Honda reveals 502 cc inline-four duo at CIMAMotor 2025: CB500SF and CBR500R Four

Honda has a rich history of making inline-four engines, both for cars and motorcycles. While the Japanese manufacturer continues to do so for its four-wheelers, the last inline-four motorcycles it made were the CB1100 and the CB400SF, both ending production in 2022 due to increasingly stringent emissions norms. Despite ending its air-cooled inline four-cylinder lineage that started with the CB750 in 1969, few believed that Honda was done with the format. To this end, it showed up at CIMAMotor 2025 in Chongqing, China, with two new 502 cc line-four motorcycles dubbed the CB500 Super Four and the CBR500R Four.

While much is not officially known about the new inline-four duo, both models will be launched in the Chinese market as early as the first half of 2026. The Honda CB500 Super Four (CB500SF) is built as a retro-inspired standard naked motorcycle, finished in silver with blue graphics. The motorcycle showcases its four headers in plain view, leading from each cylinder down to a chrome-finish exhaust.

The CBR500R Four is the fully-faired sportbike that carries over design cues from the CBR family. It features a sharp front-end design with angular LEDs, a sculpted tank and an upswept tail section. This model was showcased in two colour schemes: silver with green highlights and red with white graphics.

CB500SF and CBR500R Four: Engine and chassis details

The CB500SF is built as a retro-inspired standard naked motorcycle (autoby.jp)

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The CB500SF is built as a retro-inspired standard naked motorcycle (autoby.jp)

Honda has not yet disclosed official details about specifications and performance, but both the CB500SF and the CBR500R share the same internals and are powered by a 502 cc inline-four engine that is claimed to deliver around 80 bhp. While the engine was expected to be derived from the older CB400SF, Honda has developed a new DOHC 4-valve 4-cylinder unit.

The engine is employed as the stressed member within a diamond-type steel frame. Suspended by KYB USD forks in the front, the chassis gets a link-type rear monoshock attached to an aluminium swingarm. Front braking performance comes from a twin radial mount 4-pot from Nissin.

CB500SF and CBR500R Four: E-Clutch

Both the CB500SF and the CBR500R Four share the same internals and come with the Honda E-Clutch technology (Motorrad Online)

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Both the CB500SF and the CBR500R Four share the same internals and come with the Honda E-Clutch technology (Motorrad Online)

Honda has equipped the CB500SF and the CBR500R with the second-gen E-Clutch system. Debuted on the CB650R and the CBR650R, the Honda E-Clutch system uses small electric motors to engage the clutch, while riders would have to operate the downshifts. The updated version of the inline-four duo works in sync with the throttle-by-wire system to automatically downshift when required. The unit itself is more compact, with the components having been shifted to the left for better weight distribution.

The electronic throttle further enables five riding modes: Sports, Urban, Rain, and two user-defined modes. These are configurable through a 5-inch colour TFT display that is compatible with Honda RoadSync for smartphone connectivity.

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