The Honda CB900F Hornet
The Honda CB900F Hornet which was first introduced in 2001, and was withdrawn finally in 2007, has developed a cult following over the years. Its predecessor, with the same name, was first introduced in the Japanese market in 1979 and was factory produced till 1983.
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The Honda Hornet, as the bike is called in Europe or the Honda 919 in North America, is a super smooth sports touring motorcycle with steamy looks. It carries the retrograde looks of the 80’s and 90’s which has been very popular in the early part of the new millennium. Its high, straight stance has a very appealing look and takes back the riders to the age of the Universal Japanese motorcycles.
This Honda bike may not be a gung-ho, rev-happy brute superbike, but it packs enough power to take you on a fun ride on motorways and is equally effective for daily commutes through a bustling city.
Performance
The CBF900F Hornet has a delightful performance and it is the engine where Honda scores the highest. It has a 6-speed manual transmission gearbox. The engine has been tuned to produce nice mid-range power and the torque gets nicely distributed throughout the body. It has a max power of 110 bhp which is just about ideal if you are looking to effortlessly accelerate from idle the redline at 9000 rpm. But it feels best between 4000 and 9000 rpm.
It does not have the bite of a premium superbike, nor is it very intense but the engine displaces a healthy 919 cc. It may not wail like a banshee but makes a pleasant, purring grunt on long drives. The only bone of contention in the otherwise impeccable engine is that the build of power is gradual. While some do not like it, most maintain that a gradual power boost is ideal for road tourers. The drivetrain including the clutch and transmission work effortlessly in tandem and have been engineered to precision.
Handling and comfort
This bike cannot be beaten when it comes to handling and ride comfort. It is one of the slickest midrange sports bikes ever made. It is extremely nimble and the handle bars sit nicely in your hands. Turning round the corners are easy and fun and the bike is extremely responsive. In the initial models of the bike, the forks were non-adjustable and there were some complaints regarding the ride quality. But the models introduced after 2004 has adjustable forks.
Also, the bike has dual disk front brakes with 4 piston calipers and a single-disk rear brake with a single piston caliper which means the gripping is excellent even while turning corners.
Design and riding posture
The riding posture is upright with straight handles. It has a compact riding posture although someone burly may find the bike disappearing beneath his frame. But the classic upright sitting posture with the mono-backbone steel frame supporting the stressed member engine looks ravishing to any bike lover who still fantasizes about the retro cruisers from the 70’s and 80’s. Ironically, the out of fashion looks of the bike is one of its assets.
With the lowest weight in its class and a superb power-to-weight ratio, this bike has been a screaming winner from the time it was introduced. Its dry weight is below 200, which is extremely commendable for a 900 plus cc bike.
Suspension
The bike has a 43 mm cartridge fork in the front for guiding the wheels without much of a hiccup and is ably supported by a Showa shock connected to the aluminum swingarm for carrying the overall weight of the bike. The bike does not experience vibrations even at very high speeds.
Fuel efficiency
The Hornet has good fuel efficiency. On an average, you can expect 35 mpg but can make up to 45 to 50 mpg on good road conditions without too much traffic. The older versions had Honda’s famed air-cooled carburetors, but later on, the company introduced the fuel-injection system. The bike has a seamless, clutter-free transmission.
Equipment
The Hornet bikes come with fuel injection, electronic management system, and 3D mapping. The dashboard has an analog speedometer, a tachometer, and a single trip meter along with basic indicator lamps. The Hornet does not have a center stand and its mirrors are too small. The mud guards are just about functional. A wind protection screen is recommended for highway riding.
Honda Cb 900 Craigslist
Overall verdict
This bike is a general purpose bike with enough oomph and power although its straight relaxed riding posture could be deceptive. It also has a wide rear pillion which makes it a daily commute bike. So if you are looking for a 900 cc sports bike which would not burn a hole in your pocket, you can try the Honda CB900F Hornet.
2018 Honda Cb 900 Hornet Manual Pdf
Interesting trivia
- Honda could not use the name Hornet in North America for this bike because it was trademarked by Chrysler.
- It used the same engine as the 1997 CBR900RR.