A year has already passed since Honda's 4-cylinder 400cc models disappeared with the CB400 Super Fore (SF) being discontinued in October 2022.
Will there be a new model?
It will be a standard naked for Japan!
Rumors of Honda's new 4-cylinder 400cc model have been around since before the CB400SF was discontinued, and have been reported frequently on Webike Plus. The story is that a 4-cylinder 500cc model is being developed in China, which will be converted to a 400cc model and introduced to Japan as well. This is expected to be the successor to the CB400SF.
At the time this rumor circulated, the question was "Why China?" but today, it is a very real possibility. Not only has Kawasaki's ZX-4R been launched in China in 2023 and has been a hit, but local manufacturers are entering the parallel 4-cylinder sports model market one after another.
Sports bikes are enjoying a boom in China, and Honda is expected to release a new parallel 4-cylinder entry-level model locally to coincide with this boom. At the same time, a 4-cylinder 400cc model will be released based on a concept for the Japanese market, with the timing expected to be in 2025.
Although the model image is unknown, it is likely to be a concept for the Japanese market. This is because there is no major difference in taste between China and Japan, and what works in the Japanese market will also sell in China. It is expected that development will proceed in pursuit of a standard naked model that will sell well in Japan.
400RRR [KOVE] 400cc supersport from a Chinese manufacturer whose prototype was unveiled in November 2022. The engine was previously unveiled a year earlier and was announced at 75 PS (55 kW).
The ZX-25R-like short exhaust and curved swingarm give the bike a Kawasaki-conscious build.
Although the pivot portion of the frame appears to be slender, it has an elaborate semi-pivotless structure.
450RRR [KOVE] The 450RR debuted at the Beijing Motor Show in April 2023. The displacement and style were quickly changed from the prototype 400RR. This rapidity is also unique to China. The price is 39,800 yuan (about 5552 USD).
This photo was taken at a test drive event at the Chengdu Circuit in China in May. From this angle, it is truly a Panigale V4.
This is a lower-priced version with no adjustment mechanism on the fork and a 2-pot front brake.
The price is 35,800 yuan (approx. 4990 USD).
500SR [CFMOTO] A prototype of a parallel 4-cylinder 500cc engine was unveiled by CFMOTO of China in September. This supersport is expected to go on sale shortly.
The radial-mounted calipers and engine show the use of a compact triaxial triangular structure.
The motorcycle was also shown on the circuit in front of the audience, foreshadowing that it will soon be available on the market.
Honda will locally produce four-cylinder models in China!
Perhaps related to the 4-cylinder 400cc, the information is that Honda has started local production of the CBR400R in China. Kawasaki's Ninja 400 is said to be a hit in China, and the company is competing with it at a price about 150,000 yen lower than the Ninja 400 by local production that can reduce tariffs. Also available is the CB400F, which has been discontinued in Japan.
Meanwhile, Kawasaki has launched the ZX-4R series in China, following the success of the Ninja 400 in China. At 69,800 yuan (about 1.4 million yen), which is cheaper than the existing Japanese-brand 4-cylinder models, this model is also attracting attention in China.
Honda's new four-cylinder model will probably compete with this model.
Honda has the advantage of manufacturing in China to achieve lower tariff prices, and if a 4-cylinder model can be produced locally, it is likely to be less expensive than the ZX-4R. This is also the background to the growing interest in multi-cylinder models in China, and as mentioned earlier, local manufacturers are becoming rivals.
If a Honda 4-cylinder 500cc model were to be launched in China, it would be highly competitive in China if it could beat the ZX-4R in displacement and be priced at a lower level. In addition, if a 4-cylinder 400cc variant of the ZX-4R can be priced lower than the ZX-4R in Japan, it should attract a great deal of attention. Stay tuned for further updates.
Ninja ZX-4R China Spec [KAWASAKI] Kawasaki produces the ZX-4R in Thailand, and the Japanese version is also exported from Thailand. Exporting from Thailand to China has the advantage of lower tariffs.
Ninja 400 China spec [KAWASAKI] The Ninja 400, the model that started the fire, costs 49,800 yuan (about 1 million yen) in China. It is Kawasaki's cheapest sports model locally with a parallel two-cylinder engine.
CBR400R China spec [HONDA] Parallel two-cylinder supersport. The Chinese production of this model has realized a lower price than that of the Ninja 400 at 42,000 yuan (about 5903 USD). The CB400F is also released.
CB400F China spec [HONDA] A sibling of the CBR400R. A 400cc version of the CB500F, which was discontinued in Japan, was released in China.
A 400cc model not available in Japan is rarely sold overseas. The 4-cylinder model is an advanced version of this model.
With the popularity of sports bikes in China, Honda's production of parallel four-cylinder engine models in China may expand its lineup in the Japanese market.
To the image: CG produced by the editorial department.
