What motorcycles were used for the Cyclone in Shin Kamen Rider?

The film's official site states that the untransformed machine was based on a Honda CB250R and the transformed version on a Honda CB650R.

Do the CB250R and CB650R use the same engine?

No. The relevant CB250R uses a 249 cc single-cylinder engine, while the CB650R uses a 648 cc inline-four. Their scale and exhaust layouts are visibly different.

Can you buy the film-specification Cyclone?

No production CB250R or CB650R was sold in the same film specification. The Cyclone bodies and equipment were created for the movie.

Home / Motorcycles in culture / Shin Kamen Rider

FILM / TWO HONDA CB BASES

Shin Kamen Rider.
Two Honda CBs, before and after.

The Cyclone is not simply one production motorcycle hidden beneath two sets of bodywork. The film's official answer is a CB250R before transformation and a CB650R afterwards. Their single-cylinder and inline-four engines make the difference tangible.

AI-GENERATED UNOFFICIAL ILLUSTRATION / NOT ENDORSED BY THE MANUFACTURER

Before: Honda CB250R
After: Honda CB650R
Engines: Single / inline-four
Film difference: Purpose-built bodywork

The official answer: CB250R and CB650R

The official Shin Kamen Rider site states that Honda supported the project and that the Cyclone was built on two bases: the CB250R in its untransformed state and the CB650R after transformation. Despite their similar names, one is not merely a larger version of the other.

Role	Base motorcycle	Production engine	Visual clue
Untransformed	Honda CB250R	249 cc single	Slender body, one-cylinder engine and round lamp
Transformed	Honda CB650R	648 cc inline-four	Four header pipes and a broader engine block

See the film's base-bike announcement (Japanese) ↗

The CB250R makes lightness visible

Honda's final Japanese-market CB250R used a 249 cc liquid-cooled single and weighed 144 kg. Its round LED headlamp, mass-centred body and short tail communicate compactness before it even moves.

The film motorcycle changes tyres, bodywork and other details, so it should not be treated as a showroom CB250R specification. The engine width, frame area, fork and wheel positions are more reliable identification clues than the added panels.

Honda lists the CB250R as having ended Japanese production in August 2024.

The CB650R brings inline-four presence

The CB650R uses a 648 cc liquid-cooled inline-four. Four exhaust headers descending from the front of the engine are the clearest clue beneath the transformed film body. The current production bike combines a round lamp with exposed metal and a compact naked-bike silhouette.

The film fairing and lighting are Cyclone-specific creations rather than standard Honda accessories. Any road-legal custom inspired by that look must still meet local requirements for lighting position, visibility, projections and structural changes.

Explore the Honda CB650R (Japanese) ↗

Three current Honda routes from the two CBs

These are not direct replacements. They carry forward three useful ideas: compact naked-bike energy, the presence of an inline-four, and accessible 250 cc sport styling.