India-bound 2020 Honda CBR 650R officially revealed

Honda Motor Company has unveiled the 2020 iteration of its middleweight sports tourer, the CBR 650R. The updated motorcycle is likely to go on sale in India by mid-2020. Indian Autos Blog has learnt that the bookings for the updated (BS-VI) model will start from April 2020.

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The Honda CBR 650R does not get many styling upgrades for MY2020, but do note that the motorcycle was only introduced in 2018. There are, however, a few tweaks that distinguish it from the previous CBR 650R. The engine casing and head, for example, no longer feature a bronze finish. Instead, the 2020 Honda CBR 650R uses an all-black finish to its motor. Another noticeable change is visible on the wheels that miss the stripes that were seen on the previous model.

Rest of the styling cues and features are identical to the 2019 model, and thus the CBR 650R continues to use CBR1000RR-inspired styling, full LED lighting and an LCD instrument cluster. The colour options and graphics, too, will remain unaltered, and the 2020 Honda CBR 650R will continue to feature Grand Prix Red and Gunpowder Black Metallic paint options.

Similarly, hardware specifications, too, are carried forward from the 2019 iteration of the motorcycle. Thus, shock absorption tasks are handled by inverted telescopic forks (Showa SFF) at the front and a mono-shock at the back. Anchoring department comprises dual disc brakes at the front and a single rotor at the rear. The safety net comprises dual-channel ABS and Honda Selectable Torque Control (HSTC) as standard.

The engine will undergo a few tweaks to comply with the BS-VI emission norms. According to the Brazilian website of Honda Motor Company, the engine on the updated CBR 650R aims to increase power delivery at medium speeds. The 649 cc, inline four-cylinder, liquid-cooled 16-valve, DOHC motor on the 2020 Brazilian-spec bike's engine makes 88.4 hp of peak power at 11,500 rpm and a maximum torque of 60 Nm at 8,000 rpm. The figures are considerably lower than the engine of the India-spec (BS-IV) motorcycle’s 95 hp at 12,000 rpm and 64 Nm at 8,500 rpm.

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Considering that the 2020 CBR 650R does not feature any major changes to the styling or equipment, we could see a limited price increase on the BS-VI model. The BS-VI model, for reference, was launched at INR 7.70 lakh (ex-showroom India).