- CBR650F discontinued
- Will be replaced by CBR650R
- CBR650R will be assembled in India
The HondaCBR650F, one of the best middleweight motorcycles in India is no longer on sale. The company has discontinued this bike, and has also taken it off from its official website.
The CBR650F will be replaced by the CBR650R – a sportier version that was first unveiled at 2018 EICMA show in Italy. The CBR650R takes a more aggressive approach towards design as well as in character. The design has been borrowed from the CBR1000RR Fireblade. So there are sharp body panels throughout the motorcycles. The single unit headlamp of the 650F makes way for the angry-looking twin headlamp set up.
The CBR650R is powered by a 649cc in-line four cylinder engine that is tuned to deliver higher power at 98bhp at 12,000rpm and 64Nm at 8,500rpm. The outgoing model churned out 84bhp and 60.5Nm. This engine is mated to a six-speed gearbox. The bike is loaded with the HSTC (Honda Selectable Torque Control) to avoid rear wheel sliding along with ABS and slipper clutch.
The 2019 CBR650R is likely to be launched soon, as a completely-knocked-down (CKD) unit. Being an upgraded version, the Japanese maker will ask for more premium but if it manages to offer the CBR650R within Rs 7.5 lakhs (ex-showroom Mumbai), the bike will definitely get some excellent sales.
