Just one year after showing the unique V3 supercharged engine prototype, this week Honda is showing a more developed motorcycle model with its innovative supercharged V3 engine, which promises the performance of a 1,200cc engine in a more environmentally-friendly package. We expect to see a production version of this bike within the next 12 months.
Here is a short press release from Honda:
MILAN, Italy, November 4, 2025 – Honda today unveiled the V3R 900 E-Compressor Prototype equipped with a V3 engine with an electronically-controlled compressor, at EICMA 2025 (the Milan Motorcycle Shows. Press days: November 4-5, Public days: November 6-9) in Milan, Italy.
In order to realize the “joy and freedom of mobility” to fulfill the Honda 2030 Vision, Honda motorcycle development team members are engaged in ongoing discussions in the effort to build attractive products that go beyond expectations of customers. The V3R 900 E-Compressor Prototype is being developed as a motorcycle model that offers new value to customers with unprecedented, original Honda technologies.
Under the development concept of “Non-Rail Roller Coaster,” Honda is striving to create a model that is characterized by two contrasting qualities — “guaranteed thrill” and “reassuring peace of mind” — by combining its latest technologies with know-how amassed through its long history of motorcycle development.
A slim and compact engine design was pursued with the displacement of 900cc based on the exact layout of the water-cooled 75-degree V3 engine, which Honda unveiled last year as a concept model at the EICMA 2024. Equipped with the world’s first* electronically-controlled compressor for motorcycles, the engine delivers highly responsive torque even from low rpm range, by controlling compression of the intake air irrespective of engine rpm. Taking advantage of this feature, Honda is striving to develop a 900cc engine that achieves the performance comparable to that of a 1200cc engine, while also contributing to excellent environmental performance.
The V3R 900 E-Compressor Prototype features asymmetrical side cowls, as well as a tank emblem with the new “Honda Flagship WING” design, which is scheduled to be adopted by top-tier models sequentially starting next year.
Honda is developing the V3R 900 E-Compressor Prototype as a model that will represent a new milestone in the ongoing challenges undertaken by Honda and will enable customers to experience the unprecedented fun and excitement of riding and the joy of ownership. Honda will continue development for the mass production.
*Honda research
Total motorcycle has a bunch of swell pictures this possible.
I once had a built RZ350, 1983, with the YPVS exhaust valve. I called it God’s own slingshot. Dang if I don’t want it back! Also lusted after my local dealership’s Suzuki XN85… plotted to buy that, but at 14, 15 years i didn’t have the money. Dude who did buy it wadded it within a month.
I’m still here… did my high speeds, but a V3 is very intriguing. The Fuelling bikes were SO sexy.
I still have my Honda CX500TC turbo, and when it came out it was also the flagship model for Honda. it was presented as a small 500cc motorcycle, that had the power of a 1000cc machine. Well, with all the complexity of the small turbocharger, in hindsight it was easier to simply build a 1000cc machine, and concentrate on just making it lightweight. A 1000cc machine was simple, without the complexity of the extra compressor. I like the idea of a V3, my VFR1200DCT had the 2 rear cylinders together, with the front cylinders on the outide of the V making it narrow between my legs. I am anxious to see if Honda can make something of this, time will tell.
props for keeping your OBRUT this long. where would you place it’s power along the non-aspirated power continuum? honda said your turbo was worth 2 x (cc), but have revised this new one down to be only worth 1.33 x (cc). mick might say the math doesn’t look good…
I’m still looking for an explanation of why an electric super charger is a good idea. I get the forced induction segregated from engine speed side but a turbo-charger harvests this benefit from wasted exhaust gas pressure. A supercharger, regardless of how it’s driven consumes power produced by the engine. In the case of an electric driven compressor, I imagine it is not a trivial amount.
As for V3? Sure, why not.. Maybe this is Honda getting back to its bold engineering roots. Old guys have been crying for this for a while now, right?
Another problem is packaging. Honda is still trying to figure that out. If you surf around you can find frontal views of this bike. It’s pretty obviously asymmetrical despite the camouflage paint scheme.
If they want to put the turbo on a bike. They should use a parallel twin. Piece of cake. Put the turbo where the rear cylinder is on the V3. As for the V3. What the heck? It’s a 900cc V3. It should make decent power without the turbo and be part of a much better looking finished bike without the packaging problem.
Interesting concept and design.
Curious to see where this goes.
I rode a borrowed 1984 Kawasaki KZ 750 Turbo back in the day. It had a rush like no other motorcycle I had ridden. I’ve owned several motorcycles and of all types including two Yamaha FJ 1200’s. I’ve fortune enough to have ridden many borrowed/rented/ test ride motorcycles including a modified Honda CBR 1100XX which was stunning. However my thoughts always return to that Kawasaki and a lofted front wheel after the turbo lag was over.
” rush like no other ” Only driven one turbo, but that singular experience affected me forever, because of the rush.
Accelerating wide open, the faster it went the harder it accelerated, like a bomb going off. I wonder if the effective torque peak was rising with the rpm ? Was really something going 40 to over 90 in about 2 seconds.
Baby blue Porsche.
This one is going to be completely different because you won’t need to wait for the rush, due to the electric blower working fully from low revs. I’d imagine it will have just the same immediate power of my little EV car but with a different soundtrack. Honda will probably tame the power output of what could be a grenade engine, and no bad thing.
This is not a smart ass comment.
I Regi. V. B. do state, an extreme interest in this ICE configuration, v3 to be. Just one issue so far.
The aspiration to be 1200 cc and big giddyup go go, is not in my bucket list, along with the vacuum cleaner motor super charging. I would prefer,around an effective,
maybe 750 cc power v3, without the supercharging.
Paint job and curly cue seat are great, as long as still a v3. Love the red valve covers.
This is not a smart ass comment to be.
It’s a curiosity. What I don’t understand is what problem is this engine system going to solve? It’s like bringing a weird answer to an automotive problem to the motorcycle market. And Porsche already has this weird answer in spades. They they have motor assisted real turbos and use motors that assist the turbos as a generators to power the hybrid electric motor to the tune of 20hp instead of using waste gates. They’re kind of knocking Honda out of the park.
If I lost you there. Engineering Explained on YouTube does a good job of explaining the engineering, go figure.
Trying out a V3 would be interesting. But you could ride this bike for a week and still not know what a V3 is really like.
Emissions. 3 cylinders “leak” fewer hydrocarbons than a four. And it’s easier to make more hp witb a tre (triple) than a due (2 cylinder.) Plus, it’s torquier than a 4. I’ve wondered why superchargers weren’t electrically powered for a long time. Less Rube Goldberg mechanically. Just put a motor on it, not a planetary gear spinning to the moon and needing to be cooled. This is a great concept and I hope Honda sells a ton of these bikes.
I look at this as a 3 cylinder for all the good reasons, with a 2 cylinder width, and arguably different weight distribution. Besides it looks double ought balls cool.
It’s just that I feel that power is a solved problem on street bikes. It’s already 900cc. How much boost does it need? The KTM 890 makes as much as 120hp and over 70 foot pounds of torque. It’s a twin and it’s going to produce less unburned hydrocarbons. You really want more power? Well, the 1290 is still a twin, it’s probably going to weigh less as an engine system and produce fewer unburned hydrocarbons. It makes about 160hp. Both twins make more than enough power, they are also lighter, cleaner, less complex, and less expensive to produce.
People like to tell me that making a light weight 90hp bike would be too expensive. Yeah? And this finished product is less expensive to produce than a light 90hp bike? I was born at night. But I wasn’t born last night.