The highly anticipated Honda CB1000 Hornet is finally on its way to market, as revealed by German homologation documents. The news comes a year later than the initial announcement made at last year’s EICMA, but brings with it an unexpected novelty: a high-performance variant, the CB1000SP.
The base model of the CB1000 Hornet will maintain the announced power of 112 kW (150 hp), confirming the specifications previously released by Honda. However, the real surprise lies in the SP version, which promises to raise the bar to 116 kW (155 hp), positioning itself as a serious competitor in the high-cylinder naked bike segment.
Both versions are certified to comply with Euro5+ standards, ensuring their compliance with the latest European emissions standards. This evolution places the CB1000 Hornet and CB1000SP as the second and third most powerful motorcycles in the Honda range, surpassed only by the CBR1000RR superbike.
Although full details have not yet been revealed, the standard CB1000 Hornet is expected to maintain the features announced at EICMA, including Showa suspension with a 41mm inverted SFF-BP fork. The SP version may bring significant improvements in this aspect, possibly including semi-active electronic suspension, following the trend set by competitors such as the Yamaha MT-10 SP.
The official launch of both models is expected at the next EICMA, where Honda should finally present these new additions to its line of naked bikes. The expectation is high, not only to confirm the final specifications, but also to find out if these models will reach the North American market.
With this duo of CB1000s, Honda seems determined to reaffirm its position in the competitive segment of high-power naked motorcycles, offering options for both enthusiasts and more demanding riders.