HONDA CB650F (2014-2017) Review | Speed, Specs & Prices | MCN

At a glance

Prices

Overall rating

Value-packed roadster based on CBR650F running gear looks brilliant, is so well executed it wouldn’t look the poor relation parked next to a CB1000R or Blade, is simple and straightforward to ride and is also practical, versatile and great fun. In other words, it’s what motorcycling used to be all about before mega modes and silly prices. It’s one of our bikes of the year.

Ride quality & brakes

The way the CB turns and stops is both more than adequate (accomplishment itself considering the price) and thoroughly engaging and fun, too. Through the sinuous, endless hairpins of the velvety CV-70 up and over the high sierras, the new Honda was a blast: braking had far more finess and power than its humble two-pot calipers would suggest; the ride was firm, taut and reassuring, not quite delivering the refinement of more expensive systems and very occasionally a tiny bit choppy, but, on the whole, excellent.

Engine

All-new. Honda’s first Thai-built multi (following the CB500 twin range launched last year) has plenty of sports influences (RR bore, compact shaft arrangement and stacked gearbox) but is also tuned to be flexible and user-friendly and styled (with minimal hosing) to look good, too. It spins up effortlessly and feels happy to rev, belying Honda’s claims for decent, meaty midrange. No, there’s no great gobfuls of torque. This is still a middlewight four, a turbine-smoth rev-monster. Yet to its credit, it IS also one that makes decent progress

Reliability & build quality

Although there’s nothing flash or fancy about the CB, its designers have clearly paid a great deal of attention to the important details and given it more than a few quality touches where it counts. Those snazzy wheels and header pipes, for instance; a full five colour choices, the textured seat finish and carbon effect infill panels around the tank, all of which help lift this new Honda above the ordinary and mundane into something that is truly special.

Value vs rivals

The CB650F falls almost exactly midway between the price of Yamaha’s impressive new twin, the MT-07 and Triumph’s class-leading three-cylinder the Street Triple both excellent bikes in their own right – but we reckon the Honda’s better AND better value.

Equipment

Although the suspension is fairly budgety (no inverted forks nor front adjustment and no linkage for the single shock rear), because it’s been designed from the outset as such and with the CB’s looks deemed equally important, those suspension components don’t LOOK budgety. The forks have natty black lowers, the shock’s hidden away with your eye instead drawn to the stylish cast alloy swingarm and clean undertray.

HONDA CB650F for sale with MCN

• CB650F (2015/15) £3,499 Surrey
• CB650F (2017/17) £3,690 Worcestershire
• CB650F (2016/16) £3,799 Middlesex
• CB650F (2017/17) £3,991
• CB650F (2015/65) £4,191 Cheshire

Model history & versions

Model history

2014: Model introduced

Other versions

None

Owners' reviews for the HONDA CB650F (2014 - 2017)

18 owners have reviewed their HONDA CB650F (2014 - 2017) and rated it in a number of areas. Read what they have to say and what they like and dislike about the bike below.

Review your HONDA CB650F (2014 - 2017)

Version: Abs

Year: 2016

Annual servicing cost: £100

Little lag at low range, and slack in throttle

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

Buying experience: Farnham Honda ( IMO Initially great, cause want your money, after care completely awful, especially when they had fitted my heated grips they tried to charge me again and went on about warranty) Disgusting and over inflated prices of what they charges for components. This is why i did my research and found Steve ( Farnborough Motorcyles) an amazing guy and doesn't rip you off like main dealers.

Version: HRC colours

Year: 2015

Annual servicing cost: £160

Fantastic bike for the money, little more power wouldn’t be abad thing though.

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.

Buying experience: Brought from a dealer at a very good price at the time.

Year: 2017

Fun, nimble and when you want it acceleration to peel the skin from your face.

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.

Year: 2018

I personally love the looks, noise, and versatile nature of the bike in terms of being able to plod along and sip fuel or rev and rev and then outperform the majority of cars at the price of a very budget focused new car. I also love the tank and despite paint seeming to be below par elsewhere i find the paint on the tank id what really helps me to find time to regularly clean the bike as it absolutely gleams when cleaned well. There are lots of nice little touches to the bike but there are also a few areas where it is slightly below the build quality which Hondas are renowed for. Certain gaps, finishes, fittings and fixtures seem to have suffered at the hands of a honda accountant. Overall I love the bike and literally get excited everytime i get a chance to ride it even though i have now been doing so five days a week for almost a year! 😎👍🏻

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.

Buying experience: The suzuki dealer near me was much more friendly, helpful and provided a much better discount and cheaper way onto a new middleweight naked (sv650) but after I rode the honda and had so many people advise them for their reliability and ability to withstand year round uk weather much better I went over budget to get the more superior (imo) option. I'm yet to regret it despite monthly payments being almost 40% higher on this bike.

Year: 2018

For the price (in Europe) there is a no better value 4 cilinder motorcycle in the market. Its an amazing, well built, reliable sporty machine that in its latest version recaptures the hornet spirit.

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.

Year: 2017

Disappointing performance. High revs in top gear at speeds as low as 45mph. Needs wider spaced gearing.

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.

Buying experience: As always when buying from Dobles, the experience was enjoyable. Paid the ticked price, but got a good trade in value.

Year: 2017

Great bike for work. The weekend fun. Great brakes. Drives lovely, great seat, can drive this bike all day without getting sore.

Buying experience: Great deal from three cross motorbike Akrapovic, seat cowl, tall tidy, datatag, frame slider, 17 plate, 1900 miles on the clock, for £5000.

Year: 2017

Annual servicing cost: £150

Awesome machine for the money, it’s not a fast bike but not is it slow by any means. Lots of fun on A-roads.

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.

Buying experience: Honda did me a great deal, paying for my DAS with the bike.

Version: ABS

Year: 2014

A smart little bike. Easy to handle, fast when you want it to be. Likes to rev but has torque too, so will suit whatever mood you're in. Really like the Red, White and Blue with gold wheels

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.

Buying experience: Traded in a 2001 TDM 850 against it when it was 2 years old. Ticket price was £4995

Version: cb650f

Year: 2017

Just what I expected!

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.

Year: 2016

This is my 13th bike in 8 years of riding and my first naked. I like it and would recommend it. It's a bit slow under 4000 revs but keep it higher in the rev range and it just gets better and better. Above 5000 revs this bike shifts above 7000 it's instant throttle. As a road bike you are the fastest thing on the road, I have no idea for track. I have short arms so raised the bars a title do to slight forward reach, otherwise comfortable. Fuel wise, I average 52mpg and fill up around 135miles before fuel gauge starts to blink. I normally get or exceed the Honda mpg quotes so this is a bit lower than i expect but it's a fun ride. This bike likes to go fast.

Version: Naked

Year: 2017

Annual servicing cost: £120

Great all round bike, and good looking. The engine, handling and economy are the best things about this bike. The riding position is fine for a few hundred miles. Lacks a few features compred to more expensive competitors.

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.

Buying experience: Great. Bought from a Honda franchise.

Year: 2017

went from a CB500 to this CB650f wow what a difference. fast when you want but calm when needed. good quality feel to everything compared to other leading brands, and so easy to get on with. within 20 miles I loved it. on long trips you will get well over 200 miles on a tank and on the commute to work ill do 170 miles then fill up and there is still 3 liters left. am so glad i went for this bike

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

Buying experience: helpful staff and and great reviews price was good and great PCP deal dealer was very helpful and great follow up

Year: 2016

Very agile, handles the twistys with ease.

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.

Year: 2015

I bought this as my first proper bike after I passed my test. I love this bike, quick, light, economical, great looking and not all that expensive. The only thing which could make it perfect would be it needs to be physically bigger for me. I'm 6'1" and 17 stone! That aside, this is a great bike for the money.

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.

Buying experience: Bought from Martin at Hatfields Honda in Crowthorne. Excellent service and open to a deal.

Year: 2014

Bike has been back to the dealership twice for elegiacally up grades otherwise it's great ride.

Buying experience: I brought it from a dealership I pace £6399.

Year: 2015

Ive had the bike two months and wont be keeping it. Good looking bike that is plenty powerful enough. When accelerating it feels great BUT when rolling off it is not at all smooth and has a very on / off feel to the fuelling. As I bought it for around town and local use it is very annoying to ride. I have borrowed the demo bike to compare and it does exactly the same - you can of course ride around the problem, but you shouldn't need to. Suspension is pretty tight and not adjustable.

Buying experience: Bought from main dealer who is unable to solve my problems.

Year: 2015

Annual servicing cost: £100

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

Buying experience: 6k which isn't a bad price I had a go on loads of middleweight naked bikes including yamaha's mt-07 xj6 the kawasaki er-6 and suzuki gladius. Overall I felt the honda was at the top – you get the honda reliability, a beautiful 4 cylinder engine and a fantastic looking bike. It just looks beastier than all the others as it's fat and has a rather big back tyre which is just something I like

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