Summary

• The CB collection began with the Benly CB92 in 1959, a premier sports activities bike for Honda’s racing success.
• Honda CB bikes provide a delicate efficiency, welcoming riders with a balanced and playful experience.
• CB bikes deal with fundamentals, delivering what riders want with out the extras, however with distinctive reliability.

For Honda, the CB abbreviation stands for Club Man Race, which came about on Honda’s Suzuka Circuit in 1958. The following 12 months, the CB collection was born. For bikers, CB has a unique that means — City Bike. Since its debut, the collection has grow to be synonymous with superb road bikes. It’s a moniker worn by some nice Honda choices, starting from as little as 125cc to as excessive as 1100cc. All elements of the world have a ‘CB’ on sale, and almost all of them do good gross sales numbers recurrently. But why is that? And what precisely makes the CB bikes so good? That’s exactly what we’re looking for out right now, as dive deep into the historical past of CBs.

In order to provide the most modern and correct data attainable, the information used to compile this text was sourced from Honda and different authoritative sources, together with Motorcycle News, Riders Share, and Red Dot.

The Honda CB Series: From Sports Bikes To City Bikes

The Honda CB collection has two beginnings, the primary for Honda and the second for the American market. For the motor firm, it all began with the Benly CB92 Super Sport in 1959. This 124cc bike used a twin-cylinder engine with the identical bore and stroke because the RC142 Isle of Man TT race bike mounted on a spine body. It was a cutting-edge sports activities bike for the time, and it even received the 125cc class within the 2nd All-Japan Motorcycle Clubman Race and third All-Japan Motorcycle Endurance Road Race.

In 1961, the CB series came to the US in the form of the CB72 Hawk 250, on the request of American Honda Motor. The bike was recognized for its high-revving nature and dealing with stability, each cultivated within the Mount Asama Volcano Race and Isle of Man TT. Unlike its Japanese variant, the American CB72 additionally had a 180-degree crankshaft for higher efficiency. This is what we all know because the first-ever CB mannequin within the Western market.

Since then, each the Japanese home market and the Western market have been getting a slew of CB bikes. The collection was as soon as the epitome of efficiency, which peaked with the 1969 Honda Dream CB750 Four — the first-ever superbike. Then got here the turning level with the 1983 CBR400F, the place Honda gave start to the CBR moniker. This marked a shift within the CB collection — from a lineup of highway and sports activities bikes to only highway bikes. Today, the CB tag is reserved for road nakeds whereas CBR stands for sports activities bikes.

Noteworthy Honda CB Motorcycles

• 1961 Honda CB77 Super Hawk (Honda’s first sports activities bike)
• 1971 Honda CB500 Four
• 1975 Honda CB400F (Honda’s first 4-in-1 exhaust)
• 1992 Honda CB400 Super Four
• 1992 Honda CB1000 Super Four
• 2014 Honda CB250F
• 2019 Honda CB650R
• 2022 Honda CB1300 Super Four thirtieth Anniversary

Streetfighter Attitude Meets Daily Use Comfort (Read: Gentle Character)

Every bike producer has a stereotypical character. KTMs are recognized for his or her sharp, aggressive nature, Aprilias for their cerebral riding experience and unreliability, and Suzukis for his or her squid-friendly but over-engineered nature. Honda is totally different; regardless of making a few of the quickest bikes on this planet, it’s related to light efficiency. Nothing speaks of this greater than its CB bikes. Whether you take a look at the tiny CB300R or the CB1000R, every CB bike affords a playful efficiency with out ever being an excessive amount of.

Consider the excellent CB500F, which has made up 48% of Honda 500 gross sales since 2013. This bare bike is a stepping stone for novices, that includes a rev-hungry parallel-twin engine that’s playful with out feeling intimidating. On the opposite hand, its rivals like the KTM 390 Duke can feel moody or a handful some times. The CB500’s character could even really feel too refined for some riders!

The identical applies to the CB1000R, a brilliant bare with an engine tracing its manner again to the 2004 Fireblade. It’s not slow by any means; it’s a fast bike that may simply sustain with its rivals. You’ll nonetheless fall in love with how enjoyable and simple the bike is to experience. The dealing with is delicate and correct, and the engine efficiency isn’t too rowdy. It’s a fabulously balanced super naked that can welcome you into the liter-class fold with a serving to hand. This is the great thing about Honda CB fashions — even on the higher echelon of efficiency, they’re welcoming.

Current Honda CB Series Performance Specifications

(Specs sourced from Honda)

Ticks The Right Boxes With Underpinnings And Handsome Designs

The Honda CB bikes are additionally recognized for getting the fundamentals proper. Now, they may not really feel on par with their rivals in terms of gear. But it’s not often a nasty factor except you’re on the lookout for a motorcycle that’s filled with every thing on provide. The CB bikes are a basic case of wants vs desires — you get everything you need from your bike, not every thing you’d need.

Look on the CB300R; it’s a small bike that’s beginning to present its age. The Honda loses on numerous options in comparison with its rivals, including the Triumph Speed 400 and bare-bones Yamaha MT-03. It misses out on a TFT show, traction management, beefy suspension, ride-by-wire, and way more. What redeems it’s that, regardless of being fundamental, it really works brilliantly. It’s nonetheless perky, inviting, nimble, and plush — every thing a newbie rider wants.

Similarly, the Honda CB1000R and the upcoming CB1000 Hornet share the same principles as the CB300R. The two liter-class nakeds are out-gunned by rivals just like the Ducati Streetfighter V4, Aprilia Tuono V4, and Triumph Speed Triple RS, because the rivals provide considerably higher energy, efficiency, and customary gear. However, Honda has centered on usable energy and accessible dynamics to cater to the non-law-breaking riders.

Encapsulating the {hardware} is a good-looking design for every Honda CB bike. Right from the neo-retro CB300R to the sharp CB1000 Hornet — every CB bike is fairly. They are understated and non-divisive with an inviting design that speaks for the bike’s character. Unlike the loud orange KTM Dukes or futuristic Yamaha MTs, these bikes look extra timeless. For instance, the Honda CB750 Hornet even won the prestigious Red Dot Award for its design.

You Meet The Nicest People On Honda For A Reason

Honda Tow Rates: 0.20% (According to Riders Share)

In 1963, Honda launched the legendary marketing campaign for its Super Cub: You meet the nicest folks on Honda. Since then, the adage has caught round. We suppose it is likely to be true for a few causes. First is reliability; Honda road bikes are bulletproof, so homeowners have fewer issues to be grumpy about. Second, Honda elements are low-cost, so homeowners don’t have to fret about wallet-emptying service prices.

All this culminates in providing you with a superb possession expertise, often higher than a few of Honda’s rivals. That’s not to say other manufacturers, especially the Japanese, aren’t reliable. Modern engineering has come a great distance, however Honda nonetheless takes the cake for the general possession expertise. There’s hardly a purpose to get offended if you’re using a Honda CB bare.

Honda CB Bikes Reliability Scores

• Honda CB1000R: 5/5
• Honda CB650R: 4.6/5
• Honda CB500R: 4.6/5
• Honda CB300R: 4.9/5

(Reliability scores sourced from Motorcycle News)

The Honda CB Series In 2024

The Honda CB collection has been in enterprise for over six a long time, providing a few of the finest bikes the world has ever seen. In 2024, the collection has matured like nice wine, turning into superb road bare bikes throughout segments. Sure, they might not be the fanciest or the quickest, however they don’t should be. They are superior for what they and tick all the correct packing containers.

Current Honda CB Series Lineup And Pricing