How Much Power Does the 2021 Honda CB650R Make?

The 2021 Honda CB650R befittingly sits in the middle of Big Red’s sport naked lineup, located between the lower-displacement CB300R parallel twin and the more sporty CB1000R. Designated as the middleweight, the CB650R holds value as an approachable, yet entertaining steppingstone to more capable motorcycles.

At the heart of the CB650R is a liquid-cooled 649cc inline-four engine, which is the same powerplant used in Honda’s fully faired CBR650R model. For 2021 Big Red updated the engine with changes to ECU mapping, new camshaft lobes, revised intake valve timing, and an all-new exhaust with a new catalyst and muffler; all of which are aimed at meeting stricter Euro 5 emissions standards without compromising performance.

Placed on Cycle World’s in-house Dynojet 250i, we recorded horsepower and torque figures of this middleweight. The 2021 CB650R produced a peak 81.90 hp at 10,870 rpm and 42.97 pound-feet of torque at 7,960 rpm. In comparison to the 2019 model we last tested, that is a very modest bump in peak output, proving that changes benefit both emissions and performance.