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90 bhp at 11,500 rpm

43.7 ft-lbs at 10,000 rpm

11.00 at 124.61 mph

What can we say about Honda's CBR600F3 that hasn't already been said? With its unbeatable combination of great speed, comfort and reliability, the F3 has ruled the 600 class for years. Honda is smart enough not to mess with the defending AMA 600 Supersport champion, and therefore their strategy for improving the F3 has always been one of refinement, rather than redesign.

Honda has continued this trend in 1997, as a host of minor changes have brought the F3 to an even higher level. Power is up slightly over last year with a peak output of 90 bhp at 11,500 rpm. But what makes the Honda's engine special isn't its impressive peak horsepower, but the way it pulls strongly from idle to redline with no dips or flat-spots. That linear powerband helped the F3 post the second-quickest drags trip time of 11.00 at 124.61 mph.

Plush, well-damped suspension and sticky stock tires make Honda's F3 an excellent all-around street bike. In the canyons the F3's wide spread of power made fast cornering easier than on the Suzuki because the F3 pilot doesn't need to do a gearbox tap-dance to stay in the powerband. Even more important was that the F3 could get to and from the canyons without hurting its rider. "There's no reason for the GSX-R on the street because I can go just as fast on the F3 in comfort," Higbee remarked after a day in the canyons.

Changes for 1997 include a redesigned tail section that still pops loose. Honda's F3 posted the second-fastest lap time during our tire-shredding stint at The Streets of Willow, trailing the GSX-R by just eleven hundreths of a second. While it was almost quickest that day, Honda's F3 did scrape more than its competition: "Just when I was getting serious about going fast on the racetrack the footpegs and exhaust canister started scuffing the asphalt," said Higbee. However, both Higbee and Graves agreed that the F3 was the easiest to hop on and ride quickly. "It is the most user-friendly bike and most forgiving when pushing it to its limits," Higbee said. Graves described the Honda as "rider-friendly and easy to slide and feel comfortable on."