Honda announced that it will establish a new company in China at the end of December called Honda Motorcycle (Shanghai) Co. Honda Motorcycle (Shanghai) ("Honda Motorcycle Shanghai") to be established at the end of December. The company will begin to strengthen sales of fan bikes, which have been booming in China in recent years.
CG: SRD
Large motorcycles in China are models over 500 cc.
Honda Motorcycle Shanghai is a new company established by Honda to strengthen its large motorcycle business in China. The company will be headquartered in Shanghai, China, and is scheduled to begin operations on April 1.
According to Honda, the large motorcycle model sales business has been operated as a division of Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (China) Investment Co., Ltd., but by making it independent as Honda Motorcycle Shanghai, it will be able to make decisions on business and product strategies. The company aims to increase its speed and quickly provide products that meet customer needs in China, where the market is changing rapidly.
In recent years, fun bikes have become increasingly popular in China, and by 2022, sales of medium to large motorcycles of 200 cc or more will exceed 800,000 units, making it the world's second-largest market. Webike Plus has been introducing new sports bikes in China for some time, and with their increasing sophistication, Honda is probably poised to make a serious entry into the Chinese market.
It is rumored that in 2025, a new parallel 4-cylinder 500cc model will be launched for the Chinese market, and a 400cc version of this model will be introduced to the Japanese market as the new CB400. In China, a 500cc model or larger is considered a large motorcycle, so the new 4-cylinder 500cc model is expected to catalyze Honda Motorcycle Shanghai.
CB400F [HONDA] The parallel two-cylinder CB exhibited at the Chongqing MC show in September was reportedly produced locally in August, keeping the price low. Is this a strategy to step up to a 4-cylinder 500cc model as an entry-level CB?
New CB400 [CG forecast] This CG forecast is based on the fact that the end of 2024 will be the 50th anniversary of the CB400 Four. It is assumed that the parallel 4-cylinder 500cc version will be for China and the 400cc version for Japan.
In China, the company has「Honda Dream Wing」dealers in major cities that handle large models (500cc and larger).
The aim is to further strengthen this sales network and product lineup.
The spacious and luxurious interior of Honda Dream Wing. Prices there are about double those in Japan, with the CBR650R in the front priced at 2.2 million Japanese yen and the Gold Wing Tour at about 9 million yen.
Honda recognizes Chinese manufacturers as rivals.
The CBR650R is priced at about 2.2 million Japanese yen locally, but even so, it has attracted attention as an inexpensive model for a Japanese-made multiple. Kawasaki has introduced the ZX-4R to China, and at 1.4 million yen, it is currently selling close to 5,000 units.
With the rise of fun bikes in China, local manufacturers have been gaining strength in recent years. In particular, for the 2024 model year, several manufacturers are releasing parallel 4-cylinder models, and some are even trying to steal Japanese manufacturers' share of the market.
The CBR650R's popularity was the catalyst for this trend.
At the Chongqing Motorcycle Show in September, three parallel four-cylinder models of 778cc, 673cc, and 660cc made their debut at the same time from Chinese manufacturers competing against the CBR650R. Against the ZX-4R, KOVE is releasing a 450RR, a parallel 4-cylinder model, for 710,000 to 790,000 yen, half the price of the ZX-4R, on the strength of its local production.
One Honda official said that they recognize Chinese manufacturers as rivals and have shown a willingness to compete with them, and the establishment of Honda Motorcycle Shanghai is believed to be a step in this direction. If the development of new vehicles for the Chinese market is promoted, it should be possible to expect simultaneous development with that for the Japanese market.
Stay tuned for further news.
SRK800RR [QJMOTOR] New parallel 4-cylinder machine. The engine and frame show signs of having studied the CBR650R, which is popular in China. The Chinese name is Sai 800, which means "to compete.
The Gresini Racing Team colors for Moto2 will also be released to reinforce the racing image.
The engine is a new parallel 4-cylinder 778cc, similar to the CBR650R. Maximum output is 102 PS, higher than the CBR650R's 648 cc and 95 PS.
RC680R [CYCLONE] A new supersport debuted under the ZONSEN fan model brand. It adopts a parallel 4-cylinder engine for the first time. Detailed specifications have not yet been announced.
The RC680R is on the left and the Honda CBR650R is on the right. The engine looks the same as the CBR650R, but the details are different.
There are two winglets on each side. I have a riding camera set up under the screen.
RR666S [VOGE] Loncin, the manufacturer of BMW's parallel two-cylinder engines, has introduced the first supersport with a parallel four-cylinder engine from its VOGE brand.
It seems to be influenced by the 2006 Yamaha YZF-R6 with a similar atmosphere. Pro-Arm's popularity is universal.
The parallel 4-cylinder engine does not resemble the CBR650R engine, unlike the QJ motor and Zonschen.
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 muffler 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 5586 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 (about 5021 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.