2018 Honda CBR650F and CB650F First Test Review Video | Riders Domain 

Why did you pick this over say the CBR500R (I can't keep track of all the R's in Honda's naming monikers) but I'm referring to the full-fairing, sport looking, comfortable riding 500cc bike? _Okay, now I understand the moniker_ ;) It's been a year, still enjoying the bike?

@@TheRoadTaken The CBR500R is only like high 40 something horsepower while the CBR650F is like almost twice that at 80 something. You can search for the exact numbers..... so yeah, get the CBR650F. I would between the two, unless you can pick up a 500 for way way less than the 650, I would fork out a little more if I can find a 650 at a good price. Also the 500 is a 2 cylinder motor whereas the 650 is 4 cylinder.

Yeah those D222's aren't the best - they performed well during our test loop - but we were on nice abrasive pavement. I would ditch those things right away too.

Thanks for sharing your experience. Like most things, simple enhancements can net a more enjoyable motorcycle. Thanks for sharing your experience and Ride Red!

I love my Bstone s21's as well. I am a big fan of the cbr650F. I think it would be nice to have a 1000cc or larger CBRxF with hard bags (similar to the Kawasaki Ninja 1000 LT). However, I realize there is no demand.

IDK about that - seems like those sport-sport-touring bikes are a neat niche. The KTM variation is awesome and the Kawasaki is pretty good too. Would be great if Honda made one featuring its CBR1000RR engine - that thing would be PERFECT for sport-touring.

G. Pernuš are does good for rainy days?

No one cares thats why

Hi Jesse - thanks for the nice complement.

WingMan Hoy: I be looking at this too besides my Wing! Which one did you consider or choose? I like the naked. NY Mike.

Hi Jack - we too classify it as a more "mature" choice. Nice word choice. Yeah, don't get us wrong we love all engine configurations, but we always gravitate to the well-rounded performance of a I4.

I own a 2014cbr650f and let me tell ya no problems and its a fantastic bike

What's up John? Thanks for the kudos on that. See ya around.

BeaglePower G Yeah the clocks are horrible too for a modern bike, in my opinion.

Agreed - we covered this in the written review as well.

Almost all the makes of this class, (especially Yamaha since 2011) already have a gear indicator factory installed. I personally find Honda CBR650F extremely appealing and very attractive, however with no gear indicator it makes my fellow riders when they upgrade or look for something else, turn towards Kawasaki Ninja 650 that has gear display since last year. Simple thing and very practical, but Honda creators seem to have a problem with that. It has been for years already.

VanClaaude you dont really need a gear indicator. And once you know your bike you should be able to tell wich gear you are in by looking at speed and rpm.

I have been riding since I was 14. Small German Simson first, 1 cylinder, 4 gears, upgraded to Jawa 250cc still 4 gears (1982) then MZ250 naked Police bike 5 gears 1984-85. Then Yamaha Drag star 5 gears. Never thought twice. But since I've been riding Honda Sports 500 and higher with 6 gears, I think they should keep up with technology. I doesn't matter to me, although I've never been able to tell by rpm's (rather by speed) - I can ride any bike without it. It does help however, if you have it. Quick look at your panel and you don't have to guess. Therefore, Yamaha R6 and Kawasaki Ninja sells better Down-under.

What's up Leonard - the LED headlamp is new for this year, 2018. I cover the specific changes/tweaks and upgrades in the written review? I encourage you to give it a read: www.ridersdomain.com/magazine/motorcycles/reviews/2018-honda-cb650f-cbr650f-first-test-review/ Also, fyi, the link to these things is always in our video description. If I wanted to Ride Red, I would seek a used model. American Honda began importing these things for MY2014 so you can start your shopping there.

Great article! On paper, it really doesn’t seem like there are major differences between the years so I think I will try to find a clean, used one. Thank you for your time!

I think that's a logical decision, Leonard. Let me know what you find - I am curious to see how it goes for you.

Awesome man - valid point and a worthy critique. Do to the nature of these rides, there isn't a whole lot of time to shoot video -- but your comments are good food for thought...

Sweet - thanks for sharing your experience. Gotta be getting cold up there? Haha - yeah, it's nice having two extra cylinders beneath you... Really give your bike more lung capacity and acceleration. If you enjoy your 500R, but want some extra muscle, this 650F duo seems like a logical direction to go.

Actually Adam, we've had an amazing fall. I've ridden thousands of kilometers and rode about 100 miles on the 22nd, sunday, and it must have been at least 24C. Also, my very first passenger, my new girlfriend, and I think she enjoyed it. I know I sure loved having her on the back. lol Seriously though, I can see the CBR650F in next year's future. Personally, I can't see why I'd ever need the extra HP of a litre bike. The 650 has over 30HP more than the 500, so even if it's about 40 pounds heavier it's going to be a lot faster than mine.

Hey man, looking back to your experience with the 500r - do you regret getting the 500r first instead of getting a 650f right from the get go? See it has been a while since I made my drivers license on the bike, but now Im seriously considering to finally get my first bike next spring. Got the same choice as you had - beginner friendly 500r or 650f right away. Id like to start modest, mostly for safety reasons cause you can learn easier and faster on a smaller bike in my opinion. you can test your limits on a 500 better, cause mistakes are more likely to be forgiven there. however, a lot of people claim that the 650f is suitable for absolute beginners too, and I tend towards the 650f. I do not want to regret my purchase after 2 months realizing I have grown out of the 500r + the 500r is too small for my height. have you arleady traded your bike for the 650f? thx and safe ride!

Hey omega. I do love the 500 as there are so many great things about it. Love the seat height, which is pretty low and super comfortable when stopped at lights. It is really fast for a 49 hp machine and there aren't many cars around that could match you taking off. It's fairly light at around 430 pounds, and due to it being a lower center of gravity, it handles beautifully when cornering. It gets ridiculous gas mileage too with only the 2 cylinders. The 650 is about 40 pounds heavier, something to take into account but it also has a much nicer seat, especially for a rider. The 500's passenger seat is really small and not comfortable if that is part of your deal.The 500 can do the highways speeds, but I found it was towards a bit of a strain as opposed to thinking it was very comfortable at that speed. Regarding the 650, it has about 30+ more hp, a significant amount, and I know it will deal with highways speeds easily. I like that it torques well in the city at lower rpms, as opposed to the 500 which needs more rpm and doesn't lug well at all at low rpms. I think if you at all at ease with riding, I would go with the 650 because I know for myself, after about a month, I was wishing for more speed, especially, as I said, at the higher speeds. Acceleration on the 500 is not an issue, but the 650 would be significantly faster at that too. I still have my 500, but next spring, fully expect to trade it in or do a consignment thing to get the CBR650F.

hey, thx for assessment, man! It is always nice to get some info 1st hand. So far, most people have told me that if you aint crazy on the throttle, even beginner can handle the cbr 650f. For me, the turning point was when I took a seat on the bikes first time. Initially, I was going for the 500r, but since I am 6´2 tall, it does not only look awkward, but also feels a bit uncomfortable sitting on the 500r cause I cant stretch out my legs on the ground when I stand still. After that I took a seat on the 650 just for fun and it felt immediately a lot more comfortable. I think having a good first impressions is important, thats why Im going with the 650. Many thanks, take care!

CB650F vs Z900 - I agree, no contest. CBR 650F... if you put on a bit taller windscreen, you can use it as a fun bike + for light touring (2 up, side cases). Z900 is just a fun bike, I don't think it can be used for any other purpose.

I like either honestly - but I prefer just using power --- as it is a bit easier on the bike IMOP.

Hell yeah thx for getting back to me. I've noticed in your videos you switch it up which is why I was curious. Just got my first bad speeding ticket today out on the road. Lol sucked but I guess it happens. Have you had to deal with a lot of shit like that in your riding career?

What's up Frost? Oh yeah. I've had more than my fair share of run ins with the Law. The biggest thing is to PAY ATTENTION. It's a insanely dangerous world we live in so having your wits about you and constantly scanning for traffic, dogs, cats, kids, cops, etc. will help you mitigate trouble.

True True. It was a huge wake up call for me getting a big ticket and having a cop tell me he could put me in cuffs. But I had figured it has happened to the best of them as well, I just gotta be more careful. Thanks again G!

Yeah man - gotta keep your eyes out for the fuzz. On another note, depending on the severity of the ticket -- or if you care or not, it's worth challenging that ticket and trying to get it dismissed. Insurance is nuts these days so if you can maintain a squeaky clean driving record you'll save in the long run...

The 2018 has conventional fork. The 2019 "R" has USD.

Imo you don't need more power, because you can't bring it on the road anyway.

Yea. Thats also me. Self approving, haughty son of a slug driving around on my CBR with no gear indicator and not bickering about it at all (:

what racing class were you planning on using it in?

There is more vibration than there should be IMOP. You gotta remember though that this is an older engine design - so it's going to have some vibes. This machine certainly qualifies as "do it all".

by older, that's brand new from ground up design from 2014 older. it does not have a balancer shaft so 3500 bizzes the fairing and 6500 buzzes the bars. replacing the grips help and the 1st service help with this.

Suyash Kaul in my opinion is a do it all machine . I got my CBR650F brand new and 8900 miles later still love it!!

The vibes are only in certain areas and they are very minor. FFS every bike has some vibes did you know a engine explodes petrol ? And that's underneath your bum very close to you?

R3 is a great bike if your riding is around city streets or roads up to 50mph but if your roads are like the ones in this video go for a 650. The bigger bikes are easier to ride, brakes and suspension are considerably better, as long as you have the self control to not pin the throttle everywhere you should be good (same goes for the smaller cc bikes, they don't stop nearly as well!)

Yeah - it's something we discussed in the video and written article.

Honestly when I buy a bike, this is the last thing I would care about

Rode this bike and others 4 cylinders with similar power. There is no way you can get a wheelie just giving gas in these bikes. The 4 cyl engine just doesn't have enough torque.

@@user735_ thanks for confirming.

the part number on the headlamp also appears on the 2015 CB/R500. Others in the market are the 2017+ yamaha MT/FZ range.

Depends. Do you have any riding experience to begin with? Off road, something like that? If you feel pretty comfortable on a bike already and are just waiting for the red tape to go away, it could be a really nice option. Even if you're pretty green to it all and handled the bike with respect you would likely be happy. There's others in that middleweight, streetfighter range that might be a little less expensive, the SV650 and Z650 come to mind. And that's coming from the perspective of what's available in America, if you're riding in a different country with more mid to low displacement options then you may have even more choices available.

I have no motorcycle experience (tbh I haven't even touched one in my life). I have been riding a mongoose mountain bike for as long as I can remember, but I haven't gone offroad with that. Also stupid question, what do you mean by "waiting for the red tape to go away"? I've just recently started wondering about motorcycles so when it comes to this stuff, I feel really dumb :P

Red tape was only referring to waiting to be a legal age, nothing to do with motorcycles. I might go for something a little more manageable then if you haven't been on a motorcycle ever before. Definitely going to be a different experience than riding a mountain bike. If you like the look, Honda has a CB300F that will be cheaper and potentially a lot more fun. There's also some great dual sport or adventure bikes. Kawasaki's Versys X-300, BMW's G 310 GS. The lower-displacement market is actually booming so there's lots to choose from. If you like sport bike style Yamaha, Honda, Kawasaki, KTM, Suzuki all have machines to choose from. Maybe start thinking about the type of riding you imagine you'll be doing most, and do some research on which bikes will be best suited for that. Since you're starting fresh, learning the basics of throttle, brake, clutch control, body positioning, situational awareness, a lower-displacement bike could be a lot more enjoyable as a learning tool.

Alright, thanks for the help with which I should go for, definitely looking at Honda with brighter eyes than before. Oh, by the way I subscribed :)

Thanks for that! Feel free to reach out if you have any other questions, and good luck getting started with everything. You're going to love life on two wheels!

But that has twin

Hi Gianni - great question - well, it's certainly a friendly and easy bike to ride, but if it was me... I'd start on something smaller. Even though its got a smooth, mellow engine, it's still a 600cc series I4 so it's got some balls. I'd probably begin my career on a smaller biker and move up after a few months. I know it is more of hassle/money spend, but you'll have a more pleasant experience in the long run. On the flip side, you could certainly do worse for a beginner friendly bike and the CBR650F is a nice full-size ride that is happy riding fast or slow-- great bike.

Adam Waheed thank you for the insight. 👍

Mike Parry hmmm. I don't know if we can do that here in Canada. But thanks for the insight as well.👍

dry509 best in class

Hi MegaSpyder13 - you are correct, this video was shot in Southern California, on and near Angeles Crest Highway. Happy Thanksgiving and thanks for watching.

Hi Subhasish, here is a reply from one of our editors, Adam: "We were in SoCal for this event off Angeles Crest Highway. The particular shot/location that person commented on was actually near Mammoth Lakes, California - I was up there riding during a vacation this past summer and I brought my drone with me and was able to get that shot and use it later on!" Thanks for watching.

Brakes, rider modes, traction control, no upd fork, outdated gauges. I'd personally rather have traction control than a LED headlight.

cueballB I see. Thanks for the reply. What about brake is outdated in this bike? Also, by upd fork do you mean inverted front (upside down) suspension?

Nawfal Hassan Non-adjustable levers. Brakes themselves are ok. And yes, upside down fork. They had them on the Hornet, not on this bike.

cueballB USD forks are must have for this price, but I can hardly complain about traction control. Is there any bike in this category that comes with TC?

cueballB For that price I wouldn't even be surprised. And for that kind of hp i dont think you need all of those. Its nice to have but unnecessary.

Agreed. With that asking price Honda is going to have a tough time selling these things. Reduce the MSRP by $1000-- and now that suddenly changes...

To be fair tho, the FZ09 is a bit more of a bitch, wheelie hungry and "unbalanced" for some peoples taste. More Bang for the buck but the Honda is more cultivated imop (im a 09-Fanboi, FYI)

FlipsGTS not really, cultivated? Meaning slow. The FZ-09 have better spec parts, like upside down forks, radical mounted breaks. It's a way better bike.

Quang Lam jup, cultivated also means slow. Way less agressive. I go 09 all day, but for some people the bike is to agressive, just look up reviews. We can call them pussys for that, but still has to be taken in consideration when looking for a new bike, thats all im saying

Everyone I know can grow into an aggressive bike.

I'm personally a fan of the FZ series for a more comfortable ride that will allow for sporty activities. People oftentimes underestimate the advantage of having a little versatility as far as tank size, luggage, and comfort go. The CB650F is also a great comparable choice.

As far as affordability, the SV650 is probably your best bet. The FZ and Ninja have a lot of OEM accessories, the CBR a smooth and enjoyable engine. I think you're going to be stoked on any of them moving up from a 250cc bike, but maybe decide if you want to get a naked or faired bike first and then go from there. I think the CBR650 would be an awesome choice if you don't mind shelling out a little more cash and the SV if you want a really fun naked machine.

Thanks man, helpful stuff and super nice that you answered so quickly! I subscribed to keep updated!

Just got my CBR650F - the 4 cylinder engine was what sold it to me. Also have a Ninja 650 in the family and the engine in that is like a tractor in comparison, suspension isn't as good and it's a bit less sporty. I'd say the Ninja 650 is a nice commuter bike made to look sporty and the Honda is a softened sports bike. Only thing I prefer on the Ninja is the big tacho needle, the LCD display is a bit hard to see on the CBR

Very close, save around $400 bucks with the Z900 ABS compared to the CBR650F w/ABS.

It's called having useable power instead of the need to rev it over 10 k to move.

Image stabilization is absent.

Charlie Football I have to disagree with you. And that’s because I bought a 2016 CBR650F in June. I’ve put almost 2000 miles on it and have yet to drop it. I would definitely advocate for a mature beginner rider to buy this bike.

KJ Elias But for a truly beginner i suggest buy a super cheap dirtbike and learn to balance yourself and learn to shift gears better aroung 3 - 4month would be enough before buying the cbr650f

Derrrrr the 600rr is a race bike ffs