Honda CBR 650F/650R Comprehensive Ownership Thread

[nits2507]

Re: HONDA CBR650F � Yume (夢): First long ride! (Page 5)

So just came back from a weekend ride to Mussoorie. It was crazy traffic, as if half of Delhi was on its way to the queen of hills. As usual, it was me with my partner in crime (My Wife) who went for a ride together. It was very hot when we started from Delhi and the horrible traffic made it worse but once we reached Mussoorie, everything was forgotten!!

Here are a few pics from the ride:





1. Now coming from a Ninja 650, my shoulders and wrists were aching very badly and we had to take frequent stops for a few minutes after every 70-80 kms, may be the traffic worsened the situation or may be I am still not used to the sitting posture over a long ride.


2. There were plenty of vibrations in the handle bar and seat post 5.5k rpm which makes your hands go numb after a while.


3. Stock visor does a good job in protecting you from the wind blast till 140-150 kmph, beyond which it is ineffective.


4. Gearless upshifts are a breeze. I feel it's much more smoother than your conventional way of changing the gear by pulling in the clutch.


5. I love the way engine delivers the power and torque. The bike pulls so clean even in 6th gear from 45-50 kmph all the way up to 150-160 kmph.


The 1st service is due now, the bike has done 1500 kms in a month, will post the after service update and my experience with the service centre really soon.


Cheers!!

[nirajsingh]

[nits2507]

Re: Love at First Sight: HONDA CBR650F - Yume (夢)

This is my first post since I joined this fabulous community and what better occasion than to congratulate on one of the most poised and prized possession of 2017.

Heartiest congratulations.

I myself am saving big time for Z900 and I get goosebumps everytime I see it.

Just one highlight
Radiator guard form AliExpress does not have good reviews. Get a better one as it will be worth money spent. I have seen radiators damaged with flying stone on highways even with a guard on and all bought form AliExpress.

Well, congratulations once again and we look forward to hear more of your travelogues on your YUME.

Thank you so much buddy! Well point duly noted, will order a more sturdy radiator guard in sometime.

Z900 is indeed an incredible machine as per the reviews all over the world. I know how it feels when you are saving for your beauty, you want to cut corners every where and save every single penny.

Hope you get yours really soon...All the best!

Cheers!!

[nirajsingh]

[nits2507]

Re: Love at First Sight: HONDA CBR650F-Yume (夢)

Z900 is a hoot to drive and yes savings are a pain but when you finally cross the legs on the saddle, you forget everything that you have been through and I dulhe in the never ending happiness.

Totally buddy, that feeling when you swing your leg over that beauty, when your dream finally comes true, cannot be explained in words but only felt by heart!

[rachitkdogra]

Re: Love at First Sight: HONDA CBR 650F � Yume (夢)

Hey all!

Just a small update regarding the accessories I have put on the bike so far.

Was really tight on the budget after purchasing the bike, hence have put in very few of them.

1. Frame sliders: I guess it's the most important part in terms of protection. Bought Puig frame sliders from Retro Rides in Gurgaon for Rs 7500. These are no cut sliders, installation was quick and easy.

These look pretty nice. I have the R&G one's and these seem to stick out much further, which is good.

2. Axle Sliders: I ordered the R&G axle sliders from eBay Uk and these were delivered in 15-20 days. They cost me around Rs 3500 including shipping.

Was there any custom charged?

4. Headlight bulb: I had seen the stock headlight on a friend's bike which I thought wasn't sufficient while riding at night. Hence ordered the osram nightbreaker from Amazon India. So this comes in a pack of two and costs around Rs 1600. The light is definitely brighter and gives you a much better view of the road ahead!

Keep an eye on the reflector. I have heard in some cases because of extra heat the reflector going black. Also, I had those in my car, and they conked off in a year. Some research told me that there average life is generally less because of heat. Can't comment for sure.

5. Paint Protection Film: Got the entire bike covered by 3M paint protection film, gives you peace of mind as you are then sure that you won't get any scratches or marks on your priced possession! Also got the windscreen wrapped in Matt black. Total cost: Rs 7500

You got the entire bike done? Even the white paint bits? Generally 3M PPF is not recomended on white paint because it becomes yellowish in sometime and is visible on white. Has happened with me too. I only got some of the tank done, not the white part of the fairing. Thinking of the Ceramic Coating there.

1. Now coming from a Ninja 650, my shoulders and wrists were aching very badly and we had to take frequent stops for a few minutes after every 70-80 kms, may be the traffic worsened the situation or may be I am still not used to the sitting posture over a long ride.

In my personal experience, riding slowly in traffic worsens the situation as your lower body relaxes leading to more weight on the arms and shoulders. Generally while riding fast, your lower body also takes some load. Plus, sometime a pillion does restrict your ability to move around in the seat which can also increase fatigue. Although no doubt, Ninja is hands down much more comfortable.

2. There were plenty of vibrations in the handle bar and seat post 5.5k rpm which makes your hands go numb after a while.

Yeah, happened with me on our long ride too.

3. Stock visor does a good job in protecting you from the wind blast till 140-150 kmph, beyond which it is ineffective.

I felt it to be okay till around 120-130. Anything above 130, I felt the need to tuck in.

4. Gearless upshifts are a breeze. I feel it's much more smoother than your conventional way of changing the gear by pulling in the clutch.

Cheers!!

Even I am thinking on switching to clutchless. The hard clutch on the CBR does take a toll on long rides or slow traffic like movements.

Excellent updates their friend. 1500 KMs in a month is very good actually.

CHEERS!!


Rachit

[nits2507]

Re: Love at First Sight: HONDA CBR 650F � Yume (夢)

These look pretty nice. I have the R&G one's and these seem to stick out much further, which is good.


Was there any custom charged?


Keep an eye on the reflector. I have heard in some cases because of extra heat the reflector going black. Also, I had those in my car, and they conked off in a year. Some research told me that there average life is generally less because of heat. Can't comment for sure.



You got the entire bike done? Even the white paint bits? Generally 3M PPF is not recomended on white paint because it becomes yellowish in sometime and is visible on white. Has happened with me too. I only got some of the tank done, not the white part of the fairing. Thinking of the Ceramic Coating there.



In my personal experience, riding slowly in traffic worsens the situation as your lower body relaxes leading to more weight on the arms and shoulders. Generally while riding fast, your lower body also takes some load. Plus, sometime a pillion does restrict your ability to move around in the seat which can also increase fatigue. Although no doubt, Ninja is hands down much more comfortable.



Yeah, happened with me on our long ride too.



I felt it to be okay till around 120-130. Anything above 130, I felt the need to tuck in.



Even I am thinking on switching to clutchless. The hard clutch on the CBR does take a toll on long rides or slow traffic like movements.

Excellent updates their friend. 1500 KMs in a month is very good actually.

CHEERS!!


Rachit

1. Well to be honest, even I was considering the R&G ones but the guy at the dealership told me not to go in with those as they hardly give you any protection in case of a fall. He told me to get ones from bikebitz, a thai website, those were costing me around 13.5k including shipping and customs which I thought was a little high, so the second best he said were the Puig ones, hence got these.

2. It was 3500/- including everything.

3. Even I read that the life of these bulbs is really short, that's bought a pair! And I am also considering the Philips H4 led bulbs which are way brighter and throw proper white light, one of the guys in the group has got it installed (Plug and Play), comes for around Rs 10000 a pair.

4. Yes I know PPF is not recommended on white parts but i thought its better to see the film turn a bit yellowish rather than see scratches on her! I would get it changed or think of some other option in a year and a half or may be two years.

5. Believe me, I really need to get accustomed to the riding position, it really pains badly after sometime.


I am done with the first service too, will post my experience separately.

Cheers!!

[rachitkdogra]

Re: Love at First Sight: HONDA CBR 650F � Yume (夢)

1. Well to be honest, even I was considering the R&G ones but the guy at the dealership told me not to go in with those as they hardly give you any protection in case of a fall. He told me to get ones from bikebitz, a thai website, those were costing me around 13.5k including shipping and customs which I thought was a little high, so the second best he said were the Puig ones, hence got these.

2. It was 3500/- including everything.

3. Even I read that the life of these bulbs is really short, that's bought a pair! And I am also considering the Philips H4 led bulbs which are way brighter and throw proper white light, one of the guys in the group has got it installed (Plug and Play), comes for around Rs 10000 a pair.

4. Yes I know PPF is not recommended on white parts but i thought its better to see the film turn a bit yellowish rather than see scratches on her! I would get it changed or think of some other option in a year and a half or may be two years.

5. Believe me, I really need to get accustomed to the riding position, it really pains badly after sometime.


I am done with the first service too, will post my experience separately.

Cheers!!

Even I am considering the Philips LED bulbs. They are just so expensive. Plus I don't ride very regularly in the night.
My next item on the list is Tech Spec Tank Pads.

Actually, you have a point for the PPF. The bottom part of the white fairing see a lot of abuse. Maybe just get that bit and keep replacing it once a year.
I will think about it too.

CHEERS!!

Rachit

[nits2507]

Re: HONDA CBR650F: 1st Service Update: Page 6

Hey guys!

Sorry for the late post, hadn't been riding post the first service, so couldnt write about the changes (If any) in the behaviour of the bike after the service.


Went for a 150 kms ride yesterday, so sharing my experience:


To start off with, I got to know of a very strange fact that Honda Wing World Delhi remains closed on weekends (both Saturday and Sunday) except first half of last saturday of the month, which means one has to either take an off from work to get the bike serviced or shell out more money (Rs 1500 extra) and call the service engineer at your home.


I talked to their sales and service team and left my bike at the showroom, handing over the keys to the guard at 8:00 in the morning and went to office straight from there. Everything was being coordinated over the phone and I had shared my concerns with the bike (Couple of them) with Dilip (Main Engineer: Excellent guy). The bike was serviced properly and was ready on time to be picked.


I was surprised to see the bill...the first service cost me Rs 2800 only. I mean a 650cc motorcycle being serviced at that kind of cost astonished me and I Left with a big smile on my face! I later realised that I was left wanting for more as the main issue (Lot of vibrations and noise from the instrument cluster from 1500 - 3000 rpm) that I had mentioned had crept in again after riding for hardly 10 kms. I called their service incharge who promptly apologised and offered to send the engineer to my place the next day to check the issue (Free of cost). The engineer (Dilip) came to my office the next day and rectified the problem again. This time I did a small road test and it was fine but to my amusement, when I was heading back home in the evening, it happened again and is yet to be resolved and trust me, its getting very irritating with every km I cover. This was just not expected from a Honda Premium Motorcycle and of the Honda Team as well!



Other changes after the service:

1. The vibrations have indeed come down but strangely, post 6500 RPM, a lot of buzz in the footpegs now.
2. The engine feels much smoother.
3. Gear shifts have also improved, making the clutchless upshifts even better.

I have still not been able to get accustomed to the sitting position completely, hence thinking of getting the handle bar of CB650F installed, which is much more upright. Lets see if it works out as we need to source it from Thailand along with the clamps and wires.

Cheers!!

[cgrakesh]

Re: Love at First Sight: HONDA CBR 650F � Yume (夢)

Congratulations!!! Somehow I missed this thread completely.

I have done close to 23K now on my CBR650F and it's a fun journey since the time I bought. By the way, the photo you have posted with side support (for saddle bag) is mine . By any chance, are you on All India CBR whatsapp group?

Cheers,
Rakesh

[surya@64]

Re: Love at First Sight: HONDA CBR 650F � Yume (夢)

Congrats on your Honda CBR 650f. The bike has a great presence on the road. The color combo is good too. Barring few less bells and whistles, you get a great engine which is refined. Myself riding a 250R can say HONDA has some quite engines. Wish you many more miles and safe riding. Regards.

[nits2507]

Re: Love at First Sight: HONDA CBR 650F � Yume (夢)

Congratulations!!! Somehow I missed this thread completely.

I have done close to 23K now on my CBR650F and it's a fun journey since the time I bought. By the way, the photo you have posted with side support (for saddle bag) is mine . By any chance, are you on All India CBR whatsapp group?

Cheers,
Rakesh

Thanks a lot buddy! 23k kms in a year? That's really good!

What is the average service cost that you have incurred post the free services? Did you get your chain set changed? If yes, what was the cost?

Yes, I am a part of the all India watsap group and I had only asked for that pic!

Cheers!!

----consecutive posts auto-merged-----

Congrats on your Honda CBR 650f. The bike has a great presence on the road. The color combo is good too. Barring few less bells and whistles, you get a great engine which is refined. Myself riding a 250R can say HONDA has some quite engines. Wish you many more miles and safe riding. Regards.

Thank you so much bud! Yes, she looks much better in flesh, the pics do not do justice to it. I somehow feel that it looks much smaller in pics and videos than it actually is. But I like the red and black color scheme on the 2017 model more.

Honda is known for its engines, but this one is a bit buzzy, though the vibs have definitely come down after the first service but are still there post 5.5k rpm mark and if someone rides it for the first time, will get to know instantaneously.

Cheers!!

----consecutive posts auto-merged-----

There is something wrong with my riding group off late, we are 25 odd riders in the group and nobody seems to be in a mood to ride on Sundays these days!! Still, hoping against hope, I inquired about who all might be interested for a short spin on Sunday morning and no surprises for guessing, nobody responded in positive.

So I decided to head out solo, thought of a good place to go to and just prayed that the weather be good! Started at 6 in the morning and headed to this place called Damdama lake on Sohna Road, it was close to 45 kms from my place but excellent roads throughout except for a very small patch of some 500 mts. Reached there at 7:15, enjoyed the weather thoroughly! There was a group of Royal Enfield riders too, talked to them for a while over a cup of tea and after a few pictures, decided to head to Old Rao Dhaba on NH 10 for a breakfast. This was another 60 odd kms which went by in a breeze!



The bike is getting better with every km it covers, the vibrations have reduced a fair bit and the urge to get an exhaust is getting the better of me! But I keep on telling myself that it is till not the right time as I am still to come out of bankruptcy! Have ordered the rear seat cowl which I would be getting by 20th of this month.

Till next time, keep riding hard brothers!!

Cheers!!

[cgrakesh]

Re: Love at First Sight: HONDA CBR 650F � Yume (夢)

Thanks a lot buddy! 23k kms in a year? That's really good!

What is the average service cost that you have incurred post the free services? Did you get your chain set changed? If yes, what was the cost?

Yes, I am a part of the all India watsap group and I had only asked for that pic!

Cheers!!

----consecutive posts auto-merged-----

The average cost comes to around 4.5-5k after free service which includes Oil and filter as well. I have not yet changed the chain set and by the look of it, it will last till 30K kms. One of my other friend had changed at 24K and cost comes to around 11K for the complete set. Break pads cost 3K per set and I have changed front (which needs 2 set) at 14K kms and rear at 18k kms. I have started using Motul 300V 10w40 oil and buzziness is reduced by 80% or may be I am used to it now.

In general, there is no other bike of this capacity even comes close to this cheap in terms of maintenance.

Cheers,
Rakesh

[Globe Trotter]

xBhp.com mobile app

[samarth14feb]

Re: Love at First Sight: HONDA CBR 650F � Yume (夢)

I have been a silent observer in this forum for a while now. Just thought will post my experience with the mini fireblade.

Brief back ground : I started biking back in 2005 on a Honda unicorn. Back then the mono suspension was new in the market and i was told that it would break off , that didn’t stop me from the pull towards the calm and yet powerful bike it was. I just fell in love with Honda back then and I have been an addict ever since. Honda has never failed!

The Decision : I always carved for the sound of an inline 4. My hunt for one began in somewhere around 2015. Came across a lot of SBKs, but either they were grey market bikes or were totally out of my budget. Over an year looking for the used one, i gave up and decided to go for a new bike. I really loved the Benelli 600 Gt for the looks and its touring capabilities, but I couldn’t digest the fact the they are owned by Chinese. Benelli’s servicing costs were also as expensive as a liter class bikes. I Hence decided to move on. Final contenders in the same budget were CBR650F and the Ninja Z800. Was inclined heavily towards the z800 as all the reviews I saw were positive for the bike. Two things that made me loose interest on it, Firstly, its pillion seat (I wanted my wife to be very comfortable, didn’t want to punish her with hard seats ninja had) and secondly the naked looks. In the mean time, Honda was trying to clear all the 2016 Make 650s for a good 90K cheaper. I made up my mind to be loyal to Honda. Its all good timing for me. (I didn’t even take a test ride before booking it )

Overall experience : On the day of delivery. I had my reservations on how I would be able to ride it home in the given tariff at Bangalore!! was shocked to know that the bike pulled easily without much need of gear changes (my cbr250 involved playing a lot with the gears) Wow, this is one powerful bike. I couldn’t resist opening the throttle on the the same day, bike crossed 130 In a matter of seconds, the pull was incredible and very scary in the beginning. Overall a very cheap and easy to maintain bike. Friendly service. Wife really loved the bikes seat. She in fact complemented the comfort and is quite happy. Braking is super awesome and engine doesn't feel stressed even when over 200. wet grip is good enough as I don’t usually go fast while its wet. Bike is quite heavy and we need to be very careful while pushing it around.

Dislikes : I strongly dislike the buzz that I experience at around 4 RPMs. This has been a worldwide issue and is said to be one of the characteristics of this bike :/. Still does exist after second service. Either it has reduced or I have got used to it, I cannot comment on that. Stock exhaust is not my choice for an inline 4. (Yes, I was aware of these as I went through 100s of videos on youtube before making the purchase). Still have trouble with the horn switch and hate the low ground clearance.

Advice : its unfair comparing this bike to the z800. they are of completely different leagues. Dashboard is not as bad as everyone says it is, its just different. Don’t go blindly by reviewers, do take a ride, speak to the owners and then come to a conclusion.

Accessories : To stop complaining about the sound I got an Akrapovic full system. SW Motech Sliders for the safety and MRA touring screen to avoid windblast while touring. Few more yet to come.

Credits to Rohit for enlightening me with his experience on the 650F.