Honda CB650F – road test 2014

It's part of that segment of ideal bike for those who want to approach the world of two wheels for the first time, or return to it, but it also appeals to those who are already experts and is looking for a "rational" means, easy and usable, with sufficient and not excessive power, also ideal for containing management costs, without giving up a bold and pleasant look. With a price of 7.300 euros and ABS as standard, on paper it is an almost perfect motorbike, 87 horses they are just the right power to start having fun, it's just a shame that they lack a little more character, which one could expect from her.

Aesthetics and finishes:

rating:  

Attention to detail and with a grown-up appearance, anything but entry level!

The family feeling with its sister CB1000R is evident, but however, the downsizing operation did not take anything away from it. Often copying the look of high-end models, to offer them with reduced engine sizes and prices, ends up debasing their aesthetic aspect and leading to the creation of products that really seem to scream "I would like but I can't". This is not the case with the CB650F. Especially in this color, observing it standing still is a pleasure, the level of care in the assembly and combinations between the various pieces is excellent level. The half fairing hides the unsightly cables and tubes, leaving in sight a beautiful engine, with the 4 into 2 into 1 exhaust which clearly recalls the CB Fours of the 70s, but that ends with a short and stubby terminal, a nice touch of modernity and sportiness. The tank and the frame are also well finished, as demonstrated by the presence of rubber protections, comfortable for resting the knees while driving, and to protect the paint. Belli i gold-colored 6-spoke split rimsand, combined with petal brake discs, to reiterate that it wants to be sporty. The CB650F is compact, but not as small as its twin-cylinder CB500 younger sister, muscular and with a truncated tail, just like the most fashionable fun bikes. Looking at the gearbox control area, the care and study that has also been done to raise the aesthetic level of the mechanics is evident. Here a black plastic element was designed, which couples with the frame crosspiece, covering the tubes and leaving the bike's appearance clean. From the front, the lighthouse is the central element, dominated by the black cover of the instrumentation (even just a hint of the fairing is missing), whose appearance is modern but conservative, with two separate LDCs, on the left the speedometer and a tachometer that recalls a classic analogue instrument, on the right all the other data, including average consumption and fuel level. Only the gear inserted is missing, otherwise it is very complete and with excellent readability in all light conditions. The saddle is well finished and comfortable, with enough padding that you won't hate it even after a full day of riding. The look of the pigtail is more modern and the LED headlight. Overall the CB650F has angular and characterful lines, clean and with the engine and exhaust being central elements of its look. It doesn't even need the forcing of an upside down fork to be appreciated, and even while riding we had confirmation of the goodness of this simple and conservative choice, often a good quality traditional fork is better than an up-side-down one economical.

Engine and performance:

rating:  

The power is what you need, but it lacks a hint of character

In other cases we were enthusiastic about bikes with power like that expressed by the 4-cylinder in-line CB650F. The problem is that numbers are not enough to give character to an engine. The 87 horsepower, delivered at 11.000 rpm, and 63 Nm at 8.000, in themselves they could be enough to have fun, and at the end of the test we can confirm this, on the street they are enough and more. What she misses is that thrill, maybe that would have been enough a meaner sound (an after market exhaust could help with this), or a more abrupt delivery, however the CB650F is far too rational, with a regularity that borders on perfection, excellent for not cheating the neophyte who begins to enjoy it and opens the throttle with the bike folded, but extinguishes the desire of the geek in search of that there's no malice at all, not even if you keep the engine very lively. She doesn't want to be the new Hornet, he explicitly declares it and by driving it he confirms it. Be careful though, it is not a bike to reject, because it is precisely in its philosophy to be as it is. A motorcycle nice to look at, simple to drive, and very effective. On the road you end up keeping the pace of a sports car with a few dozen more horsepower, in total relaxation and safety. From 4.000 rpm the thrust starts to be good, with a second step around 6.000, there is no point in straining it by bringing all the gears to the limiter, there is no explosion in acceleration, so it is much better to exploit the engine between 4 and 8 thousand rpm, right around the maximum torque speed. The gearbox is excellent, the shifts are always precise, with a light wire clutch that goes well with city traffic and continuous gear changes. The ratios are also correct, the low gears are quite short and a rather long sixth which allows it to maintain a speed that is not tied to the canonical 130 km/h on the motorway, which it runs at around 6 rpm. Vibrations contained, which are felt more on the footrests than on the handlebars, but only at high rpm.

Ride and handling:

rating:  

An easy bike, which makes you feel immediately at ease and which never lets you down

Honda is perhaps the biggest certainty from this point of view. We have tried bikes that left us "intrigued" by some choices, with a deliberately too extreme approach, which ends up making them bikes for expert riders, when they are proposed to a wider audience, which end up being underused, or worse for become more dangerous and uncomfortable than they could be. The reference, just to be transparent, is to the Yamaha MT09 which we tested together with the CB650F. A lot more engine and a more refined chassis, which end up being "neutralised" by a position that is too advanced, in search of a motard rider setting, which is typical of a very limited minority of motorcyclists. Sali instead on the CB650F and you immediately feel at ease, the chassis is excellent, based on well-tested solutions, with a steel frame and a traditional fork, with 41 mm stanchions, and a Single shock absorber with adjustable preload. The result is a motorcycle that is not very light, with its 208 Kg, but sincere and simple to drive, having a convenient location, without ending up being too touristy. You find the limit without taking risks, and the driving pleasure increases from corner to corner. It's not stiff, but not too "soft". Even in rapid changes of direction, when moving the load from one side to the other, it is always precise and never moves. It is also benefited by the very smooth delivery of the engine, which does not undermine the chassis. The brakes are up to par, thanks to the two 320 mm front wave discs, combined with a 240 rear one and assisted byABS, standard. Note a particular aesthetic detail, with the discs fixed directly to the rims, and not with the flange. Obviously they are therefore not floating, but "in block" with the rim. Braking is excellently modulated, never spongy, even if, when the pace becomes fast, you notice that the power is not exaggerated, after all the calipers are classic two-piston ones, for obvious reasons of cost containment.

Price and consumption:

rating:  

7.300 which makes it one of the most sought-after motorbikes, consumption is low

The tank has 17 liters of capacity, with a good autonomy, about 350 km. Consumption is in fact around 20 km/l, in line with the declared data, which is slightly lower (21 km/l). Even using it to the limit, we were unable to go beyond 16 with a liter, but it is difficult to reach these levels. The price is 7.300 euros, really interesting in light of the quality of the CB650F, which offers a lot, even ABS as standard. Three colors available, even though we liked it so much Tricolor of the test that we advise you to prefer to yellow (Pearl Queen Bee Yellow) et al black (Matt Gunpowder Black Metallic).

PROS AND CONS
We like it:
Successful and well-finished aesthetics, easy and effective cycling, low price and consumption

We do not like it:
She lacks a bit of character, otherwise she would be almost perfect

Honda CB650F: the Motorionline Report Card

Motor:
Handling:
Gearbox and transmission:
Braking:
Suspensions:
Guide:
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Equipment:
Quality price:
Line:
Consumption:

Test clothing:
Jacket: Spidi Street Tex jacket
Trousers: Furious Tex JEANS
Boot: Dainese TR-COURSE OUT AIR
Gloves: Spidi Jab RR
Helmet: Airoh Phantom

Thanks for the photos to Matteo Zuccolo, a restaurateur with a passion for motors and photography.