VOL. 51 ISSUE 28 JULY 15, 2014 P107
base is 57 inches, which is a bit
longer than the 600RR's 53.9
inches, and a 25.5-degree rake
is just two degrees lazier than the
RR. Claimed curb weight is 461
pounds (or 467 if you add ABS).
The bike holds 4.5 gallons of
fuel. Honda claims you'll get in
the ballpark of 50 mpg when rid-
den conservatively (keep reading
to see what we got).
Styling features include an RR
type front cowl and V-shaped
single halogen headlight with LED
position lights, dual LCD digital
meters with multifunction (includ-
ing speedo/tach/fuel gauge/
odometer/A&B trip and clock) and
a tapered seat design with LED
taillight. All of these things put to-
gether give the Honda CBR650F
a clean and sporty look. Front and
rear overhang was minimized as
much as possible to keep things
compact and lean.
There are three colors available
(Red, Matte Black and Candy
Blue) for the standard CBR650F,
which has a price of $8499. The
CBR650F ABS model is only
available in Matte Black and you
can add $500 to the price tag.
With a release date of June, both
models are now available.
What's It Like?
The CBR650F might have an
aggressive styling but the riding
cockpit is neutral and, more im-
portantly, comfortable. Bar po-
sition is higher than a traditional
sport bike, which puts the rider
in a more upright and pleasing
position. Seating is firm yet plush
enough to provide plenty of com-
fort for longer rides, and the foot-
pegs are also in a neutral position
(lower than 600RR), allowing the
rider to access both the shifter
and rear-brake pedal with ease.
Torque is the name of the game
for the 2014 CBR650F. Power
delivery is rider friendly, both
mellow and predictable, yet pro-
vides plenty of pull off the bottom
when the rider twists the throttle.
Top end on the open highway
seems to be a little on the shy
side, but on city streets and tight
twisty roads, Honda's new CBR
shines with its strong bottom and
midrange power delivery.
Fueling is also excellent, pro-
viding a great transition when get-
ting on and off the throttle. Shift-
ing is smooth and clutch lever
pull is light. The CBR650F can
be ridden either up a gear—lug-
ging the transmission through
the corners—or dropped down a
gear to allow the engine to rev. It
works well both ways.
There is minimal vibration from
the inline four. What vibes there
are is mostly felt at higher rpms.
Overall, the engine has a very
good feel.
The new exhaust system
stands out as being both stylish
and well performing. I've never
been a big fan of the 600RR ex-
haust as it transfers a lot of heat
through the seat so to have the
>>The cockpit has all the
necessities in a nice little package.
>>A 649cc inline four-cylinder
engine powers the newest Honda.
>>We liked the styling on the
CBR650F: It's both clean and a
bit edgy.
>>Nissin brakes and a 41mm
conventional front fork that offers
up 4.25 inches of travel.
