Honda CB600F Hornet Gen 1 / Honda 599 (1998-2006, carburettor) Maintenance Schedule and Service Intervals
This is the maintenance schedule and associated service intervals for the first-generation Honda CB600F made between 1998 and 2006, and available in the US between 2000 and 2006. The Honda CB600F was also called the Honda 599 or the Honda Hornet 600.
The Honda CB600F (or Honda 599) is a street bike with a 599cc inline four-cylinder engine in a naked chassis. It’s fuelled via a carburettor — the 2007 replacement added fuel injection.
There were some upgrades during the Honda CB600F’s lifespan, including
- 2000: 17 inch front wheel (was a 16 inch previously), also getting US availability
- 2003: Optional ABS
- 2005: Upside down fork, replacing the conventional fork
Aside from that, the engine fundamentally didn’t change. The 599cc inline four was tuned for mid-range torque rather than outright top power, but it didn’t sacrifice much — it always made over 70 kW (over 95 hp) at the crank, quite close to the figures seen from the CBR600F.
The CB600F was replaced in 2007 by the fuel injected Honda CB600F, which brought with it many other changes.
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What you need to service your Honda CB600F Hornet / Honda 599
Below is a list of the standard fluids and replaceables you need for your Hornet.
| Part | Honda CB600 / Hornet / 599 spec |
|---|---|
| Oil | Honda’s manual recommends Pro Honda GN4 10W-40 or a high-quality synthetic like Motul 7100 10W-40, or any oil that’s API SG or higher, or JASO standard MA, and 10W-40. Use a torque wrench to tighten the bolt to 29 Nm (22 lb-ft). |
| Oil filter | Honda’s standard part number for the oil filter is 15410-MFJ-D01 (used on many Hondas). You can also use Hiflofiltro HF204RC for the oil filter. Use a torque wrench to tighten it to 26 Nm (20 lb-ft). |
| Air filter | The OEM air filter part is 17230-KEA-000 (1998-2002) or part 17230-MBZ-K00 (2003-2006). You can also use the HifloFiltro alternative air filter, whose part number is HFA1602, for all model years. |
| Spark plugs | The manual specifies NGK spark plug part CR9EH-9 or Denso U27FER9. |
| Chain maintenance | To maintain your chain, Motul chain paste is quite well-liked. There’s also the Motul chain care kit which is affordable and good. |
| Brake fluid | You can use any DOT 4 oil, but Honda recommends Honda DOT 4. |
| Brake pads (front) | For the front, use two pairs of EBC HH brake pads, part number FA226HH. |
| Brake pads (rear) | For the rear, use one pair of EBC HH brake pads, part number FA174HH. |
| Coolant | Use Honda Long-life Coolant, which is based on ethylene glycol. |
| Grease | Stock up on lithium soap-based grease and silicon grease to keep pivots and moving parts lubricated and protected. |
Honda CB600F Maintenance Schedule
Below is the maintenance schedule for the Honda CB600F.
Notes:
- Service intervals for the carburettor-fed Honda CB600F Hornet (Honda 599) are every 4000 miles or 6400 km, but these are mostly inspections. Change the oil every 8000 miles (12800 km), and inspect the valves every 16000 miles (25600 km).
- In the original manual, Honda recommended you get a mechanic to do complex items like steering and tyre/wheel replacement.
- The break-in schedule below is omitted as this bike is no longer sold new.
Maintenance Procedures:
- I: inspect and clean, adjust, lubricate, or replace, if necessary
- C: clean
- A: adjust
- L: lubricate
- R: replace
| x 1000 mi | 4 | 8 | 12 | 16 | 20 | 24 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| x 1000 km | 6.4 | 12.8 | 19.2 | 25.6 | 32 | 38.4 | Every |
| Fuel Line | I | I | I | ||||
| Throttle Operation | I | I | I | ||||
| Choke Operation | I | I | I | ||||
| Air Cleaner (HFA1602) | I | I | Service more often if riding in dust/wet. | ||||
| Spark Plugs (NGK CR9EH-9) | I | R | I | R | I | R | |
| Valve Clearance | I | ||||||
| Engine Oil (Pro Honda GN4 10W-40) | R | R | R | ||||
| Engine Oil Filter (HF204RC) | R | R | R | ||||
| Carburetor Synchronization | I | I | I | ||||
| Engine Idle Speed | I | I | I | I | I | I | |
| Radiator Coolant (Honda coolant) | I | I | R | Replace every 2 years | |||
| Cooling System | I | I | I | ||||
| Secondary Air Supply System | I | I | I | ||||
| Evaporative Emission Control System (CA) | I | I | |||||
| Drive Chain (Motul chain care kit) | 500 mi (800 km): I, L | ||||||
| Brake Fluid (Honda DOT 4) | I | I | R | I | I | R | Replace every 2 years |
| Brake Pad Wear (Front: 2x FA226HH, Rear: FA174HH) | I | I | I | I | I | I | |
| Brake System | I | I | I | ||||
| Brake Light Switch | I | I | I | ||||
| Headlight Aim | I | I | I | ||||
| Clutch System | I | I | I | I | I | I | |
| Side Stand | I | I | I | ||||
| Suspension | I | I | I | ||||
| Nuts, Bolts, Fasteners | I | I | I | ||||
| Wheels/Tires | I | I | I | ||||
| Steering Head Bearings | I | I | I |
Tyre size and tyre pressure for the Honda CB600F
The 2000-2006 Honda CB600F has the following tyre sizes standard, as well as the following recommended tyre pressures:
| Tyre | Size | Tyre pressure |
|---|---|---|
| Front | 120/70 ZR17M/C (58W) | 36 psi (250 kPa) |
| Rear | 180/55 ZR17M/C (73W) | 42 psi (290 kPa) |
Stock, the Honda CB600F shipped with road tyres — Michelin Pilot Roads or Bridgestone BT-56Rs.
Prior to 2000, the Honda CB600F had a 16-inch front wheel. This version was never imported to the US.
About the Honda CB600F Hornet / Honda 599
The Honda CB600F (known as the Hornet in Europe and Brazil and 599 in the US) is a standard motorcycle, a naked parallel to the CBR600F.
The CB600F / Hornet / 599 is powered by a 599-cc liquid-cooled inline-four engine, originally a de-tuned version of that in the Honda CBR600RR sport bike. However, the de-tuning never knocked off more than about 10% of peak power — the CB600F makes peak power of 71 kW (98 hp) at 12000 rpm, and peak torque of 66 Nm (48 ft-lb) at 11400 rpm. This is a sport bike with handlebars!
Power goes to the ground via a six-speed transmission and chain drive.
Of course, the Honda CB600F differs from its RR stablemates in the ride gear, like the suspension.
The Honda CB600F’s suspension consists of a single shock in the rear and a telescopic fork in the front for most of its years, though replaced by an upside-down fork in 2005. You could only ever adjust the rear shock for preload, and the fork is non-adjustable. Suspension adjustability is one distinct bonus of the fully-faired models.
The 599’s brakes are dual 296mm discs, with Nissin twin piston calipers in the front and a single-disc, Nissin single piston brake setup in the rear. This is another downgrade vis-a-vis the CBR600RR, which gets four-piston calipers.
In 1998 and 1999, before being marketed in the US, the CB600F had a 16-inch front wheel. From 2000, this was changed to a 17-inch front wheel. This helped with cornering stability and increased the strength of the brake pass-over system on the front, making brakes stronger.
In 2003, Honda changed a lot about the CB600F, giving it a larger fuel tank (adding just a litre) and giving it sharper styling.
Honda also made a faired version of the CB600F in some markets, the CB600S, from 2000. It never really took off and was discontinued after 2003.
The year 2005 saw a law of updates for the CB600F. Primarily, the Hornet got inverted forks (still non-adjustable), but it also got a revised instrument cluster.
The Honda CB600F is basically an old equivalent of the modern CB650R. In fact, the modern 2019+ Honda CB650R takes more than its share of styling cues from the classic Hornet.
Manual for the Honda CB600F
The above maintenance schedule comes directly from the user’s manual for the 2006 Honda CB600F.
You can download manuals for Honda motorcycles directly from Honda.
