Why The 2019 Honda CB650R Is Awesome Value For Money 

7:15 They added 4 piston calipers to the SV650 in 2019.

Got this masterpiece of engineering art as my first bike this spring. Worth every penny and every second you spend. You are breathtaking, Honda!

One of the prettiest bikes currently being made

Picked my CB650R up a couple of months ago. I absolutely love it. Thanks for this review which helped me make up my mind!

I’ve been looking forward to hearing your views on this bike since I saw you’d been loaned one. I actually love the indicators as DRLs - in fact I think the whole front end of this bike looks amazing. The full led lights and side swept four into one pipes sealed the deal for me. I find it pretty comfortable for use around town too, it feels fairly sedate at low revs but has plenty enough torque for most situations. Great channel, keep up the good work 👍🏻

10:36 The Grom comes like this too. When I switched to aftermarket LED signals I just left the constant power wire disconnected. It should be easy to remedy on here with a little disassembly.

I had a Honda Nighthawk 650 with an inline 4 cylinder engine many years ago and I loved how smooth and responsive it was. That’s a major reason why I would want this bike instead of the competitors with twins.

What a beauty.... Classic and Modern at same time!

Stumbled upon this video via the related videos list. Excellent video! Really a quality piece of work. Great job describing what it's like to ride the bike, comparing it to the competition and describing the pro's and cons of the bike. Excuse me while I'm off to explore some of the other content on your channel :)

Just got exactly the same one 5 days ago as my first ever bike. I loooooove it..i mean i am just waiting for sunny days to go on a tour with my CB650R...plus its so beautiful.

Great motorcycle, its super mild on the corners, ultra sweet suspensións, truly nice looking, top quality machine. I bought two months ago and cannot be happier

Nice video , I bought a cb650r 2 months ago and love it I took it around france and spain no probs . Iv had big bikes all my life now down to this 650 you don,t always need a large bike.

The new CB line ups are absolute beautiful bikes. From the cb 150 upto the 1000 , they're distinguishable and unique. I'm planning on getting the cb300r, where I live the power is more than enough on the little 300 version, Honda CB's are the best nakeds today IMO

Great video. I am thinking about getting a cb650r after getting my licence and your video gives good info about it. In case low end torque is really a problem, it is always possible to put a slightly larger sprocket in.

Like your lovely review, thanks. And this is my ideal bike. Am riding a MT25. A small cc bike. Previously like the MT series. But now i think i have come to love especially this 4 inline 650r

FYI: Relating to the always-on signals: the early Victory bikes had the same thing. Problem was they used a plastic housing. Melted the housings after six months, replaced under warranty and the dealer removed the third wire so they worked only as directional signals.

Great video mate, I was really thinking of buying the Street Triple RS but I have to be honest to myself this bike is all I need.

Excellent value. I think quite a lot of the Honda range have used the front indicators as daytime running lights. I like the idea but, as yet, haven't ridden a bike with them. Anyway, during daylight i tend to leave my main beam on as I think you've got a better chance of being seen and, of course, you won't blind any oncoming traffic during the day.

Great review. Looks like a fun bike that's hard to really enjoy without going twice the speed limits (typical of inline 4 engines) :) I like the running day lights, even more in the evening or at night, good safety feature and typical of all Hondas I've tried. What I don't get from Honda is the horn button above the indicators, wish they'd conform to the rest of the industry.

My 86 CB700SC also has the front signal lights on all the time. Just makes you more visable.

Great details peppered in -- not just a simple woohoo this motor is grrreat, but the great bits are actually mentioned (those yellow rear shocks for example :D). Great review!

Top review man well done. Loving what you're doing with your videos and podcasts mate 👍🏼 thank your for keeping me entertained and informed 🙌🏼👌🏼

Considering the 2020 model as my first bike! looking forward to it!

I feel like in a racing game introduction whenever he starts talking.

I got the cb300r when it released in America. Everyone said naked bikes won't grow. I'm so glad I got it.

Nice vid Bob, I used to own a 09 Hornet and had an 09 ER6N for few weeks as a hire bike and TBH while the Hornet was more premium with USD forks, 100HP etc I liked how frugal the ER6 was and it's torque was much more usable in London. It made my Hornet feel gutless in the city. BTW I think the indicator thing is not a bad idea I'm positive they will help being spotted when filtering and it would make drivers aware you're a motorbike instead of one of two car headlights!

Great video thanks. Quite a bargain that seems to go missed by many people. Great you focused on it!

I have the CB300 and I’m really looking forward to upgrading to the 650

Excellent review - keep 'em coming!

Add this bike about a year... Nothing in class to compare.. Building quality, power, beautiful bike... Worth every €... Very good review... Greatings from Portugal

Great review ton of great info , just a nice job !

I agree with you on simple electronics and better mechanical equipment. I would even pass on the abs brakes on this bike for sure

At the moment I have the 125 and love it, the screen seems better on the 125 as it can be seen in any light. I also thought the same about the indicators but don't notice them now, apparently it comes from the US in having them on all the time.

Fantastic review of a bike I'm lucky to own! I will be keeping an eye out for more of your content in the future; subbed!

I agree, this is a great bike, considered the previous model, I (at time of purchase) went with the street triple instead (on visual preference).

Absolutely fantastic review 👍

I would get this bike only for the exhaust sound it makes. Have owned a CB1000 R and that exhaust note always used to put a smile on my face and egg me to twist the throttle and make it scream. In its current avatar, it looks fab. And yes, i agree what you say about the electronics. Rode my friends Street Triple RS and somehow it felt like the bike was taking away the effort of riding the bike. made it too damn simple. Yes i agree all of it would make Track riding simple, but here in Mumbai India we dont have access to a track anywhere near by. I asked him when was the last time he customized the setting to suit his riding as per condition and she said that it was set the day he got it and he never looked into it for the 6 months of riding. He didnt even change the Traction setting. So yes, i prefer a simple bike with ABS and TC. As long as its got Slipper Clutch i can easily manage clutchless up and downshifts and at times blip while downshifting.

Great content as ever. Thanks

Definitely my upgrade in the near future. Currently the best looking bike on the market in my opinion. Btw you deserve a lot more subs. It's hard to find reviews with this level of professionalism. Keep up the good work!

Great review. I want to test ride one of these soon

I was a fan of the Honda Hornet (Think it was the CB600F) in the late 2000's but eventually got the ER6N instead. This 650R looks great. Def my style of bike.

torque is proportional to displacement. Every 650cc bike will make about the same peak torque. The L4 has a short stroke, and lower piston speed, which means it will make peak torque at *higher* rpm than the twins. You can also install lower gears so you get into the power band quicker.

If Moto-Bob had insane riding skills ,he would be the Chris Harris of Motorcycles!!! Absolutely look forward to anything he post !!! Get on a StreetFighter V-4S soon !!!!

Another ace video, thank you MB.

I had a BROS 400 in the early 2000s which had always-on indicators. I think it was a USA spec bike.

Great review enjoyed your experience 👍 like this bike

Excellent review!

I think the CB650R is the best looking bike in its segment, and at that price it’s amazing we don’t see more of these on the roads.

Wish we got the Black color in the USA. That bike looks sharp!

Love this detailed review. This is a bike I'd buy.

Now that was a great review 👌

9:45 the display can be set to be brighter and it handles well enough even in the brightest days. must read the manual to find it.

Great review Sir, thank you :)

Good detailed review.

Drove this gorgeous bike around London yesterday. I was AWFUL in low revs, slow speed etc. I stalled it about 12 times. I don’t think it’s the bike for town (for me) - but my it’s pretty. (It doesn’t have the sound I like either). Definitely test it if you’re thinking of buying one.

Awesome video :) How’d you find the seat comfort/ergonomics etc??

Brand new one for $9K in Olympia on Craig's list. Very good review!

Motobob is becoming my go to channel...

I did my direct access and test on this thing. Currently own a naked sv650 k5. Would swap my SV for this any day. If only the CB sounded as good as my SV. Really great beginner bike.

My first bike was a Honda 750 four (I bought it new 1976). The CB650R is lighter, faster, got better brakes, suspension and has nearly 100 HP. I’d consider this in the middleweight naked sector !!

Love the headers

Went the other day by the dealer to see the 2021 version. It’s kinda weird how they managed to make the tail fender even worse than the 2020 version. Other than that under closer inspection and I f want to sound picky there are some things that make the bike seem cheap. Like the part where the body connect to the front suspension. You can see some bad welding parts there. Even though I like the new look way better than the f series from Honda I’m not sure I’ll buy one. I’m still between the cb650r, xsr700, trident and the street twin. I know they’re not the same thing all 4 of them but these are the bikes on my list.

That's one hell of a well made review! Thank you! I have had alot of bikes during the years, and I totally agree with you. This is the best on the market. Those americanized lit front indicators were a bit confusing to begin with, but I got used to them. I took one for a spin. Had some coffee and had to go for another spin. Waited for a week and tried it once more. And yes, I bought one! Painted the airintakes black, barend mirrors and a tailtidy. I swapped with my mates MT07 and we both agreed the CB650R is the better bike. So I bought one in A2 mode for my son aswell!

Nice review!

I am planning to get this as my next bike and possibly my forever bike, since I don't see the use of higher cc bike like the 900cc or more. I just don't think I could use high cc bikes to their full potential when I will be maiming commuting to work, going on short trips and maybe going on weekend rides a few times.

Thanks would love this

I hope this Honda will come as a sport touring bike with a bit more torque and power. I drive a ‘15 Yamaha MT09 Tracer now but I am disappointed it is not the quality like Honda. My previous bike was a Honda and my next one will be.

Led indicators on this bike also feature on the CRF300L and Rally

Good video. You say it’s good for City ride but is it ok for the occasional overnight cruise?

Great review!!!

Brilliant - thanks!

Would be interesting to whatch some custom work based on this bike

2:40 “makes for super-addictive acceleration. The next 20 seconds of video remind me of pulling 2nd and 3rd gear rips on my ‘86 700 Nighthawk S. Sub-4 second 0-60 is indeed grin-inducing. Faster wouldn’t be more fun; just more potentially problematic.

It's a lovely bike. Here in the USA, it costs $9299 as does the Kawasaki Z900abs.. I picked up the Z

informative vid. thanks

Probably the best nake in that range... SV650X is quite a bit cheaper here upfront and longer-term on service.

considering the price tag I really don't think mt07 is it's competitor, I think you should at least compare it with the mt09 and the Z900 which are wayyyyyyy more powerful and fun to ride with. Besides all that this bike come in with a wet weight of 202kg, that's liter bike kind of weight, not saying it bad or anything, but it's actually far more heavier than the mt09 The only reason I can think of buying this bike is that you're living in Australia ,and you have just got a Learner permit which means you will have a 3yrs restricted license, this bike is actually Learner approved (LAMS) in Australia, but keep it in mind the power of this bike it's been restricted by the ECU at about 35kw if I'm not mistaken, unlike the mt07 they actually reduced the engine size from 689cc to 655cc. Like I said if you're going to be having a restricted license for the next 3yrs, and you just couldn't ride a small bike, buy this bike and get the ECU flashed, with a full exhaust I would say you'll be getting 90hp at the wheel. it will be fast enough to get you in trouble. But is it really worth it? I don't know

This is a very well done video, easy subscribe for me.

It absolutely is. Beautiful engine, clutch and gearbox. An engineering masterpiece. Just a shame that it's too small for me.

Such a beautiful bike 😍

In the UK is nicely priced, here in Mexico the Street Triple RS is just 1,200 pounds more expensive. Actually this bike is priced just the same as a Duke 790, such a shame.

Indicators turned on at galf brightness is to ensure motorists know that it’s a motorcycle and not just a bicycle light. Its for safety purpose. Personally i owned the smaller sibling, and the indicator do serve its purpose over in asian countries where there’s a lot of motorcyclists around

So first off, GREAT REVIEW for actual logical, everyday thoughts on a really nicely done review, EXCELLENT JOB SIR! As someone who just sold an MT07, and at the time, also owned a Z650, and had also just test drove a Triumph Trident, I have to agree with this overall brilliant review. This is without a doubt, the "grown up" middle weight version of all the other bikes in this class. I purchased a 2021 CB650R just a couple months ago after watching this, and dozens of other reviews, , and I could not be happier. I immediately sold the Z650 after owning the CB for just a couple of weeks, and have zero regrets! This bike feels SOOOO much more solid than all the others. The Honda 4cylinder feels and sounds so much more like a bada$$ middle weight. It's much smoother than the MT and the Z, both of which are super "twitchy and spazzy" on the throttle, and you can honestly feel the maturity in this bike compared to the others the minute you sit on it. After hearing SOOO many people talk about the torque advantage with the MT07, I realized (and researched) that the acceleration times are the exact same with the Honda CB, so I'm not sure why it's so often brought up in these comparisons. Truth is, it's more reliable, feels better, rides smoother and is just as quick, and even faster top speed, than all the others! The Honda is just better! If you want wheelies and plasticky feel, then consider the others for sure, but if you want a bike that changes the way you feel about a middle weight naked bike, then go test drive the Honda CB650R and you will see/feel exactly what I'm talking about. Stay safe, have fun, and enjoy yourselves. Cheers!

For a commuter bike, I would love for reviewers to mention service costs and intervals.

I love the CB650R. Beautiful, superb fit and finish, sounds great, and rides great. When I am ready for a new(er) bike I will get one. But calling it awesome value for the money is kind of iffy. (These are all Canadian Prices) The Z900 is 700$ more for an extra 300ccs (948cc). The MT-09 is 500$ more for an extra 200ccs (847cc). And the GSX-S750 is 300$ LESS for an extra 100ccs (749cc. Honda can only justify the price because of the reliability and the attention to detail(Which I like!). It is great value, only if you gauge the value on the quality of the bike, not the performance.

You should do more motorbike reviews.Really good.

This video is now 4 years old. Honda has just announced the new 2024 model that includes a new headlight, side pods and colours. A new tail light and TFT. And a new E-Clutch. Everything else remains the same. I think that goes to show how well spec'd this bike was when it was new and how it still fairs against its main competition, the MT07/XSR700 and SV650 (Looks a darn site better than the SV650!). Going into 2024, it's still a brilliant bike in the class and one I am seriously considering to replace my MT125.

Nice bike! 👌

Those are some of the best headers Honda made on these naked bikes.

The Africa Twins have had those front indicators permanently on half brightness for some time. Are you going to try the sport version? I would be interested to see how it compares for physical size to the Fireblade. Could be another usable sports bargain.

This is 11k over here. I really like this bike, but the problem is that for 12.5k I can have RnineT racer with that lovely engine and shaft drive for the same weight, and has traction control. The other problem is that I can't stand the sound inline 4s make.....

Always-on front signals are the norm in the US. Probably just a money saving thing to make them all have it.

What about comfort?..well shaped and padded seat?..forward leaning sport seating position or more upright standard?..are bars comfortably positioned?..what about overall geometry of riding position?..

Cool! Good bike

10:33 How is this a negative in any way? I don't get how anybody, especially the rider, would be confused at the sight of the amber running lights. Even if your preference is derived from not being used to it, to say that this would be a bad thing while on the road seems like quite a stretch.

I recently went to a dealer and sat on this as well as the MT07. I prefer the overall look of the Honda but I found the MT07 to have a more comfortable seating position. The Honda felt more sporty. The Honda is also 2 grand more in Canada. I'm pretty torn between the 2.

I'm tempted to buy one purely because it has a throttle cable!

I'm not much into naked or street bikes, but this machine is absolutely gorgeous!

Value for money bike is not just about the purchase price but the running costs and while I love the Honda I bet that inline 4 is not as frugal as the kwak/yam that inline4 motor is going to be more expensive to service as well. I do like Honda's different approach, the suspension will be vastly superior and LED lightning is pretty darn cool on a sub £7k bike.

1:12 the yams are also considerably lighter than the CB650R too ;)