Honda CB1000F SE Set for Suzuka Launch

The Honda CB1000F Concept was first shown at the Osaka Motorcycle Show in March, and a newer version will be shown at the Suzuka 8 Hour in August.

Back in March Honda revealed its CB1000F Concept at the Osaka Motorcycle Show and despite the name it was immediately clear that it was an upcoming production model rather than just a flight of fancy. Now a second version called the CB1000F SE Concept is to be shown at the Suzuka 8 Hour race on August 1.

Honda teases the new concept with this image of the CB1000F SE Concept.

The “Concept” part of the name is purely a distraction to help divert questions about details like prices and when the CB1000F will hit the market; both the original version and the new SE model are clearly showroom-ready and a logical step for Honda. This year, the company’s ancient CB1300 Super Four and its partially faired sibling, the Super Bol d’Or, cease production, more than 30 years after their predecessor, the CB1000 Super Four Project Big-1 was launched in 1992. Although not offered internationally for years, the CB1300 models are a touchstone for Honda buyers in Japan, and the new CB1000F and CB1000F SE step straight into the holes that the Super Four and Super Bol d’Or leave in the range. Honda’s Osaka display even included two modified versions of the bike, one by Moriwaki, to illustrate what tuners might be able to achieve once the production version is available.

Honda’s Japanese-market CB1300 Super Four.

Although Honda’s reveals of the concept models have been Japan-centric, no doubt due to the esteem that the CB1300 models are held in over there, the CB1000F and SE are both based directly on the CB1000 Hornet that’s already sold in all Honda’s main international markets, which means there’s no impediment in terms of legislation that should stop the bikes from being sold outside Japan. All the main mechanical parts, including the four-cylinder engine based on the 2017 CBR1000RR’s motor, the frame, the suspension, the brakes, and even the wheels are taken straight from the Hornet. All that’s changed is the cosmetics, with taller, wider bars, a retro-style fuel tank and seat unit inspired by the old CB750F, and a traditional-looking chrome exhaust.

The new SE version, while shown only in silhouette form for Honda’s pre-Suzuka teaser, is clearly near-identical to CB1000F Concept that was shown in March, but with the addition of a bar-mounted nose cowl and screen for a look that hints at the 1983 CB1100F. The tank and rear bodywork, with its slight ducktail, appears unchanged, and despite the cowl the bars aren’t any lower than those on the previous concept. While the CB1300 Super Bol d’Or uses a more extensive, fixed front fairing, it’s clear that the CB1000F SE will settle into that bike’s shoes. Honda’s Japanese dealers stopped accepting orders for the CB1300F Super Four and Super Bol d’Or Final Edition machines at the end of June to ensure enough could be built before the production stops at the end of this year.

The production versions of the CB1000F and SE are expected to be announced later this year as 2026 models, but there remains a question over whether they’ll be exported or kept as Japan-only exclusives like the Africa Twin–based Hawk 11 cafe racer. Given the long US-market history of the bikes that inspire the new model—notably the 1981 CB750F raced by Freddie Spencer in AMA Superbike—there must be serious consideration to offering the new models in the States.

Browse our new Honda inventory here and get a cool deal.