Used Test: Sharp Looks And Sensible Power

The CB650F doesn’t have all the latest bells and whistles, but it makes a great bike for those not chasing silly speeds

- Chris Moss

There’s been a reasonably priced naked ‘CB’ middleweight in the Honda line up since the spirited 97bhp CB600 Hornet was introduced way back in 1998. Proving popular, especially with newcomers and anyone with a slightly lower appetite for speed, the 600cc roadster models then went through a few different guises. Replacing the Hornet, the 2008 CBF600 may have had a higher spec alloy frame, but the reduced performance of its 76bhp engine made it more suited to the safe and sensible set. The CBF lasted until 2013 when the first 650cc model, the CB650F, was introduced for the 2014 season.

The all-new bike, built in Thailand, featured a water-cooled engine making a modest power maximum of 82bhp. Along with its steel frame and quite basic looking suspension, it appeared Honda had taken a bit of a backward step. The reality was different, with the roadster motor’s healthier midrange usability helping to make it quite a hit. Not so cheap at just over £6300, with the ABS option coming in at £6999, it still proved a popular, steady seller.

For 2017 the 650F was restyled with sharper-looking bodywork, LED lights and uprated forks. Modifications to the engine boosted peak power by 4bhp. ABS was now standard and the cosmetic changes of a black finished swingarm and cylinders, together with gold engine cases, gave the CB a cooler look. We’ve tested one of the last examples of this model here.

This year, the six-kilo lighter CB650F gets more midrange power and another 4bhp in total, courtesy of improved engine breathing and higher revs. It’s equipped with radial brakes, new suspension, wheels and clocks, as well as a CB1000R-aping makeover.

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