LIMITED EDITION HONDA FOUR RELEASED
I
t is hard to believe that 2019 marks 50 years
since Honda’s iconic CB750 first broke out
into the market and tore up the rulebooks.
At the time, the bike wowed the world
and in the process laid down a superbike
blueprint that still stands today.
While Honda’s modern iteration of the CB is far from
a superbike, that hasn’t stopped some dedicated
Brits from creating something special in honour
of the 50th anniversary of the CB750’s debut.
Dubbed the CB1100 RS 5Four, the special
edition bike is a partnership between Honda’s
UK operation and 5Four Motorcycles which
builds upon a CB1100 RS chassis.
The mind behind the run of just 54 bikes is
Guy Willison, the creative force behind 5Four
Motorcycles says the CB1100 RS holds the
capacity to become something truly special.
“5Four Motorcycles was created to move away
from the one-size-fits-all standard and to build
thoroughbred machines with cool design, a statement
of individualism, quality, performance and exclusivity.
From the moment I first saw the CB1100 RS I knew
it had the potential to be a thoroughbred, single-
seat, point-and-squirt A and B road blaster. So we’re
making a strictly limited production run of 54 CB1100
RS 5Four motorcycles, each individually numbered.
The number is etched subtly into the number 5 of the
nickel-plated 5Fourbadge which itself is inset into the
tailpiece. And the paintwork had to hark back to the
period in my youth when Honda dominated World
Endurance Racing with its Red, White and Blue Works
racers; there are no stickers or transfers – even the
retro Honda logo and Wing are lovingly hand-painted.”
Setting the CB1100 RS 5Four apart from the
standard bike is a tailored riding position
using Renthal Ultra Low handlebars, Tomaselli
racing grips, short racing brake levers and
beautiful billet mirrors, all finished in black.
This is in addition to a single-seat which uses
hand-stitched Alcantara and leather in a
diamond stitch pattern, while the footrest
hangers are mirror-polished aluminium.
In keeping with the bike’s homage to the past, there
is no plastic to be seen either; the wind-cheating
handlebar fairing and single seat tail unit are both
handcrafted from aluminium. A pair of titanium
Urban Growler end-cans* from Racefit – the
quintessentially British exhaust manufacturer – are
beautifully welded and engineered to look stunning
and provide a deeply distinctive, spine tingling sound.
Sadly for us all 54 models are set to stay in the
UK for now. Hey, Blue Wing Honda, what are
you gonna do to celebrate the CB750’s 50th?
KIWI RIDER 25