2014 HONDA CBR650F
FIRST RIDE
P108
650F muffler mounted down low
is a big plus.
During our ride, which mostly
consisted of aggressive canyon
riding and cruising around on city
streets, we were in the ballpark
of 40 mpg.
In the handling department the
CBR650F feels like it's on rails,
especially when the road gets
more aggressive. The bike is easy
to maneuver and goes where you
point it while demanding little ef-
fort from the rider. Corner en-
trance, mid-corner and exit are
all on point and the bike is easy
to control. Honda's attention to
mass centralization really shines
through when things get tight and
twisty. Overall handling is definite-
ly the bike's strong point.
The initial fork action is plush
yet it holds up in the stroke under
hard braking, providing a good
feel throughout the entire travel.
I was concerned not having any
fork adjustment, but I should not
have been—it felt fine. I could
easily live with the factory setting.
Shock action is also impres-
sive as it holds up well under ac-
celeration and provides a plush
ride throughout the stroke. I ran
the preload in the stock position
(2) and had no complaints when
it came to the rear of the bike—
other than maybe needing a bit
more ground clearance in the
corners, as I was able to drag the
pegs and even the kickstand a
few times. A bit more rear preload
would most likely help. But it still
took a decent amount of effort to
scrape the pegs with the factory
suspension settings.
Which one do you like best? The CBR650F
comes in three color variations.
