Honda CB1000 Hornet SP Assessment – Bike Check

Honda CB1000 Hornet SP Assessment

Yeah child! Now this, is a Honda. Large daring assertion up entrance: Not solely is the brand new SP in all probability the road-oriented sports activities bike that almost all punters needs to be using, however I’ll go a step additional. I reckon it simply may be the perfect bike Honda makes proper now.

It appears like a correct Honda, it appears like a correct Honda, and most significantly, it rides like a correct Honda ought to.

Playing cards on the desk – I’ll put my hand up and say that I’ve excessive expectations of the large H. I’ve owned extra bikes with the pink wing on the aspect than another model. Truly.. Than all different manufacturers mixed. So I’m crucial after they don’t get it as ‘proper’ from an engineering perspective, as I do know they will and will.

The SP? That they had their A workforce on this one. What a superb, enjoyable machine. It feels prefer it’s been correctly sorted, and albeit, I’m amazed which you could get this a lot bike for the value. Simply over 19 grand experience away. Psychological. Cut price of the yr? Probably.

Fundamental stats don’t inform the story that even the primary 60 seconds on the bike will let you know. I used to be bought just about instantly.

It involves us with a 998 cc four-cylinder engine that originated within the 2017 Fireblade. Whereas by immediately’s Tremendous Bare requirements it ‘solely’ places out 155 hp, that’s greater than sufficient on the highway. It’s tuned for usable torque and belts out 107 Nm of it, constructing like a wave off the underside via a surging mid-range and storming high finish.

After behaving myself in amongst metropolis site visitors, I used to be greatly surprised at how eagerly it gobbles up gears whenever you get it up increased within the revs on the open highway… It’s correctly speedy.

Supply is extremely easy proper off the underside. Fuelling isn’t good, however it’s shut sufficient. Just a bit keen at instances on small throttle openings, however you get used to it fairly rapidly. There are three engine braking settings to discover, permitting you to seek out the one which’s best for you (I backed it off fully). You get a wide range of experience modes, as anticipated lately, together with two customized modes that permit you to regulate energy, engine braking, and traction management to your liking.

It’s price mentioning how good the exhaust be aware is – it’s rowdy and racy, and I like it! Can solely think about the music {that a} slip-on may liberate… There’s an exhaust valve at play right here that offers the SP a 5 hp bump over the bottom mannequin accessible abroad – and I’m unsure if that’s working some magic from an aural perspective as properly, however it sounds nice for a inventory pipe at the moment.

The gearbox ratios have been shortened within the first few gears from the unique blade field, which implies it not has the overly tall gearing of the donor bike. The result’s gearing that’s practically good for on-road use. And that quick-shifter is fantastic. Low or excessive revs, half or full throttle, it’s one of many smoothest shifting Hondas I can recall.

Holding that energy beneath management are Showa’s totally adjustable 41 mm forks up entrance and the good Ohlins TTX36 shock out again. What a combo. I needn’t contact the clickers. Shut sufficient for my 87 kgs. Out of the field, it felt like an ideal steadiness of firmness and management at each ends with out feeling too exhausting. Whereas it was a really totally different chassis, that is in all probability the shock they need to have put within the outdated CB1000, a unbelievable bike that was let down by a really sub-par shock. That’s not the case right here.

Dealing with-wise, it feels real-world sporty with out being racebike quick. Planted but impressively agile. Little doubt the change of course is helped by the great huge flat bars too – it flicks backward and forward with out a lot effort in any respect and presents a great deal of really feel whereas on its aspect. I’m fairly positive that with much more time on board to actually gel with it, this might be a weapon greater than able to take it to the large energy and massive greenback supernakeds throughout your favorite stretch of tarmac.

I’m informed the event riders, whereas searching for extra lateral flex, discovered it within the hole centre engine mount bolts, amongst different tweaks. Think about having the ability to really feel the distinction between bolt sorts, eh..? They stroll amongst us mortals.

These huge bars contribute to a using place that’s greater than snug. The seat-peg-bars triangle is sweet and relaxed, and whereas the seat may look to be on the sporty aspect, it’s surprisingly good even for longer freeway hauls. I felt no points in any respect after practically two hours within the saddle. Good round city, good on the freeway, good within the twisties. Tick.

Stopping comes courtesy of Brembo’s terrific Stylema entrance brakes, which is matched to a Nissin rear. And whereas the Stylemas are not the halo product from Brembo (that mantle being taken by the newer Hypure calipers), they’re greater than sufficient for real-world sport using and nonetheless properly pukka.

I discovered them to have ample chew and stopping energy, however to be truthful, I didn’t get an opportunity to place it via an prolonged high-speed session due to it being Winter and principally damp right here in Vic. I can’t see it being a difficulty, although. They’re Stylemas… For those who’re after a selected really feel, you in all probability know what you’re chasing – regulate your pads accordingly.

Construct high quality is usually Honda. You recognize it’s going to final. That mentioned, some areas stand out and supply a bit of distinction to others. The very good machining on the rider footpegs isn’t matched by the passenger pegs, for instance. There are just a few alloy castings that may very well be simply polished with a buff pad within the storage so as to add a bit of bling with out incurring further prices.

One other is that good paint. With none clear coat to guard it, the beautiful ‘Ballistic Black’ Metallic paint additionally a bit of vulnerable to scuffing on the edges of the tank from highway grime that will get trapped on the within of your knees (I’d be placing some grip pads there if it have been mine anyway). However none of these are important points. Not when the core expertise is so good.

So, how do they handle to do it for the value? By leaving some tech off the bike. You don’t get cruise management (bummer), or heated grips (double bummer). There’s no cornering ABS or TC because the Hornet shouldn’t be fitted with a six-axis IMU.  Whereas mentioning the TC, it may be adjusted via three phases or turned off solely within the two customized experience modes. Nevertheless, it appears to revert to default settings whenever you flip the important thing off. Boo.

However… you may simply argue that the majority of riders on the market don’t want that stuff. And in case you do need it, put together to pay at the least half as a lot once more for a number of the different tremendous bare choices, which may even carry you further energy. The truth is, most of that (together with the additional energy) simply isn’t put to make use of on the highway. And I’d argue that the SP feels higher for it.

I’ll log off with the best reward I can provide you with. So far as I and plenty of others are involved, the height of highway Sportsbikes was arguably within the early to mid-2000s. Earlier than issues slipped into the too focussed for the monitor period and have become much less and fewer usable as on a regular basis prospects on the highway. Bikes have been within the 150-180 ish hp brackets, had minimal rider aids, and nonetheless had a sure rawness to them. They have been participating, involving issues to experience. Gave you lots of suggestions and had chassis designs that didn’t must be doing a buck-eighty to begin to work…

Nicely… This SP jogs my memory numerous that period. Of my outdated Fireblades. That engine ought to, in fact, coming from the 2017 Fireblade. The exhaust be aware, the fuelling, the best way it delivers energy. However there’s extra to it than that. It’s the general character of the bike. There’s a sure willingness and pleasure that’s accessible at real-world speeds that’s exhausting to seek out in fashionable bikes. And it’s so composed whereas doing it. Sensible. Simply good.

It is a riders’ bike. There needs to be extra prefer it. Nicely finished Workforce H. What have you ever bought up your sleeve subsequent…?

2005 Honda Hornet SP Hits:

• Fantastic driveline. Clean, grunty, inspiring engine and a quick-shift that’s amongst Honda’s greatest.
• Terrific Dealing with. An important chassis with glorious suspension.
• Snug, useable, reassuring, and so participating on the highway.
• At a worth that needs to be making different manufacturers nervous. Absolute discount.

2005 Honda Hornet SP Misses:

• No cruise management, whilst an possibility?
• TC settings appear to reset themselves with every key-off.

2025 Honda CB1000 Hornet SP Specs

Specs
Engine	Liquid-cooled, 4-stroke DOHC in-line 4
Displacement	1000cc
Bore and Stroke	76mm x 55.1mm
Compression Ratio	11.7:1
Max. Energy Output	155 horsepower (115.6 kW) at 11,000rpm
Max. Torque	107Nm at 9,000rpm
Induction	PGM FI digital gas injection, 44 mm throttle our bodies
Gasoline Tank Capability	17L (together with reserve)
Clutch Kind	Moist multi-plate, Assisted slipper clutch
Transmission Kind	Six-speed Handbook
Closing Drive	Chain
Body	Twin Spar
Dimensions (L×W×H)	2,140mm x 790mm x 1,085mm
Wheelbase	1,455mm
Caster Angle	25°
Path	98mm
Seat Peak	809mm
Floor Clearance	135mm
Kerb Weight	212kg
Entrance Suspension	Showa 41mm SFF-BP USD forks, 118mm journey
Rear Suspension	Ohlins Monoshock damper, Prolink swingarm, 139mm journey
Rims	Multi-spoke forged aluminium 17×3.5″ (F), 17×5.5″ (R)
Entrance Brakes	Twin 310mm floating disc with Brembo Stylema radial mounted 4 piston calipers
Rear Brake	Single 240mm disc with single piston caliper
Devices	5-inch TFT Meter with customisable format (speedometer, tachometer, clock, gear place, up-shift indicator)
Driving Modes	Commonplace, Rain, Sport, 2x Consumer
Connectivity	Honda RoadSync
USB	Sure
Quickshifter	Sure
Safety System	HISS (Honda Clever Safety System)
HSTC	Sure
Wheelie Management	Sure

2025 Honda CB1000 Hornet SP Pictures