#Honda

The original CBR400 models (and the first Honda CBRs, for that matter) were first introduced in 1983, with an air-cooled Inline-Four and a rotational-speed valve stop mechanism “REV” that was a predecessor to Honda’s VTEC system. The CBR400F pictured above was one of the earliest examples, but it evolved into variants like the CBR400RR showcased in the video below.

Is E-Clutch revolutionary or an answer to a question nobody asked?

Updated styling and auto-clutch, but same MSRP as 2023 models

It wasn’t that long ago that the most popular trend in motorcycle technology was radar-based active cruise control and blindside detection. Today, it’s no longer the hottest trend in the industry, suddenly displaced by a sudden bumper crop of automatic clutch transmission systems.

Barber Small Bore started out as the Smoky Mountain Crawl in Townsend, Tennessee back in 2017, very much thanks to Honda and its Ruckus and Grom models. Since then, its grown from a group of rowdy rednecks looking to have a bunch of backwoods fun, to more than 1,000 small bore enthusiasts (don’t worry, there are still plenty of rednecks) doing the exact same thing – and more – and now, all on the illustrious grounds of George Barber’s sprawling motorsports mecca just outside of Birmingham, Alabama. To say the event was wild would be an understatement. Racing, both on-road and off, stunt shows, hillclimbs, and more, went off with gobs of enthusiasm from both the crowds and participants alike as attendees cheered on the muddy mayhem that ensued, whether for glory or bust.

American Honda is preparing to add a new member to its Minimoto lineup in the funky Dax125. Also known as the ST125, the Dax has been available in Europe since 2023, but will finally be coming to the U.S. for 2025.

After being absent from the 2024 offerings, the CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP is poised to return to American Honda’s lineup for 2025 with the updates introduced at EICMA.

Last November, at EICMA, Honda became the first motorcycle maker to bring to market an electronic clutch. Debuting as an option on the CBR650R and CB650R, Honda’s E-Clutch combined elements of its Dual Clutch Transmission technology with quickshifters to allow for up and down shifting with without needing to use a clutch lever, but otherwise using a regular gearbox and foot shifter.

American Honda announced the 2025 Grom featuring updated styling and new accessories. This marks the third redesign of the Grom, which is remarkable in the industry today, as it only debuted in 2014. The original Grom helped kick start Honda’s MiniMoto line of small two wheelers.

It took a bit longer than we expected, but American Honda has officially announced the updated 500 models revealed at EICMA are coming to America for 2024. These include the NX500 (previously known as the CB500X) adventure bike, the CBR500R sportbike, and the CB500F, which most of the world calls the CB500 Hornet.

A little while ago, I wrote about my admiration for the Gladius, but conceded that its name didn’t really connect with people the way Suzuki probably wanted it to. If you knew that a gladius was a type of sword used by ancient Roman soldiers, you could see how it might make sense for a company that also gave us the Katana. If you didn’t, then it just sounded too much like “Gladys”, and the only vehicle that name would make sense for, is a midnight train to Georgia.

Here at MO, we always do our best to bring our readers information about all the latest new motorcycles. Of course, not every motorcycle gets updated every year, and all manufacturers bring back several models from the prior year, often with a fresh paint scheme or a slight price adjustment. These so-called carry-over models don’t get the same attention as the newest and latest, but they’re an important part of the motorcycle industry.

Honda is recalling Gold Wing and CBR600RR models from 2018 to 2020 and CBR1000RR models from 2018 to 2019 because of a problem with their fuel pump assemblies. The recall covers up to 17,374 motorcycles, with 1% estimated to have a defect.

American Honda announced the updated Africa Twin and Africa Twin Adventure Sports ES are returning to the U.S. for 2024. Both models, conspicuously missing from the 2023 lineup, return with updates previously announced for Europe last October.

Last week, American Honda announced a number of models returning for 2024 with no notable changes, save for new color options and some price adjustments. Of course, what caught our eye was the confirmation that the previous-generation CBR600RR was returning to the U.S. for 2024, despite the fact most other major markets are getting a new-and-improved version.