- CB650R ABS
- CB650R
Honda has always thrived on exploring new boundaries, in design as well as engineering. In 2018, the new CB1000R and CB300R brought a fresh identity to Honda's naked motorcycle lineup, mixing café racer inspirations with an ultra-minimalist look under its "Neo Sports Café" design theme. One obvious segment remained for the new aesthetic to find expression: the competitive naked middleweight arena. For 2019, the new CB650R (previously known as the CB650F) confidently takes on this role.
Using the same styling blueprint as its siblings, the CB650R's retro-minimalism is aimed at a young demographic that wants to show off in style and enjoy the combination of exhilarating four-cylinder engine performance and light, versatile, refined chassis handling. Add to this mix of head-turning, individual looks and exciting, usable performance a spec sheet replete with high quality and premium features, and the result is a naked middleweight designed for maximum pride and pleasure of ownership.
STYLING
Tightly wrapped and aggressive, the CB650R's Neo Sports Café style features the signature compact "trapezoid" proportion of short, stubby tail and short-overhang headlight. The long fuel tank is a key motif of the family design; its smooth lines accentuate the solidity of real metal surfaces and crown the engineering of the four-cylinder powerplant. It also houses the ignition.
The round headlight is based on that of the CB1000R. It's LED, as is the rest of the lighting. Sharp new LCD instruments also use the CB1000R as a baseline and include Shift Up, Gear Position and a Peak Hold indicator, which brings attention to the peak revs and offers a more dynamic experience for the rider.
A more aggressive riding position than the CB650F moves the 21.9 inch tapered handlebar .5 inches forward and .3 inches down, with foot-peg position more rear-set—.3 inches back and .2 inches higher. Seat height is unchanged at 31.9 inches.
CHASSIS
The CB650R's steel-diamond frame is updated for 2019 with pressed (rather than forged) swingarm pivot plates; it's 4.2 pounds lighter than the previous design and uses twin elliptical spars with a rigidity balance specifically tuned (stiffer around the headstock and more flexible in the spar sections) to deliver balanced handling characteristics with high levels of rider feedback. Curb weight (measured with all required fluids) is 447 pounds for the ABS version (11.6 pounds lighter than the CB650F) thanks to weight savings in the frame, fuel tank and new super-sport-style footpegs. Handling is further aided by improved centralization of mass.
The CB650F's conventional front suspension is replaced by an inverted 41mm Showa Separate Function Fork (SFF), for improved handling and reduced unsprung weight. The fork is held by a revised, forged-aluminum bottom triple clamp. Adjustable for seven-stage spring preload, the single-tube shock operates directly on the curvaceous, gravity die-cast aluminum swingarm.
Four-piston radial-mount front brake calipers work on 310mm floating rotors, and are paired with a single-piston rear caliper and 240mm rotor. Two-channel ABS is available. The cast aluminum wheels are a brand-new design with five Y-shaped spokes, reducing weight by .97 and 1.2 pounds front and rear, respectively, improving handling by reducing inertia and unsprung mass.
ENGINE
Honda's development engineers wanted to create the purest, most enjoyable midsized four-cylinder performance possible for the CB650R rider, so the 649cc, DOHC 16-valve engine has been tuned to deliver 5% more power above 10,000 rpm, with redline raised 1,000 rpm. Peak power arrives at 12,000 rpm, with peak torque delivered at 8,500. The net result is a motor that spins harder, and for much longer, at high rpm, with a smooth, linear torque delivery that builds strongly as revs rise, and sounds great in the process.
Direct cam actuation makes for a compact cylinder head; compression ratio is raised from 11.4:1 to 11.6:1, and the combustion-chamber shape is optimized by use of a revised piston design. The valve train has been reinforced and valve timing revised; iridium spark plugs are also now employed.
Asymmetric piston skirts minimize bore contact, reducing friction. Ferrous spines on the outer surface of the cylinder sleeves reduce oil consumption (and friction) with improved heat transfer, and a silent SV cam chain reduces frictional losses by using a Vanadium coating on its pins. Internal water channeling from the cylinder head to the cylinders does away with most of the exterior hoses.
New twin air ducts on either side of the fuel tank feed a larger volume of air, as opposed to the single, central duct of the old model, raising atmospheric pressure in the airbox. They also produce a throaty intake roar. The exhaust now features a larger bore tail pipe—from 1.4 to 1.5 inches—inside the muffler to flow more gas and, with its exit pipe angled upward, to emit an emotional howl.
The engine uses a compact internal architecture, stacked six-speed gearbox and starter layout with the cylinders canted forward 30°. An assist/slipper clutch is a new addition and eases upshifts while managing rear-wheel lock up under rapid downshifts. On the ABS version only, Honda Selectable Torque Control (HSTC) manages rear-wheel traction; it can be turned off should the rider choose.
Transferable one-year, unlimited-mileage limited warranty; extended coverage available with a Honda Protection Plan.
- Meets current EPA standards.
- Models sold in California meet current CARB standards and may differ slightly due to emissions equipment.
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