Most people know just how great Japanese motorcycles can be. However, some of the coolest motorcycles from the Land of the Rising Sun never make their way to the West. Take, for instance, Honda's quarter-liter vehicles, such as the Tricker, the likes of which have long been discontinued. But Honda still produces some really cool big-bore four-cylinder engines that some parts of the globe never get a look at.
One of those is the legendary Honda CB1300. The sad news is that the naked bike is set to be retired. But not before we get the Honda CB1300 Super Four SP Final Edition and CB1300 Super Bol D'Or SP Final Edition. With the release of the Final Edition, Honda has almost formally acknowledged the last iteration of its renowned naked motorcycle. The Japanese company has created a dedicated page on its website to commemorate this milestone.
The CB1300 has a long history dating back to the CB1000 Super Four from 1992, which was an integral part of Project BIG1, Honda's initiative to market the most aggressive motorcycles available at the time. Following its 1998 transformation from the CB1000 to the CB1300, Honda's big-bore four dominated the market with little real competition.
Most recently, the Japanese bikemaker released a commemorative edition in 2022 to mark the 30th anniversary of this popular model. However, the CB1300 never made its way to America. Sure, there has always been a soft spot for big, powerful cruisers in the States, but a naked as heavy as this was always unlikely to draw in huge sums of money.
The naked is powered by a liquid-cooled 4-valve DOHC in-line four which is mated to an assist and slip clutch. It is equipped with HSTC (Honda Selectable Torque Control) that can be turned on and off according to the driving character in each mode.
Speaking of which, there are three modes: Standard, Sport and Rain. There’s a quickshifter, heated grips, H.I.S.S (Honda Ignition Security System), LED lights, and an LCD screen too.
On the hardware front, the bike sits on a 43-mm Öhlins front fork and a 14-mm Öhlins rear shock absorber. All of this sits on a double cradle structure and dual backbone which helps with light sports riding and stability at high speeds by fusing suppleness and stability.
The bikes are priced at JP¥2,101,000 (US$14,070) for the CB1300 Super Four SP Final Edition and JP¥2,211,000 (US$14,800). There’s not much more information to go around as of now.
Even though Honda confirmed that the CB1300 Final Edition will be produced, it has not yet disclosed its release date. The brand's official website will likely provide more details soon, so fans can keep an eye out for this momentous farewell to one of Honda's most recognizable bikes.
Will a new, contemporary equivalent take its place? It doesn't look likely considering Honda doesn't currently have something comparable in its range. Despite having liquid cooling and EFI, these 1,300 four-cylinders managed to preserve the sleek appearance of the original air-cooled UJMs, something that is unlikely to happen with Honda's current 500 and 750 twins.
Source: Honda
