SUPERBIKE · MOTOCROSS ·
TOURING · CLASSICS · CRUISERS · SUPERMOTO
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Friday, 29 August 2003 |
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Page 3 of 3
| Ok, so it's a stripped out bike - but it has some up-to-the-minute trickery aboard too. First off it's a carbureted bike, but those carbs have pretty sophisticated solenoids that meter the air entering the float bowls. It can switch between the sub-air-cleaner to the intake ports. This means jack to you and I, but it sounds really good and it specifically keeps Mr California EPA happy so we can have these cool bikes to play on. Those carbs by the way, are 2mm smaller than the F3, and with slightly narrower intakes to pump up the mid-range. Guess what? With two digital maps controlling a pair of pistons apiece and a revised cam profile they even managed to find some ponies north of the midrange too. Cake. |
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Further trekery comes in the form of the headlamp; it's the next generation type. No more fumbling around in the dark with Captain Kirk or Dr Spock. Whoops - that's a typo - I meant trickery. It's a snazzy two-bulb affair with a lightweight polycarbonate lens and an internal die-cast aluminum multi reflector. We rode in the sunshine, but apparently you can go boldly where no man has gone before at night. High-beam me up Scotty… alright that's enough. |
| I wish I could decide where this bike and the Yamaha FZ6 compare - I didn't really get a long enough ride on the FZ to draw any real conclusions. The FZ definitely has a stouter mid-range, but the 599 turns quicker and both rev in a similar fashion. I'm not really sure about the salability of these bikes because you 'mericans are a fickle lot. In the UK, a cup series was developed to showcase the Hornets abilities. This was a one-make championship that helped produce decent sales, basically because it showed that you could buy, race and live with that same bike. Here we are not so lucky as to enjoy that same type of spec series and I'm hoping that this particular Honda won't get lost because the people who need a bike like this won't get the exposure to it. |
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I really liked riding this bike. It was drama free, regardless of how goofy I got and its versatility is obvious. So, here's the deal. I'm going to pinch one from Honda as soon as I can, come over to my place and have a go...
You won't be sorry.
Mike Emery
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| Specifications |
Honda CBR599 |
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| Engine Type: |
599cc liquid-cooled inline four-cylinder DOHC; four valves per cylinder |
| Bore and Stroke: |
65mm x 45.2mm |
| Compression Ratio: |
12.0:1 |
| Carburetion: |
Four 34mm slanted flat-slide CV type |
| Ignition: |
Computer-controlled digital transistorized with electronic advance |
| Transmission: |
Six-speed |
| Suspension: Front/Rear |
41mm cartridge fork; 4.3 inches travel with Single shock rear with seven-position spring preload adjustability; 5.0 inches travel |
| Brakes: Front/Rear |
Front: Dual full-floating 296mm discs with two-piston calipers
Rear: Single 220mm disc with single-piston caliper |
| Tires: Front/Rear |
120/70ZR-17 radial - 180/55ZR-17 radial |
| Wheelbase: |
55.9 inches |
| Rake/Trail: |
25.0° / 98mm (3.9 inches) |
| Seat Height: |
31.1 inches |
| Dry Weight: |
401 pounds |
| Fuel Capacity: |
4.5 gallons |
| Colors: |
Asphalt, Yellow |
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CA version meets CARB 2004 emissions standards. |
| Price: |
$7099.00 |
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