When it comes to a performance bike that can be your choice for everyday commute, you don’t have a lot of choices in India. In fact till recently, you had none until the Honda’s CBR 650F stepped into the market.
The Japanese automaker’s attempt to provide you a performance tourer came with a full-fairing, and let’s face it, we love full-faired motorcycles.
But when you are the first one to do something, you are expected to set benchmarks, and given that Honda was going for it, the expectations were very high.
Did they do it right, considering it’s a Make in India product?
The Looks?
They are great but not awesome. The 180 mm wide rear tyre, the neat LED outlining to the headlamp and the stance of the bike will instantly makes the CBR stand out of the crowd. The bike has smooth design curves and resembles its older 1000cc sibling.
It’s easy on the eyes, but maybe too simple for those who prefer sharp, edgy aggressive lines on a bike.
Honda CBR 650F Features:
- Engine: 649cc, 16 valve DOHC in-line 4 cylinder
- Transmission: 6-speed
- Power: 85 hp @ 11000 rpm
- Torque: 62.9 Nm @ 8000 rpm
- Fuel Tank Capacity: 17.3 litres
- Weight: 215 Kg (Kerb)
- Price: Rs 7.3 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi)
The Good
The most impressive thing about the CBR is the fantastic engine that it comes with.
The 649cc, 16 valve DOHC in-line 4 cylinder is rev happy and just loves to be in between 3000 to 8000 rpm. It’s smooth, refined and the power delivery is evenly spread across the RPM range.
Fortunately, Honda went with an in-line 4 cylinder, instead of a twin. The result? The bike sounds fantastic.
Twist the throttle, and the bike just wants to zoom away from under your legs. But don’t worry, the twin 320mm discs at the front provide plenty of stopping power, is responsive but not intimidating. The brakes come with ABS as standard.
The 650F is also relatively light at 210 kg and the clip on handlebars and the riding position make it easy to commute in traffic and also leave ample space to let you crouch when you want to go fast.
The Bad
At the heavy cost of almost Rs 8 lakh, we expected a lot and the absence of a slipper clutch, upside down forks and projector headlamps didn’t go down too well.
The instrument cluster is too simple and not impressive enough for an Rs 8-lakh bike. It also has a lot of empty space which could have been used by Honda for things like a gear shift indicator that’s absent.
There’s another aspect that might take time to get used to – the swapped positions of the indicator and horn switches.
And of course, the heel of this Achilles has to be the pricing. In this price bracket, the bike gets pitted against the Kawasaki Z800, Versys 650 and the DSK Benelli 600 GT. It is also almost Rs 2 lakh more expensive than the Ninja 650.
The Rivalry
The Ninja 650 does not have such a wide rear tyre to help you with cornering. It also doesn’t have ABS, just like the Benelli 600 GT.
Yes, the Kawasaki Z800 might look better and offer a lot more power than the CBR 650F, but it is also a lot heavier, which makes it difficult to ride in traffic. No wind deflector either, so if you gun it, be prepared to have a burst of wind hit your face.
The Z800 is also is a street naked design, a completely different section in the world of motorcycles and hence, comparing these against the CBR isn’t exactly fair.
Verdict
Pricing isn’t everything.
At the end of the day, what you are paying for is great build quality and a fantastic engine, something that Honda is known for. The bike serves its purpose of being an everyday commuter as well, and can be driven around in city traffic without a lot of trouble, while you catch a lot of eyeballs thanks to it looks.
The question you need to ask yourself is simple - does it suit your taste or not?
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