Cbr 650F Could This Be The Next Sport Tourer For Honda? Or The Perfect Bike?

[Guest theelf]

i have been interested in this bike and have not seen one yet but so far decent power great handleing and great riding position- i know its an inline 4 but hose f1 f2 cbr's really were comfortable and could ride all day the do track day for fun----

could this be the perfect bike?

[vtwindr]

I test rode one last month. It is on sale in the UK for £7000. I then tested the VFR which retails at £10499 . I bought the VFR

The CBR650f was a nice enough bike, it was lacking torque and it made a really weird intrusive noise at idle and low speed which disappeared above 25-30mph. I could hear it with custom fit ear plugs in and it was also commented on by one of the reviewers in MCN. It s also quite small. Maybe a good first big bike/commuter but not a long term keeper by a long way

[richieg]

My riding budy has a 2013 cbr 600f which to all intents and purposes is the same as the 650f. I found it lacking in tourque and noticed a lot more windblast than my 2003 vfr. The engine was typical il4 with nothing nothing and then a screaming top end. It looks nice though with the inverted gold forks and the ride, white and blue colour scheme

[GadiantonRob]

could this be the perfect bike?

Haha. Hahahahahaha. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

You said perfect bike. Lolz.

[AndyB]

I sure like that color.

[SHvar]

I traded a CBR600F (with 94.5 hp verified, which is a bunch more than the CBR650f) on my 2014 VFR800, definitely no comparison in comfort, stability, power, torque, features, wind protection, handling, etc. The headlights on the VFR800 are amazing, a single halogen headlight on a CBR/F model is not very good for riding at night. The engine sound from the V-4 is intoxicating.

Im sure with the 650cc engine there should be a bit more low end torque than the 600 (one would hope).

Im sure theres not much room to carry, or store anything on the CBR650 also. The cbr650f is more of a starter sportbike than a sport tourer by far. In fact the dealer told me that it was made to address a problem inherent with the CBR600, the intimidating high rpm power and those new to sportbikes, also the price of a CBR600RR here starts at $11,600 not including anti-lock brakes, the cbr650f starts at $8499 without anti-lock brakes.

[thor294]

two different bikes. VFR is a much better "standard" bike than the CBR/F model. :) Far from perfect bike!

[Guest]

could this be the perfect bike?

Haha. Hahahahahaha. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

You said perfect bike. Lolz.

i had that same 25th and sold it-- i know the perfect bike-- is there one?? lol---

remember i was comparing this bike to the original hurricane 600 f and the f2 i never had any issues with not enough power on the f1 or f2- i am not a gp or ama pro i ride for fun and use for work-

I test rode one last month. It is on sale in the UK for £7000. I then tested the VFR which retails at £10499 . I bought the VFR

The CBR650f was a nice enough bike, it was lacking torque and it made a really weird intrusive noise at idle and low speed which disappeared above 25-30mph. I could hear it with custom fit ear plugs in and it was also commented on by one of the reviewers in MCN. It s also quite small. Maybe a good first big bike/commuter but not a long term keeper by a long way

my old vfr has gear drivin cams so i hear noise as soon as it starts lol-- i had a 6th gen- i told that story already-- i was just wondering if any ever ridin a new f1 or f2 and compared this to it-- i realize you need to be around a while for that comparision-- but i like the looks small is what im after and a low seat -- thanks for input-- 90hp is plenty fast the bike does 153 mph thats enough for me--

[windyrun]

OK, before I say anything I need to say i've never ridden a vfr but think they look and sound awesome and want one.

However, I now own a cbr650 and can comment on that. First-it does have good torque down low (fine for urban driving) and has a very flexible motor. Its not a liter bike but is very fast and flexible. The handling is very calm and very easy to ride. In addition, the bike weighs 460lbs wet so is a lot lighter than vfrs...so this is a trade off or plus depending on what you are looking for. The motor does have a funny sound sometimes when not accelerating or at low speeds, but it goes away as soon as you accelerate. In addition, its my experience and others that the fueling is excellent. You can roll along at 20mph with 2k revs and it runs as smooth as silk for as long as you hold it there. This seems true at higher revs also. If you compare its torque and hp curves to 2014 vfr they are lower but the bike weighs a lot less than the current vfr800 at over 530lbs. The brakes, however, have a lot of room for improvement. The ergonomics are excellent though. It can be ridden a long time and you never really want to get off.

Just providing some info for people to consider. My take would be: the cbr650 could prove to be a fantastic all rounder that is maybe better around town/urban driving due to its lower weight and excellent low speed fueling and torque (for its weight). Its probably not gonna be a threat to the vfr for long distance touring. It also does not have the vtec issues so that could be in its favor also.

[SHvar]

It is made as an affordable replacement for the cbr600f series, but using a steel frame makes it quite a bit heavier than the cbr600 f4, f4i, models, It does have some neat features. Its also a few inches longer than the old cbr f models (3 inches more wheelbase, like the VFR800).

Im sure when you are riding it theres no way you would notice the weight difference.

Its a user friendly sportbike for those who dont want a parallel twin cbr500, but dont need the 600rr screaming top end.

CBR650f, 86 hp, 46 ft/lb torque (crankshaft ratings). 465 lbs wet.

CBR600F4i, 94 hp, 42 ft/lb torque (at the rear wheel).425 lbs wet.

[fatshoutybloke]

CBR650F has been reduced in hp to make it eligible for restriction to 'A2' licence in the UK where you can't hold a full 'A1' licence (i.e. ride anything) until age 21. From age 19 you can hold A2 which basically requires passing Compulsory Basic Training, written theory test and the A2 riding test, and then restriction of the bike to 47hp max (with minimum weight as well to enforce a power-to-weight ratio) for two years. The kicker is that the un-restricted version of the bike must not produce more than twice the power of the restricted version, so full power must be a maximum of 94hp and the CBR600F makes more than that.

[SHvar]

Back when this bike first showed up at a few dealers someone asked me to get some photos for them while I was at the dealer getting oil and filter for my VFR800. This is the matte black version which is how you get ABS (the dealer told me that the other color is only offered in non-ABS). The salesman and I unpacked this first one to get a look at it, it is a nice looking bike, I just dont like the matte black color to it.

[SEBSPEED]

It looks like a street triple rear ended a Bandit 500 and grew a nice set of wheels and exhaust...

Swingarm is kinda cool lookin

[windyrun]

I think the term you are thinking of is UJM

[dalesvfr]

I was thinking of one of these or a Triumph Street Triple R. Or maybe the Yamaha FZ-07. I've done all I can to the VFR to get my position more upright but at the end of a long ride my wrists are still in pain. If anyone gets one I'd like to know the verdict.

[thtanner]

I was thinking of one of these or a Triumph Street Triple R. Or maybe the Yamaha FZ-07. I've done all I can to the VFR to get my position more upright but at the end of a long ride my wrists are still in pain. If anyone gets one I'd like to know the verdict.

Check the FZ-09. It's my next bike (to keep the miles down on my VFR). It'll be much smoother than the 07 and priced better than the Triple R. The suspension is way better than its made out to be and the fueling is just fine too. I can't wait to get mine before too long!

[windyrun]

There is a forum for the cbr650 where riders have gone on long trips with no problems and comment on it. turnervonlefty has taken several so you might want to check his posts. I have no pain from the riding position, but I haven't gone on long trips. If you like, you can peruse the forum and see what you like. Its www.cbr650forum.com . On a side but related note: I find the wind blast from highway (below 60mph) to be fine using the stock windscreen. I'm 6'0". There is wind, but the bike stays pretty stable and the wind feels supportive in a way that was not true on the cbr500 I rode before. Only mention since you mention a str as an option for you.

One of the threads on the cbr650 forum is "longest ride taken so far" where people comment on their experience. Hope this helps your research

[windyrun]

To dalesvfr-maybe you know, but the 8th gen vfr has bar risers as a factory/dealer option. And another forum poster mentioned that by lowering his seat it improved his ergo s greatly so that his vfr was more upright and comfortable. Together these two changes on a new vfr might give you the comfort improvement you mentioned and still have a vfr

[dalesvfr]

Thanks for the link to the CR forums - I'll check it out. As far as a new VFR is concerned, that isn't in the budget. Right now I have my sixth gen and a CRF250L. I put way more miles on the 250 because of the light weight. It would be nice to have just one bike, a light(er) sport touring machine that could do all around duty and cut down on insurance and registration, maintenance etc. Then again, I like having a choice and would miss the V4 engine.

[Guest]

Thanks for the link to the CR forums - I'll check it out. As far as a new VFR is concerned, that isn't in the budget. Right now I have my sixth gen and a CRF250L. I put way more miles on the 250 because of the light weight. It would be nice to have just one bike, a light(er) sport touring machine that could do all around duty and cut down on insurance and registration, maintenance etc. Then again, I like having a choice and would miss the V4 engine.

well said -- the v4 motor what else can you say-- but a do it all bike-- only one machine to take after etc- would be cool i have a gladius 650 with a windscreen i like it but wind blast after 70 mph whoa-- and my 86 vfr gets cramped up after about 45 minutes-- guess i am getting old--

[windyrun]

Link to new mcn review of the cbr650 http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/News/newsresults/New-bikes/2014/June/First-Ride-Honda-CBR650F/

[Guest]

Link to new mcn review of the cbr650 http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/News/newsresults/New-bikes/2014/June/First-Ride-Honda-CBR650F/

wow great article looks like i need to save my dollars this bike could be what im looking for

[windyrun]

I like mine, but I don't have a lot of experience to compare it to. Be sure to review the cbr650forms.com cause some people have comments-a bit vibe, some people have a drop in power at 5K RPM when motor is cold, the clutch pull is way out. Also, the member turnervonlefty seems to have a good head on his shoulders and had a 4th GEN vfr so you can msg with him for better insight.