New Hornet

[Mr. Dazzle]

My Mum had a half faired one, just like this. I didn't think about it at the time, but it looks like they've just mashed a Firestorm fairing on there.

[tricol]

I think in isolation it is okay...ish. But the fact I thought it was a CB500 at first glance means they've got the styling all wrong. It really just looks like a facelift CB. Let's see what it looks like in the flesh, those photos do it no favours. I don't get why some manufacturers release a new model with studio photos like that. I loved the 90's hornet.

[KungFooBob]

My Mum had a half faired one, just like this. I didn't think about it at the time, but it looks like they've just mashed a Firestorm fairing on there.

The faired one always looked wrong, the way the fairing didn't fit over the radiator cap, etc..

[Mr. Dazzle]

The first one she had was yellow. Honda didn't officially make a Hornet S in yellow at the time, but she managed to get hers from Motorcycle Shitty brand new in yellow. It had loads of problems and eventually went back to be replaced with an equally brand new blue one.

I imagine the unofficial yellowness of her first one and it's unreliability were somehow related.

[KungFooBob]

I could have been an American/Canadian import, they often got different colours to Europe.

My mate got a Canadian ZX6B1 in a retina burning orange they didn't do in the UK.

The Septics got the best colour for the 954 Fireblade too, a gunmetal grey.

[dern]

Can't get excited by these generic bikes. I'm sure that they're great and all but the bullshit marketing these things as a lifestyle choice just gets on my tits... "Forget the expected. It’s time for a new generation to shake things up."... what bollocks. It would be more accurate to say... "Need to get from A to B and happy getting wet every now and again then buy this, if you don't want to get wet then get a generic car like a micra or some such shit, either way, whatever..."

[KungFooBob]

I'll drop Honda marketing a line, see if I can get them to change their tag line to "Just buy a Micra"

Although I suspect they'; insist on it being "Just buy a Jazz"

[dern]

I'll drop Honda marketing a line, see if I can get them to change their tag line to "Just buy a Micra"

Although I suspect they'; insist on it being "Just buy a Jazz"

Thanks, that makes sense. As a developer I imagine they'll probably change it to be a dynamic field <insert the name of current tragic generic dullard catch all shitbox from range here>

[Couchy]

Hondas are always built better than competitors at same price point as they have more buying power.

How would you know, you never keep a bike long enough for build quality to be an issue.

My brother does

[Taipan]

I had a 600 Hornet. It put me off 600 IL4s for life. Flatter than a witches tit until over 10k! Hideous! Hopefully this new engine configuration will make it actually useable around town etc.

[Mr. Dazzle]

I did quite a few miles on my Mum's Hornet, I've also got a very similar engine in my current 1998 CBR600.

It's classic IL4 600 for sure, deffo has comparatively little mid range. It's also classic Honda though, what power it does have it very linear and rises almost in perfect synch with the revs.

[G.P]

I had a 600 Hornet. It put me off 600 IL4s for life. Flatter than a witches tit until over 10k! Hideous! Hopefully this new engine configuration will make it actually useable around town etc.

Didn't you swap it for a 900? Seem to remember you having a 900 on the old Hornet's nest forum ?

I had a 600, like you say, dull as ditch water until you got into 5 figure revs. I swapped it for a Firestorm which then led me to the dark side of V twinnery

[Taipan]

I had a 600 Hornet. It put me off 600 IL4s for life. Flatter than a witches tit until over 10k! Hideous! Hopefully this new engine configuration will make it actually useable around town etc.

Didn't you swap it for a 900? Seem to remember you having a 900 on the old Hornet's nest forum ?

I had a 600, like you say, dull as ditch water until you got into 5 figure revs. I swapped it for a Firestorm which then led me to the dark side of V twinnery

Dunno what order but, yes, I had a 900. I actually really liked it too. Found it a nicer, if bouncier, ride than my old Blade? Twin Scoprions cans on it too!

[ChrisW]

Still not convinced. I'll go and have a look at one when they land though.

[tricol]

The brakes look directly lifted from the CB500. It really does look underwhelming in that video. Those red fork legs will appeal to the yoof.

[KungFooBob]

I'm sure there's a lot more to the frame than what you can see, but what you can see looks a bit spindly.

[G.P]

I'm sure there's a lot more to the frame than what you can see, but what you can see looks a bit spindly.

Its pretty light, so the spindly isn't all bad. Also, to the "newer rider",its less intimidating.

I'm waiting for the Transalp - It might just suit my all rounder needs

[Supermofo]

Actually the more I look at it the more it's not necessarily cheap looking, just unexciting.

[Mr. Dazzle]

I was gonna say the wheels look pretty high spec - the spokes are really thin. But they are on the CBR650 too. Honda clearly invested in higher spec wheel manufacture

[Horse]

"Forget the expected. It’s time for a new generation to shake things up."...

The last UK generation to do that for two wheels was the Mods and Rockers.