Honda CB 650 R E-Clutch 2026 — Specifications

Imagine riding through the city, stop after stop, restart after restart, without ever touching the clutch lever. Not an automatic motorcycle, not a disguised scooter: a proper naked sport bike, with a 6-speed sequential gearbox and 95 horsepower under the right grip. That is precisely the proposition Honda puts forward with this 2026 CB 650 R, a direct heir to the honda cb 650 r e-clutch 2024 that had already laid the groundwork for this technology in the mid-range segment.

First, the engine. The 649 cc inline four-cylinder hasn't been overhauled from the ground up, and that's a deliberate choice. A 67 mm bore paired with a 46 mm stroke, an 11.6:1 compression ratio, 16 valves, dual overhead camshafts: an architecture some may consider conservative compared to the Triumph Trident 660's triple or the Yamaha MT-07's parallel twin. But this four-cylinder has one quality its rivals struggle to match: a clean and linear rev climb, free of hesitation, delivering 95 horsepower at 12,000 rpm and 63.7 Nm at 9,500 rpm with disarming directness. The trade-off exists, and honesty demands we acknowledge it: you need to keep the revs up to get a response, and below 6,000 rpm the engine is noticeably less eager. In dense urban traffic, that can feel like hard work at times.

That's where the E-Clutch steps in, and it is no trade-show gimmick. The system detects gearshift input, briefly cuts ignition and fuel injection, then two small electric actuators handle the clutch in place of the rider. The result: you change gear with your foot, full stop. The left lever becomes optional. The motorcycle cannot stall, even at a standstill, even in first gear at low revs. For riders who rack up urban miles or those whose left hand aches after a long stint, this is a quiet revolution. Three modulation levels — Hard, Medium, or Soft — can be set from the instrument panel to tailor behaviour on both upshifts and downshifts. And for those who reject the assistance, the lever remains there, fully functional as on any conventional motorcycle. Honda imposes nothing; Honda offers.

The rest of the machine holds up well. The steel diamond frame receives a 41 mm Showa separate-function fork, with hydraulic damping on one side and springs on the other — a serious setup, well above what some rivals offer at comparable price points. Nissin radial four-piston calipers bite 310 mm discs up front without complaint. At 207 kg fully fuelled, the CB sits at a reasonable weight for the category, even if the two extra kilograms attributed to the E-Clutch system are faintly noticeable at low speed. The 810 mm seat height will not suit every build — a point of consideration for shorter riders.

On the living side, Honda has finally swapped the dated LCD screen for a connected 5-inch TFT display, compatible with the RoadSync app. Simplified navigation, music management, incoming calls: the equipment closes a gap that had been widening against better-equipped rivals for several years. At €9,149, the 2026 CB 650 R targets a broad audience: the newly licensed rider who wants to progress without the pressure of the lever, the urban commuter seeking smoothness, the enthusiast who wants an accessible four-cylinder without paying the price of a Kawasaki Z900. The E-Clutch is not a reason to buy this motorcycle, but it quickly becomes a reason to never want to be without it.