Summer might be upon us, but the new bike launches are still in full swing. This time around, we have a two-fer, as Honda has invited us out to try its new CBR650R and CB650R street bikes.
Built around the same 650cc four-cylinder engine, the two models offer a fully faired and naked version of the same basic idea, but what is really important about the two machines is the last letter in their names.
That new “R” means that Honda has added some more pep to the lineup, with more power, more torque, more aggressive bodywork, more aggressive riding position, well…just about more of everything.
To test these changes, and to see if the unassuming sport bikes blow our hair back, we are riding out in the Palm Desert of California.
Unfortunately, yours truly had a previous engagement in Sweden (more on that soon) and couldn’t attend this launch, so we sent racer Shelina Moreda out to sunny SoCal to tell us all about the bikes, since she’s cut from that same “call it how you see it” cloth that we so greatly enjoy here as Asphalt & Rubber.
With two days of riding, we should have more than enough time to test both machines and see how they stack up in this very competitive middleweight sport bike category.
Per our new review format, Shelina will be giving you a live assessment of the Honda CBR650R & CB650R right here in this article (down in the comments section), and she will try to answer any questions you might have about these two motorcycles.
So, here is your chance to learn what it’s like to ride the Honda CBR650R & CB650R, before even our own proper review is posted. As always, if we don’t know an answer, Shelina will try to get a response from the Honda personnel. So, pepper away.
You can follow our thoughts on the bike live via Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and you can see what our colleagues are posting on social media by looking for the hashtags #cbr650r & #cb650r.
Spec-Sheet Comparison of Relevant Models to the Honda CBR650R:
| Honda CBR650R | Kawasaki Ninja 650 | Ducati SuperSport | |
| Horsepower | 94 hp | 67 hp | 108 hp |
| Torque | 47 lbs•ft | 49 lbs•ft | 69 lbs•ft |
| Weight | 456 lbs (wet) | 426 lbs (wet) | 463 lbs (wet) |
| Engine | 650cc / Four-Cylinder | 650cc / Parallel Twin | 937cc / 90° V-Twin |
| Price | $9.399 | $7,799 | $12,995 |
Spec-Sheet Comparison of Relevant Models to the Honda CB650R:
| Honda CB650R | Yamaha MT-07 | Suzuki SV650 | |
| Horsepower | 94 hp | 74 hp | 75 hp |
| Torque | 47 lbs•ft | 50 lbs•ft | 47 lbs•ft |
| Weight | 454 lbs (wet) | 403 lbs (wet) | 432 lbs (wet) |
| Engine | 650cc / Four-Cylinder | 689cc / Parallel Twin | 650cc / 90° V-Twin |
| Price | $8,249 | $7,599 | $6,499 |
Photos: Honda
Comments