Honda Taps European Dealers For Custom CB650R Build Contest

Honda introduced the CB650R in 2019. In 2021, Team Red updated the CB650R’s styling and performance with slightly revised bodywork, a new dash, and an upgraded Showa fork.

Despite the minor tweaks, Honda knew that many CB650R customers would make the middleweight naked their own. To showcase the platform’s versatility, the brand commissioned ten of its dealers in France, Spain, and Portugal to put their unique twist on the Neo Sports Café formula. With varying degrees of neo, sport, and café found in each build, the diversity certainly exhibited the platform’s shapeshifting abilities.

From France, ADN Motos turns the CB650 into a bonafide flat tracker complete with side number plates, Acerbis handguards, high-mount pipes, and Kineo spoked wheels wrapped in Dunlop Mutant rubber. Meanwhile, their compatriots at AZ Moto paid tribute to the legendary CB750 Four “K0” with a sporty stance and candy gold paint job. Espace Motos took a similar tack with an ‘80s CB750 Four-inspired build with a diamond-stitched brown leather seat and forest green paint base with gold accents.

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The past also comes through Sagaz Honda’s homage to the 1976 Honda RCB 1000 ridden by endurance racers Jean-Claude Chemarin and Roger Ruiz. On the other hand, Werther draws inspiration from BMX bikes with whitewall tires and flashy gold accents while 3C Motos takes a more conservative approach with its White Edition project.

While France certainly leads the number of entries, Spain follows close behind with three contestants. Blanmoto Honda perfectly executes its steampunk meets café racer build while the Akira CB650R from Hakuba Motor strips the Honda down to its essence. Motor Sport of Madrid takes a different path, however, using the 1966 Brabham Honda BT18 racing car as its build inspiration.

Last but certainly not least, Portugal’s lone entry comes from Mototrofa Honda. The CB650R Fenix recognizes Mototrofa’s recovery from a devastating shop fire. The Fenix also borrows a VFR750F single-sided swingarm/rear wheel and the front end from a CBR900RR Fireblade. While radically different, the 10 distinct customs illustrate the CB650R’s flexibility. Fans can vote for their favorite build at Honda’s dedicated webpage and the winner will enjoy some good old fashion bragging rights.

Honda Taps European Dealers For Custom CB650R Build Contest
Source: Philippines Election