Honda’s Latest Vision of Accessible Motorcycling Revives a Brand Icon for the Better

The brand’s innovative E-Clutch tech makes its way to a beloved, small-bore street bike as part of a teased potential revival.

Silver and blue Honda motorcycle fuel tank with illuminated round headlight and amber turn signals.

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By Gray Van Dyke

Published March 24, 2026

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Updated March 25, 2026

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After introducing its game-changing E-Clutch on the CB650R and CBR650R back in 2024, Honda has since wasted no time expanding application of the tech throughout other bikes in its lineup.

Accordingly, you’ll now find that the Big Red offers clutch-free shifting options for everything from the pint-sized Rebel 300 to the Transalp XL750. Moreover, the brand hasn’t been shy about its intentions to round out the range, as it’s continued displaying fresh concepts at bike shows around the world.

Silver and blue Honda CB400 Super Four motorcycle with black seat and dual front disc brakes on a gray background. — Honda’s CB400 Super Four E-Clutch concept revives a model that was kept in production for three decades.

The latest of which dropped this past weekend. Following a teaser posted on YouTube towards the end of last week, Honda has pulled the curtain back on its latest prospect.

Honda’s latest E-Clutch concept

It’s called the CB400 Super Four E-Clutch Concept, and it’s a bike that made its debut at Motorcycle Show 2026 in Osaka, Japan.

As evidenced by the name, it touts Honda’s E-Clutch wizardry. Should you not already be familiar with the feature, it allows for optional clutch actuation and virtually stall-free riding, regardless of what gear is selected (though it does require some human engagement for shifts).

If you find yourself having a bit of deja vu, it’s probably for good reason. This little 400 borrows its striking looks from the CB1000F that’s coming stateside, that bike also being a tribute to a historic Honda ridden by AMA legend “Fast” Freddie Spencer back in the 1970s.

Silver and blue Honda CB500F motorcycle with black accents, featuring a sporty design, exposed engine, dual rear exhaust, and black alloy wheels. — You’d be forgiven for feeling a bit confused, recognizing the similarities to the previously displayed CB500SF.

Moreover, Honda actually delivered a similar but slightly larger version of this concept at China’s CIMAMotor show last year. Dubbed the CB500SF, it brought an increase in engine capacity along with some key updates to the Honda E-Clutch system.

In any event, much as the additional displacement of the larger 500 (supposedly good for up to 80 horsepower) is bound to attract power-hungry riders, the E-Clutch amounts to an even more impactful addition when you consider it in the context of the 400’s history.

Honda’s second-generation E-Clutch provides auto downshifts.

Honda

Building on 30 years of Super Four

Though Honda never sold the CB400 Super Four in the United States, the bike was a mainstay of the brand’s motorcycle lineup while it was in production.

Having originally introduced the little inline-four in 1992, the brand faithfully kept the bike in production for three decades, and it wasn’t until 2022 that it finally left the Japanese market.

Purple Honda CB400 motorcycle side view illustration with chrome exhaust and black seat. — The CB400 Super Four hit the market in 1992 as an evolution of the CB-1.

In addition to building on the competition efforts of a model that American riders did get (that being the uber-cool CB-1), Honda’s CB400 Super Four also grew to become a staple among younger and learning riders.

The lightweight design made it easy to handle when swinging a leg over, while the approachable power made it accessible to learn throttle control. So much so that Honda even eventually developed a riding school-specific model for Japan.

Silver and blue Honda CB400 Super Four motorcycle with black seat and multiple colored indicator lights on the front. — Honda eventually turned the CB400 Super Four into a bike used throughout riding schools in Japan.

And the CB400 Super Four wasn’t limited to entry-level applications. From HYPER VTEC development to added aerodynamic provisions, Honda explored the bike in performance and touring settings, too.

As such, with E-Clutch providing non-invasive assistance to new and experienced riders alike, Honda’s new concept lands upon the perfect evolution for the beloved small-displacement naked CB.

Person in white helmet and jacket riding a silver motorcycle on a road by the ocean. — Even with its small displacement, the CB400 Super Four was designed to provide big bike thrills.

More to come

Honda has made good on its motorcycle concepts on more than one occasion now, so it’s reasonable to expect that the CB400 Super Four E-Clutch could become a reality sooner rather than later.

Whether it’ll come to the United States, only time will tell. However, seeing as Americans do get the CB500 Hornet (a size previewed in China), it’s a distinct possibility. After all, Honda is looking to recover from its losses following a total change in EV strategy.

Silver and black Honda CB400 motorcycle with blue accents and round headlight on a gray background.

Honda CB400 Super Four E-Clutch Concept

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About the Author: Gray is an associate editor at Gear Patrol, covering cars, motorcycles and anything else with wheels. When he’s not chasing the latest industry news, he’s probably wrenching on one of many projects. For better or worse, he believes classics make perfectly practical daily drivers.

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