Honda probably felt like it was onto a sure-fire winner when it launched the CB650 at the end of the 1970s. The 650 class was the sweet spot for many riders, and Yamaha and Kawasaki had strong contenders in the XS650 and Z 650.
Those two bikes are still popular today, in both the classic and custom markets. But the CB650 failed to fire, despite illustrious brethren such as the CB750 and CB350.

Sometimes it just takes one killer build to reignite interest in a forgotten model, and hopefully this sleek scrambler-tinged build from Black Lanes Motor will do the trick for the CB650.
Based in Stockholm, Sweden, Black Lanes is run by Andreas Jönsson and Håkan Boqvist. Both grew up in small towns, and both were avid skateboarders before getting into motorcycles.
?We realized that motorcycles share many of the freedom aspects of skateboarding,? the guys tell us. ?HÃ¥kan is a sucker for the old and knackered, and Andreas for the ?shine? and wood details.?
?We love the purity of mechanical solutions, and removing everything but the essentials necessary for a bike to run.?

?Black Lane No.2? is a 1980 Honda CB650, but it arrived in a sorry state. ?Last summer, my neighbor had a CB650 in a pile of bits,? says Andreas. ?He was tired of it, so I asked to buy it for 400 euros (US$480).?
?I was not ready for a positive answer, but he agreed! The bike was on the floor, with parts in boxes, and the engine looked like shit. I needed to make sure the engine would run perfectly, so I ga...