Honda CB650R and CBR65R:
Honda has unveiled the 2025 iterations of its popular middleweight contenders—the naked CB650R and its fully-faired sibling, the CBR650R—introducing the most comprehensive updates since their introduction. The revisions encompass significant mechanical refinements, enhanced electronics, and subtle but effective styling tweaks that strengthen the bikes’ positions in the highly competitive 650cc segment.
Design Evolution: Refined Rather than Revolutionized
Both motorcycles maintain their distinctive visual identities while receiving targeted aesthetic enhancements. The naked CB650R continues with its “Neo Sports Café” design language, characterized by its round LED headlight, muscular fuel tank, and minimalist side panels. For 2025, it gains redesigned radiator shrouds, a more sculpted tail section, and a new belly pan that enhances both appearance and aerodynamics.
Available in four color schemes—Matte Gunpowder Black Metallic, Grand Prix Red, Pearl Smoky Gray, and a striking new Candy Cape Blue—the CB650R offers visual options ranging from understated elegance to eye-catching sportiness.
The CBR650R, meanwhile, retains its aggressive super-sport-inspired silhouette but receives a more aerodynamically efficient front fairing with redesigned air intakes that improve both cooling and high-speed stability. The lighting signature has been updated with dual-layer LED headlamps that provide a more modern appearance while offering improved illumination.
Color options for the CBR650R include Grand Prix Red, Matte Gunpowder Black Metallic, and a new Pearl Glare White with blue and red accents that pays homage to Honda’s racing heritage.
Both models feature upgraded switchgear with a more premium feel, new handlebar weights that reduce vibration, and redesigned mirrors that combine improved visibility with sleeker integration into the overall design.
Engine and Performance: More Than Just a Tune-Up
At the heart of both motorcycles remains Honda’s celebrated 649cc inline-four-cylinder engine, but it has received substantial internal updates aimed at improving both performance and character. Revisions include lighter forged aluminum pistons, optimized valve timing, redesigned intake funnels of varying lengths, and a new exhaust system with modified internal structure.
These changes result in modest but meaningful power increases, with the 2025 models producing 95 horsepower at 12,000 rpm (up from 94 hp) and 64 Nm of torque at 8,500 rpm (up from 63 Nm). More significant than the numerical increases, however, is the improved torque delivery across the rev range, with Honda claiming an 8% increase in mid-range torque between 6,000 and 10,000 rpm—the area most frequently used in real-world riding.
The exhaust system has been completely redesigned with a larger-volume muffler that produces a deeper, more distinctive note while meeting stricter Euro5+ emissions standards. The exhaust header pipes now feature a brushed stainless steel finish that adds a touch of premium quality to the undercarriage.
The six-speed transmission receives a revised shift drum mechanism for smoother gear changes, while the slipper clutch has been recalibrated to provide lighter lever action without compromising engagement feel.
Chassis Refinements: Sharpening the Handling
Both the CB650R and CBR650R utilize Honda’s steel twin-spar frame, which has been retained but fine-tuned with revised rigidity balance. The wall thickness has been optimized in specific areas to reduce weight by 1.2 kg while improving feedback during aggressive cornering.
The suspension components have received substantial upgrades, with the Showa Separate Function Big Piston (SFF-BP) front forks now featuring adjustable compression and rebound damping—previously only rebound was adjustable. The rear monoshock gains a remote preload adjuster on both models, making it significantly easier to optimize the setup for different loads or riding styles.
Braking performance sees improvements with new Nissin radial-mount four-piston calipers gripping 310mm floating discs up front. The brake pads utilize a new compound that offers stronger initial bite and improved fade resistance during sustained hard braking. The rear remains a single-piston caliper with a 240mm disc.
The wheels are new too, with a redesigned 10-spoke aluminum cast pattern that reduces unsprung weight by 600 grams in total, contributing to more responsive handling and acceleration.
Electronics Package: Bringing Middleweight into Modern Era
Perhaps the most significant upgrades come in the electronics department, where both models now feature a 5-inch TFT display replacing the previous LCD unit. This full-color screen offers multiple display modes including a minimalist layout for urban riding and a track-focused screen with lap timer functionality.
The rider aids have been substantially enhanced with the introduction of a six-axis inertial measurement unit (IMU) that enables cornering ABS and a sophisticated traction control system with five intervention levels (plus off). This places the 650 twins on par with many larger displacement motorcycles in terms of electronic safety nets.
Additional electronic features include:
- Four riding modes (Sport, Standard, Rain, and User-configurable)
- Emergency stop signal that activates hazard lights during hard braking
- Wheelie control with three levels of intervention
- Bluetooth connectivity enabling turn-by-turn navigation, call/message notifications, and music control through the Honda RoadSync smartphone app
USB-C charging ports are now standard on both models, positioned conveniently beneath the seat with a weatherproof cover.
Market Positioning and Target Audience
The 2025 CB650R and CBR650R occupy a unique position in Honda’s lineup and the broader motorcycle market. With inline-four engines in a segment dominated by twins and triples, they offer a distinctive character that appeals particularly to riders who appreciate smooth, high-revving performance.
Honda positions these motorcycles as premium middleweight options for experienced riders seeking sophisticated engineering and refinement rather than outright power. They also serve as stepping stones for those moving up from smaller displacement machines but not yet ready for liter-class performance.
“The 650 class represents the sweet spot for many riders,” explained Honda’s Motorcycle Division Director. “Powerful enough to excite on weekend rides, yet manageable enough for daily commuting. With these updates, we’ve enhanced both ends of that spectrum—more character and performance for the enthusiast aspects, improved comfort and technology for everyday usability.”
Priced at $9,299 for the CB650R and $9,899 for the CBR650R (a $300 increase over previous models), they command a premium over some competitors but justify it through superior fit and finish, the sophisticated inline-four engine, and now the enhanced electronics package.
Availability and Market Response
The 2025 models will arrive in North American dealerships by late summer, with European and Asian markets following shortly after. Honda has announced production increases at its Kumamoto factory in Japan to address the supply constraints that affected previous generations.
Industry analysts have responded positively to the updates, particularly praising Honda for adding sophisticated electronics without dramatically increasing the price point. “These changes address virtually every criticism of the previous models,” noted a prominent motorcycle journalist. “The improved mid-range torque, better suspension adjustability, and modern electronics make an already good package genuinely great.”
Early dealer feedback indicates strong pre-order interest, particularly for the naked CB650R, which aligns with the ongoing trend toward sport-naked motorcycles in global markets.
Conclusion: Thoughtfully Elevating the Middleweight Experience
With these comprehensive updates, Honda has demonstrated its commitment to the important middleweight segment and the unique position of the inline-four engine configuration within it. Rather than chasing headline power figures, the 2025 CB650R and CBR650R focus on refining the overall experience with targeted improvements to the aspects that matter most to real-world riders.
As the motorcycle market continues to evolve, with electrification beginning to impact the industry and shifting demographics changing buying patterns, Honda’s investment in perfecting these conventional motorcycles suggests confidence in the enduring appeal of well-executed internal combustion engines and the distinctive character of the inline-four configuration that has long been one of the company’s engineering signatures.
For riders seeking a premium middleweight experience with modern technology and time-honored engineering excellence, the 2025 Honda 650 twins make a compelling case that sometimes evolution, not revolution, produces the most satisfying results.