First ride: Honda CB650R
The naked version of the CBR650R is a tidy budget naked at a great price
SOMETIMES ALL A bike needs is a bit of a restyle to allow it to stand up and be counted, which is exactly what has happened with the CB650R. In a former life, it was the somewhat nondescript CB650F but in transforming into the CB650R it has emerged as a genuine contender.
Inheriting all the same chassis, suspension and engine updates as the CBR650R, the naked CB650R takes a different styling path and instead of a full fairing, draws inspiration from Honda’s neo-retro CB models. And it does it well.
This classy look gives the bike a genuine feeling of quality (interestingly, both R models are built in Thailand, rather than Japan) that is backed up by the same high-spec chassis components as the CBR. However, on the naked CB, your eye is drawn to some nice touches such as the bronze engine covers and metal details rather than the sporty fairing.
To suit its new look, the CB’S flat bars have been shifted 13mm forward and 8mm lower, resulting in a more hunched-over riding stance that really suits the bike’s attitude without compromising comfort. The CB is now a cool city bike that really benefits from the improved clutch and gearbox action, as in town you are likely to be using both far more frequently. As on the CBR, the throttle’s action is a bit abrupt but once rolling the CB is just as competent and on the open road, it is remarkably effective in the bends as the updated chassis and suspension shine through. It’s not Street-triple agile but it would wipe the floor with the soggy Yamaha XSR700, though it lacks the parallel twin’s instant grunt to drive out of corners. And all this for £6999 (which is less than the XSR) or £89 a month on PCP. If I was a betting man, I’d put money on the CB650R being the better seller of the two models, as the neo-café sports range really seems to have caught riders’ attention and the CB is a perfect stepping-stone model.