First Ride! Honda E-Clutch-Equipped CBR650R

We had the chance to ride Honda’s new E-Clutch-equipped CBR650R on the track and street.

The automatic transmission has been around since the 1940s, and while the vast majority of automobiles are now equipped with one, motorcycles largely retain manual gearboxes. We are in an era where most new drivers have never operated a car with a manual transmission, so the concept of using the clutch and shifting a “standard transmission” on a motorcycle is equally as foreign for this new generation of rider.

Honda has been trying to ease this transition as far back as 1958 when it came out with the automatic centrifugal clutch on the Super Cub, which eliminated at least one aspect of the process by allowing the rider to simply back off the throttle and shift without having to manage a clutch. This was followed by the Hondamatic transmission and then the V-Matic belt-drive. In 2008, Honda took another crack at it and developed the HFT (Human Friendly Transmission) which was used in the DN-01. It was a hydromechanical unit that acted like a CVT unit, but without the V-belts and pulleys of a scooter transmission.

Honda’s next solution that followed was the Dual-Clutch Transmission that originally debuted in the 2010 VFR1200F. This tech has turned out to be incredibly successful, accounting for a huge chunk of sales in the current motorcycles it is offered in such as the Gold Wing, Africa Twin, Rebel 1100T, and NC750X. The DCT can act like a fully automatic transmission or allow the rider to shift it manually via buttons (or an optional gear lever). The only real drawbacks to the DCT models compared to the standard models is that there is a fairly significant weight penalty (25 pounds on the Africa Twin) and a higher price tag.

What Is E-Clutch?
Honda has once again taken a shot at developing an alternative to the conventional clutch and manual transmission by developing the E-Clutch, which is now standard on the CBR650R and CB650R models. The goals of this system are different from those of the DCT, with the new clutch attempting to blend aspects of a manual clutch, quickshifter, and DCT into a unit that does aspects of all of those functions. It’s also applied to the aforementioned sportbikes, because Honda designed it to compliment sportier riding, and not take away the rider’s control.

A cutaway view of Honda’s E-Clutch.

If the rider choses to override the system, they can simply pull in the clutch, which will then act as a completely traditional unit. The system will then reset after five seconds and become active again. The system can also be turned off completely if the rider chooses. Another aspect of the E-Clutch is that it performs the duty of an up/down quickshifter. Instead of simply taking load off the transmission by cutting ignition and/or fuel like other systems, the E-Clutch adds a bit of clutch to the process.

2024 Honda CBR650R Updates and Overview
Honda’s CBR650R has been around since 2014, and was an early step away from hardcore sportbikes like the company’s own CBR600RR supersport homologation machine. The CBR650R was designed to be a more street-focused machine, with a more comfortable riding position, and a larger engine that is tuned for on-road performance instead of being track focused.

2024 Honda CBR650R.

The 2024 model was a late arrival for the US market, but it comes with some updates beyond the E-Clutch. It received fresh CBR1000RR-inspired styling, a new full-color TFT display, new backlit control clusters on the bars, and all-LED lighting.

The 2024 Honda CBR650R’s styling is inspired by the CBR1000RR.

The bike is powered by a 649cc inline-four that features double-overhead cams with four valves per cylinder. The engine is fed by PGM-FI with 32mm throttle bodies and is tuned to have broad power for street riding. The bike’s clutch is still an assist/slipper style unit, while Honda’s Selectable Torque Control (traction control) comes standard.

A new TFT display is used and has indicators for all of the E-Clutch’s functions and warnings.

The chassis is anchored by a steel-diamond frame and an aluminum swingarm. The wheelbase measures 57 inches, while geometry figures include a 25.5-degree rake angle with 4.0 inches of trail. The claimed curb weight is 466 pounds. Suspension is handled by a Showa 41mm Separate Function Big Piston (SFF-BP) fork, and a Showa shock with 10-stage spring-preload adjustability. Braking is handled by a pair of radial-mount, four-piston calipers and 310mm discs at the front, joined by a single-piston caliper and 240mm disc out back (both with ABS).

Reserve the Honda CBR650R with E-Clutch today and get a cool deal