By NastyNils·
Motorcycle comparison · Supersport vs Sport Tourer
Honda CBR 600 F (PC 41) vs CBR 650F (RC 74)
Honda CBR 600 F vs CBR 650F: different classes, one choice. Here's how to make it.
You'll feel the Honda CBR 600 F's aluminum frame flick it into a corner the instant you ask, and it'll carve a precise line at any pace. The Honda CBR 650F's steel frame points its nose in with precise steering. Mid-corner, it holds its arc and won't wander.
So which one do you buy?
The CBR 600 F has the edge if…
Sporty riding on twisty roads
Slight edge: CBR 600 F
Back-road fun leans slightly toward the CBR 600 F. Credit a sportier chassis and better suspension. It's a narrow call, so trust your test ride.
The CBR 650F has the edge if…
Daily commuting & city riding
By a nose: CBR 650F
On the way to work, the CBR 650F asks a little less of you. Close enough that the test ride should settle it.
Keeping running costs low
A touch ahead: CBR 650F
Day to day, the CBR 650F works out slightly cheaper to own. The saving is small.
What makes each one tick
CBR 600 F
The CBR 600 F's detuned inline-four spins up smooth and doesn't ask for effort in everyday riding. The throttle gets a clean answer. Its suspension stays settled through fast changes of direction. The light chassis swaps sides at a nudge.
CBR 650F
The brake lever squeezes a 320 mm front brake that brings the bike to a firm stop. Upright bars and a plush seat don't punish you on long days. Its clutch takes up smoothly.
The Voice of Experience
What actually separates them
- The CBR 600 F has the lower wet weight: 454 lb (206 kg) vs 465 lb (211 kg).
- The CBR 600 F makes more peak power: 102 hp (75 kW) vs 87 hp (64 kW).
- The CBR 650F has the larger engine: 649 cc vs 599 cc.
Which one for the way you ride
Comfortable long-distance riding
Sits this out: CBR 600 F
The CBR 600 F gets left out of the long-distance question. It's built for a different kind of day.
A confidence-building first motorcycle
Not suited: CBR 600 F
The CBR 600 F makes too much power to start out on. Build your skills on something smaller first.
Who each one is built for
What's good, and what you'll live with
CBR 600 F
What owners say
Strengths
- Legendary Honda reliability
- Nimble handling and confident chassis
CBR 650F
What owners say
Strengths
- Smooth, polished inline-four engine
- Light, agile handling
- Excellent value for money
Trade-offs
- Budget suspension components
- Basic instrumentation and switchgear
- Engine vibration at high rpm
What they share
- Engine
- Inline-four
- Cooling
- Liquid-cooled
- Torque
- 47 lb-ft (64 Nm)
- Gearbox
- 6-speed
- Final drive
- Chain
- Front tire
- 120/70-17
- Rear tire
- 180/55-17
Where the spec sheets split
| CBR 600 F | CBR 650F | |
|---|---|---|
| Seat height | 31.5 in (800 mm) | 31.9 in (810 mm) |
| Wet weight | 454 lb (206 kg) | 465 lb (211 kg) |
| CBR 600 F | CBR 650F | |
|---|---|---|
| Displacement | 599 cc | 649 cc |
| Power | 102 hp (75 kW) | 87 hp (64 kW) |
| CBR 600 F | CBR 650F | |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel economy | 35 mpg (US) / 6.72 L/100 km | 41 mpg (US) / 5.8 L/100 km |
| Fuel capacity | 4.9 US gal (18.4 L) | 4.6 US gal (17.3 L) |
| CBR 600 F | CBR 650F | |
|---|---|---|
| Front brake | 296 mm | 320 mm |
What comes fitted, what costs extra
| CBR 600 F | CBR 650F | |
|---|---|---|
| Manually Adjustable Front Suspension | Standard | Not offered |
| Heated Grips | Not offered | Option |
| Luggage System | Not offered | Option |
Head to head, area by area
Both bikes on the same scale, one area at a time.
