2025 Honda CB1000 Hornet SP Review – First Ride

Replacing the CB1000R with a sharper stinger

The 2025 CB1000 Hornet SP retails for $10,999. During the Hornet’s press introduction held in California’s capital, Sacramento, Honda representatives confirmed that the bike is built in Japan. A few days later, discussing the Hornet SP with my friend and former MO chief editor, Kevin Duke, he was skeptical, thinking it had to be manufactured in a less-expensive-to-produce country, and rightly so. How does the new Hornet SP, outfitted with premium suspension and braking components, come stateside for $2,000 less than the outgoing CB1000R? So, I stopped by my local Honda dealer and verified, via the Hornet’s VIN, that it was manufactured in Japan. Kevin begrudgingly accepted this truth, then, as he would have done when he was my boss, suggested I discover the plot behind this reverse price gouging.

2025 Honda CB1000R

The 1000R did boast a single-sided swingarm, but that alone can’t explain such a significant price difference. Muddying the water even more are the lighter weight and higher horsepower and torque figures of the Hornet SP compared to the 1000R. That’s where I gave up sleuthing, because A) Kevin is no longer my boss, and B) regardless of their performance and price differences, the 1000R is out, and the new Hornet SP is here. It’s not often that we get a new model offering significant performance benefits at a lower price, so let’s celebrate the positive.

Sourced from the 2017 CBR1000RR, the SP’s inline-four differs in various ways from the supersport model, including a lesser compression ratio (11.7:1 vs 13.0:1), a reduced throttle body diameter (44mm vs 48mm), as well as modified intake and exhaust valve lift and timing. Like other unclothed supersports, the intent is to create a more streetable motorcycle, with emphasis placed on mid-range punch rather than top-end performance.

With a redline of 11,500 rpm, the midrange power should begin at around 5,750 rpm, but that wasn’t my experience. Twisting through the Eldorado National Forest on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountain range, east of our starting location in Sacramento, the SP ferociously accelerated out of corners as long as the engine was spinning at 6,500 rpm or above. If left to linger in the 4,500-6,500 rpm range, there was a noticeable lag in power delivery until it reached 6,500 rpm. In slower corners that would typically be second-gear situations, I found myself being forced to choose first gear to achieve good drive exiting the corner. The Hornet SP isn’t the only motorcycle to seemingly suffer from noise-emissions-related choking, so hopefully, the Honda can be cured by way of an exhaust upgrade, ECU reflashing, or a combination of both.

When I had time to focus on things other than engine power and delivery, I found the SP motor to be smooth, without any of the inherent buzz sometimes found in inline-fours. When pounding the superslab, sixth gear is exceptionally calm. According to Honda, “gears two through five are optimized for acceleration, while sixth enables relaxed highway cruising.” Throttle input, even in Sport mode, was natural feeling, without being overly aggressive.

The frame material for the Hornet SP remains steel, like the outgoing model. However, where the CB1000R utilized a mono-backbone design, the Hornet's frame is of the twin-spar variety. The rear trellis subframe is also made of steel, while the 24.4-inch-long swingarm is made of cast aluminum. The SP rolls on five-Y-spoke design aluminum wheels inspired by the CBR1000RR-R, and is shod with a 120/70-ZR17 tire up front and a 180/55-ZR17 tire at the rear.

Navigating the tight switchbacks and fast sweepers of the Sierra Nevada, the Hornet SP felt planted and composed, absorbing road imperfections while maintaining a chosen line with ease. Side-to-side transitioning is nimble, but not overwhelmingly aggressive, and commensurate with a bike of its weight and dimensions. With a claimed curb weight of 465 pounds, the SP is seven pounds lighter than the CB1000R, but 24 pounds heavier than the CBR1000RR-R. Measuring the same distance between contact patches as the triple R, the Hornet SP also shares a very similar trail number and a rake of only one degree more than the CBR. So, it’s no wonder the new Hornet makes short work of a twisty road.

Premium Components

Like the CB1000R, the Hornet SP features a fully adjustable Showa SFF-BP fork. The difference lies in the fork's dimensions: the R’s fork was 43mm with 4.7 inches of travel, whereas the SP’s fork is 41mm with 5.1 inches of travel. It’s the rear suspension where the big difference is found. Replacing the Showa shock with 5.2 inches of travel on the 1000R, which is adjustable for spring preload and rebound damping, is a fully adjustable Öhlins TTX36 shock with 5.5 inches of travel.

Both suspension components on the Hornet provided an exceptional ride quality during our spirited endeavor over root-infested mountain roads, absorbing the worst of the tarmac hazards with only minimal bucking. Riding the CB750 Hornet the next day over similar two-laners with much more cost-effective suspension components emphasized just how much better the Hornet SP’s suspension was. With some time spent setting suspension sag and tweaking compression and rebound settings to personal preferences, the Hornet SP’s ride will only get better.

Similar to the aforementioned shock replacement, dual Brembo Stylema radial-mount calipers replace the Tokico calipers of the 1000R. Operated via a Brembo radial front master cylinder, the four-piston calipers pinch 310mm discs. Front braking performance is, of course, profound, with excellent feedback at the lever. Curiously, Honda chose to use 310mm discs at the front rather than the more ubiquitous 320mm discs, but even so, slowing the bike quickly was of no consequence. At the rear, an a cappella one-piston Nissin grips a 240mm disc. ABS comes standard and cannot be defeated.

The last significant upgrade to the CB1000R was in 2018, which coincidentally marked the last time we reviewed the model. In that article, John Burns never mentioned a quick-shifter because, at the time, it was an optional component. Although we don’t have a direct comparison between the two, the bi-directional quick-shifter on the Hornet SP is one of the smoothest I’ve ever experienced. Regardless of whether the transmission is under full load, nearing redline, or loping around town searching for a parking spot, selecting the next gear, whether it's higher or lower, is remarkably seamless. The quick-shifter is also adjustable, with three available settings to personalize the amount of pressure applied at the shift lever. The assist/slipper clutch also helps manage rapid downshifts by reducing rear-wheel hop.

Placed atop the dual LED projector headlights is a 5-inch full-color TFT display featuring a sealed-resin design meant to improve visibility in direct sunlight. There are three variations of screen layout from which to choose, but I stuck with the standard version. A plethora of information is provided, including GPI, speedometer, tachometer, ride mode, fuel gauge, and clock, among others, presented in an uncluttered arrangement that’s easy to digest at a glance. The display connects to a smartphone via Honda’s RoadSync app, providing turn-by-turn navigation and the ability to place phone calls or play music. Access to the TFT display’s functions is available via the four-way toggle switch located on the left handlebar.

Rider Aids and Comfort

The 2025 Hornet SP enjoys a robust suite of rider aids, including five variations of ride modes, as well as three levels of engine braking, power, and HSTC (Honda Selectable Torque Control, aka traction control). The preset ride modes are:

• Sport: highest power delivery and lowest levels of engine braking and HSTC.
• Standard: middle setting for power, engine braking, and HSTC. Power delivery is softened in the first two gears while torque is also reduced at partial throttle openings.
• Rain: lowest power setting, medium engine braking, and high HSTC. The lower levels of power and torque delivery are focused on the first three gears.

The two User mode settings allow you to configure the power, engine braking, and traction control to your personal preferences, including defeating traction control, but – and it’s a big but – turning off the motorcycle returns the User modes to their default settings, which kind of negates the whole purpose of having personalized User modes. I often forgot to turn off traction control after restarting the motorcycle, which meant even small wheelies over rolling hills were tempered by invasive electronics, even with Sport mode selected. Frustrating. I also wish the lowest setting of engine braking was reduced further to provide more freewheeling after closing the throttle. It should also be noted that the Hornet SP is not outfitted with an IMU, meaning there’s no lean-sensitive traction control or lean-sensitive ABS.

At 31.9 inches, the seat height of the Hornet SP is relatively low for a 1000cc naked sportbike, making it accessible to a wide range of rider heights. Once aboard, you’ll find the rider triangle to be typical nekkid posture: comfortably upright, but with a slight lean forward to the one-piece handlebar. By way of my knees, I knew I was aboard a sportbike, but I wouldn’t complain of being uncomfortable for my 5'11” frame. The 4.5-gallon fuel tank is designed to be broad at the front, tapering to a narrow juncture with the seat (à la hornet). While the overall ergonomics are well-suited for comfort and control, the seat is thinly padded, and the narrowness where it meets the tank extends too far back, leaving little for your buttocks to rest upon. There’s also a ridge around the bottom of the fuel tank that protrudes just enough for me to notice how my knees were awkwardly resting against it.

Available in every color you desire as long as it’s Matte Black Metallic, the 2025 CB1000 Hornet SP certainly appears to be an all-around improvement over the outgoing CB1000R, at a price that’s certainly an attention getter. From the models listed below, only the Kawasaki and Suzuki are close to the new Honda in terms of price. To see how the new naked Honda stacks up against its competition, make sure to tell the MO editors in the comments below how much you’d like to have a naked literbike shootout. Please choose four bikes so Ryan, Troy, and Nic have to ask me back to pilot the fourth. Thanks in advance.

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