Honda has extended its Neo Sports Cafe concept design to ts range of CB1000R, CB300R and CB125R naked bikes.
The bikes were shown ahead of the EICMA motorcycle show in Milan today.
Other Honda models on display include an updated Africa Twin and a more rugged Adventure Sport model, the GL1800 Goldwing which debuted last week, a more off-road X-ADV scooter and the Neo Sports Cafe concept which debuted at the Tokyo Motor Show last week.
Neo Sports Café ConceptThe naked bikes on show were led by the CB1000R with a new identity developed under Honda’s design theme of “Neo Sports Café”.
However, while the Neo Sports Cafe is both retro and modern, the new CB naked bikes are modern and minimalist. And how about that butt-ugly muffler!
With the boom in retro bikes such as the new Bonneville range, BMW R nineT, Ducati Scrambler, Yamaha SCR900 and the release of Kawasaki’s Z900RS, Honda has missed an opportunity to capture a slice of this burgeoning market.
Kawasaki Z900RSIt’s not just a styling update, though. The CB1000R has a performance update with 15kW more power and a 12kg weight reduction which means a 20% improvement in power-to-weight ratio.
The CB1000R now has multiple riding modes with different combinations of Power, Engine Braking and Honda Selectable Torque Control run on a new state-of-the-art Throttle By Wire engine management system.
It is yet another motorcycle not imported by Honda Australia. Maybe the new look will change their minds.
Honda CB1000RMeanwhile, the CB300R and CB125R naked bikes have several performance and technical upgrades.
They include 41mm upside-down forks, preload adjustable rear suspension, radial-mount four-piston front brake calipers and several other features more usually found on much larger machines such as LCD instrument display, LED lighting and Internal-Measurement-Unit-based ABS system.
The CB300R used to be imported here at $A5249 +ORC but has been deleted in favour of the CB300F while the CB125R is not imported.