If you thought that Honda’s biggest launch this year would be the CB300R, think again! Honda Motorcycles and Scooters India might be late for the party in terms of premium bikes in India, but they aren’t wasting any time getting straight into the deep end with a slew motorcycle aimed at the premium segment in India. Now Honda has announced the launch of the 2019 Honda CBR650R that will take the place of the CBR650F that was on sale in India. Honda has officially opened bookings for the motorcycle at just Rs 15,000, with deliveries likely to begin in April.What seems to be even more interesting is the fact that Honda claims that they will launch the bike under the Rs 8 lakh making it cheaper than the motorcycle it will replace.
What’s more is that there are big changes that come with this one letter at the end of the motorcycles nameplate from F to R. For one, the 650R draws inspiration from its fully-faired litre class sibling the CBR1000RR. To that end the bike gets a new twin LED headlamps and a fully-digital instrument console that will replace the dated twin-pod digital instrument cluster seen on the CBR650F.  Aluminium Alloy wheels also come as part of the package, along with two colour schemes red and black. It doesn’t end their either, with the R moniker, the bike now gets a more focused riding position, with clip-on handlebars that are now set 30mm forward and lower and footpegs that are set 3mm back and higher by 6mm for a more committed riders triangle.
The motor has been reworked too, new intakes and exhaust ports paired with updated cam intervals and a much better compression ration has given 3 addition horses to the output which peak out a 1000 rpm more. Torque too has gone up by 1Nm and consequently arrives 500rpm earlier than the bike it replaces. The result is 95ho at 12,000rpm and 64Nm at 8500rpm. There’s a slipper clutch too, paired with a 6-speed gearbox.
