2015 EICMA: Honda CB Six50 Concept
Honda is dipping its toe in the suddenly trendy scrambler waters, introducing a concept model based off of its CB650F and CBR650F platform. The CB Six50 Concept, like the CB4 roadster concept, is a design exercise from Honda R&D Europe presented at EICMA.
While the engine and frame appear identical to those on the production 650s, the CB Six50 adopts the prototypical scrambler garb of wire-spoke wheels, knobby tires and rising exhaust. A bash plate protects the four header pipes, which is a shame given their elegant design, but it’s a practical choice for a machine claiming off-road capability.
While models like Moto Guzzi‘s new V7 II Stornello or Triumph’s Scrambler seek a retro look, the CB Six50 has a very modern aesthetic. Eschewing the round headlight design of its competitors (including the Ducati Scrambler which also uses an LED), Honda opted for a rectangular headlight with a spartan-looking mounting that shows off rather than hides the routing of cables.
The motocross-style handlebar is mounted high above the triple clamp, and it’s here that Honda has attached a smartphone-sized digital display; no circular analogue dials on this scrambler.
The Six50’s seat looks very slender and rises up to a very minimalist tail. The ribbed seat is red, matching the bars that guard the radiator and extends up into a similar red stripe on the fuel tank.
Like the CB4, the CB Six50 is just a concept with no firm plans for a production model.
Dennis has been a part of the Motorcycle.com team since 2008, and through his tenure, has developed a firm grasp of industry trends, and a solid sense of what's to come. A bloodhound when it comes to tracking information on new motorcycles, if there's a new model on the horizon, you'll probably hear about it from him first.
More by Dennis Chung
Comments
Join the conversation
Very interesting concept! I like how it combines scrambler cues with more modern dual sport elements, rather than being a slavish retro design like so many bikes and cars these days. Those header pipes really are elegant, though I wonder if Honda might want to route them around the engine versus under it, for better ground clearance. I can't discern the purpose of the four edge guards on the head and tail lights (I admit I'm not a dirt rider), but I do like the minimalist brush guards on the handlebar ends and the overall rugged look, especially since it eschews the goofy high-mounted beak found so often on modern dual sports.
This bike just Ooozes Cool!!!