new Honda CBR 650

[Brock Kickass]

I feel like most of Honda's products are a bit over priced, but they do make some good bikes. They seem to run forever. I would love to see that non faired model here in the US. Looks very nice

Agreed; most Hondas seem to stack up a bit more expensive than comparable models from other brands. I think the Honda is a nicer looking and nicer featured package overall than the 6R, but the Honda is a brand new design. The 6R is getting a bit dated.

Yamaha really tends to hold on to models for a long run, so a refresh may not be in the cards for 2015. I think, however, that the updated 6R will have the refinements and features to make it stack up a bit better against that Honda, and can almost guarantee it will be less money. I really wish Yamaha would update their stock signals. That would go a long way to making all Yamaha bikes look more stylish right out of the box.

I really like that 650, especially in naked trim, but I just don't see the value in Hondas. Yamahas are built just as well, last just as long, and cost less.

 

[Fizzer6R]

I'd bet that if Yami was the top 4 jap dog instead of honda, they might charge more as well

 

[Brock Kickass]

Yamaha is like Honda's hipster cousin; similar quality and features but just missing that mainstream brand appeal. Maybe hipster is a bad analogy. That whole deal seems very mainstream right now, even though the whole premise is to not be mainstream. Anyway, Yamaha is just the Honda that cagers have never heard of.

 

[urbanduckman]

I tell you what though, those mirrors sure would look nice on my 6'er.

 

[leprecaun jon]

I'm not going to point fingers, at this time of age, most of the big contenders offer something relatively of value and quality, as well as dependability. suzuki has been shadowed by setbacks from their past for decades, but all their motorcycles are on par with everyone else...some bikes like the drz 200 se are dated and under powered but still hard working dependable bikes....they carry a competitive price...yamaha is shadowed by its almost "big brothers" kawasaki and honda, in a lot of classes, they tend to be more expensive, some times smaller statured, softer sprung and intermediately powered in comparison to the two... because of that they cater smaller riders.. ( in my experience...im a smaller guy and tend to be more comfortable on yami's than other brands) but dont sacrifice the dependability at all, from what i gather they are partially owned by toyota. yamaha tends to be more up to date than some of the other brands as well. kawasaki carries a huge fan base behind it, a reliable package, but have bikes like suzuki that are dated... lacking FI, or being air cooled...they tend to be cheaper than honda.... and somewhere in-between yamaha in price... but only on the dirt have i felt comfortable on a kawasaki machine...they seem to be built for wider, bigger people than my self. honda is a legend, period. the name says it all, the prices they demand are mostly higher than the other three... but the machines the create are built to perform, i am yet to find a honda that has not put a smile on my face, even if it meant picking all 300lbs out of a mud hole, trying to kick a grumpy out dated 20 year old, air cooled, four stroke back to life..... i speak broadly here, because depending on what class of bike your looking at the margins change, but in general you can't go wrong even if you sacrifice more $$ here or less power there.... each package is its own and I'm not sure its a popularity contest... they have all proven there worth on the track a time or two... i just think some have more skin in the game and have had less screw ups or opportunities in the past and thus they can demand what they want.

sorry this is a long post lol.

 

[StephenA]

idk, the more that I look at the cbr, the more I'm liking it. I'm just waiting for someone to get it and film it. More importantly, a comparison video of the 6r and the cbr.

 

[Scott_Thomas]

idk, the more that I look at the cbr, the more I'm liking it. I'm just waiting for someone to get it and film it. More importantly, a comparison video of the 6r and the cbr.

You may be waiting a while. Not releasing in the US anytime soon from what I understand. Supposed to release in Europe first.

 

[Fizzer6R]

idk, the more that I look at the cbr, the more I'm liking it. I'm just waiting for someone to get it and film it. More importantly, a comparison video of the 6r and the cbr.

see these yet?
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJoTxSjzBOg]2014 Honda CBR650F Walkaround - 2013 EICMA Milan Motorcycle Exibition - YouTube[/ame]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sTpQtaWWDQ]New 2014 Honda CBR650F - YouTube[/ame]

 

[StephenA]

You may be waiting a while. Not releasing in the US anytime soon from what I understand. Supposed to release in Europe first.

Yea, I realize that but I'm not in the market for a new bike just yet, so I still have time to see what unfolds. I've been watching the videos so far from Europe and I'm digging it.

 

[StephenA]

see these yet?
2014 Honda CBR650F Walkaround - 2013 EICMA Milan Motorcycle Exibition - YouTube

New 2014 Honda CBR650F - YouTube

Yup. I also saw the walk around of the white one that was posted. It had a solo cowl, which looked pretty good. I jus wish that it had separate seats instead of a one piece banana seat. (hate banana seats )

 

[Fizzer6R]

You may be waiting a while. Not releasing in the US anytime soon from what I understand. Supposed to release in Europe first.

where is this coming from? all articles online say US Availability: Summer

apparently Honda sales increasing, as they just announced opening a fourth manufacturing plant in India 2015

 

[Scott_Thomas]

where is this coming from? all articles online say US Availability: Summer

apparently Honda sales increasing, as they just announced opening a fourth manufacturing plant in India 2015

Article said European release and probable summer US release. Doesn't sound sure fire to me. It's a nice bike and I'm sure it will steal some of the 6R's thunder. Honda has very nicely refined bikes. I love CBR's, but they are a little pricey compared to Yamaha, Suzuki, and Kawasaki.

 

[nismos14]

To me the CBR looks way better.

 

[Bert-Aus]

see these yet?

those hollow triple trees look pretty,
interesting how they integrated the grab bar into the rear cowlings too, although doesn't allow for tying anything down though (bags ets)

 

[EsrTek]

Ok think I'm sold on that Honda...even though I planned on buyin used.
When I get my taxes I think I will find out when they come in and if I can pre-order one!!

 

[echoplex]

Looks like a FZ6R replica without the crappy mirrors.

That being said the FZ still looks better.

 

[Fizzer6R]

Ok think I'm sold on that Honda...even though I planned on buyin used.
When I get my taxes I think I will find out when they come in and if I can pre-order one!!

awesome! what color? surprised honda did the blue. do you use Sloans in Murfreesboro? I knew a salesman there years ago

 

[frankdevans]

Honda FZ6R

I keep seeing people say things to the effect of "the CBR650F looks kind of like the FZ6R". No, it doesn't kind of look like the FZ6R, it IS the FZ6R almost exactly. Almost like it's a perfect rip off (except for the Kawazaki 650R rear fork, and an extra grand on the MSRP).

Look at the sharp angle in the leading edge midway down the fairing. Honda does not make another bike with that kind of angle shape--that's a Yamaha thing. All of Honda's fairings are smooth curves through there, every single bike they make except magically this one that competes with the FZ6R.

Look at the exhaust, Honda does not make another bike with the under-carriage exhaust. All their other sport bikes have either the old-school cheap right-side cannon style, or the peaking out from under GSX-R style.

Lastly, look at the fairing right in front of the handlebars. Yamaha has the flat shelf where there is a sharp nearly 90 degree angle (where the faux intake is on the FZ6R), so does the new Honda. Yet, none of their other bikes have this design, all other Honda sports and supersports have smooth transitions in that part of the fairing.

I don't dislike Honda in the least, I owned one for 4 years and it was a fantastic bike. But this one, other than mild changes to the handlebars and rear fork--it is a perfect design rip off of the FZ6R.

That being said, it looks like a great replacement for the F4i, and a much better light sport than the CBR500R, and I would not mind owning one for a second--except I just can't deny the allure of the tuning fork.

 

[nismos14]

I don't really think it's a rip off of the fz6r. By that logic you could say that every bike is a copy of every bike, they all have two wheels.

 

[Fizzer6R]

I keep seeing people say things to the effect of "the CBR650F looks kind of like the FZ6R". No, it doesn't kind of look like the FZ6R, it IS the FZ6R almost exactly. Almost like it's a perfect rip off (except for the Kawazaki 650R rear fork, and an extra grand on the MSRP).

Look at the sharp angle in the leading edge midway down the fairing. Honda does not make another bike with that kind of angle shape--that's a Yamaha thing. All of Honda's fairings are smooth curves through there, every single bike they make except magically this one that competes with the FZ6R.

Look at the exhaust, Honda does not make another bike with the under-carriage exhaust. All their other sport bikes have either the old-school cheap right-side cannon style, or the peaking out from under GSX-R style.

Lastly, look at the fairing right in front of the handlebars. Yamaha has the flat shelf where there is a sharp nearly 90 degree angle (where the faux intake is on the FZ6R), so does the new Honda. Yet, none of their other bikes have this design, all other Honda sports and supersports have smooth transitions in that part of the fairing.

I don't dislike Honda in the least, I owned one for 4 years and it was a fantastic bike. But this one, other than mild changes to the handlebars and rear fork--it is a perfect design rip off of the FZ6R.

That being said, it looks like a great replacement for the F4i, and a much better light sport than the CBR500R, and I would not mind owning one for a second--except I just can't deny the allure of the tuning fork.

did honda look at the FZ6R when designing this bike, absolutely. they would be foolish not to check out what their competition is. all manufactures do this with all makes/models.

to your eye you say it is an almost exactly copy, while to many others, we can point to some similarities and that's it. you could just as easy say, the rims are different, the frame is dif., the swingarm is dif., honda has a nice see thru lower fairing to show the header pipes going down to the cat., honda top triple tree and instru.cluster give you an idea why the MSRP is more. could go on and on.

just because a bike has under-carriage exhaust it's a yami copy? look at the CBR1000