EICMA 2013: Honda CBF650F and CBR650F the right middle ground

Two new models are making their debut at Honda, two middleweights, which are also a class that is always very dear to the Alata brand, see a certain Hornet which has been there for years to prove it. Attack the market, especially the European one, especially young people, proposing a product that can be defined with one adjective: intelligent. An adjective that poorly represents the irrational world of motorbikes, but in this case it is precisely appropriate. So here they are, just presented at Eicma, the new Honda CB650F and CBR650F.

As per Honda tradition, a 17-litre tank has been mounted under the tank 4-cylinder in-line engine that claims 87 HP at 11.000 rpm and a maximum torque of 8.000 Nm at 63 rpm; PGM-FI injection and 6-speed manual gearbox (it seems that Honda is not talking about Dual Clutch gearbox for now). Very low consumption, we are in the order of 21 km/litre, for a considerable autonomy of 350 km.
The engine is supported by a double-beam steel frame with an elliptical section; the rigidity has been optimized according to the areas of greatest stress, while in the middle areas it is more "flexible" to facilitate handling. For suspension, a traditional 41 mm fork was fitted (which on the CBR features harder springs and revised hydraulics), while at the rear there is a mono with seven-position preload adjustment, connected to a satisfying die-cast aluminum swingarm.
They think about stopping the motorbike double piston and double disc calipers 320 mm at the front, 240 at the rear. For CB650F and CBR650F ABS is standard.

In short, with these motorcycles Honda is thinking of young people. No screaming power and out-of-catalogue performance but an easy, friendly, stylistically current and well-built vehicle, (the shape of the exhaust manifolds is beautiful, reminiscent of the Hondas of the past) and it costs little. For those who want a real naked with all the necessary mechanics in sight, here is the CB650F, available in Pearl Metalloid White (Tricolour), Matt Gunpowder Black Metallic and Peral Queen Bee Yellow; a medium-displacement sports car for those who don't want to give up CBR650F fairings, available in only two colors Pearl Metalloid White (Tricolour) and Graphite Black.