P90
RIDE REVIEW I 2025 HONDA CB1000 HORNET SP
flawless—we're so spoiled these
days with such an abundance of
riches, we need to pause once in
a while and appreciate just how
good the latest crop of motor-
cycles can actually work.
And don't discount just how
powerful a modern 1000cc mo-
torcycle genuinely is. They are
friggin' fast and so fun to ride.
It accelerates flawlessly, espe-
cially when tuned specially for
street-usable midrange like the
CB1000 SP is. There's instanta-
neous power on the ready with
a mad rush of hyperspace just
brations to the 'bars are minimal
(if more pronounced to the foot-
pegs) and Honda's throttle-by-
wire scheme works well despite
stout restrictions from modern
emission standards.
The exhaust notes become
subconsciously addictive over
time. The thing sounds badass.
Not a V4, not a cross-plane
four-cylinder, but a proper
inline-four Honda as they've
done for decades.
The TFT is bright and user-
friendly to navigate. The gearbox
with the quickshifter is basically
FROM THE
HANDLEBARS
I think the Hornet looks great. I
like the understated, stealthier
matte black and appreciate the
gold accents. The bike is ex-
tremely agile for a 1000cc sport
bike; the front Brembo brakes
offer good power and feel,
but, as mentioned earlier, we'd
upgrade them with steel-braided
brake lines. The inline-four is
smooth, torquey and provides
heaps of smiles even when just
accelerating for the fun of it. Vi
-
The Honda rolls with a
claimed wet weight of
465 pounds, so tasty
switchback roads like
these are definitely
in the offing.
