2019 CBR650R review: the new Honda has no shortage of R !
The Honda CBR650F, launched in 2014, gave way five years later to the 2019 CBR650R with more sporting ambitions. A new "R" for this faired motorcycle from the CB650R roadster? Answers in our MNC essay.
CBR650R test Page 2: details and photos captioned MNC
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| CBR (well, almost!). When some like Kawasaki and Yamaha continue to invest in the Supersport with their ZX-6R and YZF-R6, Honda prefers a more road and less exclusive approach with its CBR650R, a streamlined version of the CB650R roadster.. |
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| All of the great ? By going from CBR650F to CBR650R, the Honda gains a marked sporting identity. The front, elegant and racy, refers directly to the CBR1000RR. The pretty notch in the lower right fairing lets admire the four chrome collectors. |
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| It ends well. Thanks to its fairings, the CBR650R masks the imperfections noted by MNC on the CB650R in particular on the electrical integration. Its half-handlebars are, however, of poor quality, while the absence of rubbers on the footrests is a reprehensible stinginess in view of the vibrant character of the 4-legged. |
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| 4-legged copy-paste. The 4-cylinder identical to that of the CB650R 2019 exploits the same improvements: overhauled camshafts, reworked intake and breaker moved to 13,000 rpm. The 649 cc boc goes from 91 to 94.6 hp, for an identical torque of 64 Nm. Maintaining it in the revs is preferable despite the loss of 6 kg (207 kg). |
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| A good stroke. Like the CB650R, the sports car sees its steel frame slim down by 1.9 kg while its front axle receives a new non-adjustable Showa inverted fork and Nisssin 4-piston radial calipers. At the rear, the damping is well managed by a mono-shock absorber only adjustable in preload. |
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| Sport. The driving position becomes sportier by means of the straps lowered by 30 mm and set back compared to the old CBR650F. The footrests are also set 3mm lower and 6mm higher. The saddle – identical to the roadster – remains accessible at 810 mm, but it is firm. |
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| Help. The CBR650R also benefits from the anti-dribble clutch and traction control discovered on the CB650R. The latter – little used because of the irreproachable traction – can be deactivated by driving from the "T" key on the left stalk. Convenient. |
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| Well seen. The warnings of the CBR650R are automatically set in motion when the brakes are applied, in order to attract the attention of the driver behind. This system also in force on Goldwing and Africa Twin is very relevant and effective.. |
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| Convenient. As on the CB650R roadster, the practical aspects boil down to angled valves, a trunk just capable of carrying a disc lock and notches as passenger handles. It lacks an adjustable height screen, an adjustable clutch lever and a handlebar control to scroll through the info on the dashboard. |
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| Instrumentation. Its LCD screen is type inscriptions in white on a black background. It provides information on speed, two trips, gear engaged, fuel consumption, engine temperature, a clock, average speed and fuel gauge. Fairly complete but some characters are small, such as tachometer graduations and trips. |
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| A little pipe for the A2. The CBR650R – naturally compatible with the A2 license – can be restricted to 47.5 hp via specific mapping and intake pipes. In view of the shy respondent until mid-revs, its twin-cylinder rivals will be more sensational in 35 kW… |
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| A whole dish (er). Honda had entrusted Steve Plater with the role of opener during this presentation. Following the sympathetic 46-year-old English pilot was not easy, especially since he was piloting a "real" CBR: a 2018 Fireblade! Either way, it was a waste of time: his extensive track record includes victories in the Tourist Trophy, the North West 200 and the Macau GP. ! |
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