Honda CBR 650F

Bikes used to be arranged around how big their engines were: 250, 500, 750 or 1000cc. Then inflation set in, and 500s became 600s, and the 750s became 800s. Unless you were racing in a special displacement grouping, it all seemed a little silly. Didn’t we all just want a great motorcycle, regardless of some arbitrary engine size?

Well, that’s what you get with the CBR650F, and why riders find is such a joy. A truly fun ride at a great price, it's both practical and fun—what Honda does like no one else. Its inline-four engine specifically tuned for low-to-midrange torque, delivering a powerband that’s suited for a wide range of riding styles. Weekday commuter, weekend sport riding, long trips, short hauls, solo or with a passenger—the CBR650F does it all.

CBR650F - built for both the young and the young at heart

Who says that practical, comfortable, everyday bikes can’t generate the adrenalin rush of their RR brethren? Case in point, the CBR650F - its high torque, in-line four-cylinder engine, tuned for strong low-end, mid-range and top-end power, provides tremendous drive off the line and out of turns. The all-new steel chassis positions the engine far forward for optimal weight distribution and is tuned to provide an excellent balance between comfort and rigidity. An aluminum swingarm with a direct mounted single-shock handles the suspension duties at the rear while a 41 mm front fork keeps the front end planted in turns. Powerful, dual 320 mm wave-style front-brake rotors, supported by a single 240 mm rear, provide track level stopping power. Two channel ABS works in harmony with the wide, high-traction sporting radial tires to help ensure strong and secure stopping in a variety of conditions.

So the CBR650F has the sporting credentials to live-up to the CBR designation, but what will catch your eye first is the unique styling. The design team for the CBR650F included a number of young engineers in their 20s who wanted to create a thoroughly modern and unique sport bike for today’s world. Since the engine, chassis, bodywork and, even, the wheels were all new, they had virtually a blank canvas to work with and what they came up with is a stunning design. From the minimalist full fairing that leaves most of the engine exposed, to the sweeping exhaust headers, to the arcing aluminum swingarm, the CBR650F is attractive from any angle.

Options & Pricing

The CBR650F offers a great combination of sportbike performance, versatility and value, along with the quality and attention to detail that’s made Honda famous. The 649cc engine displacement makes for a user-friendly powerband that’s perfect for both general riding and weekends when you want to dial it up a notch. Best of all, the CBR650F is available in two versions: the CBR650F and the CBR650F ABS with our Anti-lock Brake System—an excellent choice for riders of all levels.

CBR650F
Base MSRP $8,499
•649cc liquid-cooled inline four-cylinder
•Digital instrumentation, clip-on handlebars, sportbike styling
•Fun, value, & practicality in one bike
•The DOHC 16-valve cylinder head employs direct cam actuation and cam timing that delivers strong torque and drivability below 4,000 rpm.
•Internal water channeling from cylinder head to cylinders reduces the number of external hoses allowing the motor to show off its minimal, elegant beauty and functional style.
•The shock and 41 mm telescopic fork have been developed to work directly with the CBR650F frame’s performance parameters to provide supple, neutral handling in all conditions. Firmer spring rates (with damping to suit) match the bike’s more sports-oriented focus.
•A compact ‘wave’ design ignition key offers improved security and reduced chance of breakage.

Bang for Your Buck

This is a machine that offers an incredibly high fun factor while keeping real-world budgets in mind. Its ergonomics and performance will keep you excited and its price and features will keep your wallet.

Inline-Four Engine

Honda pioneered the modern inline-four layout and we’ve never looked back. With smooth running and offering terrific performance, the CBR650F’s powerplant is one of our best.

Twin-Spar Steel Frame

Rock-solid handling starts with a rock-solid chassis. The CBR650F’s frame is strong for sharp, responsive handling, but not too stiff for casual, everyday riding.

Multi-Function Instruments

The CBR650F offers a digital LCD instrument package. Everything is clearly visible, night or day, and includes all the info you need for longer trips or cross-town commutes.

The Biggest Difference of All: Honda Quality.

The 2015 CBR650F does what Hondas have always done best: offer performance, innovation and quality, and deliver it at a value point that’s second to none. Add to that the CBR650F’s wide capabilities—sportbike, commuter, weekend fun machine—and you can see that it’s like having two or three machines for the price of one. Best of all, nobody else, at any price, can deliver the build quality and long-term reliability that’s made Honda famous.

Dual-Disc Brakes/Optional ABS

Here’s an area where plenty of other bikes would scrimp, but not the CBR650F. Dual 320mm front discs offer excellent stopping power under a wide range of operations. Honda’s ABS system is available for more confident stopping in challenging conditions.
41mm Front Suspension

Our 41mm front suspension offers excellent suspension action and a comfortable ride along with precise steering and front-end feedback.
Supersport-Style Front Cowl

The CBR650F may be a terrific value, but it still offers plenty of style. Check out its CBR600RR-inspired front cowl—just enough bodywork to cut the wind blast and give it a cool look.
Four-Into-One Exhaust

Power, style and an unmistakable growl—you get all three with the four-into-two-into-one exhaust system on the CBR650F.
Six-Speed Transmission

Smooth, nearly seamless shifts and more gear ratios to match the way you want to ride: those are two of the characteristics that make this Honda so much fun to ride.
649cc DOHC Engine

Engines like this are what Honda does best. The four-cylinder design makes it smoother and faster revving than most twins, and offers ample low to midrange torque, and plenty of power through the entire rev range.
Twin-Spar Steel Frame

A steel frame is strong, but not too rigid for the needs of the everyday rider. With a 57-inch wheelbase, the CBR650F is also quick and responsive—just what a machine in this class should be.
LCD Multi-Meter

In addition to the speedometer and digital tachometer, the CBR650F’s instrumentation also includes clock, trip meter and fuel gauge.
Clip-On Handlebars

Clip-on bars are an integral part of supersport bikes and for the CBR650F, they put you in a riding position that’s both sporty and comfortable enough for longer trips.
4.5-Gallon Fuel Tank

You asked; we listened. A bike as versatile as the CBR650F needs plenty of range, and the 4.5-gallon fuel tank provides just that.
Rear-Disc Brake

A 240mm hydraulic disc at the rear complements the twin front discs for plenty of stopping power.

Engine/Drivetrain

The DOHC 16-valve cylinder head employs direct cam actuation and cam timing that delivers strong torque and drivability below 4,000 rpm..
Peak power arrives at 11,000 rpm with peak torque at 8,000 rpm for a broad usable powerband. The engine is smooth at all rpm, with distinct inline four-cylinder character and resonance..
To ensure good fuel economy at constant throttle short valve overlap timing works in harmony with a specific ignition map. Range can exceed 350km per tank..
The liquid-cooled engine uses compact internal architecture, with a stacked six-speed gearbox and starter/clutch layout. The four cylinders are canted forward 30° to lower centre of gravity..
A down-flow airbox with narrow, 30 mm, high-velocity intake funnels, route airflow in as straight a line as possible. The PGM-FI fuel injection system operates with information from four separate sensors on 32 mm throttle bores for crisp and accurate response. Careful siting and angling of the throttle bodies allows a narrow frame width, improving manageability for the rider..
Optimization of con-rod length has decreased the side-force on each piston and ‘breathing’ holes in the crankcase walls between journals reduce pumping losses as rpm rises. The pistons feature asymmetric skirts minimizing bore contact to reduce friction further while and ferrous spines on the outer surface of the cylinder sleeves reduce oil consumption and improve heat transfer..
The water pump – designed with CAE study of water flow – is compact and efficient, reducing drag..
Internal water channeling from cylinder head to cylinders reduces the number of external hoses allowing the motor to show off its minimal, elegant beauty and functional style..
Right side-sweeping 4-2-1 exhaust employs optimized downpipe length and diameter, plus patented internal plates regulating airflow to improve torque. The ‘wafer’ design stubby under-slung muffler – with 400-cell catalyzer – contributes to mass centralization..

SUSPENSION

Steel, diamond frame uses twin 64 mm x 30 mm elliptical spars. The frame's rigidity balance has been specifically tuned – it’s much stiffer around the headstock and more ‘flexible’ in the spar sections – to deliver desirable handling characteristics and a high level of rider feedback..
A single-tube monoshock with seven-stage spring preload adjustment operates directly on a gravity die-cast aluminum swingarm which arcs up over the muffler on the right..
The shock and 41 mm telescopic fork have been developed to work directly with the CBR650F frame’s performance parameters to provide supple, neutral handling in all conditions. Firmer spring rates (with damping to suit) match the bike’s more sports-oriented focus..
Cast aluminum five-spoke wheels wear sticky 120/70-17 and 180/55-17 front and rear radial tires..
Wavy brake discs use the same manufacturing technique as the twin-cylinder NC750 series; the 240 mm rear is formed within a 320 mm front, saving material (and ultimately cost) to the customer. The two-piston front calipers and single-piston rear are managed by standard 2-channel ABS, ensuring safe and consistent stopping in most conditions..

Additional Features

‘Mass Forward’ styling gives the CBR650F its sleek and aggressive appearance. The dynamically curved fuel tank and chiseled fairing add a strong identity, as does the stubby, shrink-wrapped tail unit. Both taillight and front position light are LED..
The riding position is on the relaxed side of sporty and passengers get an ample seat and a grab strap for security..
The fuel tank is hinged at the back allowing easy access to the cylinder head for maintenance..
The dash includes twin large digital screens. On the left are the rev-counter and speedometer; on the right are a fuel gauge, clock, odometer and warning lights. Both sides are lit by a white back light..
A compact ‘wave’ design ignition key offers improved security and reduced chance of breakage..

This might not be the Honda that you were expecting or even waiting for, but it’s here. A simple, smooth, and fun-to-ride entry-level middleweight sportbike that Honda originally introduced alongside its naked counterpart, the CB650F, last year at the EICMA show in Milan. Enter the all-new 2014 Honda CBR650F.

Honda has clearly targeted entry-level and step-up riders with recent additions to their lineup that include last year’s 500cc CB and CBR, new CBR300R, and even the VFR800 Interceptor, which, displacement-wise, drops neatly under the CB1000R in Big Red’s Sport line. But unlike the Interceptor, which returns with a frame and engine that are basically carry-overs from the previous VFR model, the 2014 CBR650F is all-new and shares almost no components with previous or existing models in the lineup. Purpose-built as they say, and Honda’s purpose was to provide a mid-displacement sportbike with supersport styling and a level of performance above the parallel-twin 500cc engine. Honda’s product planning guys refer to it as “step-up performance.”

In that respect, they’ve succeeded. But is it “remarkably affordable,” as Honda puts it, or comparably priced for middleweight newcomers and small-bike graduates? That depends. If you’re comparing price points within the Honda line, the CBR650F falls slightly on the lower side of the gap that it fills, coming in at $3,000 less than the CBR600RR and $2,200 more than the CBR500R. But compare the Honda’s base $8,499 MSRP with retail pricing of the Kawasaki Ninja 650, Yamaha FZ-07, and Suzuki SFV650, and you might say that the CBR650F needs to justify its place on the Big Four scale.

To get acquainted with the new CBR-F, Honda invited motojournalists on a one-day ride through the canyons above Malibu. The endless maze of winding roads above the famous Pacific Coast Highway is where LA-area sportbike riders and cruisers go to unwind on Saturdays and Sundays, and weekend traffic is almost always a challenge if not a downright hazard. Luckily, our press ride took place mid-week and we had the Mulholland twisties all to ourselves.

With a 67mm x 46mm bore and stroke yielding its 649cc displacement, the CBR650F’s inline-four engine delivers what it promises with smooth acceleration and useable torque in the low 4,000 to 6,000 rpm range and its strongest pull coming on noticeably as the LCD tach bars sweep up to 7,000 rpm before starting to flatten out just above the 10,000 rpm mark (the red zone starts at 11,400rpm on the LCD tach). A cable-actuated clutch disengages with a very light pull on the lever and shifting through the six gears is faultless.

The engine is a stressed member of the CBR-F’s steel twin-spar frame bolted into place with aluminum hangers at a point that achieves close to a 50/50 distribution of weight between the axles. A cast aluminum swingarm is suspended by a single shock with 5 inches of rear travel. Up front, the 41mm right-side-up fork is non-adjustable and provides 4.3 inches of travel. The rear shock is valved on the heavy side with a light spring but the main drawback is the lack of rebound adjustability. The only adjustment that can be made to the suspension is at the rear with seven detents of spring preload.

At two clicks up on the preload (factory setting), the ride around town was plush enough for daily commuting without feeling unstable or unpredictable as we worked our way into a curvy section of road. Once we were up in the fun section of the ride, we pulled into a turnout and added two more clicks of preload, which enabled the CBR650F to handle the tight, narrow roads with a slightly sportier feel. There is no dive into the corners and steering is not super-light by supersport standards, which is a good thing for less aggressive riders who want a more predictable feel. Mid-turn bumps did not upset handling, a characteristic that we found to be a nice compromise for daily commuting and weekend rides through the twisties.

Dual 320mm wave-type rotors up front provide strong stopping capability with easy one-finger modulation on the lever. The brakes remained consistent throughout the day under heavy acceleration and stopping. The rear brake on our test bike grabbed quickly making it a little more difficult to modulate. For an additional $500 over base, you can get Honda’s ABS system for added panic-stop confidence. (The ABS model is available only matte black.) Fortunately, there was no discernible difference in lever feel or stopping performance between the ABS and non-ABS bikes that we rode. Aside from the optional ABS upgrade, there are no sophisticated electronic rider aids to drive up the price. The LCD dash is basic and easy to read with excellent day and nighttime visibility. With the CBR650F’s more upright sport-touring rider position, airflow coming off of the top of the small windscreen was a buffeting factor at 60mph and above. A seat height of 31.9 inches is not necessarily low, however a nice taper where the inner thighs rest makes it easier for shorter legs to reach the ground.

Overall sport-oriented ergos with above-the-tree clip-ons and a slight rise to the bars offer a comfortable, semi-upright seated position with all of the controls where they should be. While the seating position is more upright than a 600RR, the CBR650F puts the rider at a slight forward tilt that helps to keep you positioned closer to the front-hinged tank for a sporty feel and better weight distribution. Honda offers the CBR650F in two eye-grabbing colors, red or blue, along with a stealthier matte black for the wicked, low-key look. The new bodywork is clean and angular with more of the engine visible than most fully faired sportbikes. A short list of Honda accessories include a rear trunk or rack, heated grips, rear hugger, color-matched solo seat cowl, wheel stripes, carbon fiber tank pad and a sport windscreen for buyers who need to add some personal touches.

Source sportrider.com