u/kunalm10_

Hey everyone,

I’m in a bit of a dilemma and could use some outside perspective before I pull the trigger.

I was pretty much set on buying a 2026 CB650R. It’s from a private seller, only 13 miles on it, basically brand new. The guy bought it from a dealer but hasn’t ridden it due to a baby on the way and some garage changes. I checked it out in person — it was a bit dusty from sitting, had a little white smoke and some water droplets on startup, but it cleared up quickly and ran perfectly after that. From what I understand, that seems normal for a bike that’s been sitting.

Price is $8,800, but I’d probably spend another \~$700 on accessories (phone mount, small windscreen, luggage, etc.), so all-in it’s a bit higher.

Just when I thought I was done deciding, I came across a 2019 Street Scrambler 900 with about 2,000 miles. Looks really clean, garage kept, first service done at 500 miles, and only ridden \~100 miles in the last year. I’ve managed to negotiate it down to $7,000.

Now I’m confused.

On one hand:

CB650R = basically new, no history concerns, smoother for highway (I ride around 70–80 mph fairly often), more of a “safe” choice

On the other:

Scrambler = more character, already cheaper, feels like a more “special” bike, but it has been sitting and might need tires/fluids/battery soon

For context:

\- I’m not an aggressive rider

\- Mostly commuting + longer weekend rides ( will do some 300-400 mile trips too)

\- Coming from a smaller bike, so this is a step up either way

\- I care about comfort at highway speeds but also want something I’ll enjoy owning

Financially, they seem to even out over time, so this isn’t really about saving money anymore.

Would really appreciate input from people who’ve owned or ridden either (or both). What would you do in this situation?

Thanks in advance.

Hey everyone,

I’m in a bit of a dilemma and could use some outside perspective before I pull the trigger.

I was pretty much set on buying a 2026 CB650R. It’s from a private seller, only 13 miles on it, basically brand new. The guy bought it from a dealer but hasn’t ridden it due to a baby on the way and some garage changes. I checked it out in person — it was a bit dusty from sitting, had a little white smoke and some water droplets on startup, but it cleared up quickly and ran perfectly after that. From what I understand, that seems normal for a bike that’s been sitting.

Price is $8,800, but I’d probably spend another \~$700 on accessories (phone mount, small windscreen, luggage, etc.), so all-in it’s a bit higher.

Just when I thought I was done deciding, I came across a 2019 Street Scrambler 900 with about 2,000 miles. Looks really clean, garage kept, first service done at 500 miles, and only ridden \~100 miles in the last year. I’ve managed to negotiate it down to $7,000.

Now I’m confused.

On one hand:

CB650R = basically new, no history concerns, smoother for highway (I ride around 70–80 mph fairly often), more of a “safe” choice

On the other:

Scrambler = more character, already cheaper, feels like a more “special” bike, but it has been sitting and might need tires/fluids/battery soon

For context:

\- I’m not an aggressive rider

\- Mostly commuting + longer weekend rides ( will do some 300-400 mile trips too)

\- Coming from a smaller bike, so this is a step up either way

\- I care about comfort at highway speeds but also want something I’ll enjoy owning

Financially, they seem to even out over time, so this isn’t really about saving money anymore.

Would really appreciate input from people who’ve owned or ridden either (or both). What would you do in this situation?

Thanks in advance.

Hi everyone,

I’m planning to buy a Honda CB650R next week and I’ve been going through a lot of owner reviews online. One thing that keeps coming up is vibration between ~4,000–6,000 RPM, with some people saying it becomes quite noticeable or even uncomfortable.

I had a couple of specific concerns I was hoping current owners could help with:

1. Vibrations at cruising speeds- I’ll mostly use the bike for commuting and relaxed riding, not aggressive riding. My typical cruising speed would be around 70–80 mph.

In that range, does the bike sit in that 4,000–6,000 RPM zone where the vibrations are reported, or is it smoother at highway speeds?

2. Long-distance comfort - I’m also planning occasional day rides of about 250–300 miles.

How manageable is the CB650R for that kind of distance in terms of comfort, seat, and overall fatigue?

3. General real-world experience - Are the vibration complaints overblown, or is it something you genuinely notice after an hour or two of riding?

Would appreciate real-world feedback from people who have actually done highway miles and longer rides on this bike.