Honda CB Hornet: First ride review

HMSI have held true to their promise to launch 15 new model in the year 2015. Some of them were just cosmetic upgrades but they showed us the direction in which the Japanese giant is moving towards. The 160cc segment hasn’t had much action this year, and just when we were losing hope, Honda came through with a head turning motorcycle –The CB Hornet 160R. We went to the sunny beaches of Goa to ride this new steed from Honda and even rode it back to Mumbai. The Hornet will be replacing the CB Trigger in the Honda line up but is it better than its elder brother the Unicorn 160? Let’s find out.

The Pros: Engine refinement is top notch and the braking power is the best in its segment.

The Cons: Same old switchgear and still no engine kill switch.

The Crux: The Hornet 160R is stunningly beautiful and backed up by rock solid cycle parts.

Rating

Verdict: If you are a fan of the Yamaha FZS or the Suzuki Gixxer, you’ll love the Hornet. It does come with a premium price tag of Rs. 89.000 but still doesn’t manage to beat this segments benchmark – the Suzuki Gixxer.  The Hornet 160R goes up against the likes of the Yamaha FZ-S and the Suzuki Gixxer. The Gixxer comes for Rs.83,000, the FZ-S for Rs. 81,000 while the Hornet160R with CBS comes for a premium at Rs. 89,000 (all ex-showroom Mumbai). So it is the most expensive and we expected more from the big H but on its own, it’s a stunning motorcycle and is great fun ride.