The Honda Hornet Has Been Revealed

The new Hornet is still sharp and modern in its design.

Over the last few years Yamaha has proved that a range of modular bikes built around shared components can be highly effective when the basics are right; the MT-07 and MT-09 have fathered a whole array of models that hit a sweet spot in terms of price, performance, and equipment. Honda’s new CB750 Hornet looks perfectly placed to pull off the same trick, but splits the two Yamaha rivals in terms of capacity and performance.

The CB750 Hornet, revealed today at Intermot in Cologne, has been the subject of a long teaser campaign since last year, when computer illustrations and animations of a concept version were released. Those were followed by styling sketches and the announcement of details of the 755cc parallel-twin engine that powers the bike. Last month, more information emerged from a type-approval application in Europe and now Honda has finally pulled the wraps off the entire machine.

Reserve the 2023 Honda Hornet.

The headlight isn’t as radical as that of the design sketches, but is fully modern.

Initial reactions will vary depending on expectations, but there’s no denying the Hornet’s specifications promise a successful bike, provided it can be marketed at the right price point.

A closer look shows that Honda hasn’t skimped where it really matters. As previously announced, the engine is entirely new, though it borrows its design ethos from the Africa Twin and CRF450R. In particular it shares the same four-valve-per-cylinder Unicam cylinder head layout, with a single camshaft that acts directly on the inlet valves and opens the exhausts via a set of rockers. A set of patented vortex flow ducts aims to give an even distribution of airflow to the airbox, improving response from the ride-by-wire throttles. Peak power is 90.5 hp at 9,500 rpm, with max torque of 55.3 lb.-ft. arriving at 7,250 rpm. Like the Africa Twin’s 1,084cc engine, the Hornet’s 755cc twin uses a 270-degree crank for an uneven firing interval that adds a bit more character to its power delivery.

At 87 x 63.5mm, it’s an extremely oversquare engine, in sharp contrast to the 745cc parallel twin in the NC750 range, which has undersquare dimensions at 77 x 80mm. The Hornet’s short-throw crank lends itself to more revs, with the larger bore resulting in extra piston and valve area; a recipe for far more performance than the NC’s economy-focused twin. Not that the Hornet drinks fuel at an alarming rate; Honda claims 54 mpg, giving a potential range of around 216 miles from the 4-gallon tank.

Here is a good peep at the new parallel twin that powers the CB750 and likely a bunch of other new models.

The engine sits in a steel diamond frame that Honda says weighs only 36.6 pounds. Suspension is Showa at each end. At the front there’s a 41mm SFF-BP upside-down fork, while the rear uses a monoshock operated by Honda’s usual Pro-Link system. A hint of the bike’s affordability appears in the lack of adjustment, with tweaks limited to rear preload alone. The brakes are quality, though, radial-mount Nissin four-piston calipers at the front clamping 296mm rotors, with a single-piston caliper at the rear acting on a 240mm disc. There’s ABS, of course, as well as Honda HSTC traction control with multiple modes, but none of the lean-sensitive equipment seen on more expensive bikes.

Riding modes include Sport, Standard, Rain, and User, each selecting one of three presets for the engine power, engine-braking control, and HSTC. The User setting is programmable, and a 5-inch TFT screen keeps you informed about your choices. That screen also includes Bluetooth phone connectivity, including a voice-control system for management of messages, calls, music, and navigation, if you add a helmet-mounted headset.

A closer view of the all-new 5-inch TFT display.

All in with a full tank of fuel the Hornet weighs 419 pounds. Honda says the result is the best power-to-weight ratio in its class. The top speed, first revealed in the type-approval documents and confirmed in Honda’s official launch specs, is 127 mph, a number that might seem low for a 90 hp machine, but is likely to reflect the Hornet’s gearing and the fact that it’s tailored to be a sprightly streetbike, with little focus on outright top speed. Wheelbase is 55.9 inches, with 25 degrees of rake, 3.9 inches of trail, and a seat height of 31.3 inches.

Honda’s planned accessories for the Hornet include three packages: a Sport Pack with a quickshifter, fly screen, seat cowl, and new footpegs; a Style Pack with aluminum bar end weights, a tank pad, wheel stripes, and frame crash protectors; and a Touring Pack with a stitched seat, panniers, a tank bag, and a seat bag. In Europe, the Hornet is offered in white, black, gray, or yellow for 2023, with prices yet to be announced. There’s no word yet on Honda’s plans for the bike in the US, or if it will even come here.

Honda CB750 Hornet comes in white, yellow, grey, and black.

Later this year we’re expecting to see the second model using the Hornet’s 755cc twin-cylinder engine in the form of the reborn Transalp, a baby Africa Twin that will rival the likes of Yamaha’s Ténéré 700. Rumors in Japan suggest that a faired CBR750R model is also on the cards for the future, as well as a retro-inspired CB750 Hawk cafe racer.

Reserve the 2023 Honda Hornet now!