The 2020 Honda CBR650R is a middleweight sportbike intended for the casual sport rider who is interested in painting the town with a Big Red streak, but not so ruthless as the liter-sized CBR1000RR. As Honda says, this is a machine that is “striking an ideal balance between performance and practicality” with its finely tuned chassis, punchy 649cc inline-four, LED lighting, aggressive riding position, and the like. Rider aids include ABS and the Honda Selectable Torque Control (HSTC). HSTC adjusts engine power to optimize torque at the rear wheel, ultimately reducing rear wheel slip.
In our 2019 first ride review of the CBR650R we found that it has a “sporty but not overly so riding position that’s well suited for day-to-day life on the street.” We also found that the 2019 model produced 80.1 hp at 10,950 rpm and 41.73 pound-feet of torque at 8,170 rpm on our in-house dyno. Competition for the CBR650R include the Kawasaki Ninja 650, Ducati Supersport, and Suzuki SV650.
While there are no significant updates to the CBR650R for 2020, it now comes with ABS as standard equipment. It is available in Grand Prix Red/Stripe.
