Honda’s fully faired middleweight has returned to the Indian market and is now BS-IV compliant. Along the way it has got a few upgrades, like the 4bhp bump in power and the LED headlamp. How does it compare with the existing competition, though?
The main rivals for the CBR650F today are Kawasaki’s Z900 streetfighter and Benelli’s tarmac-biased tourer, the TNT 600GT. All three products are similar in one respect: they all have an inline four-cylinder engine at their core. The Honda displaces 649cc, the Kawasaki 948cc and the Benelli, an even 600cc. Their power figures reflect that as well, with the CBR’s 90bhp, the Kawasaki’s 123bhp and the Benelli’s 83bhp. All three have similar features in the powertrain department: 4 valves per cylinder, liquid cooling and a six-speed gearbox. The Honda doesn’t have upside-down front forks, but the Benelli is the one without ABS on its brakes.
Not only is the TNT the tallest by virtue of being an adventure tourer, it is also significantly heavier than the other two bikes. Surprisingly, it is the Honda that has the highest claimed seat height, 10mm more than the TNT at 810mm. The TNT 600GT justifies the ‘GT’ moniker completely with its 27-litre fuel tank, which will make sure the rider needs a break before the bike does. The TNT is also the one with an analogue tachometer – the other two have sprung for an all-digital cluster.
The colour options are surprisingly monochromatic for this trio, although the Honda is available in matte red (besides the matte black), and the Kawasaki has a combination of black and green. You can have the Benelli in black, white or grey. Finally, the Honda CBR650F is available for Rs 7.3 lakhs, the Kawasaki Z900 without the accessory pack for Rs 7.7 lakhs, and the Benelli TNT 600GT for Rs 6.1 lakhs.
