The Honda CB1000F’s versatility is astounding, with attention to valve timing and changes to funnel length!

There is ample space to enjoy wet roads

It was the worst weather for riding a motorcycle. I rode my CB1000F in the pouring rain.

What’s more, I’m now approaching a mountain pass with a series of tight corners. I want to make the most of the narrow 1.5-lane road, which could also be called a paved forest road, and I want to use the outside of the curve as much as possible at the exit, but it’s difficult because wet fallen leaves are mercilessly clumped together on the curve.

The rough, cracked shoulder of the road is covered in green moss in some places, so it is forbidden to step on it.

I’m forced to take a tight line and can’t open the throttle as much as I want. Should I just give up and go any further…?

No, I just can’t wait to run more! Even though the road is soaking wet, I have no fear of falling!!

In these unfavorable conditions, I was concentrating on riding, wondering how I could transmit the driving force to the road without leaning the bike as much as possible, or how I could apply the brakes a little harder, and before I knew it, I was enjoying riding in the rain in an “aggressive attitude,” and I couldn’t hide my own surprise.

When I say having fun, I don’t mean cheering and laughing or smiling with a relaxed smile, but rather quietly sharpening their senses as they operate the motorcycle and focusing all their attention on the information coming from the tires.

Of course, since they were riding on public roads and not on a closed course, they had a large margin of safety. They were enjoying sports riding to the fullest, without pushing themselves too hard and within the limits of what they could do in wet conditions.

This wouldn’t be possible if the car reacted too sensitively to throttle inputs and handled too nervously. If you’re constantly tense and your shoulders are constantly tensed, you won’t be able to relax even for a moment.

The CB1000F combines the ample power output that only a large-displacement motorcycle can provide with ease of handling, and has a light and agile steering feel, yet is also calm.

Honda CB1000F… 1,397,000 yen

The brakes also have excellent touch and control. In fact, I (Takao Aoki) was fortunate enough to be able to ride the CB1000F not only in the rain but also under the best conditions under blue skies.

As you grip the lever while approaching a corner, you can clearly feel the grip of the front tire through your right hand.

The front fork moves softly and smoothly in the initial movement, and has excellent road-following ability, but when you apply the brakes hard, it holds its own deep in the stroke as if to say it has more to offer, and it doesn’t flinch even when subjected to hard inputs on winding roads.

By making the suspension characteristics flexible and easy to feel the stroke, we have pursued smooth handling, lightness, and ride comfort at normal speeds such as city driving, but as a result it is also strong on rough roads and wet conditions.

Japanese riders reading this should be well aware that when touring into mountainous areas, there are many opportunities to ride on these 1.5-lane paved forest roads, and the condition of the pavement is by no means good.

Even on sunny days, the shaded slopes are constantly wet and slippery, and operating a motorcycle with a bold front-loading design for long periods of time can be very tiring.

The reason why the CB1000F does not cause any anxiety about the front end slipping even on wet roads is that the traction performance of the drive wheels is excellent, resulting in stable handling that can be described as a slight rear-load load.

Although the suspension is 17 inches front and rear, it feels as if the front wheels are 19 inches, and the calm handling creates a sense of security in the rain.

A strong heart, yet easy to handle

It is based on the CB1000 Hornet, and considering that the engine is inherited from the supersport CBR1000RR (SC77/2017 model), it is nothing short of impressive that it has been finished as an engine that is easy to handle and can be enjoyed even in the rain, with the throttle open.

First of all, this is largely due to the benefit of a specially designed camshaft that is biased towards low and mid-range rotation, and we must not forget the influence of the phase valve.

The phase valve, which was also adopted in the CB1100, shifts the valve timing between the first and second cylinders and the third and fourth cylinders, creating a rotation feeling that is not only smooth but also expressive.

Naturally, if all four pistons moved in the same way, it would be smooth, but the engine was developed and designed with a focus on the sensory feeling of the “misalignment” in combustion that people perceive.

It has a unique, thick and sticky consistency, and its variation gives it a dignified, heavy feel and excellent traction performance, resulting in torque characteristics that are smooth from low to high revolutions.

The ratios up to third gear are lower than those of the CB1000 Hornet, providing impressive throttle response and sprinting power.

To combine torqueful characteristics for stop-and-go traffic in urban areas with composure for high-speed cruising, the secondary reduction gear is set long and has a wide ratio, emphasizing the CB1000F’s all-round characteristics.

The pulsating exhaust sound is also noteworthy. The base of the pulsating sound comes from the exhaust pressure created by staggering the valve timing between the two cylinders, but the three-chamber muffler tunes this to produce a sensual inline-four sound.

It’s gentle at low speeds, but as you open the throttle, it gets more powerful, and the intake noise mixes in, resonating directly in your brain.

The funnel length has been extended by 50 mm from the CB1000 Hornet to 140 mm, and the minimum aperture diameter has been reduced from φ42 to φ36. By narrowing it, the flow rate increases and torque increases.

To accommodate the use of phase valves, the inlet diameters have been individually set to φ50 and φ40 for each of the two left and right cylinders, producing a pulsating intake sound that responds to throttle operation and is very pleasant to the ear.

Ride modes with clearly differentiated flavors

The CB1000F is equipped with a 6-axis IMU and uses the latest electronic control technology with a throttle-by-wire system (TBW).

There are three riding modes set as default, which vary in engine output, torque control, and engine braking levels, with the “STANDARD” mode modeled after the response of a carburetor vehicle.

It has easy-to-ride characteristics that do not limit the driving situation, and is just right.

The “SPORT” setting offers a strong power feel typical of a big bike with improved throttle response, and delivers thrilling acceleration. The powerful engine derived from a supersport model makes its appearance, responding to the rider’s requests with more than enough power.

On dry roads, I used “SPORT” a lot. On winding roads, I was able to accelerate well even on short straights, which made it easier to control.

“RAIN” mode provides gentle power characteristics with strong torque control intervention, enhancing the sense of security on slippery roads.

It was useful when shooting in the rain, but it doesn’t slow down too much, so it can also be used when you want to ride gently. I think it will be useful a lot, such as on the way back from a tour.

In addition, it has two “USER” modes that allow the rider to set each level according to their own preferences, so we tried out various combinations over two days, in both rain and shine.

By increasing the output level while applying strong torque control, you can drive aggressively even on wet roads.

Unfortunately, it rained during filming of the riding scenes, which was disappointing, but it was precisely because of the bad weather that we were able to fully appreciate the ease of handling of the CB1000F.

This is not just a testament to the ingenuity of the electronic controls, but also to the high level of perfection in the basic design, giving the CB1000F great versatility.

I was able to ride it plenty even on rainy days, which really showed me how great its versatility is.

Main specifications

■Type designation application figures according to the Road Transport Vehicle Act (★ indicates Honda published specifications)

■Manufacturer: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.

(※3) Fuel consumption rate is the value under specified test conditions. It will vary depending on various conditions such as the customer’s usage environment (weather, traffic congestion, etc.), driving method, vehicle condition (equipment, specifications), and maintenance status.

(※4) The steady-state fuel consumption value is the fuel consumption rate based on actual measurements taken while driving at a constant vehicle speed.

(※5) The WMTC mode value is a calculated value based on the exhaust gas test results measured in a driving mode that is an international standard, including starting, accelerating, stopping, etc. Driving mode classes are classified according to engine displacement and maximum speed.