Honda CB 650 R E-Clutch 2024 — Specifications

When Honda decides to touch the clutch, the entire motorcycle gets redefined along with it. That is the somewhat audacious bet represented by the Honda CB 650 R E-Clutch 2024, a middleweight that has not only revisited its stylistic blueprint but introduced a technology that may well relegate every other manufacturer to the category of laggards. The E-Clutch, as it is called, acts like an invisible assistant: two small electric motors control the clutch the moment the sensor detects a gear selector input, simultaneously adjusting ignition and injection. The result is that the left lever becomes optional. You can ride an entire day, in the city or on the open road, without ever touching it. The bike no longer stalls, hill starts lose their stress, and traffic jams stop being a ordeal for the wrist. Three operating modes — Hard, Medium, or Soft — adjust the progressiveness of clutch engagement on both upshifts and downshifts. And for those who hold onto their lever as a traditional tool, it remains fully functional and can be deactivated through a setting in the dashboard.

That dashboard, in fact, deserves a closer look. The old LCD instrumentation had run its course. The 5-inch TFT screen that replaces it radically changes the on-board experience: themed interface, three display modes to choose from, smartphone connectivity via the RoadSync app, simplified navigation, and music control through voice recognition or a new backlit button on the left switchgear. Honda has gone all-in on connectivity, to the point where you sometimes wonder whether you are riding or managing your notifications. That is the only criticism one could level at the package — a technological overload for a motorcycle whose primary vocation remains the road.

The rest of the machine plays the card of deliberate continuity. The steel double-cradle frame is unchanged, and there was no reason to modify it. The 41 mm Showa inverted fork with its SFF-BP system separates the hydraulic and spring functions into two distinct legs, improving corner feedback and shock absorption. At the rear, a preload-adjustable monoshock completes the setup. Nissin radial four-piston calipers bite 310 mm discs up front, delivering enough power to inspire confidence without ever catching the rider off guard. Against a Yamaha MT-07 or a Kawasaki Z650, the CB's chassis holds its own without any inferiority complex, even if those two rivals lean more toward immediate fun than long-distance versatility.

The 649 cc inline-four stays true to itself, with its oversquare bore and stroke of 67 x 46 mm, a compression ratio of 11.6:1, and 95 horsepower delivered at 12,000 rpm. The 63.7 Nm of torque arrives at 9,500 rpm, meaning the engine needs to be kept in the rev range to feel the unit fully express itself. That is not a criticism; it is simply the nature of a sporting inline-four, an architecture that the competition has largely abandoned in favor of twins and triples with stronger low-rpm pull. But this engine compensates with a smooth rev climb and a clean exhaust note that has its own dedicated following. The HSTC traction control monitors slides out of corners and can be disabled for fans of controlled drift.

At €9,149 for the French market, delivered as standard with the E-Clutch, the CB 650 R 2024 carries a €450 premium over its predecessor. That is reasonable given what the technology brings to the table. The 207 kg wet weight carries its share, two kilograms more than the previous generation, but nothing that compromises maneuverability in everyday use. This neo-café racer speaks equally to the urban commuter tired of constant clutch work and to the tourer who devours the miles on open roads. Rarely had a mid-range Honda so clearly drawn the outline of its target customer, and rarely had it offered so many reasons to appeal to such a wide audience.