Honda CBR400R and CB400 Super Four: 4 cylinders with E-Clutch

The uniqueness – if it can be defined as such – of Kawasaki’s return to the small-displacement four-cylinder with the Ninja ZX-4R risks no longer being unique. At the 2026 Osaka Motorcycle Show, in fact, Honda presented two concepts with the same philosophy: the sporty Cbr400R Four and the naked CB400 Super Four, both equipped with Honda’s best latest generation technology and electronics, the E-Clutch clutch.

Daydreaming

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You don’t necessarily need hyper-performance engines to have fun, you need engines that are pleasant to drive and listen to. Honda has understood this and is trying to win the hearts of enthusiasts with these two prototypes. The in-line four-cylinder is an engine with undeniable charm, with rotation speeds that are anything but predictable. The unit mounted on the two concepts unveiled at the 2026 Osaka Motorcycle Show, whose maximum power could be around 80 HPis a new generation engine designed to work in synergy with a new platform, available in naked and sport variants. Honda’s intention is clear: to offer two vehicles for maximum driving pleasure, inevitably giving up a bit of torque underneath to enjoy a scream and a burst of applause. What, however, is apparently an “old school” quality, is combined with the best modern technology from Honda, the E-Clutch clutchcapable of assisting the driver in every driving phase, from starting to stopping through gear changes. All without touching the clutch lever, only to then respond “mechanically” when requested by the rider.

The sports car and the naked one

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As mentioned, Honda’s proposal is twofold: on the one hand the sporty Cbr400R Four, which would thus fit perfectly within the Cbr range as the small displacement alternative despite having an inline four; on the other, the naked CB400 Super Four, certainly more versatile and usable, but no less fun. And it too would be the first step in the four-piston CB range, before the CB650R, CB750 Hornet and CB1000 Hornet. The family feeling of both new models with their respective lines is quite clear: the Cbr400R Four pushes hard on a sporty riding position, fairings sculpted by the wind and an equally captivating chassis; the CB400 Super Four takes up the aesthetic canons of the CB650R in the light signature, in the technical base, in the superstructures and also in the four manifolds that run along the profile closest to the ground of the bike. In short, Honda’s recipe is to combine emotions and sounds of the past with modern technology, creating an explosive mix whose intent is to maximize driving pleasure. However, the question arises spontaneously: will these two concepts ever cross national borders to become mass-produced in the future? Inline four lovers make themselves comfortable, waiting for more information from Honda.