This is arguably now a disadvantage to younger riders, with the added oomph making the early Hornet non- A2 licence compatible. Arguably jump-starting the entire genre, both the Fazer and Hornet appeared two years later, producing slightly more power. The Bandit arrived in 1996 and was a sales phenomenon. Honda’s earliest rivals in the middleweight naked class were Suzuki’s GSF600 Bandit and the Yamaha FZS600 Fazer. The bike was also available in a half-faired S version, which featured clocks from the Honda VTR1000 FireStorm a V-Twin sportsbike also produced by Honda at the time. Upside down forks replaced a conventional set up in 2005, with the model ending at the end of 2006 ahead of a complete revamp. The original machine came with a 16” front wheel, which was uprated to 17” in 2000, allowing for greater tyre choice. Cam chain tensioners have been known to fail, though.
Powered by a dependable mid-90s CBR600F motor, the bike had to be thrashed to extract the most from it, however a light clutch and a comfortable riding position made it a doddle around town. Practical, comfortable and versatile, it could be used for the daily commute, as well as remain engaging on a hard weekend thrash. Reliable, simplistic and cheap, the CB600F Hornet was a real jack of all trades. Complete with 2008 Fireblade forks and brakes, there was also new styling and considerably more poke. The larger Hornet lasted until 2007, when it was replaced by the CB1000R. Modifications included a new engine and styling.Īlongside the 600cc variant, a larger Honda CB900F Hornet also appeared in 2001, featuring a reworked version of the 918.5cc inline four engine found in the early CBR900RR FireBlade.Īlthough a far cry from the ballistic supernakeds we have come to expect from mainstream manufacturers, the CB900F was a well-handling all-rounder, ideal for distance riding, commuting and spirited weekend jaunts. The plucky CB600F Hornet remained largely unchanged until 2007, when it received a complete redesign to bring it into the 21st century. The Honda Hornet range first began in 1998, taking an old dependable CBR600F sportsbike engine and shoehorning it into a basic chassis to create the CB600F.Ī simple recipe popular with novices, commuters and even experienced riders, the middleweight Hornet remained in production until 2013, seeing off countless rivals and even spawning its own racing championship the Honda Hornet Cup.
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