A Word From Our Sponsors: 1997 Honda CBR600 F3 Smokin’ Joe’s Replica for Sale

1997 Honda CBR600 F3 Smokin’ Joe’s Replica
Miles: 17,810
Second Owner
Clean New Hampshire Title
Listed Price: $5,000

Race replicas are a popular sub category of sportbikes, clad in garish colors and graphics to mimic their racetrack counterparts, sometimes incorporating performance upgrades or applied to a higher performance version of a brand’s motorcycle or even to an homogation special. In the case of the Honda CBR600 F3 Smokin’ Joe’s Replica, it really was just a lurid paint and graphics scheme on an otherwise bog stock sportbike. That’s no bad thing though, since it means a simplified ownership experience. The CBR600 F3 itself was a surprisingly humble motorcycle: in an era when supersports motorcycles were moving towards specialized “R” models with lightweight aluminum frames, wildly rev-happy engines, and torture-rack ergonomics, the F3 used a steel frame, maintained Honda’s tradition “F” sports model designation, and offered surprising do-it-all practicality for such a competent sportbike. The F3 was extremely successful in AMA racing between 1995 and 1998, and just a few thousand Smokin’ Joe’s Replicas were sold to commemorate Miguel Duhamel’s championship win in 1995.

Up for sale is my 1997 Honda CBR600F3 in “Joe Camel” yellow-and-purple livery. In the 90s, Camel cigarettes sponsored Supersport (600cc) motorcycle races, and if you’re a fan of moto-racing—and old enough—this Honda model, the CBR600F3, ridden by French-Canadian Miguel Duhamel was king of the track. In 1996, Duhamel became the winningest rider in SuperSport with his 28th career victory. Duhamel won his fourth 600cc SuperSport Championship, after reaching the podium in all but three events. And, he won another 600 SuperSport title in 1997, on a CBR600F3 all dressed up in yellow and purple.

I am the second owner of this bike, which I purchased on August 2, 1997 with 548 miles on the odometer. The bike currently has 17,810 miles. It is as close to “new” condition as you’re likely to find.
The 548 miles that were put on the bike before I purchased it were not happy miles. At the least, the last of those miles were not. Here’s a brief history.
The bike was sold to the previous owner on April 10, 1997, and it was registered on April 14, 1997. It was in an accident on April 16 1997 (TWO DAYS AFTER BEING REGISTERED!!). The bike was returned to the shop where it had been purchased and an accident repair estimate was prepared. (I have a copy of that estimate) The cost of the repair was about $4500, and, subsequently (April 21) the insurance company deemed the bike a total loss.
The owner of the vehicle purchased the bike from the insurance company with a “salvage” title, and the bike was repaired. In August, when I saw the bike, it looked absolutely perfect, but because it was a “salvage” vehicle, NH law requires that the bike be certified by the state as roadworthy. So, after applying for and receiving a “salvage” title in my name, I brought the bike to the NH DMV where, after inspection by a state trooper, I received a “rebuilt” title for the bike, which I still have and which the purchaser of the bike will receive.
But if you’re registering the bike in NH, you won’t need (or even use) a title. In NH, model Year 1999 and older vehicles are exempt from titling; registration requires only a bill of sale and a current/expired registration. But every state has different rules for titling vehicles. If you register the bike in another state, and that state titles 1997 vehicles, you would use the “rebuilt” title to apply to that state’s DVD for a title in that state. For example, in Massachusetts, vehicles built after 1980 are titled by the Mass DMV. A “rebuilt” title issued by New Hampshire is valid for obtaining a title and registration in Massachusetts, and the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) will convert it into a Massachusetts Reconstructed Title carrying a “Rebuilt” designation. Since the vehicle is currently registered in New Hampshire and there is no lien, one can complete the registration and title transfer in one step at a Massachusetts RMV Service Center. Because the title is already “Rebuilt” by NH, it bypasses the physical MA salvage inspection station, saving that additional step.

But, as noted, each state has slightly different vehicle age limits and requirements, so if a buyer is planning to register it in a different locality, he /she should check the requirements for that state. (An easy way to do this is to ask Google in its AI mode)
The bike has several modifications which I added (actually, had added by Freedom Cycles: since I’m not a mechanic, the only service work I ever did on the bike was oil changes each year.) These modifications include an OEM center-stand (The F3 was the last CBR 600 which offered an OEM center-stand, which I find really useful in checking the tires for damage and maintaining the chain) and a 12volt PTO (in this case, a cigarette lighter) to allow accessories such as radar detectors, GPS, heated clothing to be used on the bike. (The flashy seat was a Hona OEM accessory, but the prior owner purchased that.)
As noted, the bike is in beautiful condition. If I were still physically able, I’d have not a worry setting off on a long trip with it. Both front and rear tires were replaced at 16,625 miles, at which time the valve lash on the bike was checked (only one of the 8 valves-an exhaust valve was out of spec). And the carburetors were rebuilt. (All of this was done by HK Powersports in Hookset—and I have the paperwork for this service.

This bike is not being offered as a daily rider. Because in the past, sport bikes of the 600cc class were purchased largely by young and testosterone fueled riders, and they tended to get trashed, excellent examples of these bikes are really collectibles to be sparsely ridden and maintained in their pristine condition.

As for pricing, I’m using” The Comprehensive Vintage Motorcycle Price Guide”, 2026-2027 Edition as a guide. This publication, compiled by The Motorcycle and Model Railroad Museum of Wisconsin, contains price (as a function of condition) information on pretty much every motorcycle marque ever produced from 1901 to 2007. It provides pricing based on six (6) levels of condition: (1) Perfect/New (2) Excellent (3) Very Good (4) Good (5) Fair and (6) Poor. It provides descriptions of each of these categories to assist a buyer or seller in evaluating a bike.
A 1997 CRBF3 in “Perfect/New” condition is listed as $9000. (In “Excellent” condition, $7500. In Very Good” condition, $6000. And so forth, down to “Poor” at $1500).
I believe my CRB to be somewhere between “Excellent” “to “Very Good”, though much closer to the former. Averaging the prices for the two yields $6750. But because of the bike’s status as “Rebuilt”, I’m reducing that by 25 percent (though, honestly, the “rebuilt” title has not mattered even a whit to me in the 29 years I’ve owned and enjoyed the bike!), which results in $5062.50, which I’m rounding down to $5000 as a listing price. 600cc Sportbikes of the period are highly collectable; this bike is definitely not being advertised as a good value for use as a daily runner or a track bike.

Please note: the bike is in Andover NH, not Andover Massachusetts.

As you might expect, the original user’s manual and tool kit (shown in a photo) are included.

In regards to the photos, the second-to-the last photo is a copy of the Christmas card I sent out in 2000, in which, the F3 was featured. I must say, this bike was a joy: light and flickable, a gentleman at lower revs, and an absolute beast in the upper rpms

If you like the idea of owning a classic 90s race replica, but have a limited budget and want to make sure to attract as much attention as possible everywhere you go, then look no further than this very clean Honda CBR600 F3 Smokin’ Joe’s Replica. It’s certainly not a pretty bike, but it oozes 90s charm and character. The basic CBR600 F3 is extremely reliable and practical and should be relatively easy to keep running, although it’s obviously been out of production for a long time. Aside from the paintwork, there’s nothing particularly exotic here. These do pop up from time to time, generally in good condition, often at very affordable prices. The miles here aren’t barn-find low, but it’s a 90s Honda after all, the bike appears to have been well cared-for, and looks to be in very nice condition from the photos provided.

-tad