The range of 999 cc and above from Honda, no matter how well equipped it may be, has two obvious gaps: a true 1000 cc streetfighter capable of competing with the Aprilia Tuono 1100, BMW S 1000R, KTM Super Duke 1290, Ducati Streetfighter V4 and similar models, and a crossover with a 17-inch front wheel also dedicated to aggressive riding… if the BMW S 1000XR or the Ducati Multistrada V4 Pikes Peak come to mind, you are on the right track.
However, it is by no means certain or, even less, necessary for the manufacturer from Tokyo to fill these gaps: after all, Honda’s overall results in Europe testify to the success of the choices it has made in terms of model selection and positioning (to give just one example: the Transalp is one of the best-selling motorcycles in September).
Source: https://www.moto.it
Instead, there are rumors coming from Japan (read: from the usual and well-informed colleagues at YoungMachine) that have led to the renderings you see at the beginning and throughout the article. These are two possibilities that are not at all unlikely, if we think about them carefully.
Let’s start with the first one: do you want a Hornet 1000 with at least 160 hp? It would be possible – following in part what Honda did in the 90s with the Hornet 600 and the Hornet 900 – if the Fireblade engine, properly adapted in terms of delivery and perhaps simplified in certain aspects to limit production costs, were placed in a trellis frame (or directly in the CBR1000RR frame?). This is also the approach of Aprilia with the standard version of its Tuono 1000 V4. Why 160 hp? Because the current CB1000R Neo Sports Café already has 145 hp and, clearly, the streetfighter should also stand out from the roadster by a generous increase in performance and equipment.
Possible arrival at EICMA 2023? We’ll see…
The second hypothetical novelty would be a crossover built on the same – we repeat: hypothetical – platform as the streetfighter: trellis frame and Fireblade engine tuned to nothing less than 150 hp, 17-inch front wheel and the classic Honda maneuverability that, in this case, would not require the DCT gearbox, especially since we cannot imagine how and where to place it on the engine derived from the CBR1000RR.If we consider that Honda has just revealed the Africa Twin Adventure Sports with a 19-inch front wheel, and if we factor in the presence of the NT1100 in the equation, the possibility of such a bike arriving cannot be dismissed. Another perspective could be that of a crossover less oriented towards the sporty side: something that could fit into the segment of the Yamaha Tracer 9, but there might be a conflict with the more touring-oriented NT1100.
One of these crossovers was presented as a concept in 2019, again at EICMA: it was the CB4X – designed by Valerio Aiello – a bike that seemed like it would soon go into production, but then lost its way. In that case, the powertrain was that of the CB650R, perhaps not in line with the expectations of today’s sporty crossover market, but it’s not certain that Honda will not propose a medium-displacement 4-cylinder crossover, in the line of bikes like the three-cylinder Triumph Tiger 660.
In less than a month we will know if these are just suggestions or if it is reality, at EICMA 2023.
