The Honda Hornet series is expanding with a new literbike option, in addition to the CB750 twin-cylinder that was revealed in 2022. But while the CB1000 is a four-cylinder based off the CBR1000RR engine, it appears to also be intended to enter the market as a value option, just like the 750.
The engine does see some re-tuning and shorter gearing than its sportbike counterpart, which whittles the four-cylinder’s output down to 150 hp and 76 lb-ft of torque. Those peak figures hit at 11,000 rpm and 9,000 rpm respectively, so this is obviously not a high-strung supersport engine anymore. Also note that just as the higher-spec SP version of the CBR1000RR gets more power, so it does with the CB1000 naked bike, with the SP model making 155 hp and 79 lb-ft of torque.
The chassis is all-new… all-newish, anyway. The Showa SFF-BP fork is pretty standard fare across all Honda streetbikes at this point. The brakes are from Nissin. The frame, though, is all-new, and designed to be a lot more stiff than the previous 1000 naked bike.
As with the engine, the SP’s chassis also gets upgraded, with a trick Ohlins TTX36 shock and Brembo Stylema calipers.
The bike comes with ride modes baked-in that allow the user to alter their power output, engine braking and other engine tuning features, and of course ABS is standard. There’s a TFT screen that allows you to shift between functions easily, and in the Euro market, there’s an emergency lighting feature as standard as well, to protect you in a crash.
However, just like the CB750, the CB1000 does not have an inertial measurement unit. Without the gyroscopic sensors of the IMU, the new Honda does not have leaning-sensitive electronics. Does that matter? Maybe, if you were riding to the limit. Do most owners notice or care? Probably not, if the price is right.
And that seems to be the deal here. Just like the Honda CB750 Hornet, the new CB1000 Hornet seems to aim at budget savings over performance—or at least, that’s the case in Europe, where it was unveiled. Given the stratospheric MSRPs of the highest-performance naked bikes recently, Honda could be building a real winner here, if it can come in with flash looks and performance at a lower price tag.
Our biggest question now is, will it even come to Canada? Stay tuned.
Do newish riders actually fall for the carefully crafted hype from the he/him spokes
pitchman? The entire commentary is SOO over the top with buzzwords and verbal
hooks that even you could beat the Moto GP stars and get the super model. But
NO EMU !!! ….how can we ride a fossil without THAT !! I still however prefer a real
world motorcycle and not these technology sales tools for the simple minded.