 "On the wild side with the Honda CBR 650F")
Honda has five words to describe the Honda CBR 650F motorcycle— “The wild doesn’t always scream”. This 650cc motorcycle does not only bring out the wild side of the machine at high speeds, but also the wild side of the rider. It’s a bike meant for those with a penchant for high speed riding without really screaming out and yearning to be noticed.
This bike is for mature riders, those who are interested in enjoying a ride in its true essence. The Honda CBR 650F does not blow its own trumpet. The sound from the underbelly, almost tucked away exhaust, is kind of filtered and only begins to pick up scream intensity when you tug at the throttle.
As the engine revs up and the rpm dashes to upwards of 8,000, you can hear the sound from the exhaust beginning to gently scream out as if to prove that it’s got the power to outpace anything on the roads. It’s then that you realise the true potential of the inline four cylinder engine and begin to have respect for its ability to mix petrol and air in the right proportion. You simply explode in ecstasy.
This bike is for mature riders, those who are interested in enjoying a ride in its true essence. The Honda CBR 650F does not blow its own trumpet. The sound from the underbelly, almost tucked away exhaust, is kind of filtered and only begins to pick up scream intensity when you tug at the throttle.
As the engine revs up and the rpm dashes to upwards of 8,000, you can hear the sound from the exhaust beginning to gently scream out as if to prove that it’s got the power to outpace anything on the roads. It’s then that you realise the true potential of the inline four cylinder engine and begin to have respect for its ability to mix petrol and air in the right proportion. You simply explode in ecstasy.
Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India does not manufacture the Honda CBR 650F but imports it from a Honda factory abroad in a semi knocked down form. All the import taxes have led to the vehicle being priced at Rs 7.3 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). For many, this may sound a bit steep, especially when competition has lot more reasonably priced vehicles.
The Kawasakis, Triumphs and the Benellis are more aggressively priced and look and sound a lot more intimidating. But then one has to see what Honda has to offer in the CBR 650F in terms of looks, ride quality, seat comfort, engine refinement and pace. The in-line four engine 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 effective when it comes to riding at high speeds.
The rider can crouch, almost hugging on the chiselled fuel tank with ample thigh grip 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 displays the 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 that gets the occasional glimpse from the rider. The digits are all bold and the fonts so large that even those clipping the bike at speeds above 150 km 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 side 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 that protects the bike from theft. It is an electronic device that automatically disables the starting of the engine in case someone tries to start the bike with his own skeleton key.
Coming to the seating position of the rider, it’s just about perfect. One must remember, this is not a commuter bike but for those fond of high speeds. The seats are padded and the clip-on handle gives the rider the right level of grip for accelerated riding. Riders fond of high speed come with partners equally crazy about speed.
There are no grab handles for the rear seat here. The bike, however, comes with a saree guard, which is mandatory for it to pass the Indian homologation test. (For the picture shoot the dealer had removed it, obviously for aesthetic purposes). The guard does not look bad, though. But a word of caution: Don’t let your lady wear a saree and sit behind you. It’s far saner for her to wear a pair of jeans and sit with her legs on either side.
The fairing around the front area of the bike that covers the engine to some extent has enough gaps for the heat from the engine to 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 and can always alter it with a bigger muffler. The mid range torque delivered from the engine is rather exciting and zooming beyond 100 kmph comes in a mere few seconds. The disc brakes with the anti-braking system 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. 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.
| Honda CBR 650F | |
| Engine | Liquid Cooled Inline Four Cylinder DOHC, 648.72cc |
| Transmission | 6-Speed |
| Max power | 85.2bhp@11000 rpm |
| Max torque | 62.9Nm @ 8000 rpm |
| Frame type | Steel diamond |
| Fuel system | PGM-FI Program Automatic Enrichment Circuit |
| Length x Width x Height | 2107mm x 753mm x 1149mm |
| Wheel Base | 1449mm |
| Suspension | Front: 41mm Telescopic Fork |
| Rear: Monoshock with 7-stage spring preload adjustment | |
| Front brakes | 2 x 320mm Disc (ABS) |
| Rear brakes | 1 x 240mm Disc (ABS) |
| Front tyres | 5 Spoke Aluminium Cast 120/70-17 (Tubeless) |
| Rear tyres | 5 Spoke Aluminium Cast 180/55-17 (Tubeless) |
| Kerb weight (Kg) | 215 |
| Fuel tank capacity | 17.3 litres |
| Price (ex-showroom Delhi) | Rs 7.30 lakh |
Note: P Tharyan is Editor, Motown India (www.motownindia.com)