2021 Honda CB650R ABS

Honda keeps the distinctly compact and sleek looks of the middleweight CB but makes changes to meet Euro 5 emissions standards, improves rider comfort and use, and makes a swap to Showa’s higher-spec suspension.

The 2021 Honda CB650R ABS is a compact and sleek machine. Falling under Honda’s Neo-Sports Café category it sits above the similarly designed CB300R. This 649cc standard bike sees multiple updates that keep it competitive in the growing naked middleweight category. Its addictive engine character and growl as well as its firm handling emphasize the sport in Neo-Sports Café.

There are quite a bit of updates for the 2021 model year. First, it meets Euro 5 emissions (Honda says this is “a change that required revisions to the ECU, cam lobes, intake timing, exhaust pipe, catalyzer, and silencer, as well as the addition of a crank pulsar”). Next, it replaces the Separate Function Fork with a new Showa Separate Function Fork Big Piston (SFF-BP) unit which helps shed some weight. Other aesthetic changes include an updated LCD display with new angle and larger fonts for easier visibility in direct sun, new side panels and license plate mount, new headlight reflectors, and the exhaust features larger bore tail pipe (from 1.4 to 1.5 inches).

The one and only CB650R is offered with ABS as standard and comes in Matte Black Metallic for $9,199.

As one of the only inline-four engines in the naked middleweight class the 649cc unit offers a unique engine character with addictive power and throaty growl, says test rider Serena McKnight. While Honda meets Euro 5 emissions standards with the new unit, the company claimed it would also not decrease performance. Our numbers prove that’s correct. And actually we have seen a slight rise compared to our 2019 dyno run and the latest 2021 run. Current power numbers are 81.90 hp at 10,870 rpm and 42.97 pound-feet at 7,960 rpm.

Vibration is noticed after 6,000 rpm, but push past the 8,000-rpm mark and you are met with revived life as the bike continues to surge forward for exciting freeway stints.

The major change to Showa’s Big Piston fork gives the CB650R a firm and sporty ride. This firmness, however, does slightly jar the rider if harsher bumps in the tarmac are present, McKnight noticed, but that the bike’s tip-in quality tracks well in turns. On straights, the straight-line handling is stable.

Dual 310mm disc brakes provide great, ready-to-grab feel from the front lever. The front has a radially mounted Nissin four-piston caliper while the rear end has a single 240mm disc and Nissin single-piston caliper. Both the front and rear have ABS as standard.

The 2021 CB650R recorded an average of 47 mpg during our testing.

The ergonomics are a blend of sporty yet comfortable. With the handlebar shift this provides an easy reach for the rider while also being slightly upright, but the peg position tailors the whole package to a sporty stance.

The CB has both ABS and traction control (known as Honda Selectable Torque Control), LED lighting, and a minimalist white-on-black LCD display.

Warranty and Maintenance Coverage

A one-year unlimited-mileage warranty is standard with the option to extend with HondaCare Protection Plan.

Sleek and compact design, tidy LED lighting, and beautiful exhaust pipe symmetry make the CB650R a sight. The package is distinctly from the Neo-Sports Café lineup.