You know, sometimes life just, well, it happens. One day you’re all set, thinking you’ve got things figured out, and the next, you’re staring at your own hands wondering what to do with them. I found myself in one of those spots a while back. Needed something, a project, you know? Something to get stuck into, get my mind right. And that’s how this whole 2001 Honda CBR600 F4i thing started. It wasn’t planned, not really. Just kinda fell into my lap, so to speak.
So, This F4i Then…
A buddy of mine knew a guy, who knew a guy… you know how it goes. Said there was this old F4i sitting, needed some love. “Some love” is usually an understatement, right? But the price was decent enough for a gamble. So, I went over, took a look. She was a bit rough, not gonna lie. Fairings were scratched, looked like it’d been down at least once, gently. But the core of it, the engine, the frame, seemed alright. At least, what I could see.
First thing I did when I got it home was just stare at it for a good long while. Then, the real fun began. I started by giving it a good clean. Amazing what a bit of soap and water can reveal. Found a few more gremlins hiding under the grime. Typical.
My process, if you can call it that, usually goes like this:
- Get the bike up on a stand. Makes life way easier.
- Start taking things off. Carefully. I take a lot of pictures with my phone. Learned that lesson the hard way years ago. “Where does this bolt go again?” Yeah, no thanks.
- Check all the fluids. Oil looked like it hadn’t been changed since the bike was actually new. Coolant? Who knows. Brake fluid? Murky.
So, I drained everything. Oil and filter change, obviously. That’s job number one. Flushed the cooling system too. The brakes, man, the brakes. Calipers were sticky. Had to pull them apart, clean all the pistons, put new seals in. That took a weekend, just fiddling with those. Getting them bled properly afterwards is always a joy, isn’t it?
Then, the fuel system. F4i, so it’s fuel injected. That’s good, less carb-fiddling than the older F2s or F3s. But injectors can still get clogged. Pulled the fuel rail, sent the injectors off for a professional clean and flow test. Worth the money, trust me. While they were out, cleaned the throttle bodies best I could. New spark plugs went in, of course. New air filter too. The old one looked like it had inhaled a small rodent.
The fairings were a whole other story. I’m no painter. Thought about getting them professionally done, but then the budget screams. So, I did my best with some plastic repair kits for the cracks, sanded them down, and went for a rattle can job. Not showroom, but presentable enough for an old warrior. Better than cracked and scuffed, anyway.
Chain and sprockets looked surprisingly okay, just needed a good clean and lube. Tires had some life left, surprisingly. Checked the date codes, they weren’t ancient fossils, so that was a win.
Little things next. Checked all the electrics. A few corroded connectors here and there, nothing a bit of contact cleaner and dielectric grease couldn’t fix. Made sure all the lights worked, horn, all that jazz. Adjusted the clutch cable, lubed the throttle cables.
Finally, after what felt like weeks of tinkering in the garage, evenings and weekends, she was back together. Put some fresh gas in her. Turned the key. Primed the fuel pump. Hit the starter.
And she fired up! Coughed a bit at first, then settled into that classic Honda inline-four hum. Man, that’s a good sound. Let it warm up, listened for any scary noises. Seemed okay. Took it for a short spin around the block. Everything felt… tight. Responsive. Way better than when I first got it.
Still got a few little bits I want to do, maybe some new grips, a better screen. But for now, she runs, she rides, and she didn’t break the bank. And more importantly, it kept my hands busy and my mind focused. That’s the real win, sometimes. These old bikes, they’ve got stories, and it’s kinda cool to help them tell a new one.
