Honda has been showing design sketches at the Honda Technical Research Institute in Asaka.
The main exhibit was a sketch of the famous concept model CB FOUR, which later became the CB1100. Many other interesting sketches were also on display.
Unpublished sketches are also on display.
There are various processes involved in the actual release of a motorcycle as a product, but the first step is a single sketch. Of course, the purpose and expression of the sketch drawn at the development stage will vary, but it is quite an important element, as clay and CAD are used to create a three-dimensional form based on the sketch.
This year's exhibition features a collection of design sketches from various years and genres, drawn from 1968 to the present. Some of the sketches have never been shown to the public, making this exhibition a spectacular show that only Honda R&D can provide. The following is an introduction to each of the sketches along with explanatory text by Honda.
Set in the center of the exhibition was a sketch of the CB FOUR. The fact that this one piece eventually led to the CB1100 must have been largely due to the power of the drawing.
This was shown at the time of the CB1100's launch in 2010 and was filled with the thoughts of designer Mitsuyoshi Kohama in text. It strongly emphasized the mechanical beauty of the air-cooled four-cylinder engine.
CB FOUR (1999) [HONDA] Aiming to create a "bike that makes you want to ride without any logic," this model was actually sculpted. Is it necessary to build an air-cooled engine with inferior performance? This question was answered in kind.
The winged tail cowl of the CB to the present day was born from the CBX.
The CBX, launched in 1978, was named with the intention of X = ultimate CB, and its unparalleled parallel 6-cylinder 1047cc engine produced 105 PS, making it a masterpiece.
Another key design feature was the winged tail cowl, which was the first to be fitted on the CB1300 series.
According to Designer Trivia, which includes testimony from alumni, the CBX was initially designed without a rear cowl, but when it was on the verge of mass production, it was pointed out that it lacked power.
When the designer was on an overseas business trip, the modeler who took care of the model in his absence created a rear cowl with wings on a clay model. When the designer returned to Japan after deciding on the design for the CB750F/900F, he had the same idea for the rear cowl, which led to the adoption of the winged rear cowl for the first time on a mass-produced CBX.
The CBX was also the originator of other later design trends, such as the duralumin forged clip-on handlebars. The winged tail cowl became a boom item in aftermarket parts and has been reproduced in the CB SuperFour series since the 1990s.
The "1978 CBX1000" emphasizes the sporty image with a cowling that was not used on the production model. The naming of the side cover as CX1000 indicates that the motorcycle's name had not been decided.
CBX [HONDA] The actual vehicle was also on display. It is Honda's first 1000cc class supersport equipped with the same DOHC 4-valve 6-cylinder engine as the GP racers of the 1960s.
The tail cowl of the CBX had a wing-like ornament, which led to the further development of the bike design from the Z1 with a tail cowl. That anecdote (trivia) is also interesting.
CB400 FOUR was a real Transforming to 400Four
Released in 1974, the CB400 Four was one of the café racer-inspired machines that were showing signs of a boom at the time. Its beautiful style with a group exhaust made it so popular that used prices skyrocketed after its production ended, and it is now a collector's item and a famous machine.
According to the designer trivia with testimonials from alumni, "In fact, the designer of the CB400FOUR was also in charge of the CB350FOUR. The CB400FOUR's innovative design, which became extremely popular, was "revenge" for the unpopular 350.
Later, they also produced the still popular CBX400F and Fusion, both of which were produced again sometime after they were discontinued, creating a long-loved design that would boom again and again.
The predecessor of the CB400 Four, the CB350 Four (1972), did not sell well and was replaced by the CB400 Four. It is said that due to the popularity of FOUR, a custom called Transforming to 400Four, which is a 350 with a 400 exterior, became popular, but even before that, the CB400 Four rider itself had been made into a Transforming to 400Four by a designer!
A design sketch was drawn with a pen called the "1974 CB400FOUR" marker. The alcohol dye ink dried quickly, making it possible to quickly draw many pictures.
The rocket cowl x single seat sketch explores the styling possibilities.
The sketches with cowls have actually even been given shape.
The sketch of a racer is also drawn only for the CB400 Four, which has a racy image.
