As Honda’s biggest CBR from the late 1980s to the mid-1990s, the Honda CBR 1000F built a reputation as a solid but somewhat bland sports tourer, praised mostly for its long-distance ability and comfortable riding position. With a 140bhp engine fed by a 22-litre fuel tank in a package weighing c.270 kgs wet, the CBR was not lightweight, but it excelled in its design brief: to cross countries at speed and in comfort.
The engine was fitted with a balancer shaft to soften vibration and a rear-mounted alternator to reduce width. Often referred to as the Hurricane by US enthusiasts, the CBR 1000F was a sales success. UK buyers took to the model and the bike is a regular offering on eBay and Bike Trader.
Other than an upgrade to the cam chain assembly, which proved troublesome on early models, and a switch to slightly bigger wheels, the technical evolution was relatively static throughout the life of the model and later versions now look a little obsolete versus later CBR1000 RR ‘Fireblade’ model. In fact, the introduction of the original Fireblade c.1992 cannibalised sales from the CBR1000F and eventually led to the end of CBR 1000F production in 1997.
Motorcycle News sums up the Honda CBR 1000F as follows:
“The sports-touring Honda CBR1000F was always in the shadow of more exciting motorcycles, yet had a decade long production run. It had its good points, such as a comfortable riding position, good build quality – except for early camchain tensioner problems – and respectable handling. But the Honda CBR1000F is so bland it makes Katie Melua look like a brazen rock chick.”
Howmanyleft suggests that 131 CBR1000F-L models were taxed at the end of Q3 2021, with 439 listed as SORN. Some 380 bikes with the L model year code were registered in 1990, with 162 registered in 1991 and 22 in 1992.
Order an online classic motorcycle valuation for your Honda CBR 1000F here.