JonBoy

Different days, possibly different tracks, possibly different riders.

f4igrad

there is a lot of wrong information in this thread

the 600rr is not MUCH faster than the F4i, it is slightly faster on the track and about dead even on the street. I have an extensive comparison of the 2 bikes that I can link to if some of you doubt it, but the F4i will more than hold its own against the 600rr.

Additionally, the R6 and F4i are VERY similar when it comes to power and overall handling. Some riders herald the R6 as some type of motorcycle crafted by the gods, but that is due mainly to great marketing and some good reviews in the U.S. magazines (which suck when compared to the much less biased British mags). In reality, the R6 and F4i make VERY similar horsepower, run pretty much identical 1/4 mile times, and are both great on the track. Hell, the F4i won the AMA Daytona race in 2002. Anyone who says the F4i will get old quickly but the R6 will satisfy for a while is grossly misinformed.

ALL of the 600s are very similar, and the 1/4 mile times between the very latest and some of the older bikes are all within a tenth of a second. The track times are also very very close. People hype the new bikes because they look sick and the magazines splash these photos all over their covers, but the truth remains that all of the bikes are VERY similar performance wise and the rider makes the biggest difference.

Kekoa

I ride an f4i and like it a lot cept for the looks. To, and this is just opinion it doesn't look like a true sportbike. I'm referring to that preying mantis look. Well, at least the f4i is comfortable to ride since the bars are so high

sahtt

For what it's worth, I own a 2000 YZF600R and it is my first streetbike. I bought it with 11k in sept and have 16k now. I took the MSF course twice [2nd time to encourage a friend to take it] and probably racked up about 300 street miles on other bikes. I raced just under the pro level on BMX and a lot of the basic concepts [how weight transfers, braking, how the parts work in different conditions like rain etc., and balance/leaning] applied to the sportbike. Perhaps most importantly, it taught me that going 25 mph and crashing on dirt* and getting ran over by other bicycles* causes great pain and bodily injury on 2 wheels. Replace the *'s with cement and 18 wheelers respectively and you get the picture.
For anyone questioning the ability of a 'heavy' 400+lbs 'small' 600cc bike who hasn't rode one before, you are welcome to get on the back of my very comfy banana seat and I will give you the scare of your life before I shift out of 2nd gear.
Remember, my slow bike runs low 11's with a professional rider stock, and most sportbikes are modifyed in some form or fashion, including mine. My bike's high end is inferior to my old 300zxtt's that ran a measily 12.9. That means acceleration, say below 80 mph, is going to be that much faster.

SM00TH976

i bought an 05 R6 about two months ago. all of the 600cc bikes from the same era are going to be very similar in performance. just buy the one that is the most comfortable to you and whichever one you think looks the best. the R6 had an awesome seating position for me, and i loved the way the raven color scheme looked.

also, if the undertail exhaust is important for you, you should know that the honda RR has one, whereas the R6 doesn't.

Chris S

I respectfully disagree. I owned a '99 R6, have owned a '99 F4 racebike, tracked another one, and ridden a friend's F4i. The R6 makes a far better track tool...it has better ground clearance, feels smaller (more like a 250 GP bike), and has a significantly higher redline w/ more overrev (15.5K vs. 14-14.5?).

The F4i is an excellent street bike, is comfy (ex. for the seat), practical, and blessed w/ Honda quality. On the street, it has plenty of performance, but I'll unquestionably take an R6 over an F4i anyday on the track.