Honda CB 650R:welcome back to another review on this blog today we have the Honda CB 650R the Generation 1 so you might be knowing that Honda just announced that they’re going to bring the CB 650R the generation 2 which has a little bit of cosmetic update and one mechanical update so before we get that motorcycle let me just finish off the review of this motorcycle it’s a long time due on this motorcycle and I got only time to ride this motorcycle just now.
Design, Road Presence and First Impressions
I have to say that this is just a beautiful looking muscle motorcycle I don’t really say that this is a competition to muscle motorcycles like the Ducati Monster and all but yes it indeed has good road presence it has got a good charm it has got that charismatic character and a very nice looking motorcycle.
You can see that let me just turn on the DRL just look at that it’s a beautiful looking motorcycle and also it has an aftermarket visor so that’s why it looks a little more beefy.
Front End and Lighting
To start from the front we have that very good looking headlight where we have that ring light actually that ring light is giving a distinctive look to the motorcycle I have seen this ring light in the CB 1000R as well but the CB 300R doesn’t get it.
If you honestly ask me how is the throw of the headlight I’ll say it’s just kind of okay you can use it for city if you’re going for highway touring then you have to have auxiliary lights.
Suspension and Brakes
We can see the beefy front forks the USD forks from Showa it’s not adjustable but it’s an SFF and it works pretty good it’s decently set for road use and a double disc in the front and we have a short mud guard over here.
Engine and Exhaust Layout
We can see the CB 650R logo and there are only two portion in this motorcycle which has colors so this comes with two colors one is this cherry red and we have black color.
Then we can see the 649 CC inline 4 engine which is sweetly put over there which can be used for your medium purposes I’d say medium purpose because it’s not a too much powerful engine like a Z900 or a Ducati Monster.
But I have to say that this is more powerful than the Benelli 600i and there you can see the four headed pipes just looking like a wall and the exhaust is actually underbelly and it’s a short unit and it has ground clearance issues.
Ground Clearance Reality
I have to say that because on taller bumps I was facing that issue and with pillion you’ll be facing that issue with a medium level hump as well.
Seat Comfort and Tail Section
A good and elegant looking seat the seat is comfortable and coming onto the tail section the new motorcycle will get a different tail on this one also I really like the tail section this is kind of decent it’s not too boasting at all.
This tail section is just specific to the CB 650R and CBR 650R Generation 1 altogether actually the bike looks bigger than you see in the photos.
Modifications on This Motorcycle
Wind Visor Performance
First of all we have the P visor the visor is actually doing a good job because it’s naked motorcycle so we might start experiencing the wind blast from a 90 or 100 kmh mark but on this one I feel I’m comfortable till 120 or 130.
Protection Accessories
This has a radiator guard so whenever you are buying a new motorcycle make sure that you have a radiator guard if your motorcycle has a radiator.
Another one is the R&G frame slider on this one of course it’s a naked motorcycle and there are chances that you might slip the motorcycle and fall in the parking lot.
Switchgear, Console and Ergonomics
The switch gears on this motorcycle are similar to the one which I’ve seen on my motorcycle which is the CBR 650R.
On this side we have the traction control which is bit confusing for new riders and on the dial we have good amount of information we have the tachometer which shows red line at 12.5k RPM.
It’s not at all a tall motorcycle you can see that I have planted foot on both sides with my height this is much comfortable.
Inline 4 Engine Character and Performance
This is a 649 CC smaller capacity inline 4 such a sweet sounding motorcycle in stock actually it doesn’t make too much of sound.
I clearly haven’t seen what all speed this motorcycle have reached but I can say you that this motorcycle will reach a 200 km mark in the fourth gear itself.
Real World Riding Experience
This is a typical middleweight inline 4 motor producing around roughly 80 BHP and around 60 to 70 Nm torque.
The feedback from the engine is on the bottom end the torque is not that great but it’s not as sedative as a Benelli 600i.
City Ride and Tractability Test
I’m in the first gear I’ll show you how tractable this engine is okay I’m not going to use throttle in this experiment until I reach the sixth gear.
It’s around 25 km hour running in the sixth gear in idle RPM now I’m going to give throttle.
You can literally run this motorcycle in any gear you want inside the city.
Heating, Brakes and Suspension Feedback
This has heating issues but not as bad as some single cylinders I would say that the heat distribution on this motorcycle is much better.
The braking is actually spot on for this kind of a motorcycle I’ll say that the braking setup is very good.
Comfort, Mileage and Tank Range
The seat is actually very comfortable you can easily do 100 to 200 km in single stretch.
The tank size is 13 L and the usable fuel before reserve is just 10 L.
The mileage on this motorcycle is somewhere from 18 to 22 km per liter.
Ownership Cost and Maintenance
This motorcycle was actually coming for around 11 lakhs on road.
This motorcycle goes for general service once in 12,000 km costing around 5,000 to 6,000 rupees.
The chain and sprocket has to be changed once in 25,000 km on normal riding condition.
Is Honda CB 650R a Beginner Bike?
This is a much beginner friendly motorcycle in the sense if you have a twin cylinder 650cc like Ninja 650 or Z650.
If you’re stepping from a 200 cc then this is going to make you happy.
Who Should Buy This Motorcycle?
If you are someone who wanted to have a secondary motorcycle you already have a litre class motorcycle and you wanted a sweet sounding motorcycle for your city rides or weekend rides then this is a very good motorcycle for you.
Negatives of Honda CB 650R
Pricing is a negative on this motorcycle.
The front mud flap is a bit short and ground clearance is less with stock exhaust.
Final Verdict
That’s all with this review I hope this article is helpful for you if you are planning to buy the Honda CB 650R Generation 1.