BREAKING: Honda CB1000 Hornet SP & CB750 Hornet Are Here!

Quick Highlights: 

• Honda has launched the CB750 and CB1000 Hornets in India

• The CB750 is India’s only 750cc naked bike

• The CB1000 Hornet SP is priced at Rs 12,35,900 while the CB750 Hornet is priced at Rs 8,59,500 (both prices ex-showroom, Gurugram)

Honda has been on a roll, the manufacturer recently launched the Rebel 500 cruiser motorcycle and the X-ADV 750cc adventure scooter. And Honda is far from being done, as it has also launched the CB1000 Hornet SP and the CB750 Hornet in India. While the bookings of the bikes have begun, the deliveries will commence June 2025 onwards. 

Honda CB1000 Hornet SP

The Honda CB1000 Hornet SP is the more modern, streetfighter successor to the CB1000R, a neo-retro roadster from the Japanese bikemaker. At first glance, the CB1000 Hornet SP will remind you of another naked motorcycle from an Italian manufacturer *coughs* Ducati Streetfighter. The slim headlight and the slim tail-section look fairly generic in our opinion. Nothing can look as gorgeous as the CB1000R in our opinion. The bike is available in a single colour scheme: Matte Ballistic Black Metallic, and gets some gold accents (exclusive to the SP variant) making it look premium.   

The Honda with its 1000cc inline-four, liquid-cooled engine makes 157.17PS at 11,000rpm and 107Nm at 9,000rpm, and is paired to a 6-speed gearbox with a slip-and-assist clutch.  Even though the CB1000 Hornet SP is a proper litre-class motorcycle, its performance figures are not quite as ballistic as its closest rival, such as the BMW S 1000 R, which makes 165PS. More than being a naked bike for tearing up the track, the Hornet 1000 is something that’s meant to give you the giggles in your commutes and weekend rides. Other than the BMW, the CB1000 Hornet SP goes against the likes of the Suzuki Katana, Kawasaki Z900 and the Ducati Monster. 

While Honda has the regular CB1000 Hornet on sale internationally, India gets the higher-spec SP variant. It comes with Ohlins fully-adjustable suspension at both ends over the Showa unit on the regular model. The SP variant also makes 7PS and 3Nm more than the regular variant.

In terms of the features, it comes with a 5-inch TFT console which looks eerily similar to the one found on the Activa.  The bike gets five riding modes: Standard, Sport, Rain and two user modes, which can be customised. Rider aids include dual-channel ABS and switchable traction control with three levels of adjustability. 

Honda CB750 Hornet

The CB750 Hornet looks quite similar to its elder sibling, but has a different headlight. The CB750 Hornet does look quite aggressive due to its angular body panels, and is available in two colour schemes: Matte Pearl Glare White and Matte Ballistic Black Metallic. 

The smaller CB is powered by a liquid-cooled, parallel-twin engine, which makes 91.77PS at 9,500rpm and 75Nm at 7,250rpm, and is paired to a 6-speed gearbox with slip-and-assist clutch. Although the closest rival of the CB750 Hornet in India is the Triumph Trident 660, the Street Triple RS has similar levels of engine displacement, but makes quite a lot more power. 

The CB750 Hornet, too, gets the same TFT console but gets four riding modes: Standard, Sport, Rain and a single user mode which can be customised according to the rider’s preference. It gets the same set of rider aids as the CB1000 Hornet SP. 

ZigSays

Honda’s big bike lineup (650cc and above) had a big gap when it comes to products under Rs 9 lakh. The CB650 range was a little too expensive for some, whereas there was practically nothing in the 1000cc segment. Now with the Hornet 750 and Hornet 1000, Honda’s lineup has become a little more wholesome than before. The recent launches are also a testament to the fact that Honda is beginning to take the Indian market more seriously, even if the big bike segment is just a tiny drop in the ocean of Activa that the brand sells.