2021 Honda CB650R Review | 4 things I hate & 5 things I love

2021 Honda CB650R Review | 4 things I hate & 5 things I love - Back on a wet February day I took the Honda CB650R out for a spin to consider what I'd learned about the bike during the two weeks I borrowed it...here are the things I hated and the things I loved!

Links to my channel sponsors:-

I'm now on that Twitter thing! Join me @MissendenFlyer
and on Instagram @missendenflyer

Don't forget your other TMF Discounts!:-

More discounts coming soon!

I use the following equipment to record and edit my VLOGs:-

My current motorcycles are:-
Triumph Street Triple R
BMW R1200GS
Ducati 899 Panigale
Triumph Speed Twin
Royal Enfield 650 Interceptor
Honda GL1800 Goldwing Tour DCT (Airbag)

[aslkdfjhg]

Honda has successfully marketed themselves to be a straightforward no risk reliable brand with good resale value. Even if the bike is average, they'll sell tonnes just on that point alone

[Noony]

The tail does a great job at stopping the water spray up your back. I wont change mine purely for that.

[eliotsalandybrown]

The everyday friendliness of your videos makes them happy things to engage with! Thank you.

[grahamn]

For next years purchase, I keep circling to the CB650R.
The MT and the Trident seems to be more 'fun', the SV650 (while dated) has that great v-twin sound, and Kawasaki recently came out with the Z650 with retro styling. But this bike...is just so beautiful! I don't even care that the seat looks like a slab of wood, I feel like this bad boy is something that I would keep in the stable for many years to come. Honda really nailed it, imo.

[marcusgeorge]

Thanks Andy. At 4, 500 RPM in forth gear the vibrations are caused by a dip in torque, so the engine is trying to work harder than it should. A very simple fix. It’s called third gear. The process (for those wondering) regarding the tail tidy fix is exactly the same as the previous MY19 model. Honda, however have improved this one by not just making it out of cheap looking plastics. The other, more significant improvements over the old model, which you didn’t mention (based on consumer feedback) is a revision to the screen angle and font size as it was hard to read in direct sunlight (you possibly didn’t mention that as you don’t really have a hat problem in the mother country). Also the have changed to position and angle of the bar slightly to improve feel and low speed move abilities. Fit wise, I’m 6’3” without gear and I fit fine on it. Possibly due to so many years of racing and being used to having my ankles around my arse. Happy to receive some of your merchandise for helping you out. 😜 Keep up the great work, love this channel. 👍😎🇦🇺

[samiyemeyahni]

Always a fan of TMF reviews. No bullshit, no garbage, no useless babbling. Always straight to the point and lots of useful info. Thanks again for this review.

[palantir]

I love 4 cylinder bikes. The noise, the howl. I love the older looks and the blue color.
My Honda also has problems, when the engine is hot, getting it into first gear. Just let the clutch a bit go, put your foot on the Gear leave and it will click in.
You don’t need more than about 100 bhp.

[borjastick]

Your point about the footpeg/seat relationship and comfort is well made. Sometimes if wearing thicker winter waterpoofs etc they can really dig in behind the knee if the angle is too acute. I also love the look of this bike. I think you've given it a very comprehensive and fair review matey.

[NomadRidesHD]

Having owned one of these, i have to say the few negative points you mentioned are spot on.

[toofastnobrakes]

My favorite mods for this bike, an exhaust, and a puig semi fairing. Really gives it the retro racer look

[teenybop]

I managed to keep my cb650r for all of 3months before trading it and going back to a speed triple.
The honda is pretty anonymous I found & my 400/4 fulfills my need for a 4 cylinder bike.

[acopernic]

This bike is reliable. No doubt and if you're less than 6 feet tall this bike is for you. Good pros and cons on this very nice bike. 👍👍

[theolneyrider]

This is a lovely looking bike. I prefer the z900rs styling but the CB range from Honda are really nice 👍🏻👍🏻

[grenmartens]

Great video as usual. Picked my new CB650R up this afternoon - pleased to report I had absolutely no issues with the gear box, no false neutrals and found the real thing every time I needed it! In fact the gear box felt slick to me - but then my other bike is a RT 1250, so perhaps that's it. Thrashed my favourite back roads on the way home from the dealership - still grinning now! That in-line four noise is additive as ever and the look of those pipes takes me back to my first 4 Stroke bike, the wonderful little CB400/4 - I rode that to limit everywhere I went! Cheers Andy.

[johncarter]

I’ve had it for a month and absolutely love, love, love it.I live in the Shanandoah valley in northern Virginia, this area here on the West Virginia boarder which is A true Mecca for riding bikes especially this bike which seems to have been custom made for these twisting mountain roads.You say average but I guarantee you in this environment it is anything but average.I have owned 11 or 12 bikes in my 40 yrs of riding not counting a dozen or so dirt bikes, I put this bike definitely among to top, with out all the electronics it is just a pure riding experience. I do have a nice set of titanium pipes and A modulator which is been Dyno tuned, once it was uncorked i couldn’t possibly enjoy it more.Thanks for your videos, I really enjoy 👍

[paulblackburn]

Not sure about fitting a tail tidy, I don’t like water and muck up my back when riding in bad weather, yes they look unsightly but would an old fashioned mudguard look any better. ( Just Saying) 🤔

[neilbaldry]

This naked/street segment of 600-800cc is a great place to be for a consumer. You have pretty much everything contained in that bracket. A2 compliant and full power bikes. Makers from GB, Europe, Japan, China, and India. Modern styled, retro styled, neo retro styled. Singles, parallel twins, v-twins, triples and inline 4's. And most coming in at under £10k new...

What a great place to be!

[jamesmcguckin]

Another great review. many years ago I had a Honda 400/4 and I only kept it 3 months from brand new . The reason it went was vibration through the foot pegs and bars. I part ex’d it for a Suzuki GS750 which was a a great bike. Smooth and no nasty vibrations. The tail tidy on the Honda 650r looks bloody awful. I suppose it’ll boost the after market sales though Andy. Thanks again for the review.

[RideYEG]

Feel the same way about the CB300R tail! I've seen some people come up with DIY solutions but a tail tidy kit would just be a cleaner overall look. Ride safe✌️

[neilb]

Totally agree, this is a much overlooked size of bike. Perfect back road blaster. I owned a Hornet back in the day👴🏼. Had great fun on it and learned how to ride at the same time. Did my first European tour on it too. Happy days.