It’s been a busy information week within the bike trade. Honda has simply teased their neo-retro CB1000F idea once more, Buell is shaking down their Tremendous Cruiser, and Triumph has launched a smaller Thruxton for the Indian market. Should you’re out there for a particular bike, Charles Leclerc’s {custom} Husqvarna Vitpilen 701 is on the market.
Honda CB1000F and CB1000F SE Honda first confirmed the CB1000F idea earlier this yr, however they’ve now upped the ante with a second model—the Honda CB1000F SE. On show on the 2025 Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Race (received by Honda riders Takumi Takahashi and MotoGP star Johann Zarco), each bikes look tantalizingly near manufacturing.
In the identical means Kawasaki dressed up the Z900 to create the Z900RS, and Yamaha constructed the XSR900 from the MT09, Honda has draped classically-styled bodywork over the CB1000 Hornet. Honda has nailed the styling, with a boxy tank and an angular tail part that each hark again to the CB1000F of the Nineteen Eighties.
The SE mannequin provides a couple of luxe particulars—essentially the most notable of which is its squared-off bikini fairing. It additionally will get a barely completely different seat, a slick radiator guard, and heated grips.
Just like the CB1000 Hornet, the CB1000F makes use of Nissin brakes, 41 mm Showa forks, and a Showa rear shock. The 1000 cc DOHC inline-four ought to produce round 150 horses, however we should see whether or not Honda tunes it in a different way. The 5” TFT show from the Hornet is in use too, however we don’t hate it—particularly on the SE, the place the dashboard is tucked away behind that sensible fairing.
Honda confirmed off three liveries at Suzuka, all of which really feel like manufacturing designs. All three look good, however we’d like to see a number of the louder liveries of the 80s make a comeback.
Honda additionally ran the CB1000F on the observe for a couple of laps—a transparent indication that the bike is able to promote. So, though Honda hasn’t formally introduced the manufacturing model of the CB1000F, we anticipate that information to drop any day now. (Supply)
For Sale. Excellent news for {custom} bike nerds who’re additionally Formulation 1 followers: this 2018 Husqvarna Vitpilen 701, initially constructed by Unhealthy Winners for Charles Leclerc, is on the market.
A couple of years againWalid from Unhealthy Winners acquired a message from Leclerc himself on Instagram. It’s not day by day you get a message from a Ferrari Formulation 1 driver, so Walid was initially hesitant to answer. It turned out to be legit, and it led to the creation of this wild Husqvarna Vitpilen 701.
The {custom} carbon fiber bodywork was all designed in 3D earlier than being manufactured in-house at Unhealthy Winners. The tank mimics the unique in form, however Walid added the massive wings that conceal the protruding radiator in an ingenious means. In addition they appear to be the ground edge wings discovered on a contemporary F1 automobile.
The five-spoke wheels, that are additionally carbon and weigh about six kilos every, had been equipped by Dymag within the UK. The rear subframe was designed by Walid and made out of laser-cut metal, and the seat is trimmed in black leather-based. The tail gentle is one other handmade merchandise, jutting out from underneath the cowl, the place a tiny Antigravity battery is housed.
A extra aggressive headlight from a KTM 790 Duke was bolted on above a carbon entrance fender and the Renthal racing clip-ons. The dashboard was made out of scratch, with Walid placing in appreciable effort to make it play good with the bike’s ECU. It’s operating a full suite of goodies from Motogadget, together with a wi-fi key fob and push-button switches that protect all of the manufacturing facility performance.
With all of the modifications and carbon fiber bits, the bike had round 60 kilos minimize from its dry weight. Due to the {custom} exhaust, SC-Challenge muffler, Ok&N air filter, and a Energy Commander V, Walid bumped the ability as much as 85 horsepower. It’s each gentle and vigorous, so it have to be an absolute hoot to journey.
Should you’re eager to personal a bit of F1-slash-custom bike historical past, head over to Amassing Automobiles to put your bid. With design and provenance like this (and the truth that there is no such thing as a reserve), we’re certain it can get snapped up sooner than Leclerc’s Monaco pole-position time.
Buell Tremendous Cruiser nears manufacturing We first lined the Buell Tremendous Cruiser when the Roland Sands-designed idea was unveiled two years in the past. Since then, the Buell group has been chipping away on the undertaking of their Grand Rapids, Michigan workshop, they usually’ve simply introduced that the Tremendous Cruiser is nearing the tip of its growth program.
For many who haven’t been following the Buell Bike Co. revival with CEO Invoice Melvin on the helm, right here’s a little bit of a Tremendous Cruiser rundown…
The Tremendous Cruiser began as an idea bike, constructed by Roland Sands for Buell. The temporary outlined an American-made V-twin bike with the efficiency and dealing with of a a lot sportier machine. The prototype featured 17” wheels, a 1,190 cc liquid-cooled engine, and the swingarm from a Buell Hammerhead 1190 sport bike. Additional outfitted with club-style particulars like a headlight fairing and lengthy bar raisers, the Tremendous Cruiser eschews most of the parts related to huge American cruisers—which is precisely the purpose.
Buell has launched photographs of the near-production-ready bike out on the street, and, as anticipated, the design has deviated barely from the idea. The entrance wheel has modified and now sports activities twin Brembo brakes as an alternative of the perimeter brake on Roland Sands’ model. The taillight is greater, the seat is chunkier, and the emissions-compliant exhaust system is gargantuan.
With the Tremendous Cruiser deliberate for manufacturing on the finish of 2025, the Buell engineering group is gearing up for a month-long testing routine. Week one will see the group journey to Arizona to evaluate gas metering, total sizzling gas efficiency, and the all-important gas slosh figures. The group will then ship it over to Colorado in week two, the place they are going to be testing altitude efficiency at Pikes Peak and Eisenhower Move and slow-speed metropolis crawling in Silverthorne and Denver. Then it’s over to Las Vegas for an additional week of sizzling, gradual metropolis commuting and a visit out to Dying Valley.
For the ultimate week, the group can be heading off-road in California to deal with mud intrusion, the place they are going to be spending most of their time driving laborious on grime roads. With 175 hp and 135 Nm of torque on faucet, it feels like an excellent few weeks on the workplace. (Buell)
2026 Triumph Thruxton 400 Though Triumph discontinued the Thruxton 1200 final yr, the Thruxton moniker is about to make a comeback elsewhere within the British marque’s vary. Introduced earlier this week for the Indian market, the Triumph Thruxton 400 packs basic café racer styling into an approachable (and extra reasonably priced) package deal.
Constructed on the identical single-cylinder TR engine platform because the Triumph Scrambler 400, the obvious change on the child Thruxton is its gorgeous fairing. Derived from the fairing on the Velocity Triple 1200 RR, it offers the Thruxton 400 a contemporary Racer espresso edge.
The seat top has been introduced all the way down to 795 mm, because of a pair of 17” wheels and a shorter set of 43 mm upside-down forks. Moist weight is a svelte 183 kg (403 lbs), which ought to go well with a wider vary of riders. Energy has been bumped up barely to 41.4 hp, channeled by way of a six-speed transmission with a slip-assisted clutch.
Clip-on handlebars and bar-end mirrors are slung low to clear the fairing, with riders stretching out over a slim gas tank to gaze on the LCD dashboard. There are rearset footpegs and a preload-adjustable rear monoshock, and the only seat is paired with a color-matched cowl.
The Triumph Thruxton 400 is available in 4 colours, every that includes a slightly engaging striped motif. Indian prospects can get it in Lava Crimson, Phantom Black, Metallic Racing Yellow, and Pearl Metallic White, with every of them that includes a slightly engaging striped livery.
There are not any agency particulars of a launch outdoors of India in the meanwhile, however we’re actually hoping that may change. Small bikes are huge enjoyable—and small bikes that look this good are uncommon. (Supply)
