2020 Honda CB650R [Model Overview]

Engines like this are what Honda does best. The four-cylinder design makes it smoother and faster revving than most twins, and offers ample low- to midrange torque, plus plenty of power through the entire rev range.

A bike as versatile as the CB650R needs plenty of range, and the 4.1-gallon fuel tank provides just that.

Power, style and an unmistakable growl—you get all three with the four-into-one exhaust system on the CB650R.

With Honda Selectable Torque Control System (HSTC) the CB650R offers you peace of mind during aggressive riding conditions. The system adjusts engine power to optimize torque at the rear wheel, reducing rear-wheel slip. And here’s the best part: you can turn it on or turn it off with a handlebar-mounted switch.

Mufflers need to accomplish four things: They need to quiet the engine without robbing power, they need to help tune engine output, they need to sound great, and they’re a huge style element on any bike. The CB650R’s exhaust knocks it out of the park on all counts, and sounds like only an inline four can.

The CB650R features a twin-duct intake design, engineered to ram cool, dense air into the airbox, increasing horsepower.

Smooth, nearly seamless shifts and gear ratios matched to the way you want to ride: those are two of the characteristics that make this Honda so much fun to ride.

Changes to valve timing and piston shapes (compared to the previous generation CB650F) have improved engine response, especially from the idle to 8000 rpm, a big advantage in urban environments.

This bike looks unique, because it is. The Neo Sports Café design combines elements from pure sportbikes and sporting nakeds. Sometimes less is more, and the CB650R makes a bold styling statement wherever you ride it.

Based off our CB1000R, the CB650R’s LCD screen features a digital speedometer and tachometer, plus a clock, odometer, trip meter, real-time and average fuel consumption meters, and illuminated engine diagnostic indicators.

The CB650R uses the same LED headlight as our CB1000R. The bezel around the headlight and is finished in black, emphasizing a sharper image. This LED headlight is both brighter and smaller than a conventional design, and contributes in a big way to the CB650R’s sense of style.

The CB650R’s dual-layer candy paint is applied with a nanopigment clear coat on top of a base coat. Aluminum flakes in the base coat give this paint a shimmering look—check it our for yourself and you’ll be hooked.

The front suspension showcases some leading-edge technology. The 41mm fork is equipped with Showa’s Separate Function Fork (SFF) which offers reduced weight, superior rigidity, and excellent overall performance. The aluminum lower triple clamp completes the picture.

A bike’s handlebar makes a huge difference in how you relate to your machine. We moved the CB650R’s bar forward by 13mm and down by 8mm (compared to the previous CB650F), and changed the bend in the bar too. Plus, using a premium, tapered-section swaged bar gives you better front-end feedback.

The twin-spar frame incorporates pivot plates, engine hangers, seat rails, and other components that all reduce weight. It’s light, strong, and provides the basis for the CB650R’s stellar handling.

One of the most rider-friendly aspects of the whole Neo-Sports Café design is how you sit on the CB650R. You’re ready for aggressive riding, but you’re still comfortable. You can see what’s going on around you. And your riding sessions can last for hours at a time with little fatigue.

Featuring huge 310mm discs, the CB650R also comes with radial-mounted four-piston calipers. The result is premium sportbike stopping power that’s linear and easy to modulate.

A 240mm hydraulic disc at the rear complements the twin front discs for plenty of stopping power.

The assist slipper clutch lightens clutch operation by approximately 12 percent compared to previous models, and that reduces rear-wheel hop during rapid downshifts.