2021 Honda CBR650R BS6 will go on sale in the first week of April and it will likely get updated graphics and a more powerful engine
Honda has been introducing new products in quick succession in recent months as the arrival of the H’ness CB350 towards the end of September 2020 was followed by the RS scrambler version last month. Only a few days ago, the Japanese manufacturer further expanded the domestic portfolio offered at the BigWing dealerships by launching the CB500X adventure tourer for a price of Rs. 6.87 lakh (ex-showroom).
In an exclusive report, we can reveal that Honda will add more motorcycles into the BigWing range and in the first week of April, the CBR650R will make a comeback in its BS6 avatar. Previously, the Honda CBR650R was sold with a price tag of Rs. 7.70 lakh (ex-showroom) in its BS4 specification and the implementation of more stringent emission standards from April 1, 2020 meant that it was discontinued.
The launch of the faired motorcycle has been subjected to speculations many times over the last few months and it could see a considerable hike compared to the old pricing. The 2021 Honda CBR650R is expected to receive minor cosmetic updates including new colours and graphics while the features list will likely comprise LED headlamps, updated fairing and a new steel mudguard amongst others.
The numberplate mounted at the back is also expected to be new and on the mechanical side, the significant upgrade will likely be the introduction of a new 41 mm upside-down front forks sourced from Showa and it could help in enhancing the ride quality of the middleweight sports tourer. It moves from Showa Dual Bending Valve forks to Sperate Function Big Piston (SFF BP) forks.
The Honda CBR650R gained Euro 5 compliance late last year and resultantly, the overall weight has gone up to 208 kilograms courtesy of the revised ECU, intake timing, exhaust system and crankshaft. The Kawasaki Ninja 650 rival also gets an updated instrument cluster for better readability as the angle has been adjusted and the fonts made bigger. Under the seat, it features a USB charging socket as well.
As for the performance, the 2021 Honda CBR650R BS6 will be equipped with a 649 cc four-cylinder inline motor producing a maximum power output of 95 PS at 12,000 rpm and 63 Nm of peak torque delivered at 8,500 rpm – 7 PS and 3 Nm increase compared to the BS4 model. The powertrain is linked with a six-speed transmission while a slipper clutch and dual-channel ABS system will be standard.