The year was 1999; the twentieth century was winding down, Napster was all the rage and Honda's 600cc CBR was ready for a revamp. Following in the footsteps of the once legendary F3, Honda answered big with the all-new F4.
Starting with a clean slate, Honda built from the ground up. Topping the list of hi-tech add-ons was a hard-hitting motor with functional ram air. Honda created a two-stage ram-air system that worked well at low and high speeds with the use of multiple air inlets. It was enough to make any technoweenie jump for joy.
The new oversquare engine also sported high-tech parts like LUB-coated piston skirts as well as direct ignition coils and a canted head-both firsts for Honda. The canted head meant that the top of the cylinder head wasn't parallel with the bottom of the head, which helped increase the intake-tract angle to a steep 40-degrees. This steep angle allowed the new motor to transform massive amounts of oxygen into forward motion.
The F4 was undoubtedly fast, but thankfully the Honda engineers also paid close attention to harnessing the newfound ponies, as the CBR received another first for the F-series bikes-an aluminum frame. Complimenting the new cradle was a swingarm design that mounted through the backside of the engine, an equally fresh idea from Honda that also made it onto the CBR929RR that same year.
Complimenting the stout engine and chassis were larger 43mm conventional forks and four-pot front calipers. Hard figures would lead one to believe the new middleweight was a track-only commodity, but in true Honda fashion the ergos were oh-so comfy. That's right; with mild clip-ons and a cushy seat the CBR was equally at home on a racetrack or touring a tri-state region. The F4 was at the pinnacle of performance without compromise to comfort.
The hot rod Honda quickly garnered a following for its well-rounded nature, and even a decade after its demise, the F4 proves to be a great alternative to the zero-compromise racers of today. Owners capitalize on the versatility of these bikes with many examples logging double-duty between track thrashers, stunt bikes and street slinkers. And like most Hondas, the F4 has proven to be reliable and resilient to anything an owner can throw at it.
While most have forgotten the short-lived F4 (it was updated after two years with fuel injection as the F4i), the few who remember this bike have found forgotten treasure at a bargain price. If you're looking for a comfy alternative to the current crop of racers and like the feel of perfectly synced carbs over the fuel injection of today, the 1999-2000 F4 is truly a diamond in the rough.