Is the CBF600 really that boring?

[Seanmhc]

That's all I seem to hear or read about when searching for anything about the bike.

I'm looking for a commuter and a fun touring/exploring bike, having fallen out with my SV650S that I bought solely on looks and good reviews I've read.

I knew as soon as I sat on the SV it was all wrong for me, I wont lie it's been great fun, and it's a fantastic bike but I've never fully felt comfortable with it. My main issue being that after the first 15/20 mins on the bike my lower back is in a lot of pain and I find it really difficult to maintain the leant over position unless I'm riding over 30. A lot of my commute is stop start and at slow speeds and weaving in and out of traffic which means I just want to get off the thing and it puts me in a bad mood my the time I finally get to my destination. Another gripe is that I don't always feel safe not being able to shoulder check like I could on my 125. All this turns my love of riding into a chore, and I think it's time to regrettably change bikes.

I spent the past year before taking my test on a cbf125, and I miss that sort of upright position and comfort but the bike is too small for me now I've had the taste of power... Why not look at it's bigger brother.

After comparing the looks of other bikes around the £2k price tag such as the ER6, the Fazer 600 and Honda Hornet the CBF600 to my eyes looks the best of the lot.

I went out the other day to actually sit on some of these bikes in order to not buy again on a whim, and to me that left me even more hopeless in deciding as they all had lovely upright positions and were comfortable; Knowing the other options out there would probably have more of a 'fun factor'.

What I've been reading on the internet has really, almost put me off going for the CBF, specially after coming from an SV, is that people say it's boring, sluggish and has no power - I do enjoy a good overtake and giving it a little twist of the throttle every now and then and I fear I wont be able to do that any-more if I were to trade for the CBF.

But on the other hand I love to spend as much time as I can out on the bike, and with the SV after an hour I just want to go home, but on my 125 I could ride until I felt guilty about the amount of money I'd spent on fuel that week. I want that feeling back but I don't want to regret getting rid of the power and fun I have had on the SV.

Could anyone help me by giving me a good honest review of the CBF600 compared to an SV650S? Or suggest another bike that might be down my street within my little budget?

I think I just need some reassurance that I wouldn't be making the worst decision of my life if I went ahead and made the trade off, or maybe I need more options!

Thanks,

Sean

[Itchy]

Take a 3rd option.

A Fazer 600 Mk1 or Mk2 (the later version isn't so good). They are cheap and tough as old boots. The only weaknesses of them are the downpipes that rot. Bike will be around £1000, buy a stainless downpipe set, £250 and pay a mech £150 to fit them and it'll last forever. Kitty's fazer last time I saw her in 2014 had over 100K on it and she crashed it at high speed twice.

It's got an upright position and a centre stand...

But it's got 95bhp (90ish at back wheel). It handles pretty nice too.

Back in the day Kitty on her Fazer 600 was always able to keep up with us (CBR600F4, ZX6RJ2, ZX6R 636).

The bad?

Headlights of the MK1 are crap. The MK2 are much better.

They're also kind of ugly. Plus the MK1 has lock nut valves which mean you SHOULD adjust them every 5000 miles as opposed to shimmed which need adjustment every 16000 miles. The thing is Kitty never did her valves. I never did my valves. Andy says never do your valves either.
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Spain 2008France 2007Big one 2009 We all die. The goal isn't to live forever, the goal is to create something that will. In the end, your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it is worth watching.

[trevor saxe-coburg-gotha]

I don't dislike them - plus points are smooth, reliable, fairly comfy. Negs - bland, gutless, lardy. Anyway, would've thought hornet was the more logical choice coming from the sv.
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"Life is a sexually transmitted disease and the mortality rate is one hundred percent."

Mobylette Type 50 ---> Raleigh Grifter ---> Neval Minsk 125

[Rogerborg]

[Hefty]

[Itchy]

[Hefty]

[Andy_Pagin]

[Itchy]

[ScaredyCat]

[Itchy]

[Snowdonia Rider]

I did my DAS on a CBF600. There was nothing particularly wrong with it. I'd rather be riding a CBF600 than not riding a broken down piece of exotica/fun bike, so that alone would make the CBF600 fun and suitable for touring. Fun is what you make it.
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I want your clothes, your boots and your motorcycle.
Suzuki GP125 Suzuki GSX600F Suzuki SV650S KTM EXC250F SkyTeam Bongo 125
My YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/SnowdoniaRider

[Andy_Pagin]

[ScaredyCat]

[Seanmhc]

I've had a look at adjusting the SV but it's too much work to make too little difference in my opinion.

It seems the Fazer is a popular bike here, and on second opinions I'm actually drawn in by the newer FZ6's looks, that I could happily sell the SV and not regret going to an older / uglier machine.

From the consensus and the increased power over the SV would I be right in saying it would be just as fun of a bike?

I think my plan is to go out and sit on one and see how they feel sometime over this weekend.

- The reviews of the CBF600 all over the net say the same things that it's sluggish and boring, and yes the MCN one reflects that pretty well.

My issue is that the FZ6 would be a few hundred pounds over budget, but it's the best looking bike by miles.

[Itchy]

[Snowdonia Rider]

OP, what about a naked SV? If you kinda like the SV, but want a more upright bike, and don't mind a naked seeing as you were considering a CBF, why not consider the naked SV? They have bars not clip ons.
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I want your clothes, your boots and your motorcycle.
Suzuki GP125 Suzuki GSX600F Suzuki SV650S KTM EXC250F SkyTeam Bongo 125
My YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/SnowdoniaRider

[Evil Hans]

I did my tests on a CBF600.

Nice enough bike. I guess Training Schools use them because they are sturdy and reliable.


But nobody ever married a woman because she was sturdy and reliable.



So yes. A bit boring. And that comes from a Bandit rider.
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Triumph Sprint ST 1050. And it's Red.

[Simba76]

+1 for the Naked SV.
My arms never ache and I ride 200+ a week (now I've fixed the electrical gremlins).

Or got the W/ hog and buy a CBF900 or 1300?

Touring yes? Not sure about the fun element though. Not ridden either just based on reviews.

BCF will see you right though..........
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If you can keep your head while all around are loosing theirs....you're probably in some sort of Zombie movie!

-Current bike ......

[Seanmhc]

So I went to go check out an FZ6, a little outside my price range but it felt really comfortable and sounded great.

Unfortunately I wasn't able to organise any sort of test ride, so the only way I'll know how these bikes actually ride is via the internet.

I don't know what it is but reading reviews of the fz6 have made it sound like a not a great commuter for slow speeds, drawing my slightly back to the cbf600sa.

The CBF600 looks much more capable of packing a lot of luggage and heading off into the mountains.

As for a naked SV, that's out of the question, I'm looking only at faired motorcycles.

I feel like I'm running around in circles right now, maybe none of these are the bike I am looking for?

[Seanmhc]

https://image.hojtorget.se/extra/bikeimg/15601_15700/honda-cbf600sa-15673_36918615.jpg

https://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h276/djpagel/selling/quarter.jpg

Kitted up for touring I think the CBF looks miles better...

[twistybiscuit]

Did DAS on a CBF (like a lot of people) and it was alright. Felt heavy and cumbersome but easy to ride and pretty comfortable.

Went out and bought an FZ6 and I preferred it instantly. Feels agile and comfortable and heaps more fun. Looks great, sounds great and I felt much more at home on it than I did with the CBF from the outset.

Can you find one of each for a test ride and compare the two side by side? I took a punt on the FZ6, and it paid off, but I'd have made the same decision a hundred times over if I'd test ridden first

[Das68]

I did my DAS using a bandit 650, Faser 600, FZ6 and older Hornet 600. I liked the Hornet best, it was more fun, and I felt more connected to it. However I decided I wanted ABS on my first bike after passing my test so 1st was a 2013 Street Triple (A great bike but not for me),
I then swapped to a CBF but not a 600 , a MK2 CBF1000 , its more or less the same size as the CBF600 just much better. I'd recommend having a go on the CBF1000.

[Rogerborg]

[Seanmhc]