Honda showcased the CBR650F, a brand new middle-weight motorcycle featuring a 4-cylinder engine at the 2014 Auto Expo. The big news is, Honda will start locally assembling the bike in India from 2015. Making its debut on Indian soil, the performance motorcycle was first unveiled at the EICMA Motorcycle show in Milan last year with its street fighter sibling the CBF650F. The mid range motorcycle is targeted at European and the Asian markets, designed by a team of young engineers keeping in mind young customers.
The Honda CBR650F has a similar design language as seen on other premium Hondas. The motorcycle boasts of a full faired body and the mass forward stance gives it an aggressive and sleek appearance. The chiseled fairing and the contoured fuel tank give a strong identity to the motorcycle. The riding position is on the comfortably sporty side on the CBR650F; making it comfortable on long rides for the rider and pillion. Both the headlight and tail light use LEDs. The digital console is divided into two large screens that displays all the vital statistics.
The Honda CBR650F receives power from a completely new 649cc, 16-valve, DOHC, liquid-cooled, in-line 4-cylinder engine capable of producing 87 BHP of power at 11,000 RPM and 63 Nm of peak torque at 8000 RPM, mated to a 6-speed gearbox. The engine has been designed to deliver high torque through the low-to-mid RPM range making it easy to ride in the city. The bike sits on a twin 64 mm x 30 mm elliptical frame and uses 41 mm telescopic front forks, while the rear gets a seven way adjustable monoshock.
The wheels are a new 5-spoke design wrapped with 120/70 and 180/55 17-inch tyres at the front and rear respectively. Stopping power comes from 320 mm dual front discs, while the rear gets a 240 mm disc. The 2-channel ABS is a standard fitment. The fuel economy is measured at 21 km/l with a 350 kms range.
The Honda CBR650F is a 4-cylinder sporty middleweight that offers high style and specification and an involving easy-to-use riding experience. We expect it to be priced around Rs. 6.5 lakhs when launched and will be the cheapest 4-cylinder engined bike you can buy in the country. The Honda CBR650F will compete with the Kawasaki Ninja 650 and the Hyosung 650R in India when launched next year.
