Honda CBR 650R: Today we have an very interesting motorcycle the Honda CBR 650R the latest edition and that do on the spanking looking red color.
So you might be knowing that I was owning the 2019 version of Honda CBR 650R and I kept it almost 6 years. I just sold it a couple of months ago and uh yeah today I’m going to review this one.
So Honda CBR 650R owner reviewing the current generation.
So I have to say that there are not much differences Honda has done to this motorcycle. when I was just riding it right out of the bat I can say that because you know riding economics is same power is same and a little bit of cosmetic changes and a little bit of tech changes otherwise the motorcycle remains same but you know compared to the older generation I have to say that that’s the generation one and this is the generation 2 compared to the generation
one the generation 2 looks more sharper it has a more fireblade oriented looks so looking just like that you know that it actually is a very heartwarming looking motorcycle you know just look at that anyone will fall in love with this motorcycle especially with that kind of a red color.
Even the black color also looks so good. I used to have the red color and then I painted it to black because I love the black color.
Design and Styling Updates Of Honda CBR 650R
Uh so on this one we have very decent graphics compared to the generation one. The generation one graphics was not looking so good at least in my eyes. This one has very good-looking graphics.
Again CBR 650R written over there and that fairing and the undercover fairing everything comes in and the Honda written over there that actually adds a lot of look to this motorcycle.
By the way the headlight is also changed. The performance of the headlight is not so good. Still it’s bad on this one.
There’s an aftermarket windscreen.
By the way, this motorcycle was given to me by my friend Renjen Ready. You might be knowing his channel. So, just check out his channel if you want to know more about this motorcycle.
So, let’s get into the review of the motorcycle.
Tyres and Suspension Setup
So, this comes with Danlop tires which are like bad. I have to say that you know I like just after riding this motorcycle. This is what I feel.
If you are planning to buy this motorcycle, just stick with this tire for the honeymoon period and after that just switch to Michelin uh Route 5 or Piri Rossa 4 or something like that.
It comes with uh Showa SFF double disc in the front.
Engine and Mechanical Highlights
Beautiful looking fairing and the 649 cc. One of the most engineered, one of the most stable engine from Honda. You know, it sounds sweet as well.
And you can see that you cannot ignore the air exhaust.
By the way, this comes with an underbelly exhaust which actually takes up or eats up a lot of ground clearance. And this motorcycle actually solved that problem with that arrow exhaust.
So I used to have an Approach exhaust which solving the problem of ground clearance but it’s again an underbelly exhaust but this one is a side exhaust.
Side exhaust looks much different gives it a bit more fresh feeling to the motorcycle with that pipe.
But you know uh in our country it’s not legal but still I would really suggest to have an exhaust on this motorcycle because the stock sound of the motorcycle is like very silent and when you’re out on the highway that you’re riding at triple digits most people don’t get to know.
So for your own safety, I’ll say that if you are planning to buy this motorcycle after 1,000 km or 2,000 km, consider yourself buying an exhaust so that people will get to know that you are actually coming faster.
I’m not asking you to rev bomb inside city, but when you go out on the highway, you will appreciate.
And on this one, we get a frame slider attached. So it’s up to you whether to have or not.
I mean, I have never used frame sliders on my motorcycles because you know when it comes to frame sliders, there are two kind of people. One who use and one who don’t use. So I sit on the don’t use side of frame sliders.
Okay, forget it.
Fuel Tank and Seating Comfort
And now a look at the tank. It’s a beautiful looking tank. Uh a puny tank. I have to say that compared to all the sports stores available, the tank size is not that great.
But still the tank looks really good.
And there is a tank grip over here. That is actually good because you know when you sit on the motorcycle you literally have anything to cling on to and the motorcycle tank is actually very very sleepy.
So in that way that grip does a really good job and the rider seat is not changed from the uh generation one.
So this is actually a really good seat. You can actually sit on this stock seat itself for a very long time.
The stitching and everything looks really neat and it is having a good quality also after 6 years of usage on my motorcycle.
The stitching actually does looks like the same like that just that you have to maintain it that’s all.
And uh the rear seat has changed a lot compared to the older version.
So this one has a little more roomy space for your pillion but still you know you don’t have any grab rail kind of a setup.
You literally don’t have anything over here man.
By the way the tail looks good.
So yeah you don’t have anything over there to hold on.
So if your pillion is comfortable to hug you and sit like that it’s okay.
And also you should be also comfortable sitting like that because you know if your girlfriend or your wife is sitting behind then you might be comfortable but but if you plan to drop your college mate and I am pretty sure that you don’t want to call yourself a gay.
So that’s a debatable question.
Tail Section and Rear Styling
So let’s look at the tail section. The tail actually looks really neat, really cool.
Uh I’ll say that the Honda has lost a little bit of Hondaish touch on the tail end but still it looks really good because I see this tail light to be a little more Suzuki oriented tail light.
So yes, enough of talking like that.
Riding Position and Ergonomics
Let’s get into the motorcycle and pump it.
So, just by getting on the motorcycle, it’s not at all a tall motorcycle, but it’s a little sporty.
So, this is my normal riding stance.
Even though it’s a sports motorcycle, this is your riding stance.
You know, it’s a little far and when you sit behind, then you get a little more sporty oriented riding stance, but it’s good.
I mean, I personally love sports during motorcycle and this one is really for that.
The mirrors are doing good job. It’s wide. It stands out of your shoulder area.
So, stock mirrors are good.
I’ve seen people using some fancy mirrors. Uh, that might be not so useful, but it looks good.
Instrument Cluster and Switchgear
Okay, coming on to the points. Over here, we have the new display over here.
So, at least Honda has given something else compared to the previous version.
By the way, this motorcycle doesn’t get an e-clutch.
So, this has an option to have a manual clutch system or an dedicated e-clch.
So, this one is just before the clutch which just got launched in India.
I’ll probably do a review on the E-clutch variant as well. Don’t worry on that.
So you get a color TFT display over there.
This is not a big display but still packing a lot of information like speedometer, autometer, fuel level indicator, two trip meter, sachometer, time, whatever you ask for, but you don’t get riding mode.
You just get traction control here. That’s all.
And looking onto the switches.
Yeah, before that we don’t get an adjustable clutch lever, but we get an adjustable brake lever and pass switch over here.
That’s a good thing because previously it used to be a traction control switch here.
And the joystick, I don’t really like this kind of a joystick here because it could have been a little bigger one, but it looks premium and it look good as well because you know there is a lot of quality on that button.
And this is a traction control button if you want to turn it off.
And the horn and indicator which is actually swapped when you compare with a normal motorcycle.
And here we have the shamp and the engine start switch.
Exhaust Sound and Ride Feel Of Honda CBR 650R
So let’s hear this arrow exhaust.
By the way, it’s with the DB. If I remove the DB, it will be hell hell hell louder.
It’s growling, man. It has got that deep feel from the exhaust.
Yeah.
So, let’s go for the ride.
So, just here we have an open road.
Before that, you know, this is purely a road oriented motorcycle.
So, if you are getting into this kind of road, it’s manageable.
Just stay in your line.
The motorcycle is a little heavy in the sense it’s around 220 plus kg but it manages by itself.
Just that you shouldn’t put into a complete gravel road. That’s all.
Okay, we have the road.
Crazy man. Crazy acceleration. It was so much fun.
Performance and Inline-4 Character
By the way, the whole of the power, the torque, everything is mostly concentrated in the mid RPM.
That’s one good thing with this engine because, you know, it’s a 650 cc well balanced engine and it can literally give you chills when you really open the throttle completely wide open.
We have one more open road.
So this get an uh quick shifter the upshift not a auto blipper.
So this one still I believe doesn’t get a ride by word throttle.
So it gets a upshift only not a downshift.
But in the ecosystem you’ll be having both because it doesn’t require any clutch.
Real World Ride Impressions
So now let’s go back to the review.
So you know uh talking about the power of the motorcycle, it’s a highly typical inline 4 character.
That means you have to extract the most of the power of this motorcycle post 8,000 RPM.
And there is a certain degree of lag if you’re riding from 4,000 to around 7,000 RPM.
One way to resolve is you can buy an aftermarket air filter and pump in a little more air which resolves that lowend lag issue.
But you know you have to do that.
That’s my personal take because uh I have done it on my motorcycle and many of the owners are doing it and it gives a little more feel to it.
Otherwise you’ll feel that you are left out when you’re going on a group ride.
So compared to the stock motorcycle when you put in a air filter then a bigger air filter then you’ll get that smooth flowing feel.
Low Speed Tractability
And I’ll say that you know this engine is much practical because I can show you that suppose you want to ride inside the city in very low speed.
It’s in 40 km. Come on let’s bring it down a little more.
Yeah, it’s 39. I hit the lowest of 39 and I’m not opening.
Okay, but it’s open.
You know, it pulls from this speed rightly to 220 to 240 km/h with no efforts.
Isn’t it cool? Isn’t it cool?
I really love how the way this engine react when you open the throttle because, you know, it’s very linear.
It’s very predictable.
It’s not completely outrageous, but still it can give you chills on your spine if you are post at 10,000 RPM.
And that quick shifter, it gives that sound as well.
So, it’s really nice.
Touring Capability and Wind Protection
So in my opinion, I’ll say that the engine is such a sweet piece of engineering so that you can use inside city be in the third gear or the fourth gear, whatever gear you want because it’s an inline for it takes up the load and then you can when you come on this highway you can actually cruise at a speed of 120 or 140 or even at 160.
But you know, you need a bigger or a better wind visor from the stock motorcycle because the stock can give you a protection till a speed of uh I think 90 km per hour. That’s all.
Vibration and Heating Issues
And uh the flip side of this engine is that it’s a little wy which is very unusual with a Honda engine.
you know, it gives a little bit of uh that busy feel post at 6,000 RPM to be exact,000 to 8,000 RPM where you get it on the handlebar and you get it on the foot peg and uh which makes this motorcycle pushing into a YB motorcycle feel.
I mean internationally if you see uh many reviews as well many people are complaining about it because you know you never expect this out of a Honda.
If you ride a 500 Honda, you ride a literasslass Honda, the Fireblade, no other motorcycle has this kind of a a bust wheel, but you know, it is there on this motorcycle.
So, it’s it’s a complaint, but it’s not something to a level of bothering, but it’s bothering to a person who actually rides up from a Honda.