F4 vs. F4i: what should I get?

mmmjboner · 04-30-2006, 2:12 AM

Hey I'm new to the forum and I can't post in the marketplace yet so here I am racking up posts! I'm looking at buying my first street cycle and I have decided a Honda F4 or F4i is what I need/want. I have not previously owned a Honda, but I have owned a Yamaha Raptor which gave me carb problems constantly. My experience with the Yamaha has turned me off to carbs on a vehicle I plan to ride often (i.e. needs to be reliable) I believe the carbs on the Yamaha was a Mikuni, but I'm not 100%. What kind of carbs does the F4 have? Do they have problems? Also, what kind of performance and efficiency differences are we talking here? I really really want the EFI but I can't find one that fits my criteria (price, mileage, condition, location, etc) I found a '00 F4 w/5,400 miles that I can buy for $4,500, with a little room to negotiate. Should I keep looking? I want to get a bike ASAP as I only have two months before my available riding time will be severely reduced.

TIA for your input!

Jeremy

Repeater · 04-30-2006, 3:10 AM

An f4i should cost less than 4500. I paid 4500 last year and i think i paid to much. I would go EFI and stay away from carbs. If you want a bike you have to shop around and keep firm to what you think the price should be. take the wholesale and retail blue book and divide by two. remeber that price is a perfect bike and should only be a starting point.

good luck.

BladeRider · 04-30-2006, 3:33 AM

Too much in IMHO, keep looking. It is low miles but you are talking a 6 yr old bike. When buying a used bike the first thing I think of is could I turn around and sell it easily for the same money if I had to? With that price I would say no you couldn't.

nhfirefighter13 · 04-30-2006, 8:22 AM

Skip the F4. He's asking too much and parts are harder to come by since Honda only made the F4 for one year (2000).

sheepofblue · 04-30-2006, 8:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mmmjboner

Hey I'm new to the forum and I can't post in the marketplace yet so here I am racking up posts! I'm looking at buying my first street cycle and I have decided a Honda F4 or F4i is what I need/want. I have not previously owned a Honda, but I have owned a Yamaha Raptor which gave me carb problems constantly. My experience with the Yamaha has turned me off to carbs on a vehicle I plan to ride often (i.e. needs to be reliable) I believe the carbs on the Yamaha was a Mikuni, but I'm not 100%. What kind of carbs does the F4 have? Do they have problems? Also, what kind of performance and efficiency differences are we talking here? I really really want the EFI but I can't find one that fits my criteria (price, mileage, condition, location, etc) I found a '00 F4 w/5,400 miles that I can buy for $4,500, with a little room to negotiate. Should I keep looking? I want to get a bike ASAP as I only have two months before my available riding time will be severely reduced.

TIA for your input!

Jeremy

Be careful dishonest people can smell that on you like animals smell fear. Be careful rushing. You might miss your two months but unless you have a terminal desease you will have many future seasons.

elitecbrgirl · 04-30-2006, 9:58 AM

You have to take your time can't rush these things and jump on the first thing you see, when I was looking for my f4i I coulnd't believe all the junk that was out there lucky enough 4 me I had someone with me that was very educated on bikes and could steer me away from all the crap out there (because I wouldn't be able to tell ) I started looking in june and didn't purchase till Aug and I am so happy with my f4i I love it

dattaway · 04-30-2006, 10:19 AM

The cbr600f4 came out in 1999 too. I have the 2000 with the carbs and after 80,000 miles it has served me well. If you plan to have it set up for lengths at a time, you will want the fuel injection. Carbs tend to dry up and get jets full of varnish if the bike is ever neglected. The other difference is the f4i has a different gearing from the rear sproket, so your mileage might decrease. I'm getting an average of 48mpg on my f4. Parts are not at all hard to get in my experience.

mmmjboner · 04-30-2006, 3:42 PM

I have been looking all over for an F4i and $5,500 is about the cheapest I have found so far and the guy won't answer his phone! I've been checking ebay, cycletrader.com, auto-rv.com, newspapers, forums, locally... I just found this forum and it looks like it will be a good resource. There is an RC51 in the classifieds that doesn't look bad, anyone have comments about that?

Jeremy

Scout · 04-30-2006, 10:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mmmjboner

I have been looking all over for an F4i and $5,500 is about the cheapest I have found so far and the guy won't answer his phone! I've been checking ebay, cycletrader.com, auto-rv.com, newspapers, forums, locally... I just found this forum and it looks like it will be a good resource. There is an RC51 in the classifieds that doesn't look bad, anyone have comments about that?

Jeremy

RC51's are solid performers IMO, and could be a good choice for a step up from your 600. Check the RC51 forum here at Fireblades for more info.

BDA116 · 04-30-2006, 11:05 PM

That is way too high for an F4i. South Dakota isn't that far from you, and there is a guy there selling a nice '03 600RR for sale for $5200.