Honda CBR 650F First Ride Road Test Review

The Honda CBR 650F is brought into India in Semi Knocked Down kit. It’s almost like a CBU form. I am sure the vehicle has been taxed heavily and that has resulted in an ex showroom price of Rs 7.3 lakh. I feel that that this price is quite reasonable, especially when one realises what the bike has to offer in terms of looks, ride quality, seat comfort, engine refinement and pace.  Yes there is competition plenty from the likes of Kawasakis, Triumphs and Benellis, but the CBR in-line four has its own distinct advantages.

The Honda CBR 650F motorcycle has a sporty and subtly aggressive look about it.  The almost ‘V’ shaped headlight embedded in a raked fairing gives a very conservative look. The front shape begins to taper as it reaches the windshield. This design is so effective when it comes to riding at high speeds. The rider can crouch, almost hugging on the chiselled fuel tank with ample thigh grip and support on either side of the tank. The LED tail lamp along with the meaty looking swingarm and the massive Dunlop tubeless rear tyre give the motorcycle a masculine look from the rear. Ergonomically speaking, the Honda CBR 650F is the right mix of smart design and ample comfort for the rider.

The motorcycle console has two separate counters. One shows all about rpm and the speed in digital format, while the other shows the time, fuel indicator, average and kilometres covered. Here too the display is all digital. While riding, it’s but obvious that the speed counter is the one which gets the occasional glimpse. The reading is all bold and in fonts so large that even those clipping the bike at speeds above 150km can see it crystal clear. The bike also comes with adjustable front brake lever. The clutch lever, however, does not have such a feature. On either sides of the handle are buttons that have their own distinct functions. On the right are the engine kill switch and the start button, while on the left are the switches to adjust the headlight beam, a hazard warning button, horn and the indicators. There is also the Honda Ignition Security System which protects the bike from theft. It is an electronic device that automatically disables the starting of the engine in case if someone tries to start the bike with his own skeleton key.

Coming to the seating position of the rider, it’s just perfect. The seats are padded and the clip-on handle gives the rider the right level of grip for accelerated riding. There are no grab handles for the rear seat here and the sole Indian contribution to the SKD motorcycle is a saree guard that had to be fitted to pass the Indian homologation norms (for the picture shoot the dealer had removed it, obviously for aesthetic purposes). The guard does not look bad, though. But a piece of advice: Don’t let your lady wear a saree and sit behind you. It’s better if she hugs you tight, wearing a pair of Levis jeans. Babus in the Indian government offices may never fathom what I want to say!

If you notice, the fairing around the front area of the bike that covers the engine to some extent has enough chinks in it so that the hot air from the engine can be dissipated without frying the rider’s legs during long periods of riding.  

Among the strong points of this bike is the ride and handling. This is mainly because of the Steel Diamond frame on which the bike has been built and the front      41mm Telescopic Fork and the rear monoshock with 7-stage spring preload adjustment that form part of the suspension. The Dunlop tubeless tyres add to the road presence of the motorcycle giving it confident legs to walk and run.

Speed comes naturally to the inline four cylinder engine. The sporty 4-2-1 exhaust peeps out from the underbelly of the motorcycle. Some may find this a tad less showy. In fact, the mid range torque is rather exciting and zooming beyond 100kmph comes in a mere few seconds. The disc brakes with ABS were also tested in the real world. The results were astounding.

The Honda CBR 650F may not be an overtly designed and dressed up motorcycle, but its subtle imagery is what could appeal to an entire generation of level headed riders. As Honda has so rightly said, the Wild Doesn’t Always Scream, but when the need so arises, it does scream and tells the world it’s no pushover.