CB650F: MIDDLEWEIGHT BUDDY FOR HONDA FANS

THERE has always been a sporty Honda middleweight contender in their lineup. From the CB450 Black Bomber, the CB550Four, CBR600F Hurricane to the CBR600RR, they have always been at the forefront of the class, occasionally challenged by other manufacturers, but never truly beaten.

The new CB650F and CBR650F are logical continuations of the proud middleweight line-up. But does the CB650F continue the legacy of being all things to all men as its predecessors were?

The CB650F debuted in 2014 and was designed by a team of youthful engineers. But they still injected a dose of classic CB400Four into the CB650F (the “bunch of bananas” side-swept exhaust downpipes) and distilled a naked streetfighter style seamlessly into it.

The 2017 CB650F makes more power with an amplified soundtrack from that “bunch of bananas” and the airbox that matches its newfound power.

Revised intake stacks on 32mm throttle bodies plus that free-breathing exhaust gives the bike 67kW (89hp in old money) up to its 11,000rpm redline, while second gear through to fifth are shorter and ensure harder acceleration through the mid-range.

Peak torque has slightly increased to 64Nm at 8,000rpm and improves driveability, even trickling along from idle at 1,500rpm in sixth gear.

The EURO-compliant 649cc engine (incidentally birthed from the legendary CBR600RR) uses a compact internal architecture, a stacked six-speed gearbox and starter/clutch layout with the cylinders canted forward 30˚.

The DOHC 16-valve cylinder head sits on an oversquare bore and stroke of 67mm x 46mm, with a compression ratio of 11.4:1.

Fuel consumption is around 21km/l and gives a range of more than 350km from the 17.3litre fuel tank.

The steel diamond frame uses “tuned” elliptical spars (it is stiffer in the front and less so in the middle) to deliver balanced handling characteristics and high levels of feedback.

Wheelbase of 1450mm is commendably short and the CB650F weighs just 208kg. A brand new 41mm Showa Dual Bending Valve (SDBV) front fork adds to the handling poise and the rear monoshock is adjustable for spring preload.

In a deviation from the norm, the monoshock operates directly on the gravity die-cast aluminium swing-arm, and is thus, not a Pro-Link system.

However, handling is not found wanting. It gives a light but secure turnin and a trustworthy-planted feel midcorner.

Cast aluminium six-spoke wheels with 120/70-17 front and 180/55-17 rear radial tyres feature L-shaped air valves as standard.

To stop all the power churned out by this machine, two double-piston Nissin front calipers clamp two 320mm wavy discs and a single-piston caliper grips the rear 240mm disc. Two-channel ABS is standard.

The brakes are more than enough for spirited road riding and never felt wanting. Typical Honda, really (in a good way, of course).

Ergonomically, the riding position has been moved slightly forward via flatter tubular handlebars. The handlebars feature internal weights and clamp into rubber-mounted risers to reduce vibration and thus, increase rider comfort.

Seat height is 810mm and its narrow middle profile helps those with “vertical issues” reach the ground easily.

The headlight and taillight are LED and restyled bodywork add a sharper style called “Mass Forward Stance” by Honda stylists.

Large twin digital screens are the rev-counter and speedometer with a fuel gauge, clock, odometer and warning lights on the right. Quite conservative but still attractive and clearly legible on the move.

Sadataka Okabe, Large Project Leader (LPL) says: “Genuine middleweight four-cylinder motorcycles are an important Honda tradition.

“Bigger is not always better and for the CB650F, we wanted to give riders more of what matters — performance, acceleration, style and handling ability — without adding weight or cost.

“We also wanted to give an even higher specification, with new features like LED lighting and the latest SDBV fork.”

The CB650F was clearly designed to be all things to all people, and in this regard, it scores highly indeed.

The CB-F will be your daily commuter, your weekend apex warrior and your long-distance buddy as well. That it works so well out of the box without need for adjustable suspension and expensive add-ons is testament to Honda’s excellent design and build quality.

If you are in the market for a middleweight, which punches well above its category and with a price that belies its build quality, there are very few bikes that can hold a candle to the CB650F.

Then again, if a sportier outlook is your cup of tea, the CBR650F will entice you instead. If it were down to me, I would pick the naked over the fully-faired as it fills more roles more easily.

Millennium Red, Sword Silver Metallic, Pearl Metalloid White and Matt Gunpowder Black Metallic are colour options for the CB650F, and it retails for RM44,995.00 at all Honda Impian and BigWing dealers.

Bear in mind, the price includes GST and for the latest figure, you may contact the relevant dealers.