Honda CBR 500 R Four 2026 — Specifications

Be wary of this "small" CBR. It doesn't play in the same dimension as the CBR 500 R from our regions. The name is identical but the “Four” particle is enough to change everything. Provoke it a little and you’ll see it disappear into the distance howling. Because Honda has put nothing less than a 4-cylinder engine and 80 horsepower in this sportbike.

A configuration that we are not accustomed to seeing. In this category, only the Kawasaki ZX-4R exists to let us taste this kind of machine. But this CBR 500 R Four won’t come looking for a fight on our roads (unless there's a huge surprise) - it was unveiled in China and its preferred market will be Asia.

This CBR features a new 502 cm3 inline 4-cylinder engine, which it shares with the CB 500 Super Four roadster. Honda says little about it other than its power (approximately), its architecture, and the presence of an anti-dribble clutch. The technology infused into this machine indicates a motorcycle far from basic: ride-by-wire, traction control, cruise control, 5 Riding Modes, and the E-Clutch robotic clutch in version 2. The on-board equipment also includes a 5-inch color TFT screen, with smartphone pairing and RoadSync interactivity.

The CBR also takes care of its chassis, with an inverted fork, a monoshock mounted on a rocker arm, two front brake discs, 4-piston Nissin radial calipers, an aluminum swingarm, and a steel tubular frame using the engine as a stressed member. It’s not track bike material either, but Honda didn’t want a sausage that twists at every turn.

Small CBRs with 4-cylinder engines are not exceptional in Japan. This market has known CBR 400, GSX-R400, FZR 400, and a whole host of models with this engine architecture and displacement. But the CBR 500 R Four goes higher in cubic capacity and is first unveiled in the Chinese giant. A way to show that a 500 Honda can be much more than a 500?

Image credits: Manufacturer