Honda first showcased the CB1000 Hornet late last year in Europe at EICMA 2023. The Japanese bike maker refrained from revealing the finer details about the bike. However, new patent filings have revealed some interesting details about the Honda CB1000 Hornet. It is set to undergo series production towards the end of 2024, with its launch likely to happen in early 2025.
One of the most prominent highlights is a new air intake system. Instead of a sportbike-inspired ram-air intake at the front, the CB100 Hornet uses the bike's side panels to channel cool air into the engine for better performance. The system is designed to keep rainwater out and direct the engine noise towards the rider, similar to the Yamaha MT-09.
On the mechanical front, the CB1000 Hornet will use a 999cc, inline-four-cylinder engine from the 2017 Honda CBR 1000 RR Fireblade. But, it will be tuned differently to produce around 150bhp and over 110Nm of peak torque. To bring some modern flair, Honda will equip the CB1000 Hornet with a ride-by-wire throttle system, which will enable it to have multiple riding modes. The motorcycle will also get a traction control system and an anti-hopping slipper clutch.
Honda has confirmed additional details about the CB1000 Hornet, which includes 41mm Showa SFF forks and a linkage-type Showa monoshock. The bike will also come equipped with a five-inch TFT display that with Bluetooth connectivity.
What’s more interesting, though, is that reports from Japan suggest that Honda is working on a semi-faired CB1000S Hornet based on this bike, which is likely to debut later this year.
