Honda arrived at EICMA 2026 with more than motorcycles. Alongside its stand’s model line-up, the brand unveiled two full rider-gear partnerships making their public debut together in Milan.
The first is a complete apparel collection with French protective-wear specialist IXON. The second is a new full-face helmet developed with Japanese manufacturer Kabuto.
Both arrive in Honda dealerships through 2027, and together they signal where Honda’s rider-equipment strategy is heading.
Honda x IXON: a full apparel range for every rider
The partnership between Honda and IXON was announced earlier in 2026, with the complete collection kept under wraps until Milan. It spans adventure, road and sport riding, with every piece built around IXON’s protective standards and Honda’s visual language. The range is dealer-exclusive and reaches Honda dealerships in March 2027.
At the top of the collection sits the Vortex 3, a full leather suit finished in Honda’s red, white and blue colours. It’s aimed at sport and track riders, with a MotoGP-inspired aerodynamic hump and stretch panels for freedom of movement. A removable mesh vest is also part of the package.
For riders heading further afield, the collection includes two adventure outfits built around the Odin jacket and matching protective trousers, available in two colourways. The focus is on weather protection, adjustability and comfort over long days in the saddle, with complementary gloves completing the package.
Day-to-day road riders are covered by the Striker 2, a roadster jacket with subtle Honda styling and premium protection. Commuters and city riders have the lightweight Smoton urban jacket to reach for. A selection of gloves, including the Sinergy, Air 2 and Mig 2, completes the range.
The practical upshot for Honda riders is a coordinated kit range through the dealership network. That beats scrambling to piece together protective wear from several brands.
Kabuto KF-2F: Honda's first dedicated Super Sport helmet
Shown alongside the IXON range is the all-new KF-2F full-face helmet, unveiled through Honda’s new partnership with Japanese helmet specialist Kabuto. It sits at the race-focused end of the line-up. As Honda puts it, the KF-2F completes a four-category helmet portfolio: open-face, modular, adventure and now Super Sport.
The engineering heritage is worth noting. The KF-2F uses Kabuto’s Advanced Composite Technology (A.C.T.-3) shell construction and draws on development experience from the company’s F-17 racing helmet. It carries FIM FRHPhe-02 homologation, meaning it’s approved for global competition, and meets ECE 22.06 certification for road use.
Honda’s Alessandro Testa, head of network development and branding, describes the KF-2F as race-level helmet technology offered at an accessible price point.
Safety doesn’t stop at the shell. The KF-2F includes the Mips Safety System, designed to help reduce rotational forces during angled impacts. Every helmet also ships with a Quin Tag providing emergency rider information.
An optional Quin Pod version adds crash detection: the system notifies pre-selected contacts with location data if a serious incident is recorded. The companion app also logs ride data and performance metrics for riders who like to track their outings.
Aerodynamics have had wind-tunnel attention aimed at reducing drag and rider fatigue at speed. Ventilation channels promote airflow for cooling across longer rides.
At launch, the KF-2F will come in Honda-branded graphics and replica schemes inspired by Honda test rider and MotoGP race winner Aleix Espargaro. Sizes run S, M, L and XL, with European availability scheduled for 2027 through Honda dealerships.
What the EICMA 2026 launches say about Honda's rider-gear direction
Taken together, the IXON collection and the Kabuto helmet signal a clear shift. Honda is building out a complete rider-equipment ecosystem by partnering with category specialists, rather than treating gear as an afterthought to the bike.
The IXON range covers every discipline Honda sells into. The KF-2F fills the last obvious gap in the helmet portfolio.
For Honda riders in the UK, both ranges will reach Honda dealerships through 2027. That includes Vertu Motorcycles’ Honda showrooms in Grantham, Nottingham, Stockton-on-Tees and beyond. If you’re planning your next helmet or a head-to-toe kit refresh, our Vertu Motorcycles colleagues can walk you through the options as the collections arrive.
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