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CBR600FX (1999) - This is Jayne Mansell's second CBR600F. So what brings her back to the same bike (albeit the remodeled one with ally frame etc)? Read on and find out…

Introduction by Bob Pickett

Honda CBR600F - one of the all-time great bikes... even with that damned top-box One of these days global warming will finally turn The Earth into a pressure-cooker and we'll all have to hide away from the microwave-intense rays from The Sun. And all those dinosaurs have finally run out, meaning there is no fuel left to power bikes. So before we all fry for the last time, there will be that final "Well, what WAS the best bike in history?" meeting.

When that time comes, up there with the best of them has to be the Honda CBR600F. By the time of writing this introduction (April 2007), the half-millionth - (yes, 500,000+) CBR600F rolled off the production line. In it's 20 year history, something like 50,000 of those were sold in the UK alone.

OK, you can't judge quality by numbers alone - if you did, then we'd all be lauding the humble C90. But the CBR600F had that special "something". Not the fastest (though 150mph ain't shabby). Or the most elite (half a million of them meant that wasn't going to happen). Or perhaps even the best in it's class (though to be honest, the CBR600F dominated for so long it was ridiculous - it has taken the others turning their 600cc middleweight sportsbikes into race-reps with some road-going kit attached to finally kill it off, to be replaced with the CBR600RR).

So just what is it about the CBR600F that has won so many hearts and made so many people dip into their wallets to buy one? To find out, Motobke.co.uk spoke to Jayne Mansell - who is currently on to her second CBR600F - to find out why.

"This is my second CBR600. My first one was a 1993 model with a steel frame. Some of the differences include an aluminium frame that lightened the bike and felt like the centre of gravity is lower than the old model, making it much easier to handle.

OK, I have had it lowered so that I am able to reach the ground. But that is the only change made to the bike. It is stock-standard otherwise. There is a photo of the bracket that has replaced the original on the rear suspension arm. This lowered the rear of the bike by 70mm. The front was then lowered a similar amount by adjusting the front forks and resetting them higher in their brackets. This has not affected the handling of the bike as my partner rode it before I 'inherited' it from him. He has ridden it since and there is no difference. He says that if anything, it is more of a pocket rocket than ever.

I have found the CBR600 is a very good all-rounder, fulfilling all my needs from a bike.

I like the riding position of the sports bikes. The seating position on cruisers is too upright for me, with all your weight on the seat. I like to be able to get the weight on to my feet very quickly at times. This lets the bike take the bumps and not my body. As I am maturing I have realized that my body is not as forgiving.

The CBR handles the bumps, uneven surfaces etc very well. I caught the edge of a nasty pothole once, and as I flicked out, the bike got into a bit of a tank-slapper. It was a bit of a backside-puckering moment but the bike just straightened itself almost before I knew what was happening. The trick was not to over-react but to let the bike recover - and it is a CBR600 so it did without a fault. Which is why some people call them 'boring' I suppose.

The steering is light and very responsive. I don't have to fight with the bike to get it to go where I want it. In fact, I sometimes think that it can read my mind. I just think that I might like to go around that bend and lo-and-behold, I am out the other side.

The power plant of the CBR basically is an in-line 4 cylinder engine. My model is the slightly older model with carbs. The later ones are fuel injected. I can get some acceleration just by twisting the throttle but to get major acceleration out of it, I have to change down a gear. In other words, it is very responsive if you keep the revs above 7,000. The red line is at 13,500.

The CBR600F can be adjusted for smaller riders with one of these lowering links When you want to slow down, easing off the throttle isn't going to slow you down much. There is not a lot of engine-braking in this type of engine. This is noticeable when following the likes of a Vee-twin that has a lot of engine braking. The brakes are very positive, with twin disks on the front wheel and a single on the rear. I use the front ones for real braking. The rear brake only gets used if I want to take a bit of speed off and set the bike up for a corner.

My rear view from the mirrors is very good. I have a wide view behind me with my elbows just clipping the inside edge of the mirrors.

I run the standard size sprockets with a heavy duty o-ring chain. The gearing could be a little high. 6th gear doesn't get used much, as my local roads are lovely with heaps of corners. As I mentioned before, the bike likes the revs and 6th gear is almost like an overdrive at times.

I have a top box mounted, but I have to admit that I prefer to ride the bike without it. If I am riding with it loaded, it is just like having a pillion. The bike will still perform very well but I do notice the load on the rear (Editorial note: I have to be honest and say I winced when I saw Jayne's CBR with a top-box - I was sorely tempted to air-brush it out of the photo! Thankfully it only goes on when she needs to haul stuff around).

I ride with a lot of other bikers and it amazes me that a lot of them don't realize what I am riding. I always get surprising comments about my acceleration, cornering, speed etc. Yet I ride with a very wide range of riders and bikes.

My partner experienced the same thing when he was riding it. Perhaps this is the 'problem' with the CBR600F - it just gets on with the job superbly well and maybe this makes it fade into the background?"

Jayne's Verdict:

"Summing up, the CBR600 is a typical Honda. It is very well built, therefore is well balanced and handles very easily. There are no character traits that would have you thinking about what to avoid. I don't have to concentrate on any foibles. I can just ride this bike and enjoy the riding. Needless to say, I always have a big grin from ear to ear at the end of a ride."

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