Barely two years after its market introduction, Honda has already overhauled the CB750 Hornet. The most eye-catching is the new nose with double headlight unit, but that is not the only thing that Big Red has adjusted for 2025.
A new headlight unit, a new 5-inch TFT color display with Bluetooth connectivity and improved Showa suspension, these are, in a nutshell, the adjustments that Honda has made to the CB750 Hornet launched in 2023, the first Hornet in more than a decade.
The CB750 Hornet was the first model of a completely new 750 platform, with a newly developed 755cc parallel twin as common denominator. Not much later, the XL750 Transalp was launched on the market based on the same block, the second model in which a name with a lot of history was given new life.
In terms of dimensions, the CB750 almost looked like a blueprint of the CB500, with almost the same geometry in terms of wheelbase, head angle and trail (1,420 mm, 25° and 99 mm for the CB750 versus 1,410 mm, 25.5° and 102 mm for the CB500). The seat height was exactly the same at 785 mm, while the difference in curb weight was minimal: 192 kilos for the CB750 versus 190 kilos for the CB500.
That made us suspect that the CB750 Hornet would be just as fun a toy as the CB500, but with significantly more muscle: 92 hp at 9,500 rpm versus 47 hp at 8,500 rpm and 75 Nm at 7,250 rpm versus 43 Nm at 7,000 rpm . An initial test in our own country at temperatures just above freezing, however, the Hornet did not seem to have any of that and really had to be steered into a corner, but after a thorough analysis it turned out that too low tire pressure was (partly) the cause.
Now we could of course say that Honda took our criticism to heart and thoroughly analyzed the suspension, but we honestly don’t think they needed us for that. For 2025, Honda says it has optimized the damping settings of both the Showa SFF-BP (Seperate Function Fork Big Piston) and the Showa Pro-Link rear shock to maximize the front wheel contact patch for a more dynamic, sporty and engaging ride.
The most striking feature, however, is the new nose with a double headlight unit with LED lighting. A headlight unit that certainly appears to have been doused with the well-known Sugomi sauce from the Japanese competitor from the Green Camp when viewed from the front, but that is our opinion. We were not charmed by the previous version and, to be honest, we are not yet sure whether this update is really an improvement. But hey, nothing is as personal as taste.
In addition to the new nose, Honda has also provided a new 5″ TFT color display. The new TFT is optically bonded, which should have improved visibility in bright sunlight. By sealing the space between the cover glass and the TFT screen with resin, glare is reduced and light transmission is improved.
The TFT has – of course – Bluetooth connectivity, via Honda RoadSync and an easy-to-use four-way switch on the left handlebar you get access to turn-by-turn navigation, while calls and music can be managed via a Bluetooth headset. But that was also the case with the current one.
Honda also emphasizes that the Hornet uses a Controller Area Network (CAN) and Body Control Unit (BCU) and that the rear indicators have an emergency stop signal function. At speeds above 56 km/h, these will flash as soon as the braking deceleration exceeds 6 m/s2. And if the ABS has to intervene, this is already at 2.5 m/s2.
We find this flashing particularly irritating, because with a bit of hard braking you can quickly exceed that 6 m/s2, but we understand that it is a safety feature to alert inattentive motorists that you are braking hard. .
On the other hand, we are very fond of the auto-canceling function of the indicators, which prevents a car from turning right in front of you because it assumed that you would turn, simply because you forgot to turn off the indicators. At least that has happened to us more than once.
The 2025 CB750 Hornet is available in the colors Matt Ballistic Black over Matt Ballistic Black Metallic, Digital Silver Metallic over Matt Ballistic Black Metallic and Glint Wave Blue Metallic over Matt Ballistic Black Metallic. The color Matte Pearl Glare white over Cuprite Red Metallic has been carried over from this year.
– Thanks for information from Motorfreaks.