The 47th Tokyo Motorcycle Show may have been postponed due to the current coronavirus pandemic but that hasn’t stopped Honda from displaying its brilliantly retro CB-F Concept to the world. Unveiled alongside the recently updated CB1000R production model, this styling exercise pays homage to the CB900F(CB750F in Japan), a Japanese global model which, in part through the North American racing scene, proved popular among fans of the CB series.
It shares the same engine as the modern CB1000R, meaning the 998cc inline four unit pumps out 141bhp at eye-watering revs. The mechanics have remained the same but much of the detailing has been made deliberately retro and the gasses now escape out of a rather cool single-piece stainless steel exhaust pipe. On top of this, Honda has attempted to make this look like an old air-cooled model by removing the radiator shrouds found on a standard CB1000R. But it is the bodywork where things really take a trip down memory lane.
The tank has been remade to look exactly like the CB900F, while the side panels and shapely one-piece seat give it a suitably retro aesthetic. But old meets new in the modern switchgear, lights and Honda’s now famous “halo-style” front LED lamp. Of course, Honda has remained very quiet about their intentions with this machine, but the Japanese marque has a track record for releasing special editions of its CB1000R Neo Sports Cafe line-up, while its CB1100 RS and EX are straight-up nods to old-school models.
As such, there is no current word on price or a release date for the CB900F concept mode, but we can hope that it will perhaps spawn some kind of special edition CB1000 with this brilliantly retro looks.
Keyword: Honda plays on 80s nostalgia with retro CB-F Concept