Hello everyone! I just bought my first bike for $1,100 dollars and it's a 97 Honda CBR600F3. I bought it about a week ago and it needs some work. It seems to run great minus a few issues and it DEFINENTLY needs some cosmetic work. When I first started working on it the wiring was soooo messed up that the brake light came on when I pressed the left blinker LOL! I got all of the wiring fixed and it just needs a few bulbs. Other than that I have ordered parts that it lacked such as blinkers, a windscreen, and mirrors. All it needs now for inspection after I get those parts are tires. I'm going to completely replace ALL fluids and put new filters in and clean/Sync the carbs at some point. The air filter has also been cleaned and the bike needs a new fuel line. She's also got a stretched swingarm and she came with the stock one and both are in good condition. I'm very excited to have my first bike and I can't wait to have her completed. I'm going to make a list of questions I have and I hope EVERYONE will feel free to put in ANY imput that they have.

1. She does'nt stay idling when the choke is completely open. It has to be about halfway open. She starts right up but I have to hold the gas for about three seconds at startup or she will stall. What steps should I take to fix this?
2. Is it a better idea to put on the stock swingarm rather than leave it stretched? I want to be more comfortable in turns and really be able to lean the bike.
3. For about the first second that you give her gas after shes been running, the RPM's drop and she hesitates but thencatches on and accelerates as normal. Major issue? Quick fix?
4. Her clutch is INSANELY hard to pull in and hurts very badly to just hold at a traffic light. Any way to loosen that up?
5. Any other things that I should probably do to the engine just to be safe?

I'll stop there for now LOL. Her title says that she has 80xxx miles on her and her odometer says 39xxx. I don't know which one is right but maybe that will give you guys more of an idea as to what else I should do the engine. Thanks everyone and please feel free to leave ANY comment! :-)

 

Congrats on the bike Zerazer.
Let me give your list a try.
1. After she's all warmed up, try and set the idle via idle adjustment ****. It's on the left side of the bike around where your leg would be. The idle should be around 1200rpm. If this doesn't work, when you clean, sync and rebuild the carbs surely you'll find out why.
2. The F3 is a very capable bike handling wise. I find it comfortable. If you want it to turn well, the stock swingarm is the ticket. However, have a good look at the rear linkage. Normally a stretched bike is lowered in the rear, usually by a lowering linkage. If so, you will either have to level off the bike by lowering the front, or install a stock link.
3. I would say this is because you are riding it with the choke part way closed. Choking off some of the air-flow. If you've fixed your idling problem with the adjuster and are able to idle without the choke on, you might have fixed this bog too. However, a carb cleaning, rebuild and sync will lead you in the right direction here as well. If not, I'm thinking ignition timing.
4. New cable! Hopefully your cable is just rusty or kinked. Cables are pretty cheap, so give that a try. If not, you could be into a clutch inspection. Might be heavy duty clutch springs in there. If it was stretched, could have been a drag racing setup. Or, your clutch basket has grooves in it and would have to be replaced.
5. All I can suggest here is assume the higher milage. Get yourself a Haynes manual and follow the maintenance schedule outlined for that milage.
Best of Luck,
Mike