We have reported on this Web site that the CB400 Super Fore will be discontinued at the end of October 2022, and we would like to report on the trend of what will be done with training vehicles.
The number of people obtaining regular motorcycle licenses with engine displacements up to 400 cc is on the rise, and the motorcycle industry must develop new models of learner's vehicles to maintain this momentum.
Which model will be chosen as the new learner's motorcycle?
Written: Best Car Web Editorial Department, CG/SRD
This article was originally published in "Best Car Web" on December 2, 2022.
There are only a few 400cc lineups that can be used as training vehicles.
Although there is no road training on public roads with a provisional license for a motorcycle training vehicle like a car, it is necessary to comply with laws and regulations. Therefore, the CB400 SuperFour (SF), which did not comply with the 2020 emission regulations, and the CB400SF training vehicle version based on it were discontinued.
Considering the useful life of the vehicles, there is an urgent need to develop new models. The end of the supply of training vehicles could limit the number of students and would affect the management of driving schools. However, the lineup of candidate vehicles with a displacement of 300 cc or more that can be used as training vehicles for standard motorcycle licenses is quite limited.
In recent years, the popularity of motorcycles has been bifurcated between big bikes (401 cc and larger) and light motorcycles (126 to 250 cc, which no longer require vehicle inspections), and the number of 300 to 400 cc manual transmission models has been declining year by year. There are only three current candidates for Honda and two each for Yamaha and Kawasaki.
Furthermore, excluding the supersport models with cowls, the three manufacturers are down to four models, but the information we have received is that Honda will be releasing an ordinary motorcycle training vehicle. The only possible models are the neo-classic GB350 or the crossover tourer 400X. Which one is it?
This is what the 400X (left) and GB350 (right) look like when used as training vehicles. Even Honda, the largest manufacturer in the industry, is limited in the number of 400cc models that can be used as base vehicles. CG illustrations were created by the editorial department.
HONDA CB400 Super Fore Instructional Vehicle Specifications. Released in December 2017 in compliance with the 2016 emission regulations. Seat height is set at 750mm, 5mm lower than STD, and equipped with bumpers, and other details are different.
The 400X is rich in the new normal two-wheel training vehicle
According to the information obtained by the editorial department, the 400X is rich in new training vehicles for ordinary motorcycles. In July this year, the NC750X, the same crossover tourer type as the 400X, was launched as the NC750L (L = Licence/Licensed) learner's vehicle in compliance with the 2020 emission regulations, and the same trend is expected for the standard motorcycles.
The 400X also had a naked sibling, the CB400F, at the time of its debut in 2013, which was more suitable as a learner's vehicle but was discontinued after only one generation due to unpopularity. Its full-cowl sibling, the CBR400R, is not suitable as a learner's vehicle because its handlebars are too low.
The 400X is the model sold overseas as the CB500X and is in effect a larger motorcycle. For 2019, the front wheel has been enlarged from 17 to 19 inches and the overall height increased by 45 mm. It is 295 mm taller than the CB400SF training-spec model, which may be a formidable size for beginner trainees.
The reason why GB350 would not be chosen, then, is that the 400X's parallel two-cylinder engine is easier to handle than the big single. Also, the air-cooled mechanism of GB350 would be a disadvantage in a continuous low-speed summer driving environment. In other words, the 400X is the only choice.
HONDA 400X Instructional spec. 30cm taller than the CB400SF instructional spec model because of the larger screen and larger front wheel diameter. CG illustrations were created by the editorial department.
HONDA GB350 Instructional Vehicle Specifications. The GB is also a candidate because it can be used as an instructional vehicle as long as its displacement is 300 cc or larger. However, the air-cooled big-single engine was considered a bottleneck. CG illustrations were created by the editorial department.
HONDA NC750L MT Instructional Motorcycle Specifications. A new generation large instructional motorcycle that replaced the NC750L based on the NC750S, which was discontinued. This model has 17-inch wheels, so it is not as tall as the 400X, but it is 80mm taller than the previous model.
What will be the difficulty level of practical skills compared to the CB400SF training specification vehicle
The author has test-ridden both the CB400SF and the 400X with 19-inch front wheels and frankly speaking if the production version is to be used as a training vehicl as it is, the 400X is likely to be a little more difficult than the CB400SF. As we have already written, the 19-inch front wheel is the key point.
Simply, larger wheel diameters provide more stability and comfort in touring, but small-diameter wheels have an advantage in small turns. It will be interesting to see how this will affect the slow-motion, which many riders have difficulty with in driving school assignments. In addition, the volume of the front end and the high center of gravity will also affect this.
Conversely, it is the single bridge that seems to offer an advantage. Some riders may be rather pleased with this challenge, as it is more difficult than slow-motion. Not only the stability of 19-inch wheels but also the upright and wide handlebars, which are unique to adventure tourers, should make it easier to control the balance.
The weight of the CB400SF is 198 kg without the training equipment, so it is evenly matched with the 400X, which weighs 199 kg. In addition, the 400X's parallel two-cylinder engine can easily start without revving up too much, so it is less likely to stall than the high-revving parallel four-cylinder CB400SF. However, the seat height of 400X, which is 50mm higher than that of CB400SF, should be lowered for a learner's motorcycle. The launch is expected to be in April 2024.
This is how it looks when a 170cm tall man straddles the 400X. The tank and handlebars are higher than those of CB400SF, so he should feel a sense of volume. However, it is not as big as 750 class
The foot grounding of a 65kg male rider is a little hefty and floats a little. The seat height is 800mm, 50mm higher than the CB400SF training spec model, so smaller riders may feel uneasy.
The 400X had 17-inch wheels until 2018, so could it be lowered by utilizing the suspension of the instructional spec motorcycle here?
Slow-motion at a practice session using a driving school. The distance between pylons in the training task is 4.5m, which is the same as the large test, so 400X should have no problem clearing the pylons.
With larger diameter wheels and wider handlebars that increase straight-line stability, a single bridge would be easier to do on the 400X than on the CB400SF.
