What to look for on CBR600f's 2002/03 vintage?

[bikertomm]

Asking for a friend,

Searched on here for some pointers and it seems fuel injection is the one to go for.

One thing that popped up that I don't really understand is reg/rec ? How do you check for this?

Courtesy of DrDonnyBrago :

'Rusty downpipes (£170-£300 to replace with stainless)
Noisy CCT - a loud rattle from the RHS of the engine at certain RPM (£60 to replace it)
Dodgy speed sensor - no/intermittent speedo (£120 new, £30 used)
Reg/Rec - they apparently just blow sometimes (not sure on cost, haven't needed one)
Crash damage - lots of people get them as a first big bike.'

So I guess I'll just let him know that.

Now for the bad bit, he possibly wants to fighter it.. which I've already told him would be a crime! But I can only help him get a mechanically decent bike in the first place.

I'd look out for one that's been chucked down the road if I wanted to mess with it, but horses for courses and all that..

Had a quick look and the average going rate for a CBR600F 2000-2003 seems to be like £1700 - £2250 That seems like quite a bit for such an old bike, my hornet was a couple hundred quid more.. (2 years ago!)

One in question is 03', 20k miles. £2k. Good service history.

Or.. any other alternatives for a stunt/fighter that are easy enough to work on? I thought of the ZX6R but again I don't know much about them!

Cheers boys
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07' Honda Hornet now full powaah! My guide on performing an oil change!

[DrDonnyBrago]

I've still got my 2001 model. Had it for 7 years ish (paid £2k, 16k miles and FSH - it was a steal/prices for used bikes have gone up a lot). Most of the problems I've had are covered by your list. Other thing was a leaking radiator I had TIG welded, anything else has been self inflicted or is more of a foible - i.e. The front suspension is a bit soft unless you are a tiny Asian and the pegs can scrape earlier than you expect.

It'd be criminal to fighter a bike with decent fairings and that bike will look particulalry shite defaired. Besides a pretty pants looking frame They have two air ducts running from the ram air openings by the headlight under the tank and into the air box. If you remove the front cowl you still need the ducts, which are slightly floppy plastic things held on by rubber seals. They are a pita to get back in when they come off too.

It is a good bike, but they do hold their money well. If he wants to butcher it suggest something cheap.

https://images5a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp63263%3Enu%3D75%3C%3B%3E237%3E257%3EWSNRCG%3D3344%3A63954348nu0mrj

[bikertomm]

Nice one, thanks. Yes this is what I've told him, better off waiting for one that's been binned. But I don't think he wants to wait!

I'll show him that list to check then and he can do what he pleases

Ta.
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07' Honda Hornet now full powaah! My guide on performing an oil change!

[bikertomm]

Is there anyway of knowing if the reg/rec isn't working? Or testing it?

Thanks!
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07' Honda Hornet now full powaah! My guide on performing an oil change!

[stevo as b4]

Id not go anywhere near the Carbed CBR600F of that era.
Not unless your going to buy a jet kit and have it set up on the dyno.

They are fucking nasty to ride with a huge flatspot of no go at all from 5000-6500rpm. I test rode one and tried to overtake a car and really struggled to get past.

If you test ride a ZX6R J series or especially the cheating 636cc A1-A2 bikes, they will feel so much stronger lower down and pull more like a 750cc compared to the Honda.

The injected CBR600 sport might be a miles better bike and run properly, but one ride on an alloy frame CBR600 was enough to say do not want!

[DrDonnyBrago]

I don't think many would generally check the reg/rec on a bike they are viewing. More something to check if you suspect it is borked. There are guides all over the net for checking them, but generally in response to electrical problems.

[stevo as b4]

It was a 2001 MY CBR600F I tried out, and was nearly brand new and totally standard. I hated it and wouldn't buy one that wasn't fully sorted and set up.

I thought that all CBR's before the 2003RR (the mass centralised one) were carbed engines, except for the Sport model which has FI and a different tail/seat unit?

Both the std Thundercat and ZX6R have lovely engines, and will pull nicely from 2-3000rpm without a glitch to the limiter. The std CBR cannot do this from my experience and also from reading plenty of road tests that mentioned the noise friendly fuck up to the midrange.

[SIG1981]

[quote="bikertomm"]Is there anyway of knowing if the reg/rec isn't working? Or testing it?

shine headlight onto a wall or flat surface , increase revs slowly and constantly , lights will get brighter.

if lights brighten then dim ( will be clearly noticeable as a sudden drop in light ) as revs increase slowly has charging problem - normally reg / rec.

an over charging reg / rec will cause battery to boil and be very hot to touch.

a problem missing from the what to look for list is random dash and lights not working and none starting or cutting out - cause of which commonly is where wiring loom dips ( has a visual bend ) at subframe and mainframe bolt area , water collects in this dip and rots the wiring.

[DrDonnyBrago]

[stevo as b4]

My applogies then, as it can only have been a 2000MY bike that was still new, it definitely had carbs though and was not the sport model.

I don't for one min think or expect the FI bikes to have had the same issue, as it would be a big fail of Honda to have sold them like that.

The bike I rode on a test was a red/white/purple model, so I assume that's a 2000 MY bike then?

[DrDonnyBrago]