Motorcycle description sheet HondaCB 1000 Hornet 2024 Winged bull

The Hornet name is taking on a strategic role at Honda. Resurrected with the 750, its success is such that Honda applies this name extension to the small CB 500 as well as to its new big roadster. The CB 1000 Hornet competes in the fierce beast category, with the CBR 1000 RR in its guts.

We can only welcome the return of a bike with rage in its teeth from the winged manufacturer. The neo-sport-coffee CB 1000 R of recent years has never really convinced, with a design that had to be understood - stuck in a past that didn't exist and a soluble future. The big Hornet is back with taut lines, a gangster physique, and a mean face as it should be in this sector. Too bad, though, that the copy unmistakably resembles the look of Kawa's old Z 1000.

Contrary to the CB 1000 R line, especially the eccentric 2008 version, boldness is not the order of the day. In fact, it's a return to almost "wise" technical solutions. The Hornet will dispense with a cast-aluminum Monobackbone frame. Instead, a standard aluminum swingarm and a rather minimalist tubular steel frame take care of the skeleton, using the motor as a stiffening element. There's no fuss on the braking front either, with Nissin 4-piston radial calipers. As is often the case, Showa components are on board. The 41 mm inverted fork uses SFF-BP technology (separate functions and large internal piston) and offers rebound and compression damping. No details are available for the monoshock, but preload will certainly be adjustable. Note that the rear tire is a 180, whereas the competition and even the old CB 1000 R are 190s. Honda puts the emphasis on handling.

As always with the Japanese (except Kawa with the Z H2), there's no arms race. European hyper-roadsters orbit between 180 and 210 hp, flattering, sultry, egocentric but totally unworkable. The big Hornet has fewer watts, but already a copious 150 hp from its 4-cylinder engine. Stolen from a previous generation Fireblade. It may be less noble than the fusion reactors of a state-of-the-art sports car, but the 2017 engine was a little less advanced and therefore more likely to offer more response and mid-range torque. Torque is said to exceed 100 Nm, but over what rev range? To relieve the left hand and torque feedback, the block is accompanied by a limited-slip clutch.

It's a powerful, serious, efficient machine, but not very exciting at first glance. It's clearly no match for the 1200 Speed Triple RS, Streetfighter V4, M 1000 R, Superduke 1290 R or 1100 Tuono V4 Factory. These are much sharper bikes, with strength and equipment that are clearly superior... and very expensive. Although Honda hasn't announced a price or much in the way of technical details, it's clear that the Hornet will be far more affordable than the segment's fireworks. It's a no-brainer: by offering hyper-developed streetfighters that have nothing left to envy the Superbikes, or mid-size roadsters of the first order, hardly anyone has big "human-sized" roadsters any more. What do you have in stock that's muscular without being scary, and not too expensive? The GSX-S 1000, possibly the MT-10. And that's about it.

Weight, dimensions, technology.... Strangely, Honda was rather stingy with information. Was this to increase the excitement or to gauge public reaction and refine certain data? In any case, Honda did present a certain amount of electronics to supervise the big Hornet's sting. Three driving modes, ABS and traction control... That's enough, but it's the bare minimum that today's market demands. The dashboard comes straight from the 750, with a 5-inch TFT color display, combined with the Roadsync application (smartphone control from the handlebars or by voice).

18 years later, the 900 Hornet finally sees a replacement, with a lot more horsepower. The recipe is the same: a scoundrel's face and a (mellowed) Fireblade engine. Honda doesn't pit it against the masters of the segment, but sees a more accessible audience for it. Besides, in the field, who needs 200 tough guys to have fun!?!!. With the 150 on this machine, there's already plenty of power to go around. If ever the price is as aggressive as that of the 750, the 1000 Hornet could bring a lot of people back to it. How about 13,000 euros? That'd be too good to be true; and not impossible.

M.B - Pictures manufacturer