i love my F4i...had it since 2005 and weve had our ups and downs...for a few years, i was the guy in my group to have the "nice" bike...but this past year or two, with my friends getting newer/brand new bikes and other guys in the group starting out with new bikes...i now have the "black sheep" of the pack...

my bike is in very good condition, but i have neglected A LOT of maintanence...so my question is, would you still justify bringing it back up and pouring a significant amount of money into it or just ditch and get another bike?...

before you answer, i am not a squid that likes brand new, shiny, loud things...i am a relatively experienced rider that just wants more out of my bike...im just wondering would you continue to stand by your bike? or get something that would just outperform the F4i off the showroom floor ...one that already has inverted shocks, radial mounted brakes, clip ons under the triple tree, slipper clutch, more advanced rear suspension, lighter, more power, etc. etc. etc. (doesnt even have to be brand new...03-04 zx-6r/rr, 05 600rr, 05 r6, 05 gsx-r600 have all those things; with the zx-6rr being the only one to have a slipper clutch)

i just find it harder and harder justifying the need to keep it after riding all my other friends bikes...btw, im mainly looking at twisties and trackdays...and main emphasis is "aggressiveness"...

sorry for babbling, but what do you guys that own or used to own F4is think?

 

You mentioned trackdays so for me you need to get one of the new ones. Cheaper in the long run a more designed for the purpose.

 

its always fun to whoop on the guys with a bike that is older and supposed to be slower. the f4i is a great bike and always will be! just sharpen your skills and make them hate on you.

 

I dunno, its hard to say. I love my F4i, and although its "old and slow", and I can outride alot of people on the street with it.
I can hang with new CBR600rr all day, and people on R1's just get in my way. Im not saying Im fast or anything, but its all in the rider,
not the bike-atleast until you get to the track. That being said, there is a guy out where we ride, he's on an old beat up, tore down, SV650, and nobody
can even keep this guy in sight.

but, overall I have been having the same doubts you are, I have been riding F4i's for a few years, and I am looking to purchase a dedicated track bike this season. but, the more I think about it, although they are now cheap,they arealso now outdated. Parts are harder and harder to come by. Im not talking street parts, I'm talking true racing mods- it's tough.

 

It depends how huch money you got. Alot of people are getting squeezed from food and energy prices and can barely make payments and such. Usually though, money is better spent on other things rather than a depreciating asset such as a bike.

Good luck, new and shiny is nice to have, but older and paid off is really just f**king beautiful.

 

if you need agressiveness just get a new r6 or rr or gixxer, they are purpose built, f4i is for another purpose. not pure sports..

 

well if you get another bike, make sure you do your maintanence on that one, or else it will be a never ending cycle.

 

Do you have a 2005? if so you could have done no mtnce to it and it should be fine. These things are bomb proof. Don't take this the wrong way but it sounds like you are trying to justify getting a new bike because you neglected this one which doesn't make much sense to me unless there is something wrong with the CBR?

If you have the cash, get a new R6 or RR. If you are like me and like your bikes paid in full, keep the F4 and do some mods to it.

As far as a track bike, the F4i is a perfect track bike with a few mods. I would go the opposite direction and get even more of a beater for the track. Again unless you are loaded, you don't want a nice new R6 as a track bike because you will go down at some point. Anyway, unless you are already in the advanced group on your track days, the bike doesn't make a difference, it's the rider. No doubt you will get stomped by an experienced advanced rider on an SV650 if you get a new R6.

Just my $.02 from having several bikes in the past.

 

I'd get another one. I'd like to sell my current F4i and get something newer myself, so if you could and want to... do it.

 

all great and valid points...after reading this thread and reading "woody's" superbike thread, ive gathered enough perserverance to keep at it with the i...even though woody bailed on the plans =\

i realize that its the rider thats the most important factor, but i hope you guys kinda grasped the main riff i had with this topic...just a fine line between getting something more geared for what i want, or keep pouring money into performance parts that will still make the BIKE (me not being a factor)just short of what newer bikes have the potential to achieve stock...

just imagine, how sweet it would feel riding with the clip ons under the triple...or coming around a turn shredding puck and not have your peg come up from scraping (although i have recently fixed that by adding 1"/1" rearset risers) something as simple as that would liven everything turn, dont you think? [>:]