Honda is revving up its four-cylinder ambitions. Following an earlier trademark filing for the “CBR400R Four,” Honda has now submitted paperwork for a “CBR500R Four.”
This November filing with Japan’s intellectual property office mirrors the earlier move in August, hinting at a new line of small-displacement, high-revving sportbikes.
The Honda CBR500R Four Could Bring a Whole New Sportbike Era
The CBR500R Four appears poised to replace—or perhaps coexist with—the current two-cylinder CBR500R, which is a great 500cc motorcycle that’s fun and fuel-efficient.
In classic Honda fashion, the 400cc and 500cc variations likely cater to different markets: Japan, with its 400cc licensing class, and the broader global stage. This mirrors Honda’s past approach with the two-cylinder CBR400R and CBR500R.
Why now? Competition, for one. Kawasaki’s Ninja ZX-4R and ZX-4RR, along with Kove’s 450RR, dominate the small-displacement four-cylinder market. But Honda may have a clever trick up its sleeve: the larger displacement of a 500cc engine could sidestep North America’s noise restrictions that detune Kawasaki’s Ninja to 56 hp. Honda’s engine could deliver quieter operation while still packing a punch.
While the U.S. hasn’t seen a small four-cylinder from Honda in decades, Japan cherished the CB400 Super Four until 2022. Those bikes, with their 399cc inline-four and peak output of 55 hp, were loved for their balance of power and refinement. A larger, modernized engine with Ninja-level compression could easily push those numbers higher, perhaps making the CBR500R Four a global contender.
Trademark filings don’t guarantee production, but two filings so close together suggest Honda is serious. If these bikes make it to showrooms, they’ll mark a triumphant return of small-displacement four-cylinders, proving that Honda still knows how to turn heads—and twist throttles.
Source: Motorcycle.com
