2021 Honda CB650R 30th September 2020 Neo retro | 94bhp | A2 licence | Euro 5 | 649cc ◄PREVIOUS STORY NEXT STORY► 
There's really not a lot to say about the 2021 "neo-retro" CB650R—certainly not visually. That is to say, there's little that hasn't been said in 2020. Yes, a little fat has been trimmed here and there, notably on the side panels. The handlebars sit a little higher. The seat is slimmer. The dash has been reshaped and repositioned. And there are other minor mods. Beyond that, the engine has been upgraded to Euro 5 demands with new cams, revised intake timing, a new exhaust/cat, a re-programmed ECU, and a Euro 5-friendly crank sensor to deal with any misfires. The bore and stroke is still 67mm x 46mm. The compression ratio is still 11.6: 1. Maximum power is pegged at 94bhp/12,000rpm thereby leaving it comfortably "restrictable" to 47bhp/A2 legal. Torque, by the way, is down very slightly to 46.4lb-ft (from 47.2lb-ft). 
▲ 2021 Honda CBR650R: This six-fifty sportster gets a few tweaks too, but probably nothing that's going to get a wavering buyer running for the nearest showroom. However, the revised cam work and intake timing just might give it a little perk, and the suspension upgrade won't hurt high speed handling. Front suspension has been upgraded to a Showa Separate Function Big Piston (SFF BP) inverted fork. The difference with the old unit lies in the letters "BP" which stand for "Big Piston". Essentially, this arrangement separates the damper and the spring by fitting them into separate tubes/stanchions (left and right respectively). The idea is to improve damping efficiency. And now there's a bigger piston to ... well, make it all happen just that little bit better (on paper if not significantly out on the open road). Rear suspension is, as before, a relatively basic monoshock damper adjustable for pre-load. Brakes are nothing to shout about. The front tyre is 120/70ZR17. The rear is a 180/55ZR17.
The 2021 colours are: Pearl Smoky Grey; Matt Gunpowder Black Metallic; Candy Chromosphere Red, and Matt Jeans Blue Metallic. We haven't seen any 2021 prices yet.
◄PREVIOUS STORY NEXT STORY► | 
