Honda Hornet

AS the old saying goes: If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Right? Er, wrong actually, according to Honda. For 2007, their wildly popular Hornet has had more than just a makeover - this is a whole new bike from the ground up. And rather good it is too.

While the previous model was undoubtedly aesthetically pleasing, the new one is even more so. And while all its componentry may be new, the Hornet manages to retain the compactness and all-round ability which has made it such a winner over the last decade - and certainly one of Fowlers’ best-selling machines. Bizarrely though, the Hornet’s biggest market turned out to be southern Europe. So when the job of designing the new one came along, the creative types at Honda Italy were brought in. Rumour has it that the chiefs in Japan were so impressed that the finished article is almost exactly the same as the initial draft.

As always with Honda, you get outstanding build quality and attention to detail. Everything is sewing-machine perfect and everything feels ergonomically right. The bars are still narrow and high, offering a great turning circle and allowing the Hornet to slice through Bristol's heavy rush-hour traffic with ease. It's also light, the Honda diet dispensing with five kilos in this new incarnation. That helps make it a very easy bike to ride, and indeed an easy bike to ride well. Once rolling, there are no nasty surprises. The fuel injection is super-smooth, acceleration is sweet, the brakes are more than capable, the clutch is a gem, and there are no sudden peaks of torque midway through the rev range. The gearbox deserves a special mention too, being one of the best I have come across. Swift changes both up and down are delicate and precise.

But the Hornet does, of course, have a sting in its tail. Let the revs soar (we're talking the same 13,000rpm redline as the previous model), and the bike goes from sedate, capable commuter to superb cornering tool. Above 8,000rpm the CBR600RR-derived motor really comes into its own, while from 10,000 to the redline it‘s a real screamer. Slightly detuned it may be, but torque is increased in the midrange for punchy acceleration while the top end will still see you to a giddy 135mph. And that's largely why this bike has always appealed to the masses and always will. It caters for all tastes. New riders moving up to a bigger bike will not find it daunting, while experienced motorcyclists will enjoy wringing its neck, enjoying the tautness of the new chassis, and the competence of the upside-down Showa forks and Bridgestone tyres.

The bike's new look also incorporates a fashionably stubby, GP-style exhaust. Not only does this centralise the weight and keep it low, it also does away with the oversized end can which used to exit high and to the right of the pillion seat. This now allows space for panniers and soft luggage which were previously a no-no and restricted the Hornet's touring abilities. Additionally, the Hornet gets a new, larger fuel tank. Where previously it took 17 litres, it's now possible to squeeze in another two which, combined with reduced fuel consumption, gives a range of around 170 miles. The tank’s familiar shape remains much the same and is comfy to grip with your knees. Most striking, design-wise, is the new five-sided instrument binnacle. It's big, yet aerodynamic, and points the way ahead while displaying all the information a rider needs, all at the same time.

Being a brand new bike, only time will tell on the reliability front, but the previous model became a common favourite with London's despatch teams, so there shouldn't be too many problems on that front. I was none too fond of the seat, however, which was on the slippery side and not helped by the fact that the material felt strangely loose over the ‘foam’ inside. The ugly, protruding catalytic converter could soon be hidden with a bellypan, but only at the cost of hiding the beautiful and very traditional 4-into-1 down pipes.

The new Hornet is bound to remain a top-seller for Honda for at least another decade. It's still available in glorious gold and it offers so much to so many. And with its up-to-the-minute Italian design and extensive range of add-ons, you can make your standard model look very racy indeed.

Article written: April 30, 2007

The Honda Hornet was kindly loaned by Fowlers Motorcycles of Bath Road, Bristol. For more information about test rides, call Fowlers on 0117 977 0466.

OUR STEER ON THE HONDA HORNET

Price: £5,299 (@ Apr 07) 

Engine: 599cc, in-line four-cylinder

Power: 100.6 bhp at 12,000 rpm

Torque: 46.8 ft lb at 10,500 rpm

Transmission: six-speed

Weight: 173kg

Fuel capacity: 19 litres

Top speed: 135 mph

Seat height: 800 mm

by Jon Bennett