• 2 days ago
Honda strikes a balance between heritage, performance, and fun with its inline-four-powered CB650R Neo Sports Café naked bike ($9,399). It offers more versatility than its CB300R ($5,149) single-cylinder sibling yet is more nimble and easier to ride than the premium CB1000R ($12,999). With plenty of pep to engage experienced street bike riders without being overwhelming for beginners, the CB650R caters to a broad range of riders. For 2024, it includes innovative powertrain technology that makes it easier to operate.

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Sports
Transcript
00:00All right everybody welcome to the official 2024 Honda CB650R press
00:07introduction. This is a motorcycle industry function here in the American
00:15Southeast to show off Honda's 2024 CB650R naked bike. This is part of
00:24Honda's three bike neosports cafe naked bike lineup that we have highlighted
00:31with the CB300R, the CB650R which we are operating right now, and the CB1000R
00:41which is above this motorcycle. So we have the CB300R, CB650R, and the CB1000R
00:50motorcycles. Now for the 2014 model year Honda has done some really nice
00:55modifications to this vehicle. Now the primary modification they have done is
01:03the fitment of Honda's e-clutch technology. The e-clutch technology fully
01:09automates the clutch actuation experience. So although I was using the
01:15clutch right there, I don't have to. I'm kind of just using it out of
01:20habit just from having used it obviously from the dawn of motorcycling. Now the
01:26advantage of this e-clutch technology is that it fully automates the use of the
01:32clutch. So if you don't want to you literally don't have to operate the
01:38clutch even at a stop or during a vehicle launch, which is pretty amazing.
01:44You still have to shift this motorcycle manually with a left-hand side mounted
01:51gear shift lever. Although there's some similarities to Honda's DCT, dual clutch
01:57transmission, this isn't the same as dual clutch transmission. Dual clutch
02:02transmission fully automates the clutch and shifting experience, while Honda's
02:08e-clutch only automates clutch actuation. You still have to shift the vehicle
02:14manually. It's worth noting that this powertrain also has an electronic
02:20quickshifter built into the system. Now this 2024 CB650R continues to use
02:29Honda's 649cc inline-four engines, water-cooled dual overhead
02:35camshafts with the 16 valve cylinder head. This powertrain configuration is
02:41good for 81 horsepower at the business end of that 17-inch cast aluminum wheel.
02:47Of course we have the e-clutch cable actuated clutch, 6-speed transmission, and
02:55a chain final drive that terminates on the left-hand side of the vehicle. This
03:01motorcycle drinks from a 4.2 gallon fuel tank and delivers right around 38.5 mpg.
03:08Now back to the e-clutch. The e-clutch really is an ingenious mechanically
03:16engineered system, which has basically an upper and lower clutch lever integrated
03:24into the right-hand side of the engine. Now the clutch lever is dissimilar from
03:29this clutch lever, where the clutch lever basically it's the connection that
03:34allows the vehicle to automate the clutch, yet still allow you to have full
03:39manual clutch control if you like. So let's say we want to use the clutch, let's
03:44pull in the clutch downshift. When you pull in the clutch, the clutch has a
03:48different feel to it. It feels much more lighter, and as soon as you release that
03:54clutch, the system automatically switches back into auto mode after one second.
03:59However, if you're at low engine running speeds, it takes five seconds for the
04:05engine clutch to automatically go back into auto mode. So you could still, in
04:11theory, stall this vehicle. Let's say if you actuate the clutch at a stop and then
04:16all of a sudden you just try to give it gas and try to shift, it takes five
04:23seconds for that auto clutch to kick back in. So that's one caveat of the
04:30system. Who's it for? Well the auto clutch is basically, e-clutch is basically for
04:35someone who doesn't want to have to use the clutch on the motorcycle. So new
04:42riders who are maybe unfamiliar with the actual operating vehicle with a
04:48mechanical clutch, that is who this vehicle could be good for. Of course, if
04:54you're a seasoned rider, you could still operate the motorcycle without having to
05:01with using the clutch. So right there, we didn't even use the clutch. We just stopped
05:06the motorcycle and it automatically has the engine running. It almost feels like
05:11a scooter. It's almost like a scooter, yet you still have to upshift or
05:16downshift. Now another cool feature of this bike is let's upshift in a couple
05:21gears. So if we are in too high of a gear for vehicle speed traveled, this icon
05:30right here alerts us that we need to downshift. That is another new feature of
05:36this 2024 CB650R is this bright color five inch TFT display, which is a huge
05:44improvement from the hard to read one color display of the 2019 to 2023 CB650R.
05:55So that's kind of a cool feature. Vehicles fitted with electronic
05:59quickshifter, the vehicle, when you change gears, it automatically cuts
06:04ignition timing and engine fuel for a smoother shift. That's been going on for
06:10years. But this e-clutch ups the ante by not only cutting ignition and fuel, but
06:19also applying a bit of clutch to help gear exchanges. So gear shifts on this
06:25motorcycle are ridiculously smooth. That little lag time that you have between
06:33shifting, it's a smoother actuation. So without this e-clutch, when you shift
06:39gears, the shift is a little bit more harsh. And that kind of varies on
06:44different bikes. For example, Suzuki's 2022 and newer GSX 1300R has an
06:49excellent electronic quickshifter that is so crazy smooth, that actually shifts
06:54gears even more smoothly than the CB650R with auto clutch. But still, it's nice
07:01to know that in theory, you can have an even smoother shifting experience by
07:07allowing the engine to exchange each gear cog with reduction of ignition
07:14timing, fuel, and a little bit of clutch actuation. Pretty neat. Now, this
07:21motorcycle with a full tank of fuel weighs 456 pounds. So e-clutch makes the
07:28motorcycle a little bit heavier than its predecessor. 456 pounds with a full 4.2
07:34gallons of fuel. Now the cool thing about this CB650R compared to its CBR650R
07:43middleweight sport bike brother is the upright ergonomics afforded by this
07:48traditional handlebar. This motorcycle is crazy comfortable. I really like
07:53upright naked bikes. They give you a lot of the benefits of sport bikes, just
07:57with more upright ergonomics and no fairings. However, I always do like the
08:03front fairing and windscreen of a sport bike. Now, this 2024 CB650R rolls on
08:1217 inch cast aluminum wheels with triple disc hydraulic brakes from Nissan. We
08:18have four piston radio mount calipers up front. There we are. See, look,
08:21clutches is engaged, and we're in first gear and the motorcycle already just
08:27drives very much like a scooter. And away we go, folks. While some other
08:37people might go through stoplights, we here at this organization obey all rules
08:45of law in the United States, and we come to complete stops at every stop sign. So
08:51up front, we have a Showa 41 millimeter inverted fork. This fork offers 4.7
08:56inches of travel. There is no adjustment. The separate function means one fork leg
09:02does spring duties, and the other fork leg houses the damping cartridge. So the
09:09spring and the damping are split between the fork leg. What that does is it
09:13basically reduces weight of the front suspension. This motorcycle, the
09:18suspension on it, it kicks butt. It rides over bumps really well, yet still has
09:23very good sporting aptitude in the twisties. Now, as far as the rear shock
09:31goes, we have a direct non-linkage equipped shock absorber from Showa with
09:39preload adjustment only. Preload adjustment allows you to change the ride
09:43height of the vehicle based on rider preference or vehicle load. So you can do
09:50that if you want. Again, the rear shock has just over five inches of suspension
09:58travel. This motorcycle rides really nicely over bumps. Good job, Honda. Now,
10:04the engine on this motorcycle is 649 cc i4 engine. It's not the latest and
10:09greatest engine in American Honda's power sports lineup, but it gets the job
10:13done. It really stands apart from other competitors in the middleweight naked
10:18bike segment by the use of actually having four cylinders. A lot of vehicles
10:23in the middleweight naked bike segment have twin cylinder engines. This thing
10:27has a four cylinder engine, yet it's still crazy narrow. This motorcycle is
10:32just as narrow as a twin cylinder bike, but it has two extra cylinders. And
10:36those two extra cylinders not only afford more engine power, but they afford
10:40a character that is just awesome. Like, listen to this thing. Yes. I love that
10:46wail of an inline four. Yeah. This thing just sounds boss. And that is the
10:53advantage of an inline four. That said, this engine does have some inherent
10:58engine vibration through the controls. At lower RPM, the engine vibration is
11:04very muted through the handlebar and the footpeg. You can feel a little bit of
11:08it, but it's fairly muted. But if you get this engine revving high, you
11:12definitely feel the engine vibration. It's kind of crazy. There's no
11:19tachometer on this motorcycle. I'm sure that's a setting you can adjust, but in
11:23standard configuration, we have no tachometer. We just have a gear fuel
11:28meter, which keeps tabs on the 4.2 gallon fuel tank, gear position indicator,
11:33and speed. Honda, where is the tachometer? That is a crazy thing to not
11:38have. Oh, well. Here, we're inside the menu system, which we use with this
11:44backlit one-button multi-control button function. And this button function, it's
11:50okay, but the tactile feel with gloves isn't the best. It's certainly better
11:55when you're not wearing a glove. And as usual, the user interface and the menu
12:00navigation on this CB650R isn't the best. That's one aspect where Honda has
12:07historically always lagged behind its competition is user experience and menu
12:12navigation. Honda, we've said it for years, you need to invest in greater user
12:17experience. The menu navigation on these bikes has to improve. Still, it's a nice
12:24upgrade from the single color, hard to read and direct sunlight display of its
12:30predecessor. These rear view mirrors do a nice job of showing you what's behind
12:35you. Of course, when the engine vibrates a little bit, the mirrors get a little
12:39buzzy, but just short shift the motorcycle, keep it in tall gear, and you
12:43will be okay. Now, electronics wise, this motorcycle employs always on ABS, and we
12:52have Honda's selectable torque control, which you can manually disable by
12:58pushing this button. Now, Honda's selectable torque control is off. That's
13:03Honda's term for traction control. Yeah, some turns, I'd love me some turns,
13:10especially on this 456 pound CB650R. This bike is really playful and fun to
13:18ride. Now, it's worth noting that Honda's E-Clutch will come equipped on all
13:242024 CB650Rs and CBR650Rs. You cannot buy the motorcycle without the E-Clutch.
13:32However, if you don't want to use the E-Clutch, just don't use it. Use the
13:35clutch manually like you would normally do, and it's all good. The only difference
13:39is you're going to feel a slightly different feel when you pull in the
13:44clutch initially. But then once the clutch is in manual clutch mode, then
13:49it's going to feel like a traditional clutch. You can also lock out the
13:54automatic setting within the menu system if you want. So if you want the
13:57bike to always be in manual mode, you can select that setup. Like we said, the
14:02E-Clutch adds a little bit of weight to the motorcycle. It also adds a little
14:07bit of width, maybe about an inch of width to the right side of the
14:14motorcycle. Of course, that houses the upper and lower clutch lever arms, which
14:20is the secret sauce to Honda's E-Clutch and a pair of electronic motors, which
14:27do the heavy lifting. Honda used a pair of electronic motors because they
14:31needed that two motors to have enough power to actuate the system. Two motors
14:37also allow for a more narrow design as opposed to one bigger motor. So if they
14:43selected one bigger motor, it would have had the power, but it would have made the
14:48motorcycle a little bit wider. So that's why they went with two motors. Honda's
14:53E-Clutch is going to be added to future 2025 American Honda Powersport vehicles.
14:59Right now, it's just the CB650R and CBR650R Duo, but stay tuned for 2025. The
15:05technology is coming to other vehicles, and it's pretty neat. It just allows
15:10folks who don't have the mechanical aptitude to actuate a manual clutch to
15:17experience the thrill of riding a middleweight naked bike like the CB650R.
15:23So I'm an advocate of it. I think it's cool. You have to remember, we, myself, the
15:30organization I represent, and Amman American Honda, we are inclusive
15:34organizations with inclusivity baked into our ethos. So offering technology
15:40and helping expand motorcycle riding to all types of people, regardless of their
15:49experience or their ability, is a win in my book. Well, everyone, that's a quick
15:55review of American Honda's 2024 CB650R. This vehicle retails for $9,400 in the
16:03United States. It's built in Thailand and carries a one-year warranty. I like this
16:09bike. It's super cool looking. The inline four engine makes it stand out in the
16:16middleweight naked bike class. Yeah, it's kind of expensive, but again, it's got
16:22that awesome i4 engine. It looks really cool. The finish on this motorcycle is
16:26exquisite. Even though it's built in Thailand, you'd never know. You'd think
16:29this motorcycle was built in Japan just because the fit and finish is so high. I
16:32like this color TFT display. That's a nice improvement. The e-clutch is not a
16:38feature I'm looking for. I'm not looking for an e-clutch. You know, I could take
16:43it or leave it, but I still think it's neat that Honda offers it. And if you
16:47don't want to use the e-clutch function, you don't have to. But then again, it
16:51still does elevate the MSRP of this vehicle to $9,400. It would be nice if
16:56maybe Honda offered a $400 less, let's say $8,999 CB650R for folks who don't
17:05want the added cost and complexity of the e-clutch. Because although Honda is a
17:13master at engineering very reliable mechanical systems, there is going to be
17:20more inherent complexity and wear and tear on this e-clutch. You know, we don't
17:25know what it is, but there is added complexity and a durability
17:30issue somewhere. So it would have been nice if Honda just offered non-e-clutch
17:37bikes for a $400 discount for all of us riders like me who can take or leave the
17:42technology. Still, $9,400 for a middleweight naked bike. It's kind of
17:47pricey, but the CB650R is awesome. Really the only gripe I have with this
17:54vehicle is the user experience. Again, it's awesome Honda fitted a 5-inch color
18:00TFT, but the menu system on this bike is just, it's just subpar as it is on most
18:06new Honda motorcycles. So Honda, step it up. Consult with Apple. You need to
18:13elevate the user experience of this display. The tactile function of the
18:18switchgear could be better as well. It's not terrible, but it's not the best
18:23either. As always, make sure to surf on over to our website. We have tens of
18:29articles on this vehicle and other vehicles like it in the segment. Give
18:33this video a thumbs up if you liked it, thumbs it down if you don't because we'd
18:36love to hear from the naysayers out there. Everyone's opinion counts at our
18:39organization, and we'll see you in the next episode. Thanks for riding with us.
18:44Goodbye.