Honda CBR500R Four revealed at China International Import Expo

Honda has quietly done something rather interesting at this year’s China International Import Expo (CIIE), by showing the Honda CBR500R, Four, an inline four-cylinder sports bike.

Badged as the CBR500R Four, the bike made its public debut at CIIE alongside a handful of other Honda new models, but it’s the engine that matters here. Sitting in the frame is a newly developed 502cc inline-four, a layout Honda hasn’t offered in this capacity class for a very long time. In a market increasingly dominated by parallel twins, it’s a deliberate nod back to Honda’s multi-cylinder heritage.

The CBR500R Four sticks closely to the familiar CBR formula: fully faired, sporty but sensible proportions, and styling that leans more “everyday performance” than track refugee. Honda describes it as having a “technological feel”, which in practice means modern rider aids rather than headline-grabbing power figures. Hard and fast specs for the bike are hard to come by, although reports suggest the 502cc engine produces a shade under 80bhp at what we presume is a lot of revs per minute. 

One inclusion we do know the bike will be available with is Honda’s E-Clutch system. The idea is simple: the bike can manage clutch operation automatically at low speeds, during take-off, and in stop-start riding, while still allowing the rider to use the clutch lever if they want to. Riding modes tailor how the system behaves, smoothing starts and reducing workload without forcing the bike into full scooter-mode territory.

Elsewhere, the CBR500R Four gets a 5-inch TFT display with a Chinese-language interface and Honda RoadSync connectivity, bringing navigation, calls and media control into the dash. It’s all very modern, very Honda, and clearly aimed at younger riders or commuters who want their bike to integrate neatly with their phone.

Whether this four-cylinder 500 makes it beyond the Chinese market remains to be seen. We’ve contacted Honda UK and Honda Motor Europe, which said "We have nothing to announce about future model plans". Its very existence, though, suggests Honda is at least testing the waters, and that alone is news.

Alongside the CBR, Honda also showed the CB500 Super Four, which uses the same 502cc inline-four engine and electronic package. Unfaired and more traditional in layout, it apes the styling of the recently announced CB1000F, leaning heavily on the CB name and its four-cylinder history. 

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