Swing a leg over it and the CBR 650F feels light. Start the engine and you’ll be greeted with a relatively quiet buzz at idle. Blame it on ever stricter emission norms. In line with its quiet nature, and like all Honda engines, this one feels smooth and refined. There is barely any vibration, even on the move at a fairly decent clip.
Power is available right from the get go and comes to you in one smooth flowing arc all the way to the bike’s peak output of 87 PS, which is attained at 11,000 RPM. There’s a healthy 62.9 Nm of maximum torque as well at 8,000 revs, which helps by the bucket-load to either crawl through the city on your way out or while overtaking on highways without having to work too hard. However, if you do want to work a bit harder for your own pleasures, then you’ll find this Honda immensely rewarding.
I also wrote down my impressions of the bike when I test rode it. I obviously did not comment on the items that the experts would comment or review on. My impressions are purely from a consumer’s point of view and somebody who is searching for the perfect ride.
The article is here: http://bornhigh-partha.tumblr.com/post/127313065787/first-impressions-of-the-honda-cbr-650f-august
Would love it if you provided some feedback on the writing. Would love to learn.
Hi Partha,
First and foremost, our sympathies with you for deciding against buying the bike. As you mentioned, we agree that the Honda’s pricing is a little on the steeper side, however (as you mention in your review) it’s a great bike – something that one would love to own. As far as the review itself is concerned, I wouldn’t go so far as to say that we agree with everything you’ve said. However in many of the crucial places you have indeed nailed it. So kudos on that count. Keep the impressions coming. Keep riding and stay safe. Wish you all the best!
Thanks for the words of encouragement. I would have indeed liked to own it. As I have mentioned, I believe, the cost of ownership would be lower than the competing bikes as I have got some inside info on the servicing schedule and parts replacement schedule itself as well as the parts and accessories costs. As my wife mentioned, a bike is an investment you make in yourself and we would be riding it for at least the next 5-7 years if not 10. Considering the health problems I have now, would I be able to commit to riding it for that long? I agreed with her. Also, Her sitting position was too aggressive and she had to hold on real tight. That also was a factor where she did not feel as comfortable or as free as she would have liked.
So now off to a different category of bikes…