Honda CB1000F Review: One Bike. Two Personalities.
- Ben Grayson
- 4 days ago
- 2 min read
I thought I knew exactly how this review was going to go.
The new Honda CB1000F looks like the very definition of a modern retro: classic Honda styling, comfortable riding position, sensible power and just enough nostalgia to make those who remember the original CB-F era feel warm and fuzzy inside.
Then I rode it.
And it turns out this thing has a bit of a personality disorder.
A modern bike wearing an old suit
Underneath those retro clothes is a thoroughly modern litre-class naked bike powered by an engine derived from the Fireblade.
Honda has deliberately tuned it to around 120bhp, which has already generated plenty of internet discussion about why they've made it slower.
But when did 120bhp on a motorcycle become slow?
More importantly, does chasing ever-bigger horsepower figures actually make a motorcycle more entertaining on the road?
That's where the CB1000F surprised me.
Ride it normally and it's exactly the motorcycle you'd expect: comfortable, friendly, predictable and remarkably easy to live with.
Start misbehaving, though, and another bike begins to emerge.
As I discovered while filming the review, the CB1000F isn't simply a retro motorcycle I'm incorrectly trying to turn into a sportsbike. Honda has effectively built a modern motorcycle wearing a forty-year-old suit.
So which is the real CB1000F?
That's the question I wanted the film to answer.
Along the way I'm looking at the engine, handling, comfort, styling, that rather questionable TFT dash, the oil-consumption recall and whether Honda's decision to prioritise usable performance over a headline horsepower figure actually makes sense.
But mostly, I wanted to answer something much simpler:
Can a slower, softer motorcycle actually be more fun?
Because after spending some time with the CB1000F, I think it can.
And annoyingly… I rather want one.
🎬 Watch the full Honda CB1000F review below and let me know what you think.
Honda CB1000F — sensible when you need it. Stupid when you want it.
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