Reading through the comments it's what people have been asking for years, give us reviews on bikes people can afford to buy and run, not rent on PCP. I look forward to the rest of this series. 👍
Be grateful for the monthly payment crew & all the videos enticing them in... their obsession with the latest model means we can buy a 20,000 mile big bike for a couple of grand 😉
@@teapotone Put a call out to the clan, I’m sure we have all sorts of wonders tucked away that would lend you for a vid. I have a GSXR 600 K1 that I’m putting some work into that you could use when it’s done for instance.
I've been running an '04 CBR600F for the last few years and I absolutely love it. Has an incredibly intuitive, responsive quality to the handling. Very civilized low-speed delivery from the engine, ideal for city riding, with a real banshee rush further up the revs, as noted in the video. Mine, which is totally stock, was dyno tested recently and still delivering 93bhp/45ft-lb at the rear wheel. It's plenty powerful enough to go stupid-fast if you want it to. Brakes: install braided hoses and quality pads and they perform just fine. Personally I love the fact that it's so analog too - rely on riding skills, not electronics.
Oh yes, a few evenings in the garage and a coat of TLC is all that is needed. A pleasure in itself. A whole other type of motorcycling. One which you can do on a budget or if you are keen on spinning the spanners. It also a reason for wanting more than one bike. A great insight, thanks for spreading the gospel 😉.
I have excaclty the same bike since today , it has 110 hp and it weighs 170 kg dry I have done 115.000 km and I am very satisfied , no serious problems , just changed the oils on time and put the best quality of fuel ⛽ and that's it , life time warranty... Have a nice week and happy New year. Greetings from Greece 🇬🇷...
I had a '94 CBR600f2 as my first big bike, in 2017. What a bike, it was a peach. Steel frame, 100bhp, no abs, or traction. Taught me a lot about riding before I upgraded, and it cost me 1k. I also sold it for 1200 2 years later. Can't go wrong
Bought a 2001 CBRF4i with 34k on the clock when I returned to biking after a 30 year absence. Your review was absolutely spot on. Very forgiving below 8000 revs but hold on after that as she catapults you into the horizon! Research on the net reveals the CBR easily runs well into 100k and over on the clock and is popular with stunt riders who describe the engine as bulletproof. 😎
I believe there is a massive market for bikes at this price point for people who can't justify the massive price tags that new bikes have now and want a very capable machine.
Wheeey! I sort of made the cut. Thanks for the shout out for The Who'd A Bruce, and possibly also thanks for snipping the bit of me low-key fangirling when I realised you were wearing a TP1 snood and suddenly realised I recognised the voice inside the lid 😄 The pleasure was all mine, hope you pop in again on your jaunts around the area!
@Paul Stredwick definitely! But as an owner of one I would say 110% of the fun for 15% of the price. I am sometimes beeing really harsh on it. I am not affraid of bad roads. I push EVERYTHING out of it on the trackdays....I am doing stuff, which I would NEVER do on a bike that is worht 15k. On a new bike my OCD would make me care about every single little stone, creating a small chip in my fairings. ...when I dropped my F4i on a gravel road doing slides I just smiled and went ahead to drive more...
This was my first big bike (1999 on carbs with aluminium frame). I wish I never sold it. I missed it so much I bought one exactly the same 10 years later and ride it all the time, for a 20 year old bike it’s very capable by even today’s standards.
I’ve just brought one of these and I absolutely love it, got a great deal and the bike is all original condition, I’ve got it as a second bike and couldn’t have asked for anything better.
I have this version of the CBR, it’s my first big bike. I absolutely love it, it’s just such a blast to ride, plenty of power to get some experience, it’s easy enough to work on, parts are still available. Not to mention it is a beautiful thing to look at! Many more fun rides to come!
Got my f4i 2002 last month, yesterday I went for a blast. The true fun comes at around 10.000 - 11.000 rpm. Believe me, this bike has a lot of power. I had a couple yzf-s, had a couple of sv650 but none of them is as much fun as the f4i. Just feels properly built and way beyond my skills (12 years of full bike license). I would say this is the perfect first big bike if you are keen to start on a super bike. Also this is very forgiving and linear comparing with other super sports. But as I said before, after 10.000rpm this is a demon.
Yes, a big boy bike on a budget. I recently purchased a 94 600F2 for an affordable sum. Gets me into the bigger league without spending too much. Its done 44,000k over its 26 year life and plenty more, with on-going servicing. Will handle club rides with ease and leave my smaller bike for commuting. Basic without a fuel gauge, gear indicator, let alone abs etc etc but simple and fun. Powerful enough for my needs and stable on the road in windy conditions. What's not to like....
Great review and thanks for reviewing an older bike. Many of us can't afford or justify buying new or recent bikes and live in the 1k to 5k bracket so it's great that your paying attention to these gems.
I’ve had one since I passed my test 4 years ago. Absolutely love it. I recommend one to everyone that’s just passed. Done 35,000 miles on mine since and it’s been a joy regardless of road. Comfy for a 4 hour ride on motorways only. Wouldn’t know what bike to have to replace this one. The dreams a GSXR 1000 ‘09 looks but god knows how it compares lol.
Had a 1991 version ,put 71k miles on it commuting 16k year round never needed valves adjusting ,just wear & tear items , cams looked perfect when valves checked at 72k .
Picked mine up last night first road bike !! She's a beut ! Brilliant first time big bike ! Comfy, power where you need but not over whelming! Coming from 12 years of mx it felt weird to ride a bike on the road but was very soon comfortable with it ! N would highly recommend these bikes to anyone starting out on a budget !
I paid £800 for my 98 CBR 600f3 and it's fantastic. Picked up a full stainless steel exhaust off Facebook for £80 give it a good clean and service and it runs a dream just over 26k on the clock. I can't justify spending thousands on a newer bike now. For less than a grand I've got a superb sports bike and I don't think I'll ever sell it
Nice to see someone reviewing older bikes,instead of £20,000 bikes, as an owner of a GSXR 1000 K5 it goes nearly as well without all the electronics and A fraction of the price. Nice one Bruce keep them coming👍
This makes a nice change. You can find the same old reviews of the newer bikes anywhere, but new videos on older bikes! This is definately what I want to see. 👍🏽
Good review Bruce! Brought back fond memories of the new CBR600 I had 20 years ago. I love Hondas of this vintage hence why I still have my VFR and VTR, they are both very capable all rounders that are still plenty quick enough on the road. Looking forward to more used reviews!
Really enjoyed the video, looking forward to more in the future, really good to see the sort of bikes most of us can afford instead of £20,000 models. Thanks Bruce 👍
What a great review TP1, and (IMO) a real hole in the market of TH-cam for these types of reviews. Autotrader Bikes is my 'go to' entertainment in the evening and it never ceases to surprise me the bargains to be had out there, especially if you can see past 40k miles being "too high". Currently there are first gen (Unrestricted) Hayabusa's for the £3k mark, big bore touring Beemers for the same money, and a host of smaller capacity machines for a lot less than that.....and pick of the bunch for me as I type is a Kawasaki ZX-9R with 25k on the clock for a smidge over £2k, and from a dealer too!.....Keep up this type of review, for we don't all have in excess of £10k to splash out on a new machine.
Most what this guy's saying is spot-on. It's probably one of the best motorcycles I've bought value wise and the finish & build quality is top notch. It feels comfortable although feels more like a bigger bike, the ride feels sturdy and you always feel in control though I found my front brake to snatch hard if you're not extra gentle with it maybe it needs some kind of tinkering with( the same as I had happened on my Fireblade 900 which was fine after I fiddled with it) I've just bought a very tidy 2003 model with 24000 miles on the clock:) I've had the CBR 1000F, Fireblade 900 Urban Tiger and 2 of the CBR 600 F3. It feels a cross between the F3(only heavier)& my Fireblade only less torque at mid range especially. When first started, I was expecting it to sound like my F3 although it really sounds like a 1000cc! My only gripe( apart from there's no fuel gauge except a light when it's just B4 its empty) is it doesn't look as there's any where to put the crash bungs unless you cut up your fairings which was the same story on my Fireblade 900. So you just have to be extra careful you don't drop it on its side!
@@Sirmancelot91 A day or so after I wrote this, the front brake that I mentioned was snatching here, had me drop it while turning low speed! I broke my knee cap & I barely got to really open her up, selling it after. Having said that i'd say no & I don't think you will miss mid range torque nor regret buying the 600. The 600's really started to get popular around about this era since many could compete with the 1000's & 750,s. (the Gixer600 2004 could hit 180mph!) The 1000f is nearly 1/4 tonne & It felt one of the heaviest sports bikes I've owned. You should appreciate & instantly feel the differing weight/balance.
Great video, but then again I'm biased because I've just bought a CBR600FX (99) for just under (£2500 - 15k mile) and LOVE IT!! It was always my dream bike since I was 17, so now I'm 51 it was time to get back in the saddle and I haven't stopped smiling since. An honest review and every time I read or watch a review it always comes across that not only is it a great bike (first time or not) but everyone has such a soft spot for this bike.
Love the review.. I only passed my DA test in 08 then I went and hired one of these for a few days and it was such a positive experience. Definitely a sensible step to take before taking on say a 1000RR for example.
My first big Bike was an M Reg CBR600F and it was fantastic. I bought it new. Only issue I had was that it was quite a tall Bike and I dropped it a few times from a standing start (turning). Loved the Bike and I had it for 3 years before I had to give up riding. Just bought my dream Bike after over 20 years and I am in heaven. Thanks for the upload buddy.
Yeah, that will go on for ever. Mate had one from new & his maintenence schedule consisted of kicking the tyres every 6 months! Was still going strong at 50k. Good to see a video from just down the road from me & finished up in the village I grew up in. Nice!
Had my 2000 model for about 14yrs now. Sometimes get the urge for something more modern, but then go out on it and it puts a smile on my face. From doing the nc500 in 2.5 days from Newcastle, to the odd track day, to a summer blast with mates on their r1s and blades it never embarrasses itself. I have just as much fun as the others and think there's something to be said for riding an older bike a bit harder. Reliability has been immense, just servicing and a few sensible mods
Have a 2006 one at the moment, 43,000 miles lives outside all year.The fit and finish on these older hondas is second to none and with an aluminium frame whats not to like !
Thanks very much for this review. It really helped me decide what to buy as my first bike. I passed my test yesterday and picked up a 2007 CBR600F! So far so good!
Teapot. This generation of the CBR 600 had around 110bhp with about 100 at the back wheel and 48ft/lbs of torque. O owned one of these at the time of release, a very very good bike with a very well known reputation. I also owned earlier versions of the bike. good luck.
Holy sh1t! I bought one of these this year. It’s the sport version and it had 1714 miles on the clock. Absolute bargain considering its 18 years old but brand new. I absolutely love it. The riding position is lovely. We did the glenshee run down to Perth and back up to Aberdeen a few months back and I felt spot on. No wrist or arm pump and my bum was surprisingly ok. She is a wee 600 so that has to be kept in mind regarding power however if she is over 6/7grand she absolutely sings and is all you need for the road. Track wise you probably want a thou bike. Other than that, what a wee thing! I absolutely love her! Great vid sir. Fingers crossed you come back home at some point this coming year and I’ll see you at the hungry highlander. 👍
@@Fee.1 red line signifies the max engine rpm. The F stands for faired (the wind protection). My understanding is the started bringing out the R versions in 2004 but don’t quote me on that. 👍
I brought a cbr600f3 1995, 25k mileage for 2k... Cheap insurance and great bike for the UK roads... Everyone wants an r6 or zx6r but these and the gsxrs are better for the UK roads having more mid range
I’ve got a newish MT09. but I still love riding my 20 year old cbr600 FY carb model. 100% reliable and so smooth and easy at low revs, but take it over 6000 revs and whoosh, it becomes a sports bike. Very comfortable riding position as well for a sports bike.
Great video. No I’m super happy to see a prominent channel like yours showing some older bikes that a lot of us can actually afford. PLEASE wonderful, kind, giving and generous Mr Teapot, if the have a GS500 give it a ride. That is REAL biking lol. Closest thing a 500 has to a computer is the ignition switch. ❤️❤️❤️
Top review. Covered absolutely everything I needed to help make a decision. Can't decide on a CBR600F or a ZX6R, but this review probably swung me back towards the Honda. Cheers for the thoughts, and for riding through the west country...
Love me an old cbr600. My first big machine was a 1995 cbr was my daily ride. Even after 300 - 400 miles I was ache free. My only gripe was lack of fuel gauge.
Had one of these 5-6 years ago, wish I had never sold it (left the UK). Great all round bike, quick enough for a Sunday blast, comfortable enough for light touring, reliable and cheap!
I bought a CBR650F Tri-Colour last year for my first bike. 15 plate, 4000 miles £4200 and she’s absolutely mint. Already had a fettle and changed the oil filter, air filter, indicators to LED, indicator relay, screen and most recently the exhaust (a Black Widow high level full system for £430) I love her
Absolutely love this bike it’s good to go out and tuck it around corners roundabouts and it’s also good to go on a quick but long ride. Just enjoy the sites. I love this bike i’ve had a CBR fire blade and I’ve had a CBR 1100 blackbird and I still would 100% go back to the CBR 600 F or FS bike beautiful bikes.
The old ZX-6r's were brilliant. I bought a Grey / parallel import in 2000 (J1 Model in red), saved quite a bit on the UK price and kept it for 10 years and 52,000miles. It never let me down mechanically or failed to be fun. Sore knees, shoulders and wrists eventually forced a change.
Hey if you hadn’t said, I wouldn’t have missed the end but. I was enjoying the neat controlled drone work and the voiceover worked really well. Keep these ‘oldies but goodies’ coming. These are the bikes that guys can really afford, after all!
These bikes will probably go up in value. Cheap to buy, cheap to own and you will not lose much on resale. Honda’s of this era are pure quality. Think, fire blade, vfr 800, blackbird and even the mighty cb500. And the paint jobs ... put most modern schemes to shame. Merry Christmas and thanks for all the vids this year :-)
I rode an fx (99) model for a winter. I'm over 6ft so it was a wee bit cramped but stupendous value for money. A short workmate has it now and he loves it, absolutely fantastic quality budget bikes.
This was my first big bike at the age of 21 all those years ago. Going from a 125cc to this was an eye opener, but amazing fun. If I remember correctly, insurance was £150 fully comp back then.
The 600f has 108bhp, just 8 less than the GSXR 600 of the same year and there’s only a tenth of a second difference to 60mph between them and the gixxer was a hardcore track bike. That’s one of the things that made this bike so popular; it was a wolf in sheep’s clothing 👍♥️
Great review. i have one of this cbr600 fx 2002 and a fireblade 900. This one is a work horse. A brilliant bike regardless of how experienced you are, it will put a smile on your face everytime.
Great vid. It is nice to see the 'older' stuff getting a look at still. I have an FZ6 and love it. It has no electronics at all and is simple to work on. A few mods (cans, braided lines etc) and it is a complete gem.
Great video. Not ridden the CBR but have got an RF600R which is quite underrated which is a 600 with 100BHP. Keep up the great videos. Merry Christmas.
To be honest I enjoyed the drone voice over at the end, more a storyline kinda thing.👌 And like I said to you before I sold my new bike and got a VFR 750f and a super blackbird 1100. More enjoyable to ride NO daftness to get your head muddled up when riding just ride.
@@andrewbozhozr I had a 750vfr 20 years ago and I had to sell it when family etc came along and when I got the replacement it was like it was only yesterday I had the VFR and the blackbird should get me there a bit quicker allegedly....🤣🤣
That was an immensely enjoyable vid! And also very educational. I'm new to the whole biking world, in my mid 50's and have been legally riding my 600f4i for about 2 months after selling my Kwaka GPX250 that I cut my teeth on. Yes, fully agree that it is a great intro to the more serious sports bikes and whilst I haven't yet taken it over 9k revs, because it scared the crap out'a'me... I'm definitely looking forward to gradually building up my confidence on it. Thank you again for a great vid! Congratulations and Happy Christmas.
I had a 99 version and loved it. It was like riding a 125 around town in low revs but then when you got up top it had some real punch. I now have 2013 version with much more linear power and I do miss that top end craziness.
Bought mine as my 6th bike last year for 1300 EUR in a superb condition, just with some broken plastics after a small lowside crash. It has 90.000km, engine compression as if it were new. I would go around the world tomorrow with it with 0% fear of it breaking down in some sereious way. One of the BEST choices for people on a tight budget who want a reliable sportbike, capable of 260kmh top speed, combined with some long distance riding which will not make you tired too much becasue the riding position is extremly comfortable (for a sportbike). Reliable well engineered parts, which are also very easy to buy either new OR used. I can do long cruises with good fuel constumption and high comfort for me AND my passenger. Or I can tuck down on it and FLY 260kmh+ on a highway. I can beat some modern sportbikes on the trackday. The bike even survived some gravel road offroading with slides and small jumps. I have it as a "no mercy" bike. She is still going strong :)))
I bought a 2006 CBR600F in 2008 as my first every bike. I didn't go over 8k rpm for the first couple of months! By then they were up to 108bhp and that was plenty. I did 30k miles in 3.5years. That was commuting, touring and I did about 10 track days. Amazing bike that took me from absolute newbie up to Intermeditate group on trackdays. I only got rid of it as I got fed up with the revs on the motorway commute. I then went for it's big brother : CBR1100XX Super Blackbird. Bruce - more your size!
Awesome to see someone do reviews on bikes of this age, not everyone and especially young people coming into biking can afford the latest machinery. Unfortunately as someone above said I'm pretty sure this bike is only running on 3 cylinders and would/should pull much better than it does in the video.
Aye very true, tbh I didn’t realise it at the time and did think it was a bit underwhelming going by what everyone has said about the CBR600F. Listening back to the footage it definitely is misfiring 👍
Got a pretty decent 2002 one for 2400 euros, 32k miles on it. Wonderful bike! The riding position is very well balanced between sportyness and comfort, just had a 160 mile trip on it with no rests, no problems at all.
I love this, unless I win the lottery I'll never be in a position to spend 10k or more on a bike, so I really relate to the value in something second hand. I also like the short intro to the vids 👍
Ah Bruce im delighted you are doing these reviews of "old world" bikes in real world weather. Iv'e owned this model and it was my step up from my first bike (zzr400) and it felt like i'd gone from playing football for Halifax Town to Liverpool. Funny how people myself included tbh look back on them now as gutless lol. Keep up the good work.
I wish I had known you were in Swindon I would have bought you a cuppa. Surprised you went to Budget Bikes, they don't have a good reputation around here. But missed the opportunity to show the world the delight of the magic roundabout on a bike in the rain lol
Next time I’m over I’ll give you a shout bud, restrictions permitting of course 😉 Yeah I’ve been told about ‘Budget Bikes’ previous reputation and that’s something they are keen to try and address I think. 👍
Great to see ya on a real affordable straight bike Bruce without the over priced goodies and electrical gismos ,price realistic for a toy and don't have to sign your life away to pay for it need to see more of these .Cheers : )
I'm with everybody in the comments. The new bikes are great to see reviews for and I will always watch them however this price point is real life for many of us so this review will always gather a decent following. I am currently borrowing my pals T reg CBR600f with 28k miles and a slipping clutch! It's still nice and tight and is every bit as comfy as you have described, he's getting a new bike this winter so I may make an offer, it will be my 4th bike now 🤦♂️🤣
My thoughts too. These engines were so smooth but needed carb balancing regularly (earlier FX model that is - this version has Fi). Definitely not sounding 100%
Great to see a review of an older bike. Keep em coming. Whilst new bikes are lovely, for most I guess they are a dream, especially in today’s world with all the uncertainties being thrown at us. However, also appreciate the fact that for you, having the loan of a bike you have no intention of buying may be an issue, unless as you say, you can get links with a garage.
Reading through the comments it's what people have been asking for years, give us reviews on bikes people can afford to buy and run, not rent on PCP. I look forward to the rest of this series. 👍
So true.
Be grateful for the monthly payment crew & all the videos enticing them in... their obsession with the latest model means we can buy a 20,000 mile big bike for a couple of grand 😉
Great idea for a series. Everyone reviews the new bike, but no one is going back over the old and classics. Love it. Please do more!
Cheers Simon, I plan to do a load more hopefully if I can get over to Swindon in the New Year 👍
@@teapotone Put a call out to the clan, I’m sure we have all sorts of wonders tucked away that would lend you for a vid. I have a GSXR 600 K1 that I’m putting some work into that you could use when it’s done for instance.
I've been running an '04 CBR600F for the last few years and I absolutely love it. Has an incredibly intuitive, responsive quality to the handling. Very civilized low-speed delivery from the engine, ideal for city riding, with a real banshee rush further up the revs, as noted in the video. Mine, which is totally stock, was dyno tested recently and still delivering 93bhp/45ft-lb at the rear wheel. It's plenty powerful enough to go stupid-fast if you want it to. Brakes: install braided hoses and quality pads and they perform just fine. Personally I love the fact that it's so analog too - rely on riding skills, not electronics.
Oh yes, a few evenings in the garage and a coat of TLC is all that is needed. A pleasure in itself.
A whole other type of motorcycling. One which you can do on a budget or if you are keen on spinning the spanners.
It also a reason for wanting more than one bike.
A great insight, thanks for spreading the gospel 😉.
I have excaclty the same bike since today , it has 110 hp and it weighs 170 kg dry I have done 115.000 km and I am very satisfied , no serious problems , just changed the oils on time and put the best quality of fuel ⛽ and that's it , life time warranty...
Have a nice week and happy New year.
Greetings from Greece 🇬🇷...
Bought a '99 CBR600F earlier this year after passing my test. Absolutely love it!
It was my first bike too, have fun!
I had a '94 CBR600f2 as my first big bike, in 2017. What a bike, it was a peach. Steel frame, 100bhp, no abs, or traction. Taught me a lot about riding before I upgraded, and it cost me 1k. I also sold it for 1200 2 years later. Can't go wrong
I've been waiting for a series like this for years. Please continue!
Cheers Ron, got more to come bud 👍
@@teapotone Do a review on the 5th gen vfr 800 :)
Please do I have one of these😊👍
Bought a 2001 CBRF4i with 34k on the clock when I returned to biking after a 30 year absence. Your review was absolutely spot on. Very forgiving below 8000 revs but hold on after that as she catapults you into the horizon! Research on the net reveals the CBR easily runs well into 100k and over on the clock and is popular with stunt riders who describe the engine as bulletproof. 😎
I believe there is a massive market for bikes at this price point for people who can't justify the massive price tags that new bikes have now and want a very capable machine.
Isn't that the CBR650?
@@MyMednas not everyone can afford or justify £8k+ on a bike
@@MyMednas so true. My GS500 cost me $3000 Australian, and frankly it’s fun as hell and will do me.
Wheeey! I sort of made the cut. Thanks for the shout out for The Who'd A Bruce, and possibly also thanks for snipping the bit of me low-key fangirling when I realised you were wearing a TP1 snood and suddenly realised I recognised the voice inside the lid 😄
The pleasure was all mine, hope you pop in again on your jaunts around the area!
Definitely a place for older bikes. 90% of the fun of a new bike for 30% of the price. Liked the format. It's like you're presenting a TV show. 😉
Cheers Paul, I’m getting some practice in 👍
@Paul Stredwick definitely! But as an owner of one I would say 110% of the fun for 15% of the price. I am sometimes beeing really harsh on it. I am not affraid of bad roads. I push EVERYTHING out of it on the trackdays....I am doing stuff, which I would NEVER do on a bike that is worht 15k. On a new bike my OCD would make me care about every single little stone, creating a small chip in my fairings. ...when I dropped my F4i on a gravel road doing slides I just smiled and went ahead to drive more...
@@perfectox Good point. It's very liberating having a bike you're not too precious about.
This was my first big bike (1999 on carbs with aluminium frame). I wish I never sold it. I missed it so much I bought one exactly the same 10 years later and ride it all the time, for a 20 year old bike it’s very capable by even today’s standards.
I sold my 2006 cbrf and bought even older 2003 cbrf after three years 😂
I’ve just brought one of these and I absolutely love it, got a great deal and the bike is all original condition, I’ve got it as a second bike and couldn’t have asked for anything better.
I have this version of the CBR, it’s my first big bike.
I absolutely love it, it’s just such a blast to ride, plenty of power to get some experience, it’s easy enough to work on, parts are still available. Not to mention it is a beautiful thing to look at!
Many more fun rides to come!
Got my f4i 2002 last month, yesterday I went for a blast. The true fun comes at around 10.000 - 11.000 rpm. Believe me, this bike has a lot of power. I had a couple yzf-s, had a couple of sv650 but none of them is as much fun as the f4i. Just feels properly built and way beyond my skills (12 years of full bike license). I would say this is the perfect first big bike if you are keen to start on a super bike. Also this is very forgiving and linear comparing with other super sports. But as I said before, after 10.000rpm this is a demon.
Yes, a big boy bike on a budget. I recently purchased a 94 600F2 for an affordable sum. Gets me into the bigger league without spending too much. Its done 44,000k over its 26 year life and plenty more, with on-going servicing. Will handle club rides with ease and leave my smaller bike for commuting. Basic without a fuel gauge, gear indicator, let alone abs etc etc but simple and fun. Powerful enough for my needs and stable on the road in windy conditions.
What's not to like....
Great review and thanks for reviewing an older bike. Many of us can't afford or justify buying new or recent bikes and live in the 1k to 5k bracket so it's great that your paying attention to these gems.
I’ve had one since I passed my test 4 years ago. Absolutely love it. I recommend one to everyone that’s just passed. Done 35,000 miles on mine since and it’s been a joy regardless of road. Comfy for a 4 hour ride on motorways only. Wouldn’t know what bike to have to replace this one. The dreams a GSXR 1000 ‘09 looks but god knows how it compares lol.
This will be a good series, much better than the usual suspects only reviewing new bikes and rushing to get the first press release out!
Thanks M B 👍
100% who's got 12-15k spare these days were all hovering round the 2-5k mark 🤣
@@zedddddful Better to spend 5 k on a bike with no Debt and then spend another 5k for a shit ton of riding and enjoying the thing.
@@ralphwarom2514 I spent about £4500 on mine I refuse to believe the new ones are 7k more fun than mine on the road 🤣
Rode to the top end of Holland and back on one of these and it was surprisingly comfortable and had plenty of power for "normal" riding.
Had a 1991 version ,put 71k miles on it commuting 16k year round never needed valves adjusting ,just wear & tear items , cams looked perfect when valves checked at 72k .
Picked mine up last night first road bike !! She's a beut ! Brilliant first time big bike ! Comfy, power where you need but not over whelming! Coming from 12 years of mx it felt weird to ride a bike on the road but was very soon comfortable with it ! N would highly recommend these bikes to anyone starting out on a budget !
I paid £800 for my 98 CBR 600f3 and it's fantastic. Picked up a full stainless steel exhaust off Facebook for £80 give it a good clean and service and it runs a dream just over 26k on the clock. I can't justify spending thousands on a newer bike now. For less than a grand I've got a superb sports bike and I don't think I'll ever sell it
Nice to see someone reviewing older bikes,instead of £20,000 bikes, as an owner of a GSXR 1000 K5 it goes nearly as well without all the electronics and A fraction of the price. Nice one Bruce keep them coming👍
The legendary K5👍
This makes a nice change.
You can find the same old reviews of the newer bikes anywhere, but new videos on older bikes! This is definately what I want to see. 👍🏽
Good review Bruce! Brought back fond memories of the new CBR600 I had 20 years ago. I love Hondas of this vintage hence why I still have my VFR and VTR, they are both very capable all rounders that are still plenty quick enough on the road. Looking forward to more used reviews!
Really enjoyed the video, looking forward to more in the future, really good to see the sort of bikes most of us can afford instead of £20,000 models. Thanks Bruce 👍
This is where it’s at, proper reviews of affordable bikes. More like this please 👍
Looking forward to the new show too 🤟
Cheers Johnny 👍
What a great review TP1, and (IMO) a real hole in the market of TH-cam for these types of reviews. Autotrader Bikes is my 'go to' entertainment in the evening and it never ceases to surprise me the bargains to be had out there, especially if you can see past 40k miles being "too high". Currently there are first gen (Unrestricted) Hayabusa's for the £3k mark, big bore touring Beemers for the same money, and a host of smaller capacity machines for a lot less than that.....and pick of the bunch for me as I type is a Kawasaki ZX-9R with 25k on the clock for a smidge over £2k, and from a dealer too!.....Keep up this type of review, for we don't all have in excess of £10k to splash out on a new machine.
Most what this guy's saying is spot-on. It's probably one of the best motorcycles I've bought value wise and the finish & build quality is top notch.
It feels comfortable although feels more like a bigger bike, the ride feels sturdy and you always feel in control though I found my front brake to snatch hard if you're not extra gentle with it maybe it needs some kind of tinkering with( the same as I had happened on my Fireblade 900 which was fine after I fiddled with it)
I've just bought a very tidy 2003 model with 24000 miles on the clock:)
I've had the CBR 1000F, Fireblade 900 Urban Tiger and 2 of the CBR 600 F3.
It feels a cross between the F3(only heavier)& my Fireblade only less torque at mid range especially. When first started, I was expecting it to sound like my F3 although it really sounds like a 1000cc!
My only gripe( apart from there's no fuel gauge except a light when it's just B4 its empty) is it doesn't look as there's any where to put the crash bungs unless you cut up your fairings which was the same story on my Fireblade 900.
So you just have to be extra careful you don't drop it on its side!
I am looking into this bike, and I currently have a CBR 1000f. I read that you also had a CBR 1000f, am I going to miss the midrange torque?
@@Sirmancelot91 A day or so after I wrote this, the front brake that I mentioned was snatching here, had me drop it while turning low speed!
I broke my knee cap & I barely got to really open her up, selling it after.
Having said that i'd say no & I don't think you will miss mid range torque nor regret buying the 600.
The 600's really started to get popular around about this era since many could compete with the 1000's & 750,s. (the Gixer600 2004 could hit 180mph!)
The 1000f is nearly 1/4 tonne & It felt one of the heaviest sports bikes I've owned.
You should appreciate & instantly feel the differing weight/balance.
Great video, but then again I'm biased because I've just bought a CBR600FX (99) for just under (£2500 - 15k mile) and LOVE IT!! It was always my dream bike since I was 17, so now I'm 51 it was time to get back in the saddle and I haven't stopped smiling since. An honest review and every time I read or watch a review it always comes across that not only is it a great bike (first time or not) but everyone has such a soft spot for this bike.
Which colour do you have?
Yip I see your true to your word in reviewing some older more reachable bikes Bruce. Nice one mate and great review as always. 🏴👍
Really enjoyable video mate! I really like this concept with affordable bikes, please do more of these!
Yes please. Affordable bikes! Yes! Loved this one. Thanks.
Love the review.. I only passed my DA test in 08 then I went and hired one of these for a few days and it was such a positive experience. Definitely a sensible step to take before taking on say a 1000RR for example.
My first big Bike was an M Reg CBR600F and it was fantastic. I bought it new. Only issue I had was that it was quite a tall Bike and I dropped it a few times from a standing start (turning). Loved the Bike and I had it for 3 years before I had to give up riding. Just bought my dream Bike after over 20 years and I am in heaven. Thanks for the upload buddy.
Great to see some older affordable bikes pal. I used to own that exact model and year. Great vlog. 👍👍
Thanks bud 👍
My wife just bought a 2010 600rr ,fantastic bike great fun. Thing I love is the dash it tells you the exact info needed with no extra bull
Yeah, that will go on for ever. Mate had one from new & his maintenence schedule consisted of kicking the tyres every 6 months! Was still going strong at 50k. Good to see a video from just down the road from me & finished up in the village I grew up in. Nice!
Had my 2000 model for about 14yrs now. Sometimes get the urge for something more modern, but then go out on it and it puts a smile on my face. From doing the nc500 in 2.5 days from Newcastle, to the odd track day, to a summer blast with mates on their r1s and blades it never embarrasses itself. I have just as much fun as the others and think there's something to be said for riding an older bike a bit harder. Reliability has been immense, just servicing and a few sensible mods
Great stuff Craig, there’s definitely something different to riding these older bikes without all the gizmos 👍
This was my first bike and served me well... Great beginner sports bike as its very manageable under 7k revs
Have a 2006 one at the moment, 43,000 miles lives outside all year.The fit and finish on these older hondas is second to none and with an aluminium frame whats not to like !
Thanks very much for this review. It really helped me decide what to buy as my first bike. I passed my test yesterday and picked up a 2007 CBR600F! So far so good!
I now have a 954 Fireblade! If you’re ever near Lancashire you’d be very welcome to take it out and do another retro bike review!
That’s very kind Andy thank you, but I tend not to ride other people’s bikes… couldn’t forgive myself if something happened 👍
Teapot. This generation of the CBR 600 had around 110bhp with about 100 at the back wheel and 48ft/lbs of torque. O owned one of these at the time of release, a very very good bike with a very well known reputation. I also owned earlier versions of the bike. good luck.
Holy sh1t! I bought one of these this year. It’s the sport version and it had 1714 miles on the clock. Absolute bargain considering its 18 years old but brand new. I absolutely love it. The riding position is lovely. We did the glenshee run down to Perth and back up to Aberdeen a few months back and I felt spot on. No wrist or arm pump and my bum was surprisingly ok. She is a wee 600 so that has to be kept in mind regarding power however if she is over 6/7grand she absolutely sings and is all you need for the road. Track wise you probably want a thou bike. Other than that, what a wee thing! I absolutely love her! Great vid sir. Fingers crossed you come back home at some point this coming year and I’ll see you at the hungry highlander. 👍
What’s red line ?
WhTs the F designate ? Did they make a CB600R back then ? Curious if the difference
@@Fee.1 red line signifies the max engine rpm. The F stands for faired (the wind protection). My understanding is the started bringing out the R versions in 2004 but don’t quote me on that. 👍
@@djkenn77 😭🤣 THANKS! I meant what is the bikes redline?
@@Fee.1 ah lol. 14.2k.
I brought a cbr600f3 1995, 25k mileage for 2k... Cheap insurance and great bike for the UK roads... Everyone wants an r6 or zx6r but these and the gsxrs are better for the UK roads having more mid range
My first bikes were a Honda Hornet 600, and a CBR 600F good memories. Like these more budget bike videos. Cheers Bruce all the best for 2021.
I’ve got a newish MT09. but I still love riding my 20 year old cbr600 FY carb model. 100% reliable and so smooth and easy at low revs, but take it over 6000 revs and whoosh, it becomes a sports bike. Very comfortable riding position as well for a sports bike.
Great idea for a series, love bikes from the early 2000s. 😃
Great video. No I’m super happy to see a prominent channel like yours showing some older bikes that a lot of us can actually afford. PLEASE wonderful, kind, giving and generous Mr Teapot, if the have a GS500 give it a ride. That is REAL biking lol. Closest thing a 500 has to a computer is the ignition switch. ❤️❤️❤️
Top review. Covered absolutely everything I needed to help make a decision. Can't decide on a CBR600F or a ZX6R, but this review probably swung me back towards the Honda. Cheers for the thoughts, and for riding through the west country...
Nice to see some reviews of actually affordable bikes! Good man.
Love me an old cbr600.
My first big machine was a 1995 cbr was my daily ride. Even after 300 - 400 miles I was ache free.
My only gripe was lack of fuel gauge.
Had one of these 5-6 years ago, wish I had never sold it (left the UK). Great all round bike, quick enough for a Sunday blast, comfortable enough for light touring, reliable and cheap!
i have one. Already 10 years driving one and love it.
I bought a CBR650F Tri-Colour last year for my first bike. 15 plate, 4000 miles £4200 and she’s absolutely mint.
Already had a fettle and changed the oil filter, air filter, indicators to LED, indicator relay, screen and most recently the exhaust (a Black Widow high level full system for £430)
I love her
Absolutely love this bike it’s good to go out and tuck it around corners roundabouts and it’s also good to go on a quick but long ride. Just enjoy the sites. I love this bike i’ve had a CBR fire blade and I’ve had a CBR 1100 blackbird and I still would 100% go back to the CBR 600 F or FS bike beautiful bikes.
Some of the best fun I've had has been on older bikes, my ZX6R G1 (98) is still to this day one of my favourite bikes I've owned. Good video Bruce
Thanks bud 👍
The old ZX-6r's were brilliant. I bought a Grey / parallel import in 2000 (J1 Model in red), saved quite a bit on the UK price and kept it for 10 years and 52,000miles. It never let me down mechanically or failed to be fun. Sore knees, shoulders and wrists eventually forced a change.
Hey if you hadn’t said, I wouldn’t have missed the end but. I was enjoying the neat controlled drone work and the voiceover worked really well. Keep these ‘oldies but goodies’ coming. These are the bikes that guys can really afford, after all!
I had a 97 CBR600 back in 2003, had it 2 and half years and loved it. Eventually chopped it in against 99 R1...
Had a 400r and then a 600... truly a bike to ‘learn the trade’ on!.👍....
Now on the CBR1100 super blackbird. Absolutely love’em.
These bikes will probably go up in value. Cheap to buy, cheap to own and you will not lose much on resale. Honda’s of this era are pure quality. Think, fire blade, vfr 800, blackbird and even the mighty cb500. And the paint jobs ... put most modern schemes to shame. Merry Christmas and thanks for all the vids this year :-)
Cheers Andrew, I appreciate that bud, Merry Christmas to you and your family too 👍
I rode an fx (99) model for a winter. I'm over 6ft so it was a wee bit cramped but stupendous value for money. A short workmate has it now and he loves it, absolutely fantastic quality budget bikes.
I have always loved the CBR600 never added one to my collection. But can't help but admire the beauty 😍 SS 600. Nice video Bruce!
This was my first big bike at the age of 21 all those years ago. Going from a 125cc to this was an eye opener, but amazing fun. If I remember correctly, insurance was £150 fully comp back then.
The 600f has 108bhp, just 8 less than the GSXR 600 of the same year and there’s only a tenth of a second difference to 60mph between them and the gixxer was a hardcore track bike.
That’s one of the things that made this bike so popular; it was a wolf in sheep’s clothing 👍♥️
Love it good to see a bike thats not brand spanking new for a change now to find the Honda st1300 pan
Great review. i have one of this cbr600 fx 2002 and a fireblade 900. This one is a work horse. A brilliant bike regardless of how experienced you are, it will put a smile on your face everytime.
Great vid. It is nice to see the 'older' stuff getting a look at still. I have an FZ6 and love it. It has no electronics at all and is simple to work on. A few mods (cans, braided lines etc) and it is a complete gem.
Great video. Not ridden the CBR but have got an RF600R which is quite underrated which is a 600 with 100BHP.
Keep up the great videos. Merry Christmas.
To be honest I enjoyed the drone voice over at the end, more a storyline kinda thing.👌 And like I said to you before I sold my new bike and got a VFR 750f and a super blackbird 1100. More enjoyable to ride NO daftness to get your head muddled up when riding just ride.
Cheers Jamie, aye it’s quite refreshing to just get on a bike and ride, feeling connected to it in a basic way 👍
I own VFR 800 and would change it only for blackbird... If you ask me, it is the best bike Honda ever made. Since then, it's all downhill....
@@andrewbozhozr I had a 750vfr 20 years ago and I had to sell it when family etc came along and when I got the replacement it was like it was only yesterday I had the VFR and the blackbird should get me there a bit quicker allegedly....🤣🤣
One of the best bikes I ever had,reliable,fast,fun and comfortable,take her out in the dry,she’ll show you what she can really do,nice review 👍👍
Great review, it's good to see how these older bikes are holding up in terms of wear, performance and looks.
That was an immensely enjoyable vid! And also very educational. I'm new to the whole biking world, in my mid 50's and have been legally riding my 600f4i for about 2 months after selling my Kwaka GPX250 that I cut my teeth on. Yes, fully agree that it is a great intro to the more serious sports bikes and whilst I haven't yet taken it over 9k revs, because it scared the crap out'a'me... I'm definitely looking forward to gradually building up my confidence on it. Thank you again for a great vid! Congratulations and Happy Christmas.
I had a 99 version and loved it. It was like riding a 125 around town in low revs but then when you got up top it had some real punch. I now have 2013 version with much more linear power and I do miss that top end craziness.
Bought mine as my 6th bike last year for 1300 EUR in a superb condition, just with some broken plastics after a small lowside crash. It has 90.000km, engine compression as if it were new. I would go around the world tomorrow with it with 0% fear of it breaking down in some sereious way. One of the BEST choices for people on a tight budget who want a reliable sportbike, capable of 260kmh top speed, combined with some long distance riding which will not make you tired too much becasue the riding position is extremly comfortable (for a sportbike). Reliable well engineered parts, which are also very easy to buy either new OR used. I can do long cruises with good fuel constumption and high comfort for me AND my passenger. Or I can tuck down on it and FLY 260kmh+ on a highway. I can beat some modern sportbikes on the trackday. The bike even survived some gravel road offroading with slides and small jumps. I have it as a "no mercy" bike. She is still going strong :)))
Had the cbr600f (2000 model) as my first bike then moved up to a blade. Missed it so much I bought another, great bikes and great review 👍
I bought a 2006 CBR600F in 2008 as my first every bike. I didn't go over 8k rpm for the first couple of months! By then they were up to 108bhp and that was plenty. I did 30k miles in 3.5years. That was commuting, touring and I did about 10 track days. Amazing bike that took me from absolute newbie up to Intermeditate group on trackdays. I only got rid of it as I got fed up with the revs on the motorway commute. I then went for it's big brother : CBR1100XX Super Blackbird. Bruce - more your size!
Hi Bruce. Completely agree. Had a couple of these and enjoyed every 1 of them. Great vid. Its a change to see older cheaper bike reviews!!!👍👍
Awesome to see someone do reviews on bikes of this age, not everyone and especially young people coming into biking can afford the latest machinery. Unfortunately as someone above said I'm pretty sure this bike is only running on 3 cylinders and would/should pull much better than it does in the video.
Aye very true, tbh I didn’t realise it at the time and did think it was a bit underwhelming going by what everyone has said about the CBR600F.
Listening back to the footage it definitely is misfiring 👍
Great review!
Might wanna pick one up tomorrow.
Seems like it is the most comfortable bike in this class from all of the big 4 manufacturers.
Got a pretty decent 2002 one for 2400 euros, 32k miles on it.
Wonderful bike!
The riding position is very well balanced between sportyness and comfort, just had a 160 mile trip on it with no rests, no problems at all.
I love this, unless I win the lottery I'll never be in a position to spend 10k or more on a bike, so I really relate to the value in something second hand.
I also like the short intro to the vids 👍
Ah Bruce im delighted you are doing these reviews of "old world" bikes in real world weather. Iv'e owned this model and it was my step up from my first bike (zzr400) and it felt like i'd gone from playing football for Halifax Town to Liverpool. Funny how people myself included tbh look back on them now as gutless lol.
Keep up the good work.
Ha Ha I know! The power available in modern bikes these days is just incredible isn’t it👍
Good video Bruce. This was the model bike I bought when I went back to biking about 14 years ago.
I wish I had known you were in Swindon I would have bought you a cuppa.
Surprised you went to Budget Bikes, they don't have a good reputation around here.
But missed the opportunity to show the world the delight of the magic roundabout on a bike in the rain lol
Next time I’m over I’ll give you a shout bud, restrictions permitting of course 😉
Yeah I’ve been told about ‘Budget Bikes’ previous reputation and that’s something they are keen to try and address I think. 👍
A bike from my youth. Great vid!
Cracking to see a review of a normal affordable bike for the average joe..
Love to see older bikes reviewed. Been riding since 1979 and only ever had one new bike - I smashed that into a tree 🌳
Love it, a bike review that doesn't spend 10 minutes talking about the electronics.
18yrs old still looks great. Looking forward to more of these vids cheers Bruce 👍
Great to see ya on a real affordable straight bike Bruce without the over priced goodies and electrical gismos ,price realistic for a toy and don't have to sign your life away to pay for it need to see more of these .Cheers : )
Rides all year, rain or shine, tells you everything you need to know - subscribed.
Ha Ha cheers Allan 👍
I'm with everybody in the comments. The new bikes are great to see reviews for and I will always watch them however this price point is real life for many of us so this review will always gather a decent following. I am currently borrowing my pals T reg CBR600f with 28k miles and a slipping clutch! It's still nice and tight and is every bit as comfy as you have described, he's getting a new bike this winter so I may make an offer, it will be my 4th bike now 🤦♂️🤣
My first bike was a '97 F3. Hope to see more videos like this one! Love these older sportbikes.
The Engine sounds like its running on 3
It doesn't sound correct....and it should have pulled a lot better than shown in the video....
Definitely not running on 4
Yup my first thought and genuinely surprised it wasnt spotted by the rider
My thoughts too. These engines were so smooth but needed carb balancing regularly (earlier FX model that is - this version has Fi). Definitely not sounding 100%
I have the same bike and I agree it doesn't sound right at all, probably running on 3
know that bike dealer, used to walk past it all the time when working at virgin- Great bike and vid, often thought of getting Jo one
Had one back in 2003, great bike put 50k trouble free miles on it in 8yrs. Can chain tensioner is the only issue.
Happy days 😎
that begining pan is the most high production thing i have ever seen on youtube, nice one mate
Thanks very much 👍
Nice format, right length and well presented vid. You can go all day on the channel with this type of content...very very interesting ...thankyou 👍
Great to see a review of an older bike. Keep em coming. Whilst new bikes are lovely, for most I guess they are a dream, especially in today’s world with all the uncertainties being thrown at us. However, also appreciate the fact that for you, having the loan of a bike you have no intention of buying may be an issue, unless as you say, you can get links with a garage.