HONDA

650R AND CBR 650R 2022: 2022 line arrives renewed and with the new and sophisticated SHOWA inverted front suspension

Modern and highly technological, both the naked CB 650R Neo Sports Café and the sporty CBR 650R feature new colors and graphics and are complemented by copper-colored details on the engine cover.

Naked fans and those who prefer sporty ones find the Honda DOHC in-line four-cylinder engine a point of convergence. Despite the marked differences between the Honda CB 650R Neo Sport Café and the Honda CBR 650R, both share the magical 'Four' of exact 649 cc, an engine that is a true technological reference and a guarantee of superior performance.

Introduced at the end of 2014, the Honda 650 has since reproduced in our country the success achieved worldwide. Renovated four years ago, when they received important technical updates on the engine, cycling part and design, this evolution resulted in the emergence of the Honda CB 650R Neo Sports Café, naked inspired by the bigger sister CB 1000R, and the sporty Honda CBR 650R, whose style immediately recalls to the super sports car CBR 1000RR-R Fireblade.

Affordable and versatile, this pair of Honda 650 are motorcycles aimed at a wide range of users, and capable of meeting the needs of both novices and more experienced ones. Powerful, but 'in hand', the Honda 650 stand out for its fair balance, a quality that is at the root of its success.

Model overview...The Neo Sports Café concept applied to the CB 650R(image on the side) emphasizes compact proportions, and highlights the in-line 4-cylinder engine as a strong design element. In this 2022 version, the main novelty is precisely the new chromatic pattern of the engine, whose base and head are now painted in an elegant shade of bronze, with the cylinder block remaining black.

Light and agile, the Honda CBR 650R(image below) uses a sophisticated new SHOWA inverted front suspension, which receives the technology of the 'Showa - Separate Funcion Big Piston Forks (SFF-BP)'. The so-called 'Big Piston' is about 3.5 times larger than the previous system, and provides better damping with less oil pressure, which results in a faster response and smoother action for better handling and cycling. The modernity of the full-LED circular front optical group lighting, characteristic of the Neo Sports Café style, is paired with the black out LCD panel, which brings a gear indicator and shift-up warning light, which warns of the ideal time to change gears. gears. The aggressive riding position is enhanced by the tapered aluminum handlebars and recessed cranksets.

On the CBR 650R, the sporty character brings what is expected of a motorcycle with the acronym CBR. The aggressiveness of the fairing shapes is enhanced by the double optical group and air intakes. The split-level seat ends in an essential stern, and semi-handlebars fixed under the upper table offer positioning consistent with sport riding.

A striking black-out LCD panel, with gear indicator and full-LED lighting follows the technical sportiness determined by the new Showa SFF-BP inverted suspension and braking with radial fixing calipers.

In addition to the same engine, the liquid-cooled tetracylinder DOHC with a six-speed gearbox, assisted clutch, sliding and equipped with the HSTC system - Honda Selectable Traction Control, the CB 650R and CBR 650R share the same engine and chassis. The steel tube structure has a Diamond-type architecture, with the region where the balance axis is fixed made with stamped steel.

Main features - Engine & Cycling

- Maximum power of 88.4 hp at 11,500 rpm

- Maximum torque of 60 Nm at 8,000 rpm

- Power assisted slip clutch

- 41mm diameter Showa SFF-BP (Showa - Separate Function Big Piston Forks) front suspension

- Front brake calipers with radial fixation

The main quality sought by Honda technicians in the development of this four-cylinder engine was the achievement of linear power delivery at medium revolutions, without, however, changing the character expected of a four-in-line: the strong progression to rotation -limit set at 11,500 rpm.

Technical refinements such as asymmetric skirt pistons, cylinders with treatment to reduce friction and oil consumption go hand in hand with the valve commands that act directly on the valves, a solution that reduced the head volume. Another factor that reveals the modernity of the project is the refrigeration system, with internal passages that eliminated part of the external hoses. The cylinder bench, slanted 30º forward, the gearshift positioning and the compact starter behind the bench helped to obtain a short engine, which has an advantage for the balance of the whole.

On the Honda CB 650R there are two air intakes, positioned beside the tank. On the Honda CBR 650R, the dual air intakes are on the front of the fairing. The generously sized air filter housing contributed significantly to linear power delivery. Ditto with respect to the correctly sized exhaust pipes, which elegantly join below the engine to find the compact stainless steel tip.

The slip clutch, which limits the loss of grip of the rear wheel in extreme downshifts, favors sporty riding, just as the assisted clutch actuation reduces the effort on lever actuation.

The traction control HSTC - Honda Selectable Traction Control - proves the technological stage of the Honda 650. The system uses sensors to manage any loss of grip on the rear tire, which can occur both in sports use and in day-to-day use. day on low grip floors.

The Honda CB 650R and CBR 650R diamond-type tubular steel chassis is the main element, which together with the suspensions is responsible for the superior maneuverability of these models. The modern Showa SFF-BP (Separated Function Big Pistons Forks) suspension is an inverted type, which combines low weight and high efficiency. In the rear suspension, the spring-damper assembly adjustable in the spring preload in seven positions acts directly linked to the rear suspension scale, which is asymmetrical.

The brake system equipped with two-channel ABS acts on the floating type double front discs. The radially clamping four-piston calipers reduce twisting and favor greater braking sensitivity and efficiency. The rear disc has a single collet caliper. The wheels have five double spokes with tires measuring 120/70 ZR17 at the front and 180/55 ZR17 at the rear.

Design & practical aspects

- New rear fender/plate holder

- Full LED lighting and LCD panel

- USB-C port under the seat

Neo Sports Café styling features - short tail and circular light group, angled tank - highlight the in-line four-cylinder engine, now in two colors. The rectangular LCD panel glued to the flat conical handlebar characterizes the aggressiveness of the CB 650R, certainly one of the most harmonious naked in current production.

The CBR 650R has a fairing that delivers all its sportiness: double headlamps and a pair of front air intakes make up a set of undeniable aggressiveness. The riding position is sporty without being extreme, thanks to the two-level seating, semi-handlebars and correctly positioned pedals.

Both have the additional safety device ESS (Emergency Stop Signal), which detects emergency braking at speeds above 56 km/h and, through sensors in the ABS module, automatically activates the warning light.

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