Honda has taken the wraps off two new inline-four motorcycles – the CB500 Super Four and CBR500R Four – at the 2025 China International Motorcycle Exhibition (CIMA). With these bikes, Honda brings its iconic inline-four configuration into the 500cc segment; its current offerings are powered by parallel-twin engines.
- Both bikes feature a new 502cc inline-four engine
- Gets Honda’s E-clutch technology
CB500 Super Four and CBR500R Four details
The CBR500R Four has been developed for the Chinese market.
The CB500 Super Four is a retro-styled street bike, while the CBR500R Four is a fully faired supersport. Both bikes are powered by a newly developed 502cc inline-four motor, although Honda has yet to announce official output figures. The engine is paired with Honda’s E-Clutch technology, which we’ve previously experienced on the larger CB650R and CBR650R in India.
The CB500 Super Four continues Honda’s rich four-cylinder heritage, tracing its lineage back to the CB750 Four – widely regarded as the world’s first mass-produced superbike – and can be considered as a successor to the CB400SF from 1992.
Meanwhile, the CBR500R Four channels the sportier characteristics of the CBR family with a sharp, fully faired design. Honda already sells a CBR500R (sans the ‘Four’ suffix) globally, but that model is powered by a 471cc parallel-twin engine and is fundamentally different from this new inline-four version.
Both motorcycles feature ride-by-wire throttle, Honda Selectable Torque Control (HSTC), and five riding modes. They also come equipped with a 5-inch TFT display with Honda RoadSync for smartphone connectivity.
Inline-four engines at the lower end of the displacement spectrum have largely disappeared in recent years, with rare exceptions like the Kawasaki ZX-4R. Most manufacturers have moved towards single- or twin-cylinder layouts in this segment and these bikes should make the experience of owning this configuration more accessible.
That said, Honda has mentioned that the CBR500R Four is designed primarily with the Chinese market in mind, and there’s no official confirmation on whether the CB500 Super Four will be introduced in other regions, including India, anytime soon.
Azaman Chothia
