[Update on Honda 400cc 4-cylinder] Is it based on a Chinese full-cowl model? Will Japan introduce a naked version with the name and style of the “CB400Four” in 2025, the 50th anniversary of the CB400Four?

We have received the latest information on "Honda's 400cc four-cylinder" that we have been reporting on frequently on this website. It seems that 400cc and 500cc fully-cowled in-line four-cylinders will be produced mainly in China, and will be released as naked motorcycles in Japan. 2025 marks the 50th anniversary of the debut of the CB400 Four. Will the 400cc in-line four-cylinder naked motorcycle be revived as the "Reiwa Four-Four"?

"Mid-range 4-cylinder engine tailored to each country's market" to be released

As previously reported, Honda has officially announced that it is developing a mid-size in-line 4-cylinder model in China. At the Chongqing Motorcycle Show in China, Honda's de facto motorcycle head Minoru Kato spoke about developing a "4-cylinder mid-size model." A full-cowl model was shown in the video, which seems to suggest the release of a super sports model.

Furthermore, new information was caught that "We will release mid-size 4-cylinder models tailored to each country's market."

Currently, full-cowl mid-size models are popular in China, led by Kawasaki's ZX-4R. Local manufacturers are also releasing new models one after another, with KOVE releasing the 4-cylinder "450RR" in 2024 and CFMOTO announcing the 500cc in-line 4-cylinder "500SR VOOM."

To counter this trend, Honda is expected to launch a full-cowled inline-four sports motorcycle for China.

On the other hand, there is a strong demand for naked bikes in Japan. Starting with the CB400 Four in the 1970s, 400cc inline-four naked motorcycles such as the Z400FX and CBX400F are still very popular today, and there was a 400-naked boom in the 1990s. However, since the CB400 Super Four (SF)/CB400 Super Bol d'Or (SB) will end production in 2022, the lineup has been discontinued.

I hear that the "revival of the 400 inline-four naked motorcycles" has long been requested by riders and dealers alike. Therefore, it is expected that the full-cowled model for China will be modified into a naked bike and launched in the Japanese market. If a model is launched for the market, the looks expected by Japanese people are likely to be orthodox with a single round eye.

The full-cowl version for China will not be sold in Japan, but it is expected to be released in two versions, the naked version and the Chinese version.

Honda's Motorcycle Business Division General Manager Minoru Kato giving a presentation in front of the screen. The upper part of the four-cylinder medium engine displacement model is the CBR400R, while the lower part uses the silhouette of the CBR500R.

Since its introduction in 1992, the CB400SF straight-four naked bike has been extremely popular as a standard, high-performance model. It has also been used as a driving school motorcycle for many years. It makes sense to launch a model that meets market demand.

If the full-cowled model is called CBR400R FOUR, then the naked model is called CB400FOUR, right?

The name of the Japanese naked version is likely to be "CB400FOUR".

Just before the Chongqing Motorcycle Show, Honda applied for the trademark "CBR400R FOUR" in Japan on August 27th. This is expected to be the name of the mid-sized 4-cylinder full-cowl model, and the "FOUR" at the end of the name is likely to be intended to distinguish it from the existing 2-cylinder model, the CBR400R.

Also, if the name CBR400R FOUR is adopted, it is expected that the concept will be the all-purpose character of the CBR-R series, rather than the circuit route of the CBR-RR.

As mentioned above, the naked CB400F is also on sale in China, and it is also equipped with an in-line 2-cylinder engine. If the 4-cylinder naked version is also named "FOUR", the name of the motorcycle may be "CB400FOUR".

Given that, we can only hope for a neo-classical style that is reminiscent of the old 400cc. A model with the same name was released in 1997, but there has been no remake like the Kawasaki Zephyr or Z900RS.

Furthermore, 2025 marks the 50th anniversary of the 400cc. This will be the most memorable year for the CB400FOUR to be revived in both name and style. With the 400 class once stagnating in Japan now booming, the "Reiwa 400cc" will no doubt be an even bigger catalyst. We will be the first to share any new information as soon as it arrives.

Honda has applied for the "CBR400R FOUR" as a trademark for its motorcycles. The reason is likely to be to distinguish it from the two-cylinder CBR400R. So wouldn't the naked version be called the "CB400FOUR"?

A CG rendering of the new 400cc four-cylinder engine, produced in the "4-Four" style. Although the details of the design are unknown, we hope it will be an orthodox version of the round-eyed engine that is so popular in Japan.

This is also a predicted CG. It is designed based on the CB750F, and is equipped with the Honda E-Clutch that is expected to be installed.

The CB400FOUR, which was released in December 1974, is a 1975 model. It is a cafe racer with a distinctive, elegant exhaust pipe. 2025 marks the 50th anniversary of its debut, making it the perfect opportunity to revive it.

The CB400FOUR was released in 1997. It featured a 4-pipe exhaust system in the style of the CB750Four and a retrospective form, but its style was quite different from the original 400Four. It wasn't very popular at the time and production ended after just four years, but it later became a highly sought-after model.

The production facilities for the CB400SF have already been transferred to China, and manufacturing will take place in Japan!?

Furthermore, new information has been released, saying that the production facilities for the CB400SF (400cc 4-cylinder) that were in Japan have already been moved to a factory in China, meaning that quality and costs will likely be cleared.

Basically, China will be in charge of production of the new mid-size 4-cylinder, but the Japanese spec will be made in Japan, with parts imported into the country and assembled there. This production method is the same as for the GB350, etc. The GB is manufactured in India, a major market, but the Japanese spec will be made using imported parts and assembled at the Kumamoto factory.

The GB350 series (pictured is the GB350C) is assembled at the Kumamoto plant, with parts imported from India. Similar examples include the Indonesian-made CBR250RR and the Thai-made NC750X.

Will the 400 and 500cc full-cowled models be sold side by side in China?

Regarding engine displacement, in addition to the 400cc, there is a possibility that a 500cc model will be sold in China. There were two silhouettes shown at the aforementioned China show, which are thought to suggest the 400cc and 500cc models.

Here is the original silhouette image. Perhaps the real thing didn't arrive in time, so the CBR400R is used on the top and the CBR500R on the bottom. The silhouettes of the two models seem to suggest the release of 400cc and 500cc models.

Honda positions motorcycles with an engine displacement of 500cc or more as large motorcycle models in China, and sells them at the large specialty store "Honda DreamWing". In addition, local 4-cylinder rival models are released with engine displacements of 450 to 500cc, so this would be a meaningful countermeasure.

In addition, from 2025, a new dealer network "Honda Dream" will be built to handle the middle class. Based on the mid-size vehicle sales network of Wuyang Honda and Xinduezhou Honda, it will handle locally produced mid-size models. It is expected that the 400cc version will be released here.

There is no engine displacement limit for motorcycle licenses in China, but as you know, the 400cc version will definitely be released in Japan due to license restrictions.

Honda has been producing and selling the 400X and CB400F in China for some time now. In 2024, they will release the CB400F (pictured), a 399cc version of the European CB500 Hornet. They have also added models to their lineup that are not yet available in Japan.

In China, Honda has opened a dealership called "Honda Dream Wing" that handles motorcycles over 500cc. In addition, Honda has also started selling mid-size motorcycles under the "Honda Dream" brand. The aim of introducing the mid-size 4-cylinder engine is likely to be to strengthen this sales network and product lineup.