Honda has a long history of middleweight machines that blend user-friendly four-cylinder engines with a nimble, confidence-inspiring chassis. It’s a combination that’s long satisfied two-wheel enthusiasts of varying riding backgrounds, from daily commuters to those who are up early, chasing the sunrise along tight, twisting backroads. It’s also the combination that makes the CB650R such an enjoyable and popular machine. A true middleweight standard, the CB650R pairs a light, versatile chassis to a 649cc inline four-cylinder engine with great torque and a smooth throttle delivery. Honda’s Neo Sports Café design theme showcases smooth lines and compact packaging, guaranteeing that this is a bike that’s just as exciting to look at as it is to ride.
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 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 21.9 inch tapered handlebar is shaped and positioned to offer a sport yet comfortable riding position, as is the foot-peg position. Seat height is 31.9 inches.
CHASSIS
The CB650R’s steel-diamond frame uses pressed swingarm pivot plates for weight savings 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. Much is owed to weight-saving measures in the frame, fuel tank and super-sport-style footpegs. Handling is further aided by an ideal centralization of mass.
An inverted 41mm Showa Separate Function Fork (SFF) offers great handling and reduced unsprung weight. The fork is held by a 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 standard. The cast aluminum wheels are designed with five Y-shaped spokes, reducing weight by front and rear, which also improves 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 good power above 10,000 rpm. Peak power arrives at 12,000 rpm, with peak torque delivered at 8,500. The net result is a motor that spins well 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 11.6:1. The valve train is reinforced and iridium spark plugs 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.
Twin air ducts on either side of the fuel tank feed a large volume of air, raising atmospheric pressure in the airbox. They also produce a throaty intake roar. The exhaust 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 eases upshifts while managing rear-wheel lock up under rapid downshifts, while 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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