Honda’s incoming CB1000F four-cylinder retro made a major UK public appearance at last weekend’s Goodwood Festival of Speed , with MCN given the chance to chuck a leg over it on the Thursday afternoon of the scorching four-day event.
Although only a 1.16-mile dash up the venue’s glorious hillclimb course, it gives an early indication of what to expect when we attend the full official press launch later this month.
First revealed in early October 2025, it’s priced from £10,599 and takes inspiration from the CB750F of the 1980s – raced to success by Freddie Spencer in the brutish American AMA championships.
Parked alongside a faithful replica of the original racer in the Goodwood paddock, it’s clear to see Honda’s design intentions – with this silver and blue livery, combined with the bulbous flat tank and boxy rear end providing a real nostalgia trip.
Unlike the original, the F is powered by a 1000cc inline four engine derived from the 2017 Fireblade superbike , now re-worked for low- to mid-range pull – producing an ample 122bhp at 9000rpm and 76lb.ft of torque at 8000rpm.
It’s the same overall engine design as the one found in the CB1000 Hornet , which was subject to a recall for excessive oil consumption caused by an issue with the piston rings and piston specification. This then meant delays to the production and arrival of the F variant.
With a permanent fix now said to be secured, the retro is finally here – hitting the UK alongside a long-legged CB1000GT sports tourer .
Inside the motor, cam timing has been altered and the intake funnel length has been extended from 50mm to 140mm, with the funnel inlet diameters now sitting at 40mm for the right pair, and 50mm for the left – with the idea being to create a ‘pulsating’ intake noise as you wind on the throttle.
Making use of the first four gears on my runs, I’m pleased to say this has worked – delivering a sound akin to a machine running on a bank of carburettors.
There’s no immediate bark, or gruff top-end like the Hornet, but there’s enough noise to keep you satisfied – and we’d expect a huge range of aftermarket exhaust systems to be made available to further capture that ‘Fast Freddie’ image.
Think of this then as a direct competitor to Kawasaki’s accomplished Z900RS range – offering a similarly authentic retro image, with modern components and electronics, including a TFT screen and quickshifter.
Set up on the softer side, with a wide seat, you sit quite low at just 795mm – perched behind the 16-litre fuel tank with an easy reach to the tapered handlebars.
A flatter, wider bar option would perhaps be more authentic to the race bike but would likely sacrifice some everyday usability.
Elsewhere it tips in nicely, with a neutral feeling from the steering. Kerb weight is a claimed 214kg, with the low seat making things manageable at a standstill.
A longer road ride will tell us more, but the tempting pricing and easy ergonomics are likely to make it a sales winner. It’s just a shame it uses a keyless ignition fob but still requires a key to open the fuel tank.
Although only a brief encounter, I did enjoy my time with the CB1000F and can’t wait to get a proper spin later this year. It’ll be interesting to see what happens when we test it alongside the Kawasaki Z900RS, as I imagine it’ll be a very close run thing.
Dan is a fully-trained journalist, with a Gold Standard Level 3 Diploma from the National Council for the Training of Journalists. He has a passion for moto…