Introduced in 1987, this large-displacement CBR established itself as Honda’s flagship fully faired sport-touring machine of the late 1980s and 1990s. It arrived as a high-performance inline-four motorcycle aimed at fast, comfortable long-distance riding, pairing a smooth, water-cooled DOHC engine with full bodywork and touring-friendly ergonomics for its era. In Honda’s global CBR history, it is the model that helped define the brand’s big-bore sportbike identity before the lighter, sharper superbikes that followed.
The nameplate was first sold outside Japan and later reached the Japanese market in 1993, after having already been on sale elsewhere for several years. That Japanese launch marked an important update for the model, and Honda also used it to introduce the company’s first Dual Combined Brake System in 1993, underscoring the bike’s role as both a performance machine and a technology showcase.
Over its life, the model evolved through revisions to styling, chassis detail, and braking equipment, but it remained recognizable as a large, full-fairing sport tourer rather than a pure race-replica. It gained a reputation for real-world speed, stability, and long-distance capability, and it became especially well regarded among riders who wanted superbike-era performance with more comfort and everyday usability. Its engineering influence also carried forward within Honda’s lineup; the CBR1000F’s development helped pave the way for the later CBR1100XX Super Blackbird, which took over as Honda’s next flagship high-speed sport model.