HONDA The Power of Dreams

The 1969 Dream CB750 FOUR’s 4-stroke high-performance engine and advanced disc brakes had sent shockwaves throughout the world.

Although it sold well, other companies soon released road sports models powered by 4-cylinder engines. By the mid-1970s, the Dream CB750 FOUR’s popularity in the market was fading, especially in Europe

Until then, Honda had been developing large models primarily for the U.S. and Japan, which in part caused in increase in requests from Honda’s European subsidiary to development sporty models for European customers.

At the time, endurance road racing was extremely popular in Europe. In particular, winning the 24 Hours of Bol d'Or in France was a major goal for riders, teams, and manufacturers.

In 1976, Honda entered the Endurance European Championship to improve its racing image and to prepare for its return to the Road Racing World Championship, which it had left since 1967.

For endurance racing, Honda developed the RCB1000, powered by a 4-valve DOHC engine based on the Dream CB750 FOUR. This racing bike won Honda both the manufacturers’ and riders’ championships in its first year of racing. The RCB1000 indeed contributed to Honda’s racing image, continuing to dominate, winning the prestigious 24 Hours of Bordeaux endurance race for three consecutive years, and claiming the manufacturers’ and riders’ titles in the third year.

In response to these endurance racing activities, Honda began to develop road sports models aimed at the European market, leading to the CB750F and CB900F.

One of the most notable aspects of these models was the exterior design. One Honda designer went to France to observe the tastes of riders at events where road sports fans gathered, and through trial and error in the market continued the design process. The result was the Flowing Line styling*, a flowing, innovative design.

Until then, the fuel tank, side covers, and rear fairing had been designed independently, but were now designed as a unified form that emphasized a sense of speed.

This radical flowing line styling paved the way to Honda’s new design language.

In order to regain its superiority in the 750 cc class, the air-cooled, 4-stroke, 4-valve, 4-cylinder in-line DOHC engine, the standard for high-performance sports bikes, was developed by applying the technology cultivated through racing.

The initial lineup consisted of the European-taste CB750F based on the flowing line styling, and the CB750K tourer which shared the same engine but was styled differently.

As development of the 750 cc model progressed, the CB900F was also added to compete with 1000 cc bikes from other manufacturers. In order to achieve a lightweight and agile ride, the model based on the CB750F’s engine and chassis but with an increased displacement of 900 cc was tested and added to the lineup.

The CB750F was then introduced to the US and European markets, and soon after, the CB900F was introduced to the European market as a 1979 model.

In the European market, where 1000 cc models were popular, the CB900F in particular quickly gaining traction due to its sophisticated design and the appeal of its high-performance 4-valve DOHC engine. Along with Honda’s success in endurance racing, these models contributed greatly to improving the brand image of Honda’s large sports models.