Honda CB1000 Hornet: 10 Things To Know

EICMA is a huge motorcycle show that takes place in Milan, Italy every November, where all the motorcycle manufacturers announce their new models for the coming year. In 2023, Honda took the wraps off its new CB1000 Hornet, continuing a tradition of inline four-cylinder engine naked sports bikes that stretches back to the CB750 of 1969.

As well as getting a first look at the styling of the new model, Honda also revealed some technical details of what is sure to be an important model for the Japanese manufacturer as it goes head-to-head with all the other major manufacturers in a hotly-contested class of motorcycle. Here’s what we know so far.

In order to give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from Honda, and other authoritative sources, including CycleWorld and Motorcycle.com.

10 2024 Honda CB1000 Hornet Debuts A New Design Language

Modern motorcycle design is all about sharp and aggressive lines, nowhere more so than in the naked sports bike class. The 2024 Honda CB1000 Hornet follows this design trend, albeit with a little less aggression in its lines than the likes of the KTM 1290 Super Duke, for example.

The lines are angled sharply ‘forward’, giving a sense of motion even when the bike is standing still, while the headlight treatment has more than a passing resemblance to the Kawasaki Z line of naked sports bikes. The fuel tank is broad at the front and narrows sharply towards the rear, where it meets the seat, making the bike accessible even for shorter riders, who can get their feet easily on the ground.

Design Features

♦ Sharp, aggressive lines

♦ ‘Roadster’ layout

♦ Kawasaki-like headlight treatment

9 2024 CB1000 Hornet Shares Its Engine With the CBR1000RR Fireblade

It has become customary for naked versions of faired sports bikes to have a detuned version of the engine, with fewer horsepower and a broader spread of torque throughout the mid-range. The inline four-cylinder engine in the 2024 CB1000 Hornet was first seen in the 2017 CBR1000RR Fireblade and has been detuned to 147.5 horsepower and 73.8 pounds-feet of torque, although these figures need to be verified by independent testing.

On this evidence, Honda is not trying to beat rivals such as KTM, BMW, or Ducati but is concentrating on simply improving on the figures of the outgoing CB1000 model. While still being impressively fast, the 2024 CB1000 Hornet should be a lot more accessible and less intimidating than its rivals.

Engine Specifications

8 The 2024 CB1000 Hornet Has An All-New Frame

With the adoption of a new engine, the frame has not been simply altered but is a completely new design. Gone is the CB1000R’s steel backbone frame in favor of a twin-spar steel frame, with more in common with the CB750 Hornet. While offering impressive rigidity, the new frame also acts as a visual element of the overall design.

The rear subframe is now a steel tube trellis design, integral to the main frame, and, therefore, not replaceable in the event of an accident, which will make repairs expensive. The model is suspended by fully adjustable Showa Separate Function Big Piston forks and a Pro-Link Showa mono-shock at the back.

7 The 2024 CB1000 Hornet Gets A New TFT Dash

Bringing the design language right up to date is the brand-new 5-inch, full-color TFT dash, which matches the ultra-modern styling and high-tech of the 2024 CB1000 Hornet. There are four different configurations for the display of essential information, such as speed, revs, fuel level, riding mode, traction control level, and Bluetooth connectivity.

To navigate through the various menus, the 2024 CB1000 Hornet gets new switchgear, which looks neat, clean, simple, and intuitive to operate. This is an important factor given the available performance, exploring the limits of which requires the rider to concentrate on the road ahead and not be distracted by fumbling for the right switch.

6 The 2024 CB1000 Hornet Is Available In Three New Colors

Honda is known for its understated finishes for its motorcycles, and the 2024 CB1000 Hornet is notable for its classy good looks, unspoiled by eye-catching graphics. The 2024 CB1000 Hornet is available in three color options: Grand Prix Red (Honda’s traditional racing color), Matt Iridium Gray Metallic, and Pearl Glare White.

While these colors are on the tank, seat unit, and headlight cowl, the rest of the bike — frame, engine, wheels, and fenders — is finished in black satin paint, while the fork sliders are silver. All of this gives the 2024 CB1000 Hornet a much more grown-up and classy appearance than the likes of the KTM 1290 Super Duke and BMW S1000R. Some might find it a bit dull, but there will be many others who appreciate this understatement.

5 The 2024 CB1000 Hornet Has A Toned-Down Suite Of Electronic Rider Aids

Ultra-complex electronics are a common feature of modern sports bikes, whether faired or naked, but Honda has resisted the temptation to equip the 2024 CB1000 Hornet with too many electronic intervention systems. Naturally, the essentials are there: dual-channel ABS and traction control which, in Honda’s case, is called Honda Selectable Torque Control (HSTC).

There are also three riding modes, enabled by the ride-by-wire throttle, although Honda hasn’t told us what these will be called — expect them to be Sport, Road, and Rain, in line with every other manufacturer. Riders will be able to navigate through these options via a small joystick on the left handlebar, with the selected riding mode displayed on the TFT dash.

4 The 2024 CB1000 Hornet Has LED Lighting All Around

No surprises in the lighting department for the 2024 CB1000 Hornet, which follows industry trends in having LED lighting all round. What this means is a small projector headlight set in an ultra-modern cowl, with definite overtones of the Ducati Streetfighter and Kawasaki Z900/1000 in the style.

The front turn indicators remain lit at all times, giving an extra level of visibility to the motorcycle for oncoming traffic, particularly important in low-light conditions. The rear turn indicators are linked to the motorcycle’s ‘brain’ and will warn following traffic of sudden braking by flashing as an enhancement to the brake light.

3 The 2024 CB1000 Hornet Has A Familiar Brake and Tire Specification

If you are familiar with the CB1000R model, you will recognize the braking hardware, which retains the dual 310 mm floating discs clamped by radially-mounted, four-piston Nissin calipers at the front and a single Nissin caliper clamping a 256 mm disc at the rear. Both wheels have ABS sensors, feeding the ‘brain’ of the dual-channel ABS.

Tires are 180/55 ZR17 at the rear (slightly narrower than the CB1000R) and 120/70 ZR17 at the front, both being supplied by Dunlop, which is understandable as that brand is now Japanese-owned. By continuing with the suspension/brake/tire configuration of the CB1000R, Honda is ensuring that the riding dynamics remain familiar to those trading up to the new model while retaining the sure-footedness the model was always known for.

2 The 2024 CB1000 Hornet’s Rivals Are Strong Contenders For Overall Naked Sports Bike Honors

The naked sports bike class is hotly contested, and the 2024 CB1000 Hornet has some serious competition. It would be fair to say that the 2024 CB1000 Hornet is out-gunned by the likes of the Ducati Streetfighter V4, BMW S1000R, KTM 1290 Super Duke R, and supercharged Kawasaki Z H2, in terms of power, performance, and standard equipment. Typically, however, Honda has not tried to beat the opposition in terms of those parameters.

Honda has concentrated on usable power and accessible dynamics, rightly thinking that there are a lot of riders out there who are simply not skilled enough to handle nearly 200 horsepower (and more!), nor will ever need such power. The Honda’s closest rival will be the Suzuki GSX-S1000, which is similar not only in specification, but also in concept and layout.

1 The 2024 CB1000 Hornet Will Arrive In Early 2024, But We Don’t Know The Price Yet

Traditionally, new models that are unveiled at EICMA start arriving at showroom floors in the first quarter of the following year, so you can expect to get a first-in-the-flesh look at the 2024 CB1000 Hornet any time between January and March 2024. However, Honda has not announced a price at the time of writing this article but, as a reference, the Suzuki GSX-S1000 costs $11,699 and the Honda CB1000R costs $13,999.