Is the new CBR750R based on the Honda Hornet on the way?

Since the introduction of the new Honda Hornet 750, rumors have been circulating about a more sporty derivative model. Now it seems that these rumors have some basis, with the emergence of a patent application revealing a bike based on the engine and frame of the Hornet.

Honda is a master at sharing platforms, creating various distinct models from the same foundations. There are examples throughout the company’s range, such as the CB500 and NC700/NC750 ranges, which have been used to create incredibly diverse bikes around a common set of components. While the Africa Twin is also proving extremely adaptable, giving rise to the NT1100 tourer and the Hawk 11 cafe racer outside the US market. From day one, the Hornet followed the same principle, with the Transalp being launched alongside the Hornet and using the same 755 cc twin-cylinder engine and steel frame.

A look at the CB500 range gives a clear indication of what else could be developed. In addition to the CB500F roadster, there is the CB500X adventure bike and the CBR500R sport bike, not to mention the interconnected Rebel 500 and SCL500 using the same engine in a different frame. In Japan, there has been talk of both a CBR750R with a full engine and a more retro Hawk 750, with the engine and frame from the Hornet, and the new patent seems to be related to one or both of these bikes.

The innovation addressed by the patent is quite simple, related to the housing of the fuel tank, airbox, and electronic wiring in the area behind the handlebars, but the images show a bike with low mounting bars and fairing mounted on the frame in front. The text itself also makes specific reference to a “front fairing…removably attached to the vehicle frame using fastening elements” to indicate that the patent is not related to the existing Hornet 750 without air conditioning. Although the fairing shown in the patent may not be representative of the current style of the bike, the fact that it is related to a way of placing the airbox and fuel tank more efficiently seems relevant. When we overlay the patent drawing on a photograph of the Hornet, most of the key elements of the frame, suspension, and engine align perfectly, but the bike’s fuel tank is much more compact, lowering its profile to suit a more sporty style that is in line with the low mounting bars mounted under the upper triple clamp. Source: https://www.cycleworld.com

The airbox featured in the patent also appears to have been custom-made for a motorcycle with air intakes that extend forward into the fairing towards the nose. These are not present in the Hornet. The illustration also shows a taller seat that does not have the exaggerated space between the rider and passenger that is present in the Hornet. It is worth noting that the Transalp also appeared in patent filings before its official launch.

There is little doubt that Honda has the Yamaha MT-07 in its sights with the Hornet 750, and the Transalp competes with the Ténéré 700 and, to some extent, the more road-oriented Tracer 7 in Yamaha’s lineup. With the addition of a fairing and lowered handlebars, the same frame could easily become a compelling “CBR750R” model to rival the Yamaha YZF-R7. Given Honda’s tendency to maximize the range of models it produces from each new platform, the lowered handlebars and lower-profile tank illustrated here could also be used in a more retro Hawk 750 model.