Honda’s new CB900 Hornet has arrived. We were lucky enough to cover around 750 kilometres on the new model along with a few laps at Victoria’s magnificent Phillip Island circuit recently.
The roots of the new Hornet extend back to Japan and a look pioneered by the 1996 domestic model Hornet 250. This was soon followed in 1998 by the Hornet 600 which proved very popular in European markets. Built on essentially the same chassis configuration as the 250, but powered by a slightly modified version of the engine that drove the CBR600F to fame.
However the market demanded an even larger-displacement machine and Honda has responded by slotting the 919cc engine from the 1998 Fireblade in to a slightly beefed up Hornet chassis.
To suit the ‘naked’ style of the machine the engine has been re-tuned to provide a lot more bottom and mid-range performance at the expense of some of the Fireblade’s howling top end.
When fitted to the 1998 Fireblade the engine made do with carbs’ but in Hornet guise it scores fuel injection to handle the go juice delivery. The system features 36mm throttle bodies with 4-hole injectors and ensures that good response is had from the engine at any revs, even when asked to pull from as low as 1,500 rpm in top gear.
At Phillip Island the machine topped out at a little over 220kph down the main straight which is about all the bike is geared for. However, it felt that it could pull a slightly taller top gear ratio and go a fair bit faster, but this is hardly important for a road bike.
For some strange reason the machine has a manual choke down near the engine, unlike the automatic fast idle system on some of Honda’s latest fuel injected bikes. But the choke is not normally needed for the Hornet to fire up and settle down to a smooth idle.
A smooth six-speed gearbox transfers the refined four-cylinder power through to a 180mm rear tyre. The test machine wore somewhat outdated BT56 Bridgestone rubber and out of tight corners such as turn four at Phillip Island they tended to slide quite nicely on the exit of the turn.
A low-fuel warning light glows on the attractively styled dash when there is around 4.5 litres remaining in the 19-litre fuel tank. At legal speeds the Hornet provides a touring range of around 300 kilometres and can even be stretched to 350 kilometres with a little restraint of the right wrist during highway touring.
And highway touring is where the Hornet, somewhat surprisingly, comes in to it’s own. An excellent riding position and supportive seat keep the rider comfortable at all times. In fact I think the Hornet probably has what is the most naturally comfortable bar-to-seat position I have yet sampled. My only gripe would be that the narrow bars can transfer a few small vibes to the rider’s hands at around 110kph, but these are not strong enough to become really annoying.
The slightly soft, but very compliant, suspension lends itself well to commuting or long distance touring and also helps to ensure that the rider arrives at his/her destination refreshed and ready for anything. All this bike would need is a good fairing and it could claim to be a very accomplished touring motorcycle. Strapping gear to the Hornet is easy with some very clever fold out hooks under the seat providing excellent tie-down points. If you are carrying a pillion some sort of rack will need to be fitted to carry your gear, but if travelling one-up the pillion seat is the perfect place to strap your luggage down. An excellent grabrail is provided for the pillion passenger.
The fact that underseat storage is basically non-existent is a pity but I guess this is a side effect from the positioning of the twin mufflers.
When the road turns nasty the suspension copes very well. In fact, the Hornet handles sandy or bumpy dirt sections with better poise and control than some ‘adventure’ machines.
Up front 43mm forks are non-adjustable but handle fairly much anything thrown at them. Of course racetrack work sees them start to suffer a little with too much dive etc. but this never becomes a problem on the road. You have to be getting truly carried away to start touching down pegs on the road but they touch down quite early at the track. Hanging off the bike a bit more in the tighter turns cures this somewhat.
A monoshock rear suspension system features a heavy-duty remote reservoir damper that is 7-step adjustable for spring preload. This works flawlessly on the road, isolating the rider from all but the hardest of hits. Buyers these days however normally look for fully adjustable suspension and while the Hornet’s suspension works very well, it probably should offer more adjustment.
Braking performance is very good, four-piston calipers and 296mm discs sourced from the 1996 Fireblade providing the clamping duties. At the rear a single piston caliper grips a 240mm disc. Â A low 795mm seat height will be good news to those caught a little short in the leg department.
Honda’s latest anti-theft system features a fail-safe electronic interlock that prevents the engine from being started by any other than the motorcycle’s two original keys. Since H.I.S.S. disables the motorcycle at the heart of its ignition system, it cannot be bypassed by either hot-wiring the ignition or exchanging the ignition switch module, thus effectively deterring thieves.
Mono merchants will be pleased that the Hornet is a great tool for those with a fine enough sense of throttle control to do a proper balance point wheelie. It will come up easily in first and can be shifted through the gears from there. Those not quite practiced in the art would perhaps be more comfortable doing slightly lower monos more off the power. If you are comfortable keeping it up nice and high and using fine throttle adjustments then the Hornet will reward you by happily sitting up for as long as you like, I got as high as 5th gear before losing my bottle.
A range of optional equipment is available from Honda including a small screen and a centre-stand. For $13,990 the 900 Hornet is an exceptional touring or commuting mount with plenty of performance to keep the sportsbikes honest when the corners arrive. However something makes me think that some customers might go elsewhere, simply for adjustable suspension, which seems a little harsh, but the compulsive ‘twiddlers’ will always want more knobs to twiddle with. Even if they do just end up tuning themselves to a standstill.
2002 Honda CB900 Hornet Specifications
- Engine ≈ Liquid-cooled 4-stroke 16-valve DOHC in-line-4
- Bore x Stroke ≈ 71 x 58mm
- Displacement ≈ 919 cc
- Compression Ratio ≈ 10.8:1
- Induction ≈ Electronic fuel injection
- Power ≈ 81kW/9,000min
- Torque ≈ 92Nm/6,500min
- Ignition ≈ Computer-controlled digital transistorised with electronic advance
- Starter ≈ Electric
- Transmission ≈ 6-speed
- Final Drive ≈ ‘O’-ring sealed chain
- Dimensions (L x W x H) ≈ 2,125 x 750 x 1,085mm
- Wheelbase ≈ 1,460mm
- Seat Height ≈ 795mm
- Ground Clearance ≈ 145mm
- Fuel Capacity ≈ 19 litres (including 4-litre reserve)
- Front rim ≈ 17 x  3.50 hollow-section triple-spoke cast aluminium
- Rear rim ≈ 17 x 5.50 hollow-section triple-spoke cast aluminium
- Front tyre ≈ 120/70 ZR17
- Rear tyre ≈ 180/55 ZR17
- Front Suspension ≈ 43mm cartridge-type telescopic fork, 120mm axle travel
- Rear Suspension ≈ Monoshock damper with 7-step adjustable preload, 128mm axle travel
- Front brakes ≈ 296 x 4.5mm dual hydraulic discs with 4-piston calipers, floating rotors and sintered metal pads
- Rear brake ≈240 x 5mm hydraulic disc with single-piston caliper and sintered metal pads
- Dry Weight ≈ 194kg
- Colours – Red or Blue
- RRP – $13,990
- Warranty – Two years, unlimited kilometres
