Inline-four Honda CB4X sports tourer looks set for production

The Honda CB4X concept may have been one of the more surprising unveilings to make its debut at the EICMA show in 2019 but just a few months down line it appears development of a production version is very much underway.

These patents filed at the European Intellectual Property Office show a silhouette looking very similar to the shiny concept model Honda presented on its stand alongside the new CBR1000RR-R in Milan back in November 2019.

While the patent doesn’t reveal much in the way of detail, the short time between concept to (computer generated) reality suggests this is a model that has been on Honda’s mind for a while and its largely unchanged outline suggests it will be very much in-keeping with the prototype.

Indeed, while it certainly retains some aspects of Honda’s styling traits – such as the exhaust – there appears to be a modern interpretation of the design language, as demonstrated by the front-end’s slimline tapered nose and discreet headlights.

Described at launch as blending elements of Sport and Touring, the CB4X is a motorcycle crossover in the vein of models that have become increasingly popular in Europe, such as the Yamaha Tracer 700 and Kawasaki Versys 650, by being able to tear around urban jungles and mountain roads with aplomb.

At the concept’s heart is a 650cc inline-four, which based on these patents, looks to remain intact from the outset (though it isn’t beyond a manufacturer to throw a little red herring) which would certainly stand out among the crowd and perhaps allow it to lean a little closer to the ‘sporty’ side of its marketing bumf than necessarily a long-distance cruiser.

Officially speaking Honda has never confirmed (or denied) the CB4X was going to be anything more than a design study from its Italian studio, but these patents sure look convincing…