Will Honda’s Next Sports Bike Feature a Four-Cylinder 400 cc Engine?

A new development from Japan suggests that Honda might soon introduce a CBR400R Four, a four-cylinder 400cc sportbike. This design isn’t unfamiliar to Japanese manufacturers like Honda and Kawasaki, who have historically catered to Japan’s specific motorcycle licensing laws.

The newly registered name “CBR400R Four” seems to echo the legacy of Honda’s iconic CB750 Four from the late 1960s and early 1970s, a model that helped define the modern four-cylinder sportbike. Honda’s innovation with this model set a standard that other Japanese brands followed.

During the late 1980s and early 1990s, Honda offered several four-cylinder sports models such as the CBR400RR and CBR250RR for the Japanese market, which gained a loyal following worldwide. With Kawasaki’s recent revival of the four-cylinder small-displacement segment through models like the ZX-25R and ZX-4R, Honda is poised to re-enter this niche.

Currently, Honda’s lineup includes the CBR500R, a twin-cylinder bike, and the CBR650R, a four-cylinder model, both priced competitively in Malaysia. Despite the market’s recent shift towards twin-cylinder motorcycles in the 400cc to 660cc range, brands like CFMoto and Aprilia are also contributing to this trend.