It was already announced almost a year ago, but now Honda has finally officially lifted the curtain on the new CB1000R, which will be known as the CB1000 Hornet from 2025. The 2025 CB1000 Hornet is powered by the engine of the 2017 CBR1000 Fireblade, the top power of which has been reduced to 152 hp in exchange for more mid-range torque.
The topic of discussion at the EICMA in Milan last year was the new CB1000 Hornet, which was presented together with the CB500 Hornet as the second (and third) model of the Hornet family that will have a new model in 2023 with the arrival of the CB750 Hornet. had been breathed into life.
However, it was not the extension of the Hornet family that was the subject of discussion, but the design that resembled that of the last generation Kawasaki Z1000 like a peacock. On the front with its low flat headlights. Nice of Honda to breathe new life into the Kawasaki Z1000.
However, the technical information about the CB1000 Hornet was very limited at that time, which suggested that it would take some time before the engine would actually be put on the market. Honda Benelux PR manager at the time George deWulf spoke of May 2025, but that also appears not to have been a feasible option.
Almost a year later, Honda has finally broken the silence with the presentation of the 2025 CB1000 Hornet, which will be marketed in two versions: CB1000 Hornet and CB1000 Hornet SP.
According to Honda, the CB1000 Hornet has been completely redesigned. Starting with the engine taken from the 2017 CBR1000RR Fireblade and good for a top power of 152 hp at 11,000 rpm and a maximum torque of 104 Nm at 9,000 rpm. That’s a lot less power than in the Fireblade at the time, but you get a lot more torque in return across the board. According to Honda.
Honda says it has done a lot of detail work to change the character and power delivery. The lift and timing of intake and exhaust valves has been developed to ‘pump’ more efficiently across the speed range. The intake valve material is steel and the lightweight cast piston shape is optimized for strength and durability.
The transmission is also tuned for the Fireblade power source. Gears two through five are optimized for acceleration and suit the engine’s all-round drivetrain, while sixth gear ensures relaxed highway cruising. A slip/assist clutch ensures light operation and prevents the rear wheel from bouncing during hard braking and (too) fast downshifts.
Bore and stroke are at 76mm x 55.1mm, with a compression ratio of 11.7:1. A 44mm diameter throttle body supplies the air/fuel mixture through large diameter intake ports and carefully shaped combustion chambers. The exhaust contributes to the power in the mid-range and the light weight of the CB1000 Hornet. It is a 4-2-1 design with OBD2 sensors and an end silencer with 7.1 liters of volume.
As for the electronics, you can choose from 3 riding modes (Rain, Standard and Sport), each with their own settings of Power (3 positions), HSTC Honda Selectable Torque Control aka traction control (4 positions plus off) and EB Engine Brake. In addition, there are User modes 1 and 2 with which you can adjust everything to your own scent and taste. Oh yes, the HSTC has integrated wheelie control.
The Fireblade heart is mounted in a new steel twin-spar frame, with the swingarm pivot point integrated into the block. According to Honda, the new frame has 70% more torsional stiffness than the 2024 CB1000R, which should have provided sharper steering and better agility. The block is partly suspended in carefully developed rubbers to minimize vibrations and increase feeling.
The head angle is 258 the same as that of its predecessor, but the trail has now been made 2 mm shorter at 98 mm. At 1,455 mm, the wheelbase is exactly the same as that of the CB1000R. The seat height is significantly different, which is now only 809 mm. The handlebars have also been moved slightly further back, which, in combination with the sporty footrests, must have ensured an active seating position.
The Showa 41mm Separate Function Fork Big Piston (SFF-BP) upside down front fork is fully adjustable. The Showa rear shock with separate pressure control works via a Pro-Link system and can be adjusted for preload via a separate dial; the rebound damping is adjustable. A 619.1mm cast aluminum swingarm offers a tuned rigidity balance for optimal grip and feel, according to Honda.
A radial master cylinder controls dual, radially mounted Nissin four-piston calipers operating 310mm floating discs. The 240 mm rear brake disc is equipped with a Nissin single-piston caliper. The 5Y-spoke wheels are derived from the concept of the CBR1000RR Fireblade and are cast in lightweight aluminum. The tires are 120/70-ZR17 at the front and 180/55-ZR17 at the rear.
The 2025 CB1000 Hornet will be available in Grand Prix Red, Matte Iridium Gray Metallic and Pearl Glare White. Price and delivery time are not yet known.
– Thanks for information from Motorfreaks.