Honda’s range of 999 cc and above, however well equipped, has two obvious gaps: that of a true 1000 cc streetfighter capable of taking on the Aprilia Tuono 1100, BMW S 1000R, KTM Super Duke 1290, Ducati Streetfighter V4 and the like, and that of a crossover with a 17-inch front wheel also dedicated to aggressive riding… if the BMW S 1000XR or the Ducati Multistrada V4 Pikes Peak spring to mind, you’re on the right track.
However, it is by no means certain or even less necessary that the Tokyo manufacturer will fill these gaps: after all, Honda’s overall results in Europe bear witness to the success of the choices it has made in terms of model selection and positioning (to give just one example: the Transalp is one of the best-selling bikes in September).
Instead, there are rumors coming out of Japan (read: from YoungMachine’s usual well-informed colleagues) that have led to the renderings you see at the beginning and in the body of the article. These are two hypotheses that are not at all unlikely, if you think about it.
Let’s start with the first: do you want a Hornet 1000 with at least 160 hp? It would be possible – following in part what Honda did in the 1990s with the Hornet 600 and Hornet 900 – if the Fireblade engine, suitably adapted in terms of delivery and perhaps simplified in certain respects to limit production costs, were placed in a trellis frame (or directly in that of the CBR1000RR?). This is also Aprilia’s approach with the standard version of its Tuono 1000 V4. Why 160 hp? Because the current CB1000R Neo Sports Café already has 145 hp and, clearly, the streetfighter must also distinguish itself from the roadster by a generous increase in performance and equipment.
Possible arrival at EICMA 2023? We’ll see…
The second hypothetical novelty would be a crossover built on the same – we repeat: hypothetical – platform as the streetfighter: trellis frame and Fireblade engine tuned to no less than 150 hp, 17-inch front wheel and classic Honda maneuverability which, in this case, would dispense with the DCT gearbox, not least because we can’t imagine how and where to put it in the engine derived from the CBR1000RR.
If we take into account that Honda has just unveiled the Africa Twin Adventure Sports with a 19-inch front wheel, and if we put the presence of the NT1100 into the equation, the possibility of such a bike arriving cannot be ruled out. Another perspective could be that of a less sports-oriented crossover: something that could fit into the Yamaha Tracer 9 segment, but perhaps there could be a conflict here with the more touring NT1100.
One such crossover was presented as a concept in 2019, again at EICMA: it was the CB4X – designed by Valerio Aiello – a bike that looked like it would soon go into production, but then lost its way. In this case, the powertrain was that of the CB650R, perhaps not in line with the expectations of today’s sports crossover market, but it’s not certain that Honda won’t come up with a four-cylinder medium-sized crossover, along the lines of bikes like the three-cylinder Triumph Tiger 660.
In less than a month’s time, we’ll know if these are just suggestions or if it’s a reality at EICMA 2023.