Honda presents CB-F Concept

Making its world premiere online on 27 March, the CB-F Concept revisits the CB series’ extensive history, which reached its sixth decade last year. Honda says the approach their designers took was to thoroughly explore what to preserve and what to evolve with the company’s flagship sports bike.

In this instance, the styling takes obvious cues from the 1979 CB750F Super Sport with its angular tank that’s closely integrated with the side covers. Compared to the ‘Neo-Sports Café’ look of the current CB1000R, the concept’s styling is a world away: slimmer, smoother and altogether cleaner, even though it shares its engine and most of its cycle parts with the current production CB1000R.

The CB-F Concept’s engine is the same 998cc DOHC inline 4-cylinder as the CB1000R and the steel mono-backbone frame appears to be the same, too.

Inverted front suspension, a lightweight aluminium single-sided Pro-Arm configuration at the rear and the brakes are all production spec, while the CB-F Concept’s length and width are also almost identical to the CB1000R. However, deleting the mirrors explains the 25mm reduction in height.

Following the presentation of the CB-F Concept, Honda announced its “Honda Virtual Motorcycle Show” website, with 29 Honda motorcycles on show, covering various categories and including the CB-F Concept. All these bikes were ready for display at the 36th Osaka Motorcycle Show and 47th Tokyo Motorcycle Show (originally scheduled for 20-22 March and 27-29 March, respectively) before the coronavirus led to their cancellation.

See the online ‘Honda booth’ at honda.com.jp/motorcycleshow/