Honda calls the CBR650F a sports bike, and it does a mighty fine job of intimidating one. But don’t let marketing and an eye-catching tricolour paint scheme convince you that it’s anything other than a commuter. And a very sexy one.
Just like the naked CB650F, this ‘R’ version is made in Thailand. The two bikes share almost everything expect their taste in sporty fairings. Where the CB replaced Honda’s much-loved Hornet, the CBR650F elbows the CBR600F into history. But despite its bigger engine the 650 has 15bhp and a sniff less torque than its predecessor, and everything peaks lower in the rev range than before. What’s going on?
If you judge this bike by its cover, you could expect to find the kind of relentless power that catapults you past Sunday drivers, but in reality the four-cylinder engine is barely awake under 3,000rpm. Honda claims that the engine delivers low-down punch, but it isn’t really ready for action until 6,000rpm, when it begins to vibrate through the handlebars, footpegs and saddle. The vibrations are most noticeable on the motorway, where the constant speed tickles your bottom and leaves you hunting for a seventh gear that doesn’t exist.
Once in the twisties, you’ll need to keep the revs high to get the best from the bike. Let them drop too low and the CBR650F loses momentum. Its power then builds gradually and carefully back to its peak, rather than sucker-punching the horizon.
It might not be breathtaking, but the Honda is predictable, linear and it can certainly handle the majority of situations well enough. The weather protection provided by the small windscreen and fairing is ample for legal speeds and, together with the relatively comfortable riding position, the CBR is ideal for daily rides to work or weekend blats through your favourite countryside.
You won’t have to refuel every five minutes, either. At 60mpg the CBR650F has a longer tank range than the globe-trotting BMW R 1200 GS LC. It’s not as roomy though, obviously. Ducking down and lying flat on the 17.3-litre tank feels like I’m trying to squeeze my foot into a shoe that’s just half a size too small, as my bum pushes against the rise of the passenger saddle.
However, the 810mm high seat is good news if your legs are as long as mine, and it also tapers to the front so that shorter riders shouldn’t have difficulty placing a foot firmly on the ground.
U-turns and slow-speed manoeuvres are a breeze, and for faster-paced rides the suspension (non-adjustable 43mm telescopic front forks and seven-step preload adjustable monoshock at the rear) is satisfactory. The ‘R’ has stiffer springs than its naked counterpart, to cope with the extra weight of the fairing and the ‘mass forward’ sportier set-up.
The Honda is uncomplicated and practical. The dashboard is tidy and complete with two digital screens that display a fuel gauge, clock, odometer and warning lights on one side and the rev counter and speedometer on the other.
The gearbox works as smoothly as you would expect from a Japanese bike, and even when I try to provoke a reaction by shaking the ‘bars as I glide along the motorway, the bike remains unflustered. You could wire it to a lie detector test and ask: “Are you a real, 100 per cent fully-fledged sports bike?” and it would answer: “Yes” without even raising a rev. It’s unflappable. To keep the bean counters happy the CBR650F is devoid of electronic rider aids, apart from ABS, and its old-school simplicity is part of the attraction. That and its stunning good looks.
You can’t go far wrong with this bike. The Japanese describe it as ‘a cool street sports bike that makes no compromise to rider lifestyle’. So basically, you can be a commuter without looking like one. Unless you go crazy on the accessories list and opt for the 35-litre top box, higher windscreen, heated grips and buy a fluorescent jacket to go with it all.
If, on the other hand, you want to indulge in the sporty image, you can always throw some more fake carbon at the bike before digging out your race suit and Marquez helmet from the cupboard. And then leaving for work.
At a glance
Engine: 649cc in-line four-cylinder producing 86bhp @ 11,000rpm and 46lb/ft @ 8,000rpm.
Transmission: Six-speed sequential manual, chain drive.
Kerb weight: 211kg
Seat height: 810mm
Fuel capacity: 17.3 litres