Upcoming Honda CBR650F vs Competition

Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India Pvt Ltd (HMSI) is going to launch a new mid-weight performance machine- CBR650F in India on 4th August 2015. It is a 650cc, inline-four powered, supersport style motorcycle for road use and expected to be priced around Rs. 7 lac. Currently, we don’t have any such offering in the market. However, some offerings like Kawasaki Ninja 650, Benelli TNT 600 and Hyosung GT650R could challenge the CBR650F in India. These three are some of the most affordable mid-weight performance motorcycles available in India and somehow compete with the upcoming bike due to the reasons mentioned below.

Honda CBR650F: As we have mentioned above, Honda CBR650F is not a proper track machine with less aggressive seating than a regular supersport motorcycle. However, it could be a perfect mid-weight performer for the beginners. It is powered by a very advanced 650cc, liquid-cooled, inline four-cylinder engine, which makes power up to 85.8bhp at 11,000rpm and delivers torque up to 63Nm at 8,000rpm.

Also Read: Participate and Witness The Launch Of Honda CBR650F At Revfest

Kawasaki Ninja 650: Powered by a liquid-cooled, inline twin-cylinder mill, Kawasaki Ninja 650 delivers a maximum power of 71.1bhp, which is 14.7bhp lesser than the Honda CBR650F. However, peak torque output of the bike is almost similar. Reasons of their competition are that both have sporty full body fairings and similar engine displacement. The Ninja 650 comes with a price tag of around Rs. 5.3 lac, and this could be the biggest advantage in the favour of Kawasaki, despite the lower power figures.

Also Read: Honda CBR650F to be launched in India on 4th August 2015

Benelli TNT 600: This Italian machine comes in two trims- naked sport TNT 600 i and sport tourer TNT 600 GT, priced at Rs. 5.15 lacs and Rs. 5.62 lacs respectively. Both the bikes are powered by a 600cc engine and like the one onboard CBR650F, it is an inline-four. The Benelli motor makes 84bhp of maximum power at 11,500rpm and a peak torque of 54.6Nm at 10,500rpm. The power output of the motorcycle is almost similar to that of the CBR650F, however, torque output is around 10Nm lesser. Still, the Italian machine has advantage of being the most affordable inline-four powered motorcycle in the country.

Hyosung GT650R: If we talk about a proper mid-weight performance supersport motorcycle, Hyosung GT650R is the only offering available in India. It has a complete track compatible design with a very aggressive seating posture. Powering the bike is a 650cc, liquid-cooled, V-Twin, which churns out a top power of 72.6bhp and a maximum torque of 60.9Nm. Performance figures of the bike are lower than the CBR650F, however, it is a proper track machine and comes at just Rs. 4.79 lacs.

So, we can say that the success of the upcoming Honda CBR650F totally depends on its pricing. The bike will be sold via CKD route and the company has to price it reasonably for a successful start. However, the CBR650F is like a multi-tasking motorcycle. Good for commuting, extremely impressive on race-track and an excellent sport-tourer as well due to its less demanding riding position. People who like to tour and are looking for a sportier motorcycle are eagerly waiting for this.

Check Upcoming Honda CBR650F Pictures