The Honda motorcycle often called the first superbike is the Honda CB750.
Honda introduced the CB750 in 1969, bringing a 736 cc air-cooled transverse inline-four engine to a mainstream production motorcycle. It also combined features such as an electric starter and a front disc brake, helping make high performance more accessible than it had been on many earlier large motorcycles.
The phrase “first superbike” is partly a historical label rather than a strict technical category. Earlier motorcycles could be fast and technologically advanced, and other manufacturers had already used inline-four engines. However, the CB750 popularized the formula so effectively that it became a benchmark for later Japanese performance motorcycles and Universal Japanese Motorcycles.
A common mix-up is the Honda CB450, which preceded the CB750 and used a twin-cylinder engine. The Honda VF750F came later with a V4 engine, while the CBR600F was a later middleweight sportbike. The CB750’s four-cylinder layout and mass-market success are what made its superbike reputation endure.