Honda Bros 650: technical specifications and reviews

The model range of Honda motorcycles is quite diverse and wide. Over many years of production, many lines of motorcycles have become truly legendary in their classes. It is generally accepted that everything that Honda does immediately acquires thousands of fans and soars to the top. But this is not always the case. Take, for example, the Bros line. The path to fame for motorcycles from this family was difficult and thorny. But if at first they were received without much enthusiasm, today many models from this line have received well-deserved recognition. A prime example of this is the Honda Bros 650.

History of creation and promotion on the market

The Bros series was published in 1988. The development was led by designer Toshiaki Kishi. The Honda Bros model is the second in the entire Honda line, made using Pro-Arm technology. The series included two modifications - with an engine of 400 and 650 cc.

The Honda Bros 650 belongs to the naked class, and this particular motorcycle is one of the first representatives in the class. We can confidently say that he stood at the origins. Initially, the Bros line was planned only for the Japanese domestic market. For America, this model was produced under the name Honda Hawk GT. By the way, the 400 cc modification was not supplied abroad at all; it entered the markets of Europe, Asia and America only thanks to gray realtors and the secondary market.

At first, the Honda Bros 650 (or rather, the Hawk GT) sold rather sluggishly in the States. The appearance, unusual for those times, and some design features had an effect. This led to sales completely stopping in 1993 both in Japan and the rest of the world. The model was soon discontinued.

Modifications

Honda NT650 Hawk GT – aluminum diagonal frame.

Honda NTV 650 Revere – steel diagonal frame.

Depending on the sales market, the model received several modifications that differed both externally and technically:

• Honda Bros 650 - version for the Japanese market. Main, road worker. 56 horses, 4-piston brake calipers, chain. Closed in 1992.
• Honda NT650 Hawk GT is a model for the American mainland. To a large extent repeats the Japanese version. Same power/torque ratings. 2 brake calipers on the front axle, chain. The cardinal difference is the reconfigured gear ratios in the gearbox, as a result of which it has lost its elasticity, forcing the owner to swing his left leg. Closed in 1991.
• Honda NTV 650 (Revere) - European version. Steel frame. There are 60 horses under the hood. Also a pair of brake calipers. There are 3 main differences. The main cardan drive. The fuel tank has been increased to 19 liters (mileage on one fill-up has increased to 450-500 km). Dry and curb weight increased by 24 and 27 kg, respectively. The only version whose weight exceeds 200 kg. It was assembled from 1988 to 1994 and from 1995 to 1997 (the line was idle for a year).
• Honda NTV 600 (Revere) - assembled for the UK. It is based on the European version, with all its advantages. But a smaller engine capacity and smaller carburetors are used. Produced from 1988 to 1991.

  Honda NTV 600 Revere - the version for the English market, was no different in appearance.

and competitors

The model was not left without competitors:

• Suzuki offered its “legend” SV650;
• Yamaha introduced the SRX600.

Kawasaki could not present a competitive model. However, later the situation developed rather strangely. He responded to almost all competitors' developments in this scope with the ER-6 road builder.

Structural features

This motorcycle looked really unusual at one time. The first thing that strikes the eye is the complete absence of the usual fairings. But the iron inside is on display for everyone to see. It is partially covered on the sides by a diagonal aluminum frame, which somewhat smoothes out the impression of nudity and vulnerability. At the front, the Honda Bros 650 has a conventional telescopic fork, and the rear suspension consists of a central shock absorber.

The rear wheel is mounted on a cantilever, and the entire structure of the rear suspension is equipped with the “swingarm” system, which today, of course, will not surprise anyone, but in those days it was very unusual. Other motorcycle manufacturers began installing such suspension much later than Honda.

Initially, the Honda Bros 650 was produced in only 4 colors:

• black;
• graphite;
• Dark red;
• bright red.

Later, even this small selection was narrowed down to just one - bright red. Of course, the color is not such a problem, it can be easily changed to the desired one. After all of the above, it is worth saying that the Honda Bros 650, the photos of which even today look quite modern, in many ways was simply ahead of its time, which is why it was received coolly by the public.

Disadvantages of the model

1. The V-twin engine is characterized by vibration at high speeds.
2. On a dirt road it significantly loses controllability and power.
3. Weak light.

According to owner reviews, the Honda ntv 650 revere is a very good option for daily driving due to its unpretentiousness and ease of maintenance. A comfortable fit allows you to adequately appreciate the bike even over long distances. Finding spare parts is not difficult, which is an exception for Japanese motorcycles.

Honda Revere is quite economical, so a full tank lasts for at least 250-300 km, and when driving on the highway, fuel consumption decreases. The motorcycle is designed to ride on good asphalt, so if you go onto a dirt road, you may encounter some problems.

Honda Bros 650 road bike model

produced from 1988 to 1992. Despite such a short release period, the model still has many fans around the world. At the time of its release, the Honda Bros 650 model was considered advanced in terms of technology - an aluminum diagonal frame, a Pro-Arm cantilever rear swingarm, installed on the Honda VFR750F sports tourer.

However, the main feature of the motorcycle is its engine, which is a V-shaped 2-cylinder liquid-cooled unit with a volume of 647 cc. see, producing 56 hp. power and almost 57 Nm of torque, available at 6000 rpm. The engine has smooth, confident traction at low and medium speeds. This engine was also installed on the Honda NT 650 Deauville and Honda XL 650 V Transalp models.

Main modifications of Honda Bros 650:

• Honda NT650 Hawk GT
  - version for the American market. Produces 58.5 hp. power, has a 2-piston front caliper. Differs from other modifications in gearbox ratios.
• Honda NTV 650 (Revere)
  - version for the European market. Equipped with a steel frame, produces up to 60 hp. power, has a cardan drive, a 19-liter fuel tank, rebound-adjustable rear suspension and a center stand. Based on this modification, the Honda NT650V Deauville model was manufactured in 1998.
• Honda NTV 600 (Revere)
  - version for the English market. Identical to the previous one, but differs only in engine size and smaller carburetors.
• Honda Bros 650
  - version for the Japanese market. It has common features with the American modification, differing from it in colors, wheels, 4-piston front caliper, gearbox ratios, engine tuning (56 hp) and lower clip-on location.

The “younger brother” of the Honda Bros 650 is the Honda Bros 400.

Despite the generally interesting concept, the Honda Bros 650, NT650 Hawk GT and NTV600 models were completely discontinued in 1991-1992. The only exception was the European model Honda NTV650 Revere, which was on the market until 1998, after which it was replaced by the touring version Honda NT650V Deauville, built on the common NTV650 base.

Currently, only Japanese (Bros 650) and European (NTV650) versions are found on the Russian market, all others are extremely rare.

The main competitors of the Honda Bros 650 in the class:

Motor

Initially, the Honda Bros 650 motorcycle was equipped with a two-cylinder engine with a liquid cooling system. The carburetor was responsible for power supply. There were three valves on each cylinder.

During the entire production period, changes were made to the engine design only once. As a result, the oil lines began to pass through the engine, and not bypass, as was the case before.

The bike is equipped with a 5-speed gearbox. The rear wheel is rotated by a chain drive.

Honda NTV 650 Deauville

This modification of the touring motorcycle was produced from 1998 to 2006. Later it was replaced by an updated version of the NTV 700. The device can more often be found on the European or American market, since it is an export version.

Options:

• The engine is a V-shaped power unit with a pair of 647 cc cylinders. cm.
• Power – 56 horsepower.
• Torque moment – ​​57 Nm.
• The maximum speed is 170 km/h.
• Braking system - discs.
• Fuel tank - 19.5 l.
• Weight – 223 kg.
• Transmission – 5 speeds.

Owners note the quiet operation of the engine along with high efficiency.

Distinctive features of different versions

Do not be mistaken about the absolute identity of the Honda Hawk GT and Honda Bros 650. The technical characteristics of both versions are similar, but there are still a number of differences:

• The power of the Hawk was 58 hp. s., and the “Japanese” had to be content with 55.
• Most Hawk GT models were built on steel frames rather than aluminum frames like the Bros.

There are also modifications of the Honda Bros 650 model. There are only two of them: MK1 and MK2. They are almost identical to each other and differ only in the wheels. The MK1 features silver 6-spoke wheels, while the MK2 has a gold-colored rear wheel with only 3 spokes.

About competitors

Let's take a brief look at the parameters of the main competitors of the Honda NTV 650 motorcycle:

1. VFR 750 from . The device is equipped with a 748 cc engine with a power of 105 horsepower. The bike accelerates to 232 km/h and is equipped with a six-speed transmission. The fuel tank holds 21 liters of gasoline, the consumption of which is 7-8 l/100 km.
2. NSR-125. Despite its aggressive, sporty appearance, the motorcycle has very modest parameters. Engine capacity – 125 cubic meters. cm, top speed – 120 km/h, number of cycles – 2, gearbox – 6 modes, fuel consumption – 4.3 l/100 km.
3. Translap 600. This bike is a typical enduro bike. The engine power is 55 “horses”, the volume is 583 cubic meters, fuel consumption is 5-6 l/100 km, the speed threshold is 174 km/h.
4. "Husvarna Strada". The motorcycle is equipped with a 625 cubic centimeter engine with a power of 58 horsepower. The weight of the unit is 186 kg, the capacity of the gas tank is 12.3 liters.
5. BMW C600 Sport. Engine volume – 647 “cubes”, power – 60 “horses”, weight – 249 kg. Fuel tank capacity – 16 liters.

TTX

If you decide to purchase a Honda Bros 650 motorcycle, the characteristics of all its parts and components will help you make your choice.

The Bros 400 is a great bike.

Pros:

• Price
• Lightweight and easy to manage
• Narrow
• Simple in design (but very progressive)
• Economical
• Reliable
• Charismatic

Minuses:

• The chassis does not like to drive fast - a consequence of the low weight, at the junctions you fly into the air.
• Vibration from 2 cylinder VeTwin. After 500 km, arms and legs fall off.
• Weak light (bi-xenon solved this problem, but not for long - at the car wash they filled the block twice, removed the xenon)
• Weak engine (here Bros 650 will be better, but the efficiency is not at all the same)

By mid-summer, I had covered about six thousand km. There were dangerous situations, I braked by skidding with the front wheel, but not a single fall. Books helped.

But I wanted speed. Bros wasn't riding the way he wanted. By the way, the only breakdowns during this half a season were the front brake light switch.

Unexpectedly, I was offered a Honda VFR 750F '95.

Sports tourist, 100 hp, acceleration to hundreds in less than 4 seconds, maximum speed – 235 mph.

This was a serious bid for victory. But in his condition, he was very tired. Clogged carburetors, stretched chain, broken sprockets, broken clutch, damaged plastic. But I really wanted to. Bros sold instantly. Already on the same day I was driving home in a “vyfer”. It was scary to travel. The hundred-horsepower engine, with clogged carburetors, jerked the motorcycle terribly. Somehow I got there and tossed the motorcycle around. Well, to get to the front carburetors, you had to disassemble the floor of the motorcycle! It was decided to wash it with “Vince”, washing car injectors. The result was excellent, no failures, excellent traction (even scary at first), smooth acceleration. The clutch immediately began to slip, the engine began to move, and easily turned the clutch from the gas, at speeds close to maximum torque. Nevertheless, the selection was pleasing. How he drove. The suspension absorbed the bumps on which the throw took off, with virtually no impacts. The chassis was rigid and stayed on the road like it was on rails. The motorcycle fell into turns and braked perfectly. From the first salary I replaced the chain, sprockets and clutch. And he began to turn away as far as he could. I was surprised by the fuel consumption. In economical modes, the motorcycle consumed about six liters per hundred, and if you unscrew it, then under ten!

But what a trip to the region it was! Like on a rocket, 190 in populated areas, past amazed traffic police officers, 240 in straight lines. On the first, lift to the rear wheel from the gas! Flights around the region were fantastically fast. But…

The considerable mass of the motorcycle (240 kg) made itself felt in traffic jams... The width was also much greater than that of the throw. I remembered it with sadness when I had to go somewhere in the center, or to the countryside during rush hour. Over time, dissatisfaction with the weight and dimensions grew. I needed a light, narrow motorcycle. I started looking for options. Honda VTR 1000, beautiful, but voracious and with a small tank, Suzuki SV 650, vibrates just like Bros... And yet, a couple of times I almost fell apart on the wheel, due to the skidding of the front wheel, I really wanted a motorcycle with abs. For example BMW R1100RS, BMW F800. But this is all in dreams, the considerable price of these devices makes you wonder whether it is necessary, after all, a motorcycle can be stolen in one minute, and the more expensive it is, the higher the chances that it will be stolen. No alarm will help here. They will simply throw him into a gazelle and take him away. In general, I am not yet mature enough for such a device. Naturally, my motorcycle is stored in the garage, but I have to leave it somewhere.

Vyfer, meanwhile, presented a new surprise - the clutch slave cylinder was leaking. Replaced. The rear stoplamp switch is broken. Fixed it. The heated grips are broken. Fixed it. But all this became boring.

Honda in sports

Many fans of the Honda empire know that at the very beginning of its existence, this giant produced engines for bicycles. To show the general public what a great quality they were, Honda entered every possible race.

Today the manufacturer has turned into a real automoto empire, and this tradition is still alive. It would seem that for a long time there is no need to prove anything to anyone, because the big name Honda speaks for itself. But all new bike models coming off the assembly line must be tested on the tracks.

The Honda Bros 650 is no exception. It did not take part in official competitions because high speed is not its intended purpose. But on the track, not only speed and fast acceleration play an important role. Racing enthusiasts often choose this model for both street riding and semi-professional tracks. The road to the big sport “Bros” is closed; a serious sport bike can easily bypass it. But in its class it has high dynamics and controllability. Judging by numerous reviews, this model is a reliable mid-ranger that can become a faithful companion and cause a minimum of trouble to its owner.

Video

People who really want to race might find that they are more comfortable on the relatively light and stiff Bros. At the same time, the rigid frame makes it very stable in high-speed turns. We offer you a video with the participation of the hero of our article, overcoming the bustle of the city on the roads.

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Comments (2)

1. Dmitriy:
   06/10/2015 at 19:03

   It would be nice to also talk about his sports career. After all, Bros participated a lot in circuit racing...

   Answer

   admin:

   06/23/2015 at 16:09

   Unfortunately, it was not possible to find information that this motorcycle took part in official competitions. If you can tell me which competitions (name, place, year) he took part in, we will definitely add information about this to the article.

   Read also:  Restoration of the Vyatka “Electron” scooter, 1970.

   Answer

Purpose

This motorcycle is often the choice of those who already have driving experience and have outgrown 125 and 250 cc. Honda Bros 650 as a first motorcycle is a dubious pleasure. Still, he has a sharp temperament, he reacts very quickly to commands, and quickly gains acceleration. On the one hand, these are undoubted advantages, on the other hand, you should learn to drive on a calmer “horse”. This, of course, is a general recommendation, and not at all a strict taboo. Some people are quite good at harnessing this bike even without a lot of experience behind them.

The appearance of a typical naked bike makes this model very attractive to residents of big cities. And his character is appropriate. Honda Bros 650 has high maneuverability and easily avoids traffic jams. Thanks to powerful suspensions, it copes well with uneven roads and is not intimidated by paving stones or even gravel. You can also use it to get out of the city - a country road, a field, a wooded area will be quite suitable for it. As for endurance on a long journey, you shouldn’t have unreasonable hopes. It “gets tired” and overheats, and it’s unlikely to be able to travel a thousand kilometers in a day. But it’s quite possible to fly to a neighboring city or the nearest body of water. For this, by and large, the Honda Bros 650 was created. Reviews from owners, by the way, note a comfortable fit, in which the muscles do not become numb and do not get tired. Moreover, the second number will be no less comfortable, because the passenger seat is spacious and comfortable.

Comparative characteristics of Honda NTV 650

Below are the main differences between the bike in question and its European counterpart, the Hawk GT. The parameters of the last unit are given in parentheses:

• Frame type – steel (aluminum alloy).
• Fuel tank - large 19 liter tank (compact 10 liter tank plus reserve tank).
• The steering wheel is standard (with clip-ons).
• The seat is large, low, soft with a full-fledged passenger seat (the saddle is high, compact and hard).
• Luggage compartments – there are several places for storing tools and other “small things” (there are practically no luggage compartments).
• The tail part protrudes beyond the dimensions of the wheel (a shortened tail that weakly protects the motorcyclist’s back from dirt).
• Switching box - during operation, the unit creates a characteristic sound during switching (the unit operates almost silently).
• Drive – cardan (chain).

Opportunities for tuning and customization

It’s as if the manufacturer himself stimulates and inspires model owners to make some modifications. First of all, this concerns a modest, even meager palette. The first most popular modification is painting it in the desired color.

Fans of street fighters are partial to “Throw.” It might just be a style statement! Already unencumbered by unnecessary metal and plastic, this bike can be further lightened by removing the fairings located under the tank and seat. A custom flat steering wheel and a headlight without a fairing harmonize very well with the appearance of the Honda Bros 650. Tuning often includes upgrading the lighting.

On tuned “Bros” you can find overcooked exhaust pipes. Sometimes they are lifted up at an angle and equipped with powerful mufflers. This gives the appearance of the motorcycle the aggressive features of a real male.

As is often the case with streetfighters (and naked bikes too), the Honda Bros 650 may lack a passenger seat. Not everyone thinks that it has practical benefits, and this only affects the appearance of the bike for the better.

Photo gallery

Bros is extremely well constructed.
Not surprisingly, it received very positive reviews during its release. The NT650 is often described as an iconic motorcycle. So let's take a look and evaluate its appearance. In our selection you can find photographs of the motorcycle from all sides, which will allow you to examine it in as much detail as possible.

Prices

If you are thinking about buying a motorcycle of this model, be prepared for the fact that you are unlikely to be able to find a new unit. After all, they stopped producing it many years ago. There is another way - buying directly, that is, from a Japanese auction. And if financially it is the most profitable, then you will have to worry a lot about delivery and customs clearance. Therefore, the best option remains secondary. On the secondary market, the average price for a Honda Bros 650 motorcycle will be $3,000. At the same time, a unit that was brought from abroad will cost more than one that has already been driven on Russian roads. Insist on the possibility of a preliminary test drive to personally evaluate all the features of this bike.

Estimated cost

This motorcycle was produced for only 4 years, and its production was no longer restored, so now it is impossible to find a new Honda Bros motorcycle .

But you can buy it on the secondary market; although it was produced for a short time, the company collected a sufficient amount, so the Honda Bros cannot be called a rare and collectible copy.

You can buy a Honda Bros NT650 at Japanese auctions, but this is quite difficult, and then you will need to ensure the delivery of the motorcycle and its customs clearance.

But you can buy this motorcycle that has already gone through all this; there are quite enough offers for it .

The price largely depends on the technical condition of the motorcycle, as well as the presence or absence of alterations in it. The year of production does not particularly affect the price.

The minimum cost of the Honda Bros NT650 starts at 90,000 rubles. The maximum cost for a Honda Bros with a 650 cc engine reaches 220,000 rubles.

We are ready to present you a super motorcycle, without which no official review will be complete. You will find the characteristics of the Honda Valkyrie in our publication.

The engineers have worked hard to put together a motorcycle that combines power and agility perfectly.