International Dealer News 184 May/June 2025 IDN 184 May/June 2025 | Page 24

THE BRADLEY REPORT
THE BRADLEY REPORT

Honda CB1000F By Ben Purvis

Having signalled the end of production for the decades-old CB1300 Super Four Honda is left with a hole in its range for the sort of classic fourcylinder retro roadster that ' s been a staple of its lineup since the days of the original 1969 CB750. Not for long, though, as the company has shown the CB1000F Concept at the Osaka Motorcycle Show and it ' s heading for production soon. The CB1000F Concept is essentially Honda revisiting the idea it considered five years ago when a similar-looking machine, the CB-F Concept, was given a digital unveiling thanks to the cancellation of the 2020 Osaka and Tokyo Motorcycle Shows. That machine, which was based on the chassis and engine of the CB1000R, was originally intended to result in a
production model, but the project was quietly dropped in 2022. That ' s believed to be because the CB1000R is already an ageing machine that ' s both more expensive and less powerful than some rivals, and the CB- F would have had a similar combination of price and performance. It ' s also because, by 2022, Honda already knew that the CB1000 Hornet was due- it was first shown in 2023, and although the production model was delayed until this year, that bike, with its more modern engine and less expensive construction, was a more suitable basis for Honda ' s nextgeneration retro four-cylinder. This is precisely what the new CB1000F Concept previews. The engine is the same 150 hp, litre fourcylinder that ' s used in the CB1000 Hornet, and it sits in the same steel twin-spar frame- a simpler, cheaperto-make design than the aluminium spine chassis of the CB1000R. The swingarm and Showa SFF-BP forks are also shared with the CB1000 Hornet, as are the Nissin radial brakes- this concept is based on the cheaper version of the Hornet rather than the Brembo-equipped, 155 hp ' SP ' model. In a clear pointer towards the fact the CB1000F ' Concept ' is really a nearproduction machine, Honda ' s Osaka show unveiling included not one but three of the bikes. The standard version was accompanied by a Moriwakituned model with a braced swingarm in polished alloy and an oversized alloy radiator, reminiscent of Moriwaki endurance racers of the past, and by a garishly-painted version that marks a collaboration with Japanese fashion label Beams. While the CB1300 Super Four has been off sale in international markets for more than a decade, the new CB1000F has a stronger chance of reaching a global audience, essentially replacing not only the CB1300 but also the air-cooled CB1100- also discontinued- and acting as a rival to Kawasaki ' s Z900RS.

Astemo dual camera rider assist system By Ben Purvis

Radar-based rider assistance systems, including adaptive cruise control and brake assistance, are rapidly spreading across multiple manufacturers ' products thanks largely to Bosch offthe-shelf components- but despite its
reputation as a technology leader Honda has yet to introduce any equivalent equipment in its motorcycle range. That could be set to change after Honda-owned component company Astemo showed off the latest version of its camera-based riderassistance system. While radar-based ADAS( advanced driver assistance systems) are more common, camera-based versions are also proven technology in modern cars. Tesla, for example, is a leader in the field of semi-autonomous driving and prefers cameras over radar, as does Subaru. Using two cameras to create a stereoscopic image means the systems
can measure the distance to objects in their field of view, and while less able to detect obstacles in poor visibility than radars, cameras have the advantage of being able to recognise colours, for instance the brake lights of vehicles ahead, or to see whether a traffic light is red or green. Astemo ' s system, shown on a Honda Africa Twin, enables rider assist tech like adaptive cruise control, but after several years of development it can now also detect changes in the road surface ahead before the bike reaches them. For example, it can recognise speed bumps, and because Astemo is the parent to Showa suspension, Nissin
brakes and Keihin fuel injection, it ' s perfectly placed to make those systems work together in response- potentially altering ABS settings, traction control and damping when its cameras detect changes in the road surface, so the bike is ready before it even reaches the obstacle. Honda itself has also filed patents showing how dual cameras could be incorporated into its bikes more easily than radars, hiding the lenses inside the headlight units, for example. Since Honda owns 40 % of Astemo, with electronics company Hitachi having another 40 %, it ' s well placed to adopt the tech as soon as it ' s ready to be used by customers.