Menus
- Discovery
- In the saddle
- Contact
- In the city
- Highway
- Departmental
- Night road
- Brakes
- Comfort
- Consumption
- Convenient
- Conclusion
The Honda CBF 1000 is the big sister of the CBF 600, which appeared in 2006. Apart from a slightly larger size, the two models are aesthetically very similar and announce a rather wise behavior. However, the engine of the 1000 comes directly from the sports car of the brand, the CBR 1000 RR. So, false calm ?
Discovery
The CBF 1000 is not enough to panic the crowds. Its aesthetic is rather versatile. It looks like a wise bike, far removed from the aggressive lines of a Z 1000 or even an FZ1. In short, it encourages travel and we would expect to see it equipped with suitcases.
The dual frontal optics alone slice a bit a bit homogeneous. The “gold” color (identical to that of the 600 Hornet) facing the gray, however, gives a little spectacle. Note the 4-1-2 exhaust with two oval mufflers.
In the saddle
Rather high, the curved handlebars fall naturally under the wrists. The hands, feet, chest position is almost straight, with a very slight tilt forward.
The dashboard, with four indicators, is complete. The two central counters offer, from left to right: Analog speedometer and tachometer, incorporating a digital display for trips and the clock. The fuel gauge has its own meter on the right. On the left, a location displays the ABS, HISS and injection warning light. Everything is clearly visible, even in direct sunlight. On the other hand, the reading of the speed is not always obvious: the sticks are small and the largest lines graduated on the 80 km / h, 100 km / h, 120 km / h … and not on the limits French. Fortunately, after calibration, the speedometer tends to overestimate the speed by almost 10 km / h. So, when it indicates "100", we are at 92 km / h and normally, it goes !
The screen is adjustable but at the cost of disassembly with a key (provided in the tool kit).
The mirrors placed on the front fairing retract fully in width: practical. Their adjustment is particularly easy and can be positioned in several ways for all settings. They offer good vision, at all speeds, without vibration.
Contact
The sound coming out of the double exhaust is muffled. Is that a 1000cc? At least there is no risk of being stopped with the sound level meter.
First, second…. gears are happening without realizing it, the box is so velvet. We don’t hear it, we don’t feel it. She forgets herself.
The driving character immediately appears dynamic. It’s sweet, but it’s also pretty good. In short, apparently, there is something to play. The engine block of the Fireblade has been reworked with increased availability at low and mid-speed. It feels.
Despite its 250 kilos fully loaded, the CBF 1000 appears particularly light, barely heavier than some 600 roadsters and more manoeuvrable than some.
In the city
The CBF 1000 is able to wind in 6th on idle at 1,000 rpm in town at 30 km / h! Even at this speed, it agrees to slowly resume up to 3,000 rpm, then provides a boost from there. At 2,000 rpm on the same report, it is at 50 km / h and is capable of all maneuvers in this report. On the second and third, it can be dosed well, but you just have to turn the right handle a little harder and it starts immediately; especially since the first goes up without screaming up to 100 km / h and the second up to 140 km / h (not in town)! It still continues to climb up to 9,000 rpm. The whole thus offers a particularly wide range of use..
The whole gives a very pleasant mixture of smoothness and available power.
The turning radius is quite good and its weight – light for the category – allows maneuvers at slow speed without difficulty. And as the injection is completely forgotten, whatever the report, we can even maneuver with the clutch in 4th at slow speed without problem! In short, we can almost completely forget the gearbox !
Highway
The CBF is forcefully entering the motorway. We do not have time to say phew that the speedometer is already tickling 150 km / h, at only 6,000 rpm, without seeing anything coming. It feels like 110 km / h, but no, it’s already 40 km / h higher! And if you turn the handle, you feel that the engine is just asking to express itself to happily climb much higher. And yet, it is stable and almost insensitive to the wind. Large curves are taken with ease…. Especially since the CBF allows changes of course very easily. Everything seems easy.
The cars far ahead arrive very quickly and are found just as quickly behind, almost in silence. If it weren’t for the speedometer, it would seem like everyone is dragging themselves along today and overtaking without noticing. At 8,000 rpm and 2,000 from the red zone with a reserve of power that can still be felt under the grip, it is at 200 km / h and it almost feels like you’re dragging yourself. However, the pace is already very fast, and you have to calm things down if you want to keep your license.
The CBF is very well cut for the motorway where it offers excellent protection up to 160 km / h – even 180 km / h – to the driver. The passenger suffers 20 km / h earlier due to his higher perched position.
Departmental
The CBF returns to departmental roads practically at the same rate as on the motorway, without any real difference. Only the turns come here much faster, practically jumping in the face and forcing the game to calm down. However, the frame follows well and the CBF goes exactly where the gaze goes, even helping to correct the somewhat rough trajectories. It’s awfully easy and confusing, so far removed from her outward image. The frame follows, like the suspensions, and the road really has to deteriorate to force you to slow down..
The setting on the angle is carried out effortlessly and with disconcerting ease, even superior to certain roadsters of smaller displacement. Its ability to pick up on any gear further reinforces this ease, because you almost never have to worry about which gear you’re on, unless you’re doing an arsouille in the mountains..
Night road
The CBF illuminates well at night. Full pahre brings a real plus in terms of lighting power, especially in the distance.
Brakes
With the dual-CBS mounted, separating the front and rear brake makes less sense. Pressure on the rear brake also acts on the front brake. Suddenly, it is much more efficient than the rear brakes, but without violence or blocking.
The front brake also engages the rear brake, the motorcycle sits easily without diving. The overall feeling is good even if the straight race is a bit long. Everything is soft, precise, powerful but without violence. In short, it is very effective, all the more helped by the ABS.
ABS is now offered as standard. On the test model, it was triggered rather easily on a few emergency braking – signaling it in the right grip – but not excessively.
Comfort
The saddle is firm on the rider side, but allows 250 km without suffering.
The passenger located a notch above, on the saddle in two parts, is less well placed on its piece of wood. Usually he survives 100-150 km and then begins to really feel the hardness of the jump seat; no worse than another 1000 roadster, but not much better either. The two rear pins which act as passenger handles are placed a little too far back, especially if it is close to the pilot. And if it moves back so that the handles are well placed, the wind settles in part between the pilot and the passenger and makes the trip more difficult..
The rear shock absorber, adjustable in 7 positions, offers a good compromise between rigidity and flexibility. The CBF allowing both flexible and sporty driving, there is something to satisfy the extremes.
Consumption
The needle does not move for the first 120 kilometers, then drops a notch approximately every 40 km. The middle notch occurs at 200 km, the start of the red zone around 260 km, the bottom of the red zone at 290 km. There are then still 2 liters in the tank until the needle is as far to the left as possible.
Average consumption is around 5.8 liters / cent with a minimum of 5.5 liters in cool driving, allowing a maximum of 330 km.
Convenient
There is some room under the saddle for rain pants and a mid-size U.
Screen, saddle height, handlebars (remote) and brake and clutch levers are adjustable.
The central stand is easily achieved. The side stand is short and almost vertical, which is not always reassuring when putting on a kickstand.
The passenger footpegs are a little low and too close to the exhausts. Suddenly, the passenger’s heels have a tendency to melt on the exhausts.
Conclusion
Versatile, easy to handle with a hell of a lot of power, the CBF has its side Doctor Jeckill: wise in appearance, it turns out to be much more powerful in use than you might think at first glance. This power is however easily taken in hand by an overall softness. The bike really accompanies the rider, helping him if necessary. Even if the 1000 category is a priori prohibited for young permits, the CBF could very well be put in young hands but with a cool head. Because we easily find ourselves driving well beyond its pumps with its impressive ease of handling combined with an engine block very available at all speeds..
Far from a flashy motorcycle, more road than a villainous roadster like the Speed Triple or the Z 1000, it will delight bikers who want an engine with a trunk but who also want to be able to go far in a duo without fatigue. And at just € 8,900 (€ 9,500 with CBS / ABS), it almost seems like a bargain..
Strong points
- Ease of handling
- Engine flexibility
- Braking (CBS-ABS)
Weak points
- Line
- Motor linearity.
Competitors: Aprilia Tuono, Ducati 900 Monster, Kawasaki Z 1000, Suzuki
Bandit 1200 S, Triumph Speed Triple 1050, Voxan V 1000, Yamaha Fazer 1000, Yamaha TDM 900
Datasheet
Your reactions on the test forum
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Hello Jean-Luc,
Thank you for this testimony, it must have been good to have a green 900 Z1 in 1976! Regarding the Z 900 RS, it is certainly destined to have a lasting career in the Kawasaki range and the manufacturer would be wrong not to surf the nostalgia by presenting other historic liveries in future vintages.,
Philippe
The same, the colors of the cafe racer, but with a well-wrapped GPZ 1000RX type fairing, that would be cool. So, a remake of the Suzuki RF900.
Personally, it is the black and orange color that makes me salivate: if I forgot the price, I will go and buy myself one right away! Normal, I’m 62 years old and dreamed too much of owning the original version back then..
On the other hand, if I come back down to earth, the asking price still pierces the bottom a little: Kawa risks missing out on a huge success with this too high price, even if orders seem to be pouring in. Once the initial enthusiasm has passed, sales may well slow down sharply.