Introduced for the 2019 model year, this middleweight sport motorcycle was launched by Honda as the fully faired sibling to the CB650R and as the replacement for the earlier CBR650F. Honda positioned it as a sharper, more sport-oriented evolution of its 650cc four-cylinder road models, adopting styling cues inspired by the company’s flagship superbikes while retaining the everyday usability that has long defined the middleweight class. The new nameplate marked a clear step toward a more aggressive, modern identity for Honda’s four-cylinder sport bikes.
For its debut, the model was presented with revised bodywork, a sportier riding position, and chassis changes intended to make it feel more focused than the machine it superseded. That launch established the modern CBR650R as the faired counterpart in Honda’s 650 platform, sitting between entry-level sport machines and the liter-class CBR line.
In 2024, Honda gave the model a notable update, refreshing the styling and adding Honda E-Clutch as an available feature. That revision kept the nameplate current while reinforcing its role as a technologically updated middleweight sport bike rather than a retro-styled or purely budget-oriented option. Since its introduction, the model has remained part of Honda’s global CBR family and has been used to bridge accessible road use with a more serious sporting character.