The Honda CB1000R Is An Effortlessly Cool Cafe Racer Tribute

Moving on from the Ducati Panigale V4 we were lusting after yesterday, here’s another Milan Motorcycle Show reveal of a very different flavour. It’s the latest Honda CB1000R, best thought of as ‘naked’ version of the Fireblade.

This time around, Honda has gone for what it calls a “Neo Sports Cafe” theme, resulting in an exceptionally pretty, cafe-racer themed one-litre bike. Looks good, no?

The power has been bumped up by 20bhp relative to the old one, while weight has dropped by 12kg. That gives new figures of 143bhp and 212kg, meaning the power-to-weight ratio has been improved by 20 per cent.

It may look retro, but there’s still much in the way of technical wizardly to play with, including multiple riding modes and a “Throttle By Wire engine management system.” ABS is fitted as standard.

Sound like too much power for you, or have pesky license restrictions to think about? There’s also a similarly-styled CB300R with a more modest 31bhp, plus a CB125R you can ride with a pair of L-plates slapped on.