road like it. My F4 is not the fastest bike in the world (though 0-60mph in 2.89 seconds in comparison with the SV's 0-60 of 3.7 sec is very very different), it's not a cult classic, and I see other people riding my exact bike (though not as frequently as I see people riding the CBR600RR).
At the end of it all, it comes down to what you feel comfortable riding. I strongly suggest that you test-ride any bike you're planning on replacing the SV with (especially if you plan on going really big) as well as riding a 600 even if you think they might be too small. They might be, but the only way you'll know for sure is if you take one out.
Since I've gotten the F4, it requires a significant jump in riding skill which is exactly what I was looking for. I wanted to regain the adrenaline and the small twinges of "Wow! This thing is amazing!" that I used to have when I got my SV back in 2001. That's all there. Granted, I'm still a little jealous when my friend with the VTX1800 rides with me just because I'd like to have the BIGGEST bike in MY class, too. On the other hand, I can still smoke his ass with my "little" F4 and my insurance is half of what his is!
About the author: For the moment, Eric Jacobson lives in