HONDA CB650F (2014 - 2017) Review

Initially great then spongey

Its amazing engine

Amazing

Farnborough Motorcyles ( Aldershot, Steve amazing guy) What he does for everyone, put it like this Doesn't Rip you Off, main dealers should look at yourselves ( IMO You rip us off - disgusting)

Shame no quickshifter or all the aids that you competitors offer

Very comfortable but the stock brakes arn’t that sharp. Upgrade to EBC sintered pads makes a big difference.

Very smooth and pulls from the off; a little more shove would be good though, its a four pot 650cc so should be about 100bhp in my opinion.

No issues at all

Servicing costs seem appropriate to me though the Honda recommended intervals for the consumable changes seem long; plugs and air.

Its a bit sparce on the equipment front, the newer version addresses this. Many say stock tyres are poor too though i didn’t mind them, that said i’ve Pirelli Angels on now and i do feel more confident on them in both wet and dry.

Ride quality is excellent and the front brake sharp and responsive, less so the rear.

Smooth, practically vibration free and have I mentioned it accelerates like b###ard.

Never missed a beat.

There isn’t any equipment as such.

Fairly soft ride and all but the worst roads are smoothed out. The only time i find the suspension too soft is under hard braking but that could be partly due to me still learning / not balancing out with the back brake effectively enough. I find the brakes are very good although the abs is sometimes a tad eager to 'help out' again that could be my fault in part.

The engine is absolutely fantastic, very smooth progressive power delivery and enough noise and power to have lots of fun but not so much that you easily get caught out or end up in trouble. Only gripe is that when re-applying the throttle it tends to be jerky.

Whilst the main elements engine brakes suspension drive etc are all brilliant. At almost 1yr old 4.5k miles im suprised that my bike is already showing signs of wear which would be costly to rectify. My exhaust is showing signs of rust, there are various paint finishes which have scratched very easily despite regular and careful cleaning and gentle care / tr3atment of the bike.

Great on fuel considering it can still go pretty well and provide plenty of smiles.

Its a very simple bike in terms of equipment but it doesnt pretend to be anything else. It is a very simple middleweight naked. No gear indicator, abs is the closest it has to any gadgets or toys I think. Id like to get a radiator guard, engine case protection / cover set. Axle sliders, crash bungs, heated grips, hand guards, tail tidy, smaller and LED indicators, bobbins, a replacement seat and seat cowl and an exhaust.

Excelent suspension (SDBV showa forks), great breaks. Never felt i was riding the motorcycle above its capacity no matter how aggressive i was. Very balanced package.

Economical for its architecture and displacement (5.5l/100kms), amazingly good midrange and screaming top end. Almost 100bhp. Never felt wishing for more power.

Small details show that the build quality could have been better, the side panels have been glued and can easily get loose. Other then that nothing to complain about.

Very reliable machine, the engine altough sporty its understressed, should last ages.

No Gear indicator and the tires are kinda vague in feel... i would reccomend getting new ones as fast as possible. Bike comes with LED lights and that is something you dont get in this segment very often.

Comfortable and sits on the road well.

Looks good and no problems after 5000miles.

Service intervals now at 8000 miles so keeps costs down.

Should have a gear indicator.

The ride is comfortable even after 3-4 hours, the brakes work well and ABS is fantastic. I have had cagers cause me to use the brakes to the maximum in the past and they have stopped me in plenty of time even at motorway speeds.

Sounds great and very responsive, keep the bike at around 5k on the tachometer and it pulls like a train.

7 months in and never missed a beat. I have rode the bike every day since buying her back in August 2017 and she has never let me down.

First service is £150 at 600 miles then the next service is not till 8000 miles or a yearly one.

Could do with a gear display like mentioned in the review, standard exhaust is also very quiet but put a aftermarket on and you can really hear the 4 shouting, lovely sound.

Quite superb considering low cost. A little firm on some roads but supple enough to provide confidence when pushed.

Will really rev if you want it to, but will also pull away at low speed, in top gear without snatching, very usable torque. Sweet engine!

Typically Honda

Low costs

Lacks gear position indicator. Larger screen, crash bungs and belly pan fitted, add to its modern look. Michelin Road Pilot 3's work really well.

Brakes are good but could bite a little harder. Seat is comfortable and I never need a break.

Honda knows how to build engines. This bike is fast enough for riders that do not need more than 230 kilometers an hour. (140 mph)Vibrations are close to zero.

Built tough. No noises, leaks or rattling.

I would be happy if it showed what gear am I on.

Brakes and handling are superb. Been on some bumpy roads and the factory-set rear suspension setting is fine. I fitted a fairly big screen on it to keep the wind off at 70 mph, however as supplied it was surprisingly un-windy for a naked at 70 mph, probably due to the riding position. The ride position is forward leaning, but it puts you in good connection with the front wheel. The engine can be a little twitchy until you get used to it. This is 5 out of 5 for a naked, compared to a light tourer, it'd be 4 of 5.

Euro 4 engine, makes a great sound, is quick, efficient, with good power delivery across the rev range. Not really possible to push it to its limits on UK roads.

Early days yet, but construction and parts seem solid. Engine is rarely stressed by anything other than racing. No gear indicator. It's the quality and reliability to expect from any Honda.

Have only done one service at 600 miles. Every 8k miles or annual. Gently it'll do 55-60 mpg, running it hard will drop it 45-50 mpg.

Brand new, you don't get much. Needed to spend £500 after market on: screen, heated grips, top box and oiler; fitting everything was straightforward except the oiler. So it could easily be used as a short-middle distance tourer rather than a commuter. The trip computer is fine.

stops on a sixpence when needed and good ride quality ride for hours at 70mph very smooth

sounds good and pulls all the way either off the mark or dropping down to overtake

dealer service costs a little high but the milage I do well worth iyt

its a naked so not much going on

Very comfy seat. Have so far ridden only an hour without a break but no complaints about the ride at all.

The engine performs well through all gears. Very smooth take off or if called upon great break away. Handled itself well on motorway with plenty of power in reserve if suddenly needed.

Being Honda and what I've seen so far it's a very well built bike. Only had it since early October so can't comment on corrosion but I'm very confident it won't be an issue.

Hasn't had its first service yet so can't comment on costs.

Love the fact the rear tyre is a 180. Fantastic grip in the bends.

Ride quality is a bit firmer than I would like but it is not a deal breaker. The bike is derived from a sport bike not an adventure bike. Pillion seat is a bit small for any decent distance but fine for shorter runs. The brakes feel reassuringly strong even when two up. Standard ABS is always good.

So smooth running and free revving. Great economy even when pushing on. Plenty of power to bring a huge grin to anyone's face..

I added heated grips and a GIVI small screen. Grips are essential and the screen more for cosmetic than practical reasons. Very clear dashboard but a gear position indicator would be a nice extra touch. Again not essential but would be a nice touch.

Amazing brakes could just use back brake if wanted to

Beautiful-sounding bike. though if you like a loud exhaust you'll find it hard to get one for the right price but I think it sounds good as it is

Got touring kit on it which gives you heated grips a seat bag and a visor and a carbon hugger good value and makes long trecks easier