Honda Finally Launches Its Most Hyped and Quite Possibly Best Retro-Styled Street Bike Yet

Having stalked this moto for years, I couldn’t be more stoked to see it roll into US dealerships in all its glory.

Close-up of a silver Honda motorcycle fuel tank with blue stripes and part of the black engine and front fork.

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By Steve Mazzucchi

Published June 3, 2026

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Updated June 3, 2026

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If Honda’s latest lovable liter bike can be called Moby Dick, go ahead and call me Ahab.

Because ever since I caught wind of the red brand potentially making its long-shelved throwback-styled CB-F concept a reality last spring, I’ve been hot on its trail.

Silver and blue Honda motorcycle with round headlight parked on road with clear sky background. — The long wait for this pitch-perfect bike only serves to make its arrival at US dealerships even sweeter.

While the trajectory has been a bit of a roller coaster since, I am happy to say that, at long last, the 2027 CB1000F has reached our shores.

By all indications, it’s everything we dreamed it would be, too.

Then and now

Right off the bat, if you’d like to track the timeline of this highly anticipated superstar, you can check out my previous coverage here, here, here and here.

Man in a blue shirt sitting on a white and blue Honda racing motorcycle with number 19 on the side. — As this old photo of Spencer and his CB750 makes clear, Honda pulled a ton of styling cues from that trusty steed.

But long story short, what makes this bike so compelling is how seamlessly it combines throwback thrills and contemporary capability.

Regarding the aesthetics, the CB1000F’s distinctive look is heavily inspired by the 1979 CB750 legendary racer “Fast” Freddie Spencer rode to AMA Championship glory nearly half a century ago.

Rear section of a blue and silver CB1000F motorcycle showing the rear wheel, exhaust pipe, and part of the seat. — Of all the old-school touches, this big, beautiful exhaust pipe might be my favorite.

Toward that end, it’s festooned with retro elements, set off by the big round headlight, the angular tank and the serpentine 4-into-1 exhaust system feeding to a glorious bell-shaped chrome silencer.

I am sort of surprised the mirrors aren’t round as well, but perhaps that helps ground it in the late ’70s and early ’80s, rather than the ’50s.

Silver and blue Honda CB1000R motorcycle parked on a road with mountains in the background. — With a seat height of 31.3 inches and a curb weight of 472 pounds, the CB1000F is not exactly beginner-friendly, but intermediate riders should find it plenty approachable.

Shifting to performance, the CB1000F is thoroughly modern.

As the name suggests, it boasts a significantly bigger engine: a down-tuned Fireblade-derived 1000cc inline-four making a claimed 122 horsepower at 9,000 rpm and 76 lb-ft of torque at 8,000 rpm.

Silver Honda CB1000F motorcycle fuel tank with blue stripes and black engine components. — While many retro-styled street bikes offer more bark than bite, the CB1000F’s Fireblade-derived power plant should properly light up everything from city streets to open highways.

Meanwhile, the suspension system features 41mm Showa SFF-BP USD front forks and a Showa rear shock.

Braking is handled by Nissin four-piston radial-mount front brake calipers, squeezing 310mm floating discs up front, plus a 240mm disc paired with a Nissin single-piston caliper in the back.

Silver Honda motorcycle with blue accents ridden on a curving road surrounded by green trees. — I can see this bike feeling right at home on two-lane twisties, where its combination of throwback style, naked freedom and modern performance should deliver plenty of smiles per mile.

Then there are the handling upgrades: wheelie control, cornering ABS and three built-in ride modes — Standard, Sport and Rain — plus two customizable ones you can dial in yourself.

These options and so much more are accessible via a feature that surely would have dropped Spencer’s jaw back in the day: a five-inch TFT display that pairs with your smartphone and is controlled via the switchgear on the left handlebar.

Availability and pricing

The 2027 Honda CB1000F is available now, starting at $10,599.

Silver and black Honda CB1000R motorcycle with blue accents and round headlight on a gray background.

2027 Honda CB1000F

Starts at $10,599

About the Author:

Now managing editor, Steve has served in a variety of roles with GP since 2019. Having previously written and edited for such publications as Men’s Health, Men’s Journal, Esquire and ESPN, he enjoys covering a range of topics — but mostly those pertaining to cycling, snow sports, pocket knives and motos — and dreams of a utopian world in which everyone’s bike seat is at the proper height.

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