2026 HONDA CB650R E-CLUTCH
CLUTCHING AT FOURS
Moody and broody. That’s what I thought as I took in Honda’s CB650R E-Clutch while the photographer did his thing. Honda calls the CB’s styling Neo Retro. Yeah, okay, I call it tough. It looks tough. The fit and finish is unmistakably Honda - it’s luscious!
The air ducts remind me of Yamaha’s V-Max, one of the angriest (in a good way) motorcycles ever created, and those four header pipes gleaming as they snake their way below the engine and into the single muffler, well, they look the business. It’s a good-looking rig alright, but that’s not the whole story, nor the most impressive thing about Honda’s naked LAMS bike. It has serious clutch-tech kung fu in the form of Honda’s E-Clutch system and, my, what a brilliant and slick system it is.
Before riding the CB, I wondered whether the E-Clutch system was technology looking for a problem to solve. It isn't. Unlike a quickshifter, which only helps once you're moving, the E-Clutch manages the entire clutch operation. Pull away from the lights, crawl through stop-start traffic, click through the gears or roll to a stop and it quietly does the clutch work for you. If you want to use the clutch yourself, simply grab the lever and ride it exactly as you would any conventional motorcycle. Let go again and, after a few seconds, the system seamlessly resumes control. After ten minutes I wasn't thinking about the E-Clutch anymore; I was simply riding the bike.
One salesman confidently told me that you simply couldn't wheelstand the E-Clutch CB650R. In case you’re interested, it turns out you absolutely can. The E-Clutch doesn't sanitise the bike's character; it simply makes it easier to ride when you want it to. For roughly another five hundred bucks over the standard CB650R, the E-Clutch transforms the riding experience without changing the character of the motorcycle. It's not the sort of upgrade you'll appreciate once a month; you'll notice it every single time you leave the driveway.
Apart from the E-Clutch wizardry, Honda hasn't buried the CB650R under a mountain of electronics. You still get the important stuff; ABS, switchable traction control, Emergency Stop Signal that flashes the indicators under heavy braking to warn following traffic, plus Honda RoadSync smartphone connectivity for turn-by-turn navigation, music and phone functions. That's about where the list ends, and I reckon that's no bad thing. There aren’t endless rider modes or menus to wade through before leaving the driveway. You thumb the starter, click it into gear and ride the sucker.
Power comes from Honda's delightful 649cc liquid-cooled inline four-cylinder engine and, in a market leaning more into parallel twins, the CB650R remains unique, and that's exactly why I like it. It's smooth, refined and versatile. It’ll plod along at low speeds in a high gear without complaint, yet it’s ready to bang when it's time to play.
The riding position strikes a nice balance between sporty and practical, while the 810mm seat height should suit a broad range of riders. At 207kg ready to ride in E-Clutch guise, it isn't the lightest LAMS machine on the market, but it carries its weight well – it’s a very well-balanced bike and that makes a difference, especially for slow-speed riding where people often come unstuck on full-size bikes.
Honda has also done a good job with the chassis. Turn into a corner and the CB650R responds naturally, holds its line and lets you get on with enjoying the ride. It doesn't demand constant attention or corrections; it simply gets on with the job and it’s very forgiving if you get it wrong and come barrelling into a corner quicker than you planned and expected.
The only area I'd like to see lifted another notch is the suspension. The Showa SFF-BP forks and rear shock are perfectly happy on smooth bitumen, but once the road surface deteriorates, they lose the polish I'd normally associate with a Showa-equipped Honda. It's never harsh enough to spoil the ride, but it's the one area where the CB650R feels like it’s a little underdone.
Braking performance, however, leaves little to complain about. The radial-mounted four-piston front calipers deliver strong, progressive stopping power with plenty of feel at the lever, while the ABS stays unobtrusively in the background until it's actually needed.
Final Thought
Honda’s CB650R is a compelling LAMS rig in standard guise. The four-cylinder engine is beautiful and unique in the LAMS world, it looks tough and it's well built. Add to that the E-Clutch system, whose versatility cannot be overstated, and you have a seriously good naked bike at a good price from the giant of the motorcycling world, so you know it’s going to be solid. Not convinced? Then go and organise a test ride. I bet you will be after that.
Words Pete Vorst | Photos M33 Productions
