2025 Honda CB1000 Hornet: What We’ve Learned after 2798 miles
LONG-TERM TEST BIKES
Editor Matt finds the £9099 Honda is a breath of fresh air in the performance naked market
Pictures Bauer Archive
THE HONDA CB1000 Hornet has redefined value in the motorcycling world. With a ballsy, grunty engine, neat handling and all the gizmos manufacturers are convinced modern bikers want, it’s been a massive sales success. Forget Chinese-made bikes, this is a Japanese-made performance naked with a Fireblade engine for a week’s shop over nine grand.
There are two models of Hornet, the £9099 base bike and the £10,099 SP. We’re testing the cheaper bike, which you can walk into a showroom and buy without a waiting list. But what’s the reality of owning one? Over the past few months it’s been subject to some proper work – firstly in the hands of two-wheel torturer Simon Hargreaves, then myself. This is what we’ve found out…
1 The engine’s superb
Quite simply, it’s one of the best inline fours fitted to a naked bike. Smooth, responsive and full of character, the detuned Blade motor still feels exciting, fun and effective. Making strong power and torque from 4000rpm right to the 12,000rpm redline, it’s fun on the open road and easy to ride around town. The fuelling is good and top gear is tall enough for long days on the motorway. It’s the complete package – and with 140bhp at the rear wheel it really is rather quite fast…
2 It’ll nail distance
The Hornet is a brilliant 80mph mile-eater, sitting at 5,000rpm – the rump of its midrange – with reasonable wind protection from the lighting cowl and narrow-ish bars tipping you forward. There’s enough legroom for a six-footer and a reasonable seat, too.
The vibes don’t intrude, and a light throttle means I don’t miss cruise control. It’s easy to live through the 150-mile+ tank range afforded by the 17-litre tank.
Comfort’s perfect for a day of B-road naughtiness
3 Finish a mixed bag
Some corners must be cut for the price, and it seems the paint isn’t the toughest. After 2000 miles the tank’s finish was dulled by a rubbing jacket, while the rear tail unit’s finish was worn through by some inappropriate bungee placement (not by me). It’s not a huge problem, but you’ll need to be aware as an owner and protect contact points. The heat shield on the silencer has been worn shiny by my size-12s. Smaller-footed riders will be fine, though.
Paint isn’t great but exhaust is doing well, considering the abuse
4 The suspension’s just about okay
Showa’s Single-Function Big Piston fork is great for a bike of this price, and while set soft it responds well to adjustments. The rear Showa emulsion-style shock is under-specced, though. For pottering it is fine, but ride with aggression and it runs out of damping and support, even after time working on setup. More rebound and preload helps, but isn’t the complete answer, and it gives up a bit in hard riding. They could have gone a step higher in spec without threatening the Hornet SP and its very trick Öhlins shock, I reckon.
Forks are great, but rear shock could be a little better
5 Nothing comes close for the price
Suzuki’s GSX-S1000 costs £10,999 when you factor in a dealer contribution. Yamaha’s MT-10 is a step up from the base Hornet in performance, handling and kit, but at £12,320 after a dealer contribution it’s 33 per cent more expensive. But the CB1000 Hornet SP runs the MT-10 much closer. With an Öhlins shock, fancier brakes, a tad more power and a quickshifter as standard, for £1000 more than the base Hornet, it’s even better value and probably where my money would go. For some the SP will be worth it for the gold wheels…
WHAT WORKS WHAT DOESN’T
Dash gives all you need
TFTs have been around for a decade and it seems only Chinese brands (and MV Agusta) struggle to get them right. This is clear, easy to navigate, tells you all you need, and a cinch to flick between modes.
Who needs Brembos?
The SP has Brembo Stylema calipers, but there is nothing wrong with the Nissin four-pots on this. There’s zero difference in feel – and my hard-ridden stocker’s are stronger than a gently ridden SP’s.
Options worth the extra
The £198 for the quickshifter is well worth it (even if I’ve used smoother) and can be configured on the TFT. Also, £300 for heated grips is money well spent on cold mornings – and they’re well integrated.
