I'm going to be getting my first bike, and I was wondering if the CBR600F4i was a good starter bike. I only have very little dirt bike riding experience and I'm wanting to start street riding. Mainly side roads but I'll be doing some highway riding as well. Not looking for a bike with the most power, just something that I can handle since it's my first time riding. What do you all think? Reasons for your answers would be helpful as well. Thanks guys.

 

I'll also add that I'm 6' tall and weigh about 155 lbs.

 

yes, the f4i is a great starting bike, it was my first also...i have had it for 2 weeks now and couldnt be happier. just be careful cause after 9,000 rpms, it gets fast

 

oh yea, it was my first sport bike as well and ive enjoyed every second on it. By the way im 6'3 and 190 pounds, yea im too big for the bike but still was very forgiving on letting me learn on it.

 

I've heard the term "forgiving" many times, what exactly does it mean in reguards to riding?

 

My F4i was my very first bike, no prior experience ever, and it has been awesome. If you show some restraint, you'll be fine. But make no mistake, a 600cc bike can be way too much (90 HP) for the wrong person/personality. Forgiving to me is that the bike has capabilities that are available to the rider to allow him to make some mistakes without crashing. Maybe ease of trail braking or how it hooks up accelerating out of a turn could be two examples.

The big thing on these bikes are the brakes. Anyone can twist a throttle, but stopping one of these things quickly can be tricky without a good amount of practice. The first time the back wheel comes up or loses traction is f**king scary, that was my first reality check about what these things are capable of. The next thing that will scare you is too much speed in a curve, trust your bike and look, push and lean untill you get through, never chicken out or else you'll go wide and either run off the road or cross the double yellow and get dead. Just ride well within your means and it'll be the best thing you've every owned.

Good luck with your choice.

 

i rode a ttr-125 for 2 yrs. before i got my '02 F4i, and i haven't had any problems with riding it. It's been a great first bike, but i definately have plenty of stories where i almost bit it. for instance, me and some of my buds (who have liter bikes and much more experience than i) were ridin some really fun twisties...they were doin like 100 and i was doin bout 65 when i decided to KICK IT UP A NOTCH!...woooo, ya i was doin like 75-80 and took a really sharp corner, crossed over the double line, ran off the road into GRAVEL! some how held on and got it back on the road...luckily i had enough sense to look completely through the corner to make sure no one was comin' or i could have been a new hood ornament. i just thought my dirtbike riding days were over,jk. anyway, i've had it bout a year and a half and don't regret a single moment...since that day i have added stainless steel brake lines and a scotts damper as well as a leather suit

 

2001 f4i was my first bike and I think it was the best choice for me.

I really think you have to determine if it is a good bike for YOUR personality. Go to the local dealerships and sit on different types and sizes. Before I knew anything about sportbikes I wanted a gixer (yea, I know...What was I thinking), but after I sat on several types I really loved the way the f4i felt to me.

I was the same way you were when I first got involved in the sport bike world, " I don't need that much power". Once you get on it and learn the bike you will have a BLAST. I also highly suggest the MSF course. I took it and I loved it.

GOOD LUCK!!

 

My first bike was an 02 F4i and while the dealer tried to talk me out of it initially due to power/speed he eventually turned back into a business man and let me have it. It's a lot of bike regardless of the 600cc or not. Anything that will do 0-60 in about 4 seconds and top 150 mph is a serious machine. But just like it's been mentioned in the past, ride with a little sense in your head and learn the bike/road.

 

My '04 F4i was my very first bike too, with no prior riding experience at all! When I bought it the guy at the dealer didn't really care knowing I had no prior experience, hell he was showing me an RC-51! But it belonged to one of their own employees that had just recently been killed in a car accident so I thought that probably wasn't a good sign, plus torque monster v-twin liter bike + n00b = not a good combination. Since I've been riding though I've ridden my friends RC a whole bunch of times, and man that thing will haul!! But I had my heart set on the F4i, and no matter what he tried to sell me, that's what I wanted. 1 year 8 months, and 56,500 miles later and we're both still doing just fine, and I have absolutely no regrets with my purchase. In fact, I really don't think I could have possibly picked a better bike to suit my needs. Great ergos, very comfy, super reliable, and even better MPG than many bikes! It's plenty fast for me, and makes a great commuting bike like I use it for everyday. Like everyone has said though, Hondas and the F4i in particular, are very forgiving, meaning very easy to ride. Other bikes, like the R6 for example, are much more twitchy, meaning you have to have that much more of a steady hand to keep everything under control. Not always so easy for a beginner trying to learn. Everybody will make some mistakes when learning so it really helps not riding a bike that will give you the 3rd degree for any tiny little mistake you make. F4i is probably one of the best "all around great" bikes you'll find, with a real good balance of comfort, ergos, power, handling, etc. It's kinda like the Honda Accord of motorcycles, just does everything well. I'd say if you're looking at one for your first bike, go for it... you'll love it!! Just use your head and take it easy, cuz as forgiving as it is, the F4i is still an extremely fast machine and can get you into trouble real fast. But a little common sense goes a long ways...