Honda CBR650F 0-60 mph in 3.50 seconds
The Honda CBR650F arrived in 2014 and was later replaced by the CBR650R in 2019.
This model can be seen as a spiritual successor to the hugely popular and highly capable Honda CBR600F4i. However, the CBR650R is noticeably less sporty and more oriented towards learners and touring.
It features lower footpegs and higher handlebars for improved comfort and a more upright riding position.
There was also a softer, less sporty Honda CBR600F produced from 2011 to 2013.
While it was a competent motorcycle in its own right, it never achieved the same level of popularity as the earlier F4i.
The CBR650F effectively replaced the 600F and represented the latest middleweight CBR at the time.
The engine capacity increased from 599 cc to 648 cc, but power dropped by around 20 hp compared with the 2011-2013 CBR600F, and the bike gained extra weight.
When compared with the original F4i, the difference is even more noticeable; the older bike was both more powerful and significantly lighter.
It certainly seems that Honda took another step backwards – at least on paper.
The CBR650F was slower and heavier than the model it directly replaced (the 2011–2013 CBR600F), and even more so when compared with the original CBR600F4i.
The F4i had offered genuine Supersport performance combined with excellent all-round usability for both city riding and touring.
It appears Honda recognised that the entry-level and learner markets were growing rapidly and positioned the CBR650F to fit better into that more accessible niche.
As a result, the bike was made even softer and more comfort-oriented than the already mild CBR600F.
Surprisingly, this softer character did not put buyers off.
The CBR650F has proven extremely popular with both new and experienced riders alike.
Even though it has less power than the models it was expected to replace, not just on paper, but also in the hearts and minds of many riders, it has still found a very strong following.
With that context in mind, exactly how fast does the Honda CBR650F accelerate from 0-60 mph or 0-100 km/h, and how much power does it actually produce?
Honda CBR650F dyno and engine performance
The Honda CBR650R produces a respectable 78 hp at around 10,500 rpm, which is slightly less than the model it replaced.
Do not let that put you off too much, because the extra 49 cc more than makes up for it.
The engine delivers a wider and more usable spread of power and torque throughout the entire rev range compared with both the CBR600F and, especially, the older CBR600F4i.
Peak torque is a healthy 44 ft-lb, delivered at 8,000 rpm.
This is the point where the engine really wakes up and gets a move on. Below 8,000 rpm, the CBR650R offers a beautifully flat and linear torque curve, averaging around 37 ft-lb between 4,000 and 6,000 rpm.
This figure is only 7 ft-lb below the peak of 44 ft-lb, which is impressive for a sub-700 cc inline-four engine.
Between 4,000 and 6,000 rpm is the rev range you will most likely use during everyday street riding.
In this area, the engine delivers smooth, predictable, and effortless overtaking power.
The low-end torque is not class-leading for the 600–700 cc segment, but it is certainly adequate.
What matters most is that there is more than enough mid-range poke to let you leave the CBR650R in a higher gear for most situations.
The strong, usable torque will comfortably handle all but the most urgent overtaking manoeuvres.
Honda CBR650F in-gear performance
Like all inline-four motorcycles, the Honda CBR650R still loves to be revved hard into the redline and beyond.
While it does not scream to the astronomical heights of 15,000 rpm like modern Supersport machines, the CBR650R clearly shows its Supersport DNA and is more than happy to be worked hard.
The engine really starts to come alive from around 6,500 rpm and pulls strongly all the way to 12,000 rpm.
It delivers that familiar, addictive inline-four scream that every rider knows and loves.
It may not surge from 8,000 rpm with the ferocity of a pure Supersport bike, but the CBR650R still offers that smooth, turbine-like build-up of power that is both rewarding and exciting.
A simple ECU flash combined with a decat exhaust can transform the bike, giving it a proper race-bike howl while lifting rear-wheel power to around 85 horsepower.
CBR650F 0-60 and 0-100 times to top speed
Like most middleweight motorcycles, the Honda CBR650R is objectively quick and will beat or match many supercars and sports cars in both the 0-60 mph and 0-100 mph sprints from a standing start.
So just how fast is the Honda CBR650R? It manages 0-60 mph in 3.51 seconds and 0-100 km/h in 3.67 seconds.
The clutch is light and smooth, and although the bike will wheelie if provoked, its manageable weight makes launching it easy and consistent.
The 0-60 mph time could be slightly quicker, but you have to take first gear right to the limiter, which is around 59.7 mph.
This means you need to shift into second gear to reach 60 mph, losing a few tenths in the process.
Interestingly, if the CBR650R had slightly taller gearing, the 0-60 mph time would likely improve by around 0.20 seconds, as the time-consuming gear change would no longer be necessary.
It doesn’t stop there. The Honda CBR650R continues to charge hard, reaching 0-100 mph in just 7.90 seconds.
In the quarter-mile test, it posts a very respectable 11.75 seconds at 117 mph.
While this is not quite Supersport territory and is some way off the times set by one of the quickest in class, the Yamaha YZF-R6, a sub-12-second quarter mile is still highly impressive for this type of bike.
The 0-200 km/h sprint takes only 14.93 seconds.
The CBR650R is generally not fussy about gear changes when chasing the best elapsed times.
Shifting anywhere between 10,500 rpm and just before the limiter delivers consistent results. Ultimately, it comes down to your personal preference in the moment.
0-130 mph is achieved in 17.16 seconds, at which point the Honda CBR650R begins to ease off as wind resistance starts to make its presence felt.
If you want to accelerate beyond this speed, you will need to tuck in tightly and make yourself as small as possible while the bike slowly works its way towards its top speed.
For everyday riding, the CBR650R has plenty of power available whenever you need it.
At highway speeds, for example, there is usually no need to change down a gear – sixth gear is more than capable of blasting past slower traffic.
If you are really in a hurry, you could drop to second gear, but the revs would be very high. In most cases, third gear is the better choice, and the bike will respond willingly.
Honda CBR650F’s top speed is 139.1 mph
The Honda CBR650R offers decent wind protection. While not class-leading, it is far better than the average Supersport bike.
Like all motorcycles, however, you will still need to adopt a few yoga-like positions to keep as much of your body out of the wind as possible.
Doing so can gain you a few extra mph at the top end.In our testing, we achieved a top speed of 139.1 mph.
This is a little slower than its replacement, the CBR650R, which reached 144 mph.
That difference makes sense, as the R model produces slightly more power.
The CBR650R also has a smaller frontal area, but it comes with a smaller, less protective screen and front fairing, which makes it harder to tuck out of the wind.
Both bikes would benefit from a taller screen for better protection.
In most day-to-day weekend blasts, you will typically see 120–130 mph unless you are fully committed to a tight tuck.
As the acceleration figures show, the CBR650R does not disappoint and gets up to speed very quickly.
Performance-wise, the CBR650R is very much like the earlier CBR650F, but with a little more power and a little less weight. It accelerates slightly quicker and gains around 5 mph at the top end.
Lower down the rev range, the CBR650F may actually feel a touch stronger initially.
If you are looking for a comfortable, fast and fun motorcycle that can handle touring and commuting duties while still offering enough performance to play with friends or surprise a few sports cars, the CBR650R is an excellent choice.
It will put a big smile on your face – especially if this is your first “big” bike as a new rider. In a sea of strong contenders in the busy entry-level and middleweight sportbike class, the Honda CBR650R remains a very appealing option.
| Honda CBR650F Acceleration | |
| Speed | Time |
| 0-10 mph | 0.4 |
| 0-20 mph | 1.08 |
| 0-30 mph | 1.62 |
| 0-40 mph | 2.17 |
| 0-50 mph | 2.70 |
| 0-60 mph | 3.50 |
| 0-70 mph | 4.28 |
| 0-80 mph | 5.15 |
| 0-90 mph | 6.53 |
| 0-100 mph | 7.90 |
| 0-110 mph | 10.10 |
| 0-120 mph | 12.66 |
| 0-130 mph | 17.61 |
| 60-120 mph | 9.15 |
| SS/QM | 11.75/117 mph |
| SS/KM | 22.23/136 mph |
| SS/Mile | 32.00/138 mph |
| Top Speed | 139.1 mph |
