Honda CBR650R E-Clutch 2025 Review

Big Red seems to like putting the letter ‘R’ into model designations. The latest CBR1000RR-R packs no less than 4 of them, which presumably that means it’s rrrreally fast. The latest CB650R LAMS bike on the other hand is part of Honda’s ‘Neo Sports Café’ range, which aims to add a contemporary twist to the classical retro theme. The brushed aluminium accents, LED lighting, and sharp bodywork certainly look the part, along with the duck tail that has more than a passing resemblance to the CBR600s shapely rear. But with new E-Clutch technology, designed to allow the rider to totally ignore the left-hand lever, perhaps in this case the R stands for ‘ridiculously easy to ride’.  

In base form the 2025 Honda CB650R costs $13,100 ride away but adding the E-Clutch technology increases the price to $13,613 ride away. That puts it on a par with Kawasaki’s $13,274 Z650 but comes in less expensive than Yamaha’s $14,899 MT07 LA and Triumph’s $14,290 Trident 660. 

If you’re thinking the double overhead cam, 16 valve, 649cc, liquid cooled inline-four wedged into the 650R sounds too potent for a learner machine, you’d be right. To meet LAMS restrictions the engine has been defanged to produce 35kW and 49Nm rather than the full power 70kW/63Nm tune available in overseas markets. 

While that might sound disappointing, the on-road effect is that in LAMS guise the 650R produces more usable torque in the lower rev range than a smaller, peakier engine would, which makes it more flexible and learner-friendly. 

The engine response is as smooth and crisp as you’d expect from a modern Honda straight 4, with decent urge up to around 6000rpm, at which point the horsepower is electronically curtailed. Beyond that point, the engine will still rev cleanly to five figures, but there’s not a lot to be gained other than hearing the anodyne 4-cylinder howl. It’s an engine that feels quite utilitarian without the upper rev range kick you normally get with an inline-four, and without the charismatic growl you get from a twin or triple. A quick Google search indicates that certain aftermarket exhausts unlock a much more strident shriek, however.

Still, the 649cc unit doesn’t feel strained at all at freeway speed and fuel economy is also decent, with a range of 300km easily achievable from the 15.4 litre tank. 

At this end of the learner bike market, you’d expect a reasonably high level of specification, which the CB650R delivers with Showa SFF-BP forks, ABS equipped Nissin disc brakes, LED lighting, and a 5-inch, full colour TFT dash. 

In terms of electronics there’s Honda Selectable Torque Control, which is a fancy way of saying traction control, and bluetooth phone connectivity via the Honda RoadSync app. This allows you to access on-screen turn-by-turn navigation, phone calls, and music via the switchblocks – though I found the small left thumb toggle slightly fiddly to use.

The headline act is of course Honda’s patented E-Clutch technology, which uses an actuator unit like those used in Honda’s Dual Clutch Transmission gearboxes to automatically engage the clutch. The engine cover protrudes slightly further out on the right-hand side as a result, but it’s not unsightly or cumbersome. A combination of electronic ‘half-clutch’ operation, fuel injection cutting and ignition control helps to keep the experience smooth and seamless, so all the rider must do is toe up and down the box. 

You can tell the E-Clutch is switched on by the soggy lever feel in neutral. It can be deactivated via the settings menu, but there’s really no need to because even when it’s engaged, the bike will revert to ‘normal’ clutch mode (and normal lever feel) as soon the clutch lever is pulled in, before taking over again the next time you let it out.

So, in fact, you can ride the CB650R like a normal E-Clutch-less bike even with the system turned on, which I found myself doing quite a bit due to the fact my left hand has been hard-wired to grab the lever through 20-plus years of riding. It took a conscious effort to stop pulling it in until I got used to it and, even then, my left hand would spasmodically snatch at it occasionally when I had to react quickly to an errant delivery van or something. 

Either way, the system works extremely well. At speed it just feels like a well sorted up and down quickshifter, and then when you slow to a stop you simply tap down the gears and brake. There’s no need to put the bike in neutral at a set of traffic lights to take your hands off the bars, just leave it in gear and when the lights turn green you simply reach down and twist the throttle again. The E-clutch will even compensate if you accidentally leave it in a higher gear, and it engages so efficiently that the CB650R launches surprisingly hard when you want to take off quickly. 

About the only time I felt like my left hand did a better job was in super slow, walking speed manoeuvres through stationary traffic, where I would normally slip the clutch a bit more to keep progress smooth. But again, in those situations all you need do is grab the lever and the E-Clutch will instantly cede control back to the rider. 

The slightly forward-of-neutral ride posture felt perfect for my 5’10” frame, with the bars a comfortable reach away and the mid-mounted pegs leaving enough room that my hips and knees remained ache free, yet also well positioned for sportier jaunts. What wasn’t so good was the seat, which started to feel like it was made of lacquered teak after about half an hour in the saddle. 

The chassis turns lithely, and the brakes offer more than enough stopping power, but where I expected a soft suspension tune in keeping with the CB650R’s learner-bike remit, instead both the front and rear ends crashed over bumps awkwardly and felt quite firmly sprung. You can dial out some preload on the rear shock to soften it off a touch, but the front Showa forks are non-adjustable. 

The CB650R E-Clutch is a terrific looking, high-quality learner steed that’s very easy to get along with. Given there are already semi-automatic and automatic two-wheelers out there, you might ask who the E-clutch is aimed at, but it’s an excellent solution for new riders who might want to ease into using a clutch without having to worry about stalling at a set of lights. Or for commuters who are tired of yanking the clutch lever incessantly but still like retaining control of the gear choice – in that respect it’s almost like having flappy paddles in a car. The solid finish and precise feedback exhibit the reassuringly reliable feel typical of Honda. Is that two more Rs we could add to the name?

ENGINE
Type: Liquid-cooled 4-stroke 16-valve DOHC inline-4 cylinder
Capacity: 649 cc
Bore x Stroke: 67 x 46 mm
Compression Ratio: 11.6:1

PERFORMANCE
Claimed Maximum Power: 35kW
Claimed Maximum Torque: 49 Nm

ELECTRONICS
5-inch full-colour TFT screen with Honda RoadSync, digital speedometer, digital bar graph tachometer, dual trip meter, digital bar graph fuel gauge, gear position and upshift indicator, digital clock, HSTC (Honda Selectable Torque Control), two-channel ABS

TRANSMISSION
Gearbox: 6-speed

Final Drive: Chain
Clutch: E-Clutch – Wet multi-plate

CHASSIS AND RUNNING GEAR
Frame: Steel diamond
Front Suspension: 41 mm Showa Separate Function front Fork Big Piston (SFF-BP) USD forks
Rear Suspension: Monoshock damper with 10-stage adjustable preload, 43.5 mm stroke

BRAKING
Front Brakes: 310 mm x 4.5 mm double disc, with four-piston calliper
Rear Brakes: 240 mm x 5 mm disc, with single-piston calliper

WHEELS & TYRES
Front Wheel: 17M/C x MT3.50, Hollow section five-spoke cast aluminium
Rear Wheel: 17M/C x MT5.50, Hollow section five-spoke cast aluminium
Tyres: 120/70ZR17 M/C (58W) front, 180/55ZR17 M/C (73W) rear

DIMENSIONS AND CAPACITIES
Length x Width x Height: 2120 x 780 x 1075 mm
Wheelbase: 1450 mm

Rake: 25.5°

Trail: 101 mm
Seat Height: 810 mm
Ground Clearance: 150 mm
Claimed Wet Weight: 207 kg
Fuel Capacity: 15.4 litres
Fuel Consumption: 5L/100 km