New Honda CBR500R Four Unveiled: Inline-Four Engine For The Win

Quick Read

• Powered by an all-new inline-four cylinder engine

• Comes with Honda’s E-Clutch system as standard

Honda has unveiled the all-new CBR500R Four internationally. It is a middleweight sportbike powered by a brand-new 502cc inline-four cylinder engine. Here’s everything you need to know:

Design

The Honda CBR500R Four gets twin LED projector headlights with integrated LED DRLs. The bike’s overall design language is unmistakably Honda, with angular fairings, a muscular fuel tank, along with an upswept exhaust.

It is available in two colours: Ignition Red and Matte Ballistic Black Metallic.

Engine & Gearbox

The biggest highlight of the CBR500R Four is the all-new 502cc, liquid-cooled, inline-four cylinder engine paired with a 6-speed gearbox. The engine makes 72 PS at 11,000 rpm and 47.4 Nm at 9,750 rpm.

To achieve these power figures, the brand has given the engine Nickel-Silicon Carbide (Ni-SiC) cylinder plating to reduce weight, Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC) valve lifters, and a dual ram-air intake system with differently sized intake funnels.

The bike also gets Honda’s E-Clutch system as standard, allowing riders to pull away, change gears, and stop without manually operating the clutch lever.

Features

The Honda bike is equipped with a 5-inch TFT console with Honda RoadSync, enabling Bluetooth connectivity, turn-by-turn navigation, and call/SMS alerts. The bike gets a ride-by-wire throttle and three riding modes: Standard, Sport and Urban. There are also two customisable User modes that adjust parameters like power, engine braking, traction control and more.

Other features include backlit switches, a USB Type-C charging port and an engine immobiliser. The bike also gets dual-channel ABS and switchable traction control as safety features.

Underpinnings

The CBR500R Four gets a new steel tube diamond frame and rides on 17-inch wheels at both ends. Suspension duties are handled by a 41 mm KYB inverted fork and a Pro-Link monoshock.

It gets twin 296 mm front discs with radially mounted Nissin two-piston calipers, a 240 mm rear disc with a single-piston caliper, and Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV tyres as standard.

The bike has a kerb weight of 189 kg, a seat height of 780 mm and a 14-litre fuel tank.

ZigSays

Small-displacement inline-four cylinder bikes are slowly making a comeback, and the CBR500R Four is the newest addition to that segment. With its high-revving engine, sporty looks and modern electronics, it is an interesting choice for someone looking at a proper sportbike with a four-cylinder engine without breaking the bank.

The bike is priced at £6,999 in the UK (around Rs 8.85 lakh) and will be delivered to customers from January 2027. However, Honda has not announced prices for other markets, and the brand currently does not have any plans to launch it in India.

In international markets, the bike competes with the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-4RR and the ZXMoto 500RR.