NEW 2019 Honda CB650R Review of Specs / Features + Changes! | Naked CBR Neo Sports Cafe @ EICMA 2018

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– New 2019 CB650R Review / Specs | Neo Sports Cafe Naked CBR Sport Bike / Motorcycle Buyer’s Guide with R&D Info + More! –

2019 Honda CB650R Review / Specs + New Changes | Neo Sports Cafe / Naked CBR Sport Bike | CB650F

The naked sport bike middleweight class has been booming lately with new 2019 motorcycles into this segment from Suzuki, Yamaha, Kawasaki etc and Honda has now officially decided to step it up with their entry – the 2019 CB650R. Don’t forget to check out the New 2019 CBR650R too by Clicking Here.

The CB650R, originally dubbed as one of the Neo Sports Cafe concept bikes has now been placed into the production category and will be replacing what we knew as the CB650F for 2019. Yes, there will be no 2019 CB650F from Honda – this CB650R is now the CB650F.

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Key 2019 CB650R Info (for those in a hurry):

  • 2019 CB650R Price / MSRP: $8,899
    • 2019 CB650R ABS Price / MSRP: $9,199
  • 2019 CB650R Release Date: April 2019
  • 2019 CB650R Colors: Chromosphere Red (USA), Graphite Black, Candy Chromosphere Red, Matte Crypton Silver Metallic, Matte Jeans Blue Metallic
  • 2019 CB650R Horsepower: 94 HP @ 12,000 RPM
  • 2019 CB650R Torque: 47 ft/lb TQ @ 8,500 RPM
  • 2019 CB650R MPG: 48 Miles Per Gallon
  • 2019 CB650R Seat Height: 31.9 inches
  • 2019 CB650R Weight: 445 lbs / ABS 447 lbs (curb)
  • 2019 CB650R VS 2018 CB650F Price / MSRP Increase: +$650
  • 2019 CB650R VS 2018 CB650F Changes: Yes, I break down the details more in-depth below. 

The introduction of the CB650R for 2019 ties in with a few other models to bring them all together. Prior to this year, it was rather confusing for some people to try and understand what Honda was doing with their model names. You had the CBR300R followed by the CBR500R and then the next step was the CBR650F before you ended up at the CBR600RR and CBR1000RR models. Why did the 650 version have an F on the end and not an R like the others? It’s understandable as to why the CBR600RR and CBR1000RR models packed the two RR in their name, they are supersport bikes. Basically race bikes if you strip their headlights off of them. The F models made a little bit more sense as they at least kept the same letters packed together to make them easy to understand so that way if you were looking at the CB500F then you knew it was a step up from the CB300F and same goes with the CB650F. Now, the CB-R and CBR-R models will all follow suit and fit in well with each other and the ‘category’ they’re trying to shoot for. Example: CB125R, CB300R, CB650R, CB1000R are all based off of the Neo Sports Cafe styling and then the CB300F, CB500F are more of the standard naked CBR sport bike ‘streetfighter look’. Then you have the CBR300R, CBR500R, CBR650R models that fit into the sport bike class with the CBR600RR and CBR1000RR following it up as the macdaddy’s of them all. Now that we’ve swerved off-topic just a tad, let’s get to what you’re here for and that’s for more info on the 2019 CB650R…

  • 2019 CB650R Review Contents:
    • 1. | CB650R Introduction
    • 2. | CB650R Model Overview
    • 3. | CB650R Key Features / Development
      • 3.1 | CB650R Styling / Chassis
      • 3.2 | CB650R Engine
    • 4. | CB650R Accessories
    • 5. | CB650R Pictures / Photo Gallery
    • 6. | CB650R Technical Specifications

1. | CB650R Introduction

Honda has always thrived on exploring new boundaries, in design as well as engineering. In 2018, the new CB1000R and CB300R brought a fresh identity to Honda’s naked motorcycle lineup in the USA, mixing café racer inspirations with an ultra-minimalist look under its “Neo Sports Café” design theme.

One obvious segment remained for the new aesthetic to find expression: the competitive naked middleweight arena. For 2019, the new CB650R (previously known as the CB650F) confidently takes on this role.

2019 Honda CB650R Review / Specs + New Changes | Neo Sports Cafe / Naked CBR Sport Bike | CB650F

Using the same styling blueprint as its siblings, the CB650R’s retro-minimalism is aimed at a young demographic that wants to show off in style and enjoy the combination of exhilarating four-cylinder engine performance and light, versatile, refined chassis handling.

Add to this mix of head-turning, individual looks and exciting, usable performance a spec sheet replete with high quality and premium features, and the result is a naked middleweight designed for maximum pride and pleasure of ownership.

2. | CB650R Model Overview

The new CB650R mirrors the CB1000R, with pared-down lines designed to put maximum machine on show – this is the motorcycle laid bare. Its super-compact, trapezoid form draws extremities in tightly, and the four-cylinder engine – blacked-out with cam and engine covers highlighted in burnished bronze – is very much the centrepiece of the machine.

 

Compared to the streetfighter-styled CB650F, which it replaces in Honda’s line-up, 6kg has been saved from the chassis thanks to a revised frame, fuel tank and footpegs. A 41mm Showa SFF USD fork, radial-mount four-piston calipers, floating discs and new wheels are further features not present on the CB650F.

Tapered handlebars make for easy steering, and the riding position is on the sporty end of the naked spectrum. The CB650R also shares the CB1000R’s distinctive round LED headlight (all lighting is LED) and modern LCD instrument display, which includes a Shift Up and Gear Position indicator.

For the 650cc engine, a revised intake and exhaust, plus new cam timing and compression ratios bring a 5% peak power boost and smoother, stronger torque delivery through the mid-range. The engine revs to 12,000rpm, an extra 1,000rpm compared to the CB650F.

An assist/slipper clutch is fitted to ease upshifts and manage fast, successive downshifts; Honda Selectable Torque Control (HSTC) maintains rear wheel traction.

3. | CB650R Key Features / Development

3.1 CB650R Styling & Chassis

  • Compact Neo Sports Café style accentuates ‘real metal’ engineering
  • Lighter frame plus other savings shave 13 lbs from its curb weight compared to CB650F
  • 41mm Showa Separate Function Fork (SFF) front suspension
  • Radial-mount brake calipers and floating discs
  • Full LED lighting and new LCD instruments
  • Tapered handlebars and more aggressive riding position

2019 Honda CB650R Review / Specs + New Changes | Neo Sports Cafe / Naked CBR Sport Bike | CB650F

Tightly wrapped and aggressive, the CB650R’s Neo Sports Café style features the signature compact “trapezoid” proportion of short, stubby tail and short-overhang headlight. The long fuel tank is a key motif of the family design; its smooth lines accentuate the solidity of real metal surfaces and crown the engineering of the four-cylinder powerplant. It also houses the ignition.

The round headlight is based on that of the CB1000R. It’s LED, as is the rest of the lighting. Sharp new LCD instruments also use the CB1000R as a baseline and include Shift Up, Gear Position and a Peak Hold indicator, which brings attention to the peak revs and offers a more dynamic experience for the rider.

A more aggressive riding position than the CB650F moves the 21.9 inch tapered handlebar .5 inches forward and .3 inches down, with foot-peg position more rear-set—.3 inches back and .2 inches higher. Seat height is unchanged at 31.9 inches.

2019 Honda CB650R Review / Specs + New Changes | Neo Sports Cafe / Naked CBR Sport Bike | CB650F

The CB650R’s steel-diamond frame is updated for 2019 with pressed (rather than forged) swingarm pivot plates; it’s 4.2 pounds lighter than the previous design and uses twin elliptical spars with a rigidity balance specifically tuned (stiffer around the headstock and more flexible in the spar sections) to deliver balanced handling characteristics with high levels of rider feedback. Curb weight (measured with all required fluids) is 447 pounds for the ABS version (11.6 pounds lighter than the CB650F) thanks to weight savings in the frame, fuel tank and new super-sport-style footpegs. Handling is further aided by improved centralization of mass.

2019 Honda CB650R Review / Specs + Changes Explained!

The CB650F’s conventional front suspension is replaced by an inverted 41mm Showa Separate Function Fork (SFF), for improved handling and reduced unsprung weight. The fork is held by a revised, forged-aluminum bottom triple clamp. Adjustable for seven-stage spring preload, the single-tube shock operates directly on the curvaceous, gravity die-cast aluminum swingarm.

Four-piston radial-mount front brake calipers work on 310mm floating rotors, and are paired with a single-piston rear caliper and 240mm rotor. Two-channel ABS is available. The cast aluminum wheels are a brand-new design with five Y-shaped spokes, reducing weight by .97 and 1.2 pounds front and rear, respectively, improving handling by reducing inertia and unsprung mass. The cast aluminum wheels are a brand-new design and mount 120/70-ZR17 and 180/55-ZR17 front and rear tires.

The CB650R will be available in the following colors:

  • Chromosphere Red (USA)
    • Graphite Black
    • Candy Chromosphere Red
    • Matt Crypton Silver Metallic
    • Matt Jeans Blue Metallic

3.2 CB650R Engine

  • 5% more power above 10,000 RPM, 1,000 RPM higher redline
  • Torque delivery smoothed and boosted
  • New intake and exhaust designs flow more gas, and enhance the engine note
  • Honda Selectable Torque Control (HSTC)
  • Assist/slipper clutch

Honda’s development engineers wanted to create the purest, most enjoyable midsized four-cylinder performance possible for the CB650R rider, so the 649cc, DOHC 16-valve engine has been tuned to deliver 5% more power above 10,000 rpm, with redline raised 1,000 rpm. Peak horsepower arrives at 12,000 rpm, with peak torque delivered at 8,500. The net result is a motor that spins harder, and for much longer, at high rpm, with a smooth, linear torque delivery that builds strongly as revs rise, and sounds great in the process.

  • CB650R Performance Numbers:
    • CB650R HP – 94 HP @ 12,000 RPM
    • CB650R TQ –  47 ft/lb TQ @ 8,500 RPM
      • CB650R kW – 70kW @ 12,000 RPM
      • CB650R Nm – 64Nm @ 8,500 RPM

Direct cam actuation makes for a compact cylinder head; compression ratio is raised from 11.4:1 to 11.6:1, and the combustion-chamber shape is optimized by use of a revised piston design. The valve train has been reinforced and valve timing revised; iridium spark plugs are also now employed.

Asymmetric piston skirts minimize bore contact, reducing friction. Ferrous spines on the outer surface of the cylinder sleeves reduce oil consumption (and friction) with improved heat transfer, and a silent SV cam chain reduces frictional losses by using a Vanadium coating on its pins. Internal water channeling from the cylinder head to the cylinders does away with most of the exterior hoses.

New twin air ducts on either side of the fuel tank feed a larger volume of air, as opposed to the single, central duct of the old model, raising atmospheric pressure in the airbox. They also produce a throaty intake roar. The exhaust now features a larger bore tail pipe—from 1.4 to 1.5 inches—inside the muffler to flow more gas and, with its exit pipe angled upward, to emit an emotional howl.

The engine uses a compact internal architecture, stacked six-speed gearbox and starter layout with the cylinders canted forward 30°. An assist/slipper clutch is a new addition and eases upshifts while managing rear-wheel lock up under rapid downshifts. On the ABS version only, Honda Selectable Torque Control (HSTC) manages rear-wheel traction; it can be turned off should the rider choose.

4. | CB650R Accessories

A range of Genuine Honda Accessories is available for the CB650R:

  • Several aluminum parts and aluminum inserts to maximize the Neo Sport Café design that CB650R and CB1000R have in common (Meter Visor, Front Fender Panels, Shroud Covers, Side covers, Seat cowl)
  • Under Cowl
  • Wheel Stripes
  • Tank bag and seat bag inherited from the CB1000R
  • Quick shifter
  • Front Visor
  • 12V socket
  • Heated grips
  • Tank pad

5. | CB650R Pictures / Photo Gallery

6. | CB650R Technical Specifications

Model CB650R ABS CB650R
ENGINE  
Type 649cc liquid-cooled 30º inline four-cylinder four-stroke
Valve Train DOHC; 4 valves per cylinder
Bore x Stroke 67.0mm x 46.0mm
Compression Ratio 11.6:1
Induction PGM-FI; 32mm bore
Ignition Full transistorized ignition
Starter Electric
Transmission Manual 6-speed
Clutch Multiplate wet
Final Drive #525 chain; 15T/42T
SUSPENSION  
Front 41mm inverted Showa Separate Function Fork (SFF); 4.72 in. travel
Rear Showa single shock w/ adjustable preload; 5.04 in. travel
BRAKES  
 

Front

Dual four-piston, radial-mount Nissin
hydraulic calipers w/ 310mm floating discs; 2-channel ABS
Dual four-piston, radial-mount Nissin hydraulic calipers w/ 310mm floating discs
 

Rear

Single one-piston hydraulic caliper w/
240mm disc; 2-channel; ABS
Single one-piston hydraulic caliper w/ 240mm
disc; 2-channel
TIRES  
Front 120/70-17
Rear 180/55-17
MEASUREMENTS  
Rake (Castor Angle) 32º
Trail 101mm (4.0 in.)
Length 83.9 in.
Width 30.9 in.
Height 42.4 in.
Ground Clearance 5.8 in.
Seat Height 31.9 in.
Wheelbase 57.0 in.
Fuel Capacity 4.1 gal. (0.8 gal. reserve)
Color Chromosphere Red
Curb Weight* 447 lbs. 445 lbs.

* Includes all standard equipment, required fluids and full tank of fuel—ready to ride Meets current CARB and EPA emissions standards.

Honda Accessory Discount Code for Motorcycles, ATV, SxS, UTV, Scooters, Side by Side Models!

1 Comments on this post

  1. In the interest of accuracy, kindly review this phrase “this CB650R is now the Cb650f”. We know you mean that the CB650F’s next model iteration has turned into the CB650R. For your consideration. I have always respected and relied on HondaKevinPro for providing comprehensive, sensible and accurate information about Honda bikes even though the featured models are North America-centric in terms of perspective.

    loloyd /

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