In September of 2015 I rode home on a brand new F6B. Little did I realize at the time how much money I’d have to spend on accessories to make it fit my needs, close to $1,600, and that doesn’t count the service related items such as the 84 month extended service plan or service manual which brought my total to an even higher figure of $2,700. Even if I had purchased a full-fledged Goldwing instead, I still would have added many of the same accessories plus the extended service plan and service manual totaling over $2,200 additional cost.

Throughout my riding career, and regardless of which bike I owned, I’ve always added some accessories to personalize it, but never to the extent of what I’ve spent on this F6B. I suppose that others have spent much more than I and some have spent less, but the fact remains that the way Honda markets this bike could really be considered “bare bones” or “ready to accessorize”. Before I bought my F6 for example, I took a hard look at a new Kawasaki Councours 14 just for comparison. I was blown away with everything that bike offered as standard equipment, but no cruise control so that killed the deal. Point is, there are manufacturers out there with a lot to offer in the way of “standard equipment” which translates directly into money not spent on accessories. Honda seems to have a knack for limiting the list of “standard equipment”, I still can’t believe we don’t have ABS or digital instrumentation. Maybe that’ll be on the next generation, who knows.

In summary, I was really after the flat 6 boxer engine so I purchased my F6 on a year-end clearance from a large Honda Powersports dealer who was more than happy to sell it well below MSRP (which basically paid for all the accessories and the 84-month service plan), so I don’t feel too bad with what I’ve spent, and I did end up with exactly what I wanted. I guess that’s what keeps the accessory manufacturers happy!