Purchased a 2025 CBR650R in late May. Didn't really feel like it was my bike until this month when the odometer crossed 1K. Aside from some CH80s in the early 1980s, my rides have been:
Honda doesn't sell V4s stateside anymore, so I considered the alternatives. The NT1100's lack of traditional shifting wasn't appealing. The more race-oriented CBRs had no hard-luggage options. I found a company named SHAD that makes panniers for the CBR650R (once you've had panniers, you can't live without them). That, plus the option to shift like a traditional motorcycle, sold me on the .65 liter bike. The SHAD parts are finally arriving (ordered back in July) and my personalized license plate should be here soon too.
The new bike doesn't pull like my last VFR did, but the modern suspension is nice, and the bike is considerably lighter. Here are some photos.
- 1989 Honda VTR250
- 1986 Honda VFR700
- 2005 Honda VFR800
- 2006 Honda VFR800 (Honda provided as a replacement to the 2005 model)
Honda doesn't sell V4s stateside anymore, so I considered the alternatives. The NT1100's lack of traditional shifting wasn't appealing. The more race-oriented CBRs had no hard-luggage options. I found a company named SHAD that makes panniers for the CBR650R (once you've had panniers, you can't live without them). That, plus the option to shift like a traditional motorcycle, sold me on the .65 liter bike. The SHAD parts are finally arriving (ordered back in July) and my personalized license plate should be here soon too.
The new bike doesn't pull like my last VFR did, but the modern suspension is nice, and the bike is considerably lighter. Here are some photos.
