As of recently I purchased a 2002 Honda CBR F4i. It's a nice step up from the 2000 Yamaha R6 I've currently owned, which was quite a bike itself!
The main reason I was so excited about the change was that I was going from a Carburated engine, to a Fuel Injected engine. They were both 600cc engines, and both sportbikes (although the Yamaha was red, and the Honda is yellow) and I had heard so much about Fuel Injection (FI) that I was extremely eager!
So let's get to it:
FI is a whole new beast. One of the most noticeable differences straight out of the gates is the ease of ignition. With my Yamaha I had to mess around with a choke, and letting the bike idle for about 3 or 4 minutes before I took it for a ride. And that was only when it was nice and warm outside. Starting that Yamaha up over the winter was borderline impossible on some extremely cold days! On the Honda there is no choke, everything is automated! The bike fires up immediately and is ready to go! Not too bad considering the previous model I had.
(As a side note, I want to make sure that I mention to you readers that it is highly recommended to let ANY motorcycle, regardless of the engine or fuel delivery method, idle for a minute or two before operation to allow lubricants and other fluids such as oil to move throughout the engine and get up to operating temperature!)
Moving on from starting, FI is a completely different animal over all. FI is controlled by an Engine Control Module (ECM) which tells and controls exactly how much fuel and air is allowed to be in the engine at once, giving the absolute mathematically correct explosions no matter how hard your running the bike. Carburation uses floats, and carb bowls, as well as gravity and suction to help it out. This is comparable to FI but not nearly as precise or controlled.
After learning these difference it's easily understable why track junkies would LOVE FI bikes because of the programmability. Nominally, there are electronic controllers that already have pre-tested and implimented "maps" for the ECM's on FI bikes. The most popular being a Power Commander which overriders the stock ECM settings and goes by what has been tested for specific bikes with specific common aftermarket accessories taking fine tuning to a whole new level.
My Experience
Switching from my Yamaha to the Honda was exhilirating. The bike fires right up and I hoped on and took it for a ride. However, after I got over the "new car smell" I realized I was hardly impressed at all. The difference to the "average Joe" was hardly noticeable. It almost felt more as a bragging right than an actual useful addition to the bike. There is a .5 second lag from throttle response to the whole process actually going. Something similar, I'm told, to the bikes that literally use jet engines to power them. I didn't notice any change in acceleration, nor did I see a difference in MPG (still averaging 55mpg).
What I can tell you is that when something goes wrong on a FI bike you're going to be paying more money than on a Carb'd bike. FI uses highly tempramental senors, injectors, extremely expensive spark plugs (Laser Iridium at about 15 dollars...EACH!) and a more expensive battery. Not to mention if the charging system acts up then you're really in for a treat. While I'm at it, Honda, you'd better fix that problem with the Automatic Cam Chain tensioners' because they all seem to be breaking. AKA- stop putting the same ones on the newer model bikes please and thank you!
For What It's Worth
Leave the FI at home unless you're a track junkie or professional racer. For the average street riders, such as myself, there will really be nearly zero noticeable differences. If you're someone who absolutely MUST HAVE the latest technology then by all means jump on it. When it's running as it should, it's a beautiful thing. However as the saying goes "The more technology on it; the more things that can go wrong with it."
Let me know about your experiences!
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