Honda CB Hornet 160R vs Suzuki Gixxer

Now the Honda CB Hornet 160R is a stylish looking motorcycle but can it beat the benchmark in this segment? Let’s find out.

Design and features:

Honda has finally done away with its Plain Jane design and is giving the public what they want – a sportier looking 160cc motorcycle. Suzuki figured this out last year when it launched the Gixxer and set a new benchmark for other manufacturers to follow. Both motorcycles, Honda CB Hornet 160R and the Suzuki Gixxer, have a sporty muscular look with features galore. They both get digital instrument consoles but here, the Gixxer wins over the Hornet as it gets an engine kill switch and a gear indicator too. The Hornet sadly gets the same old commuter like switch gear.

Engine and performance:

The Hornet gets the same 162cc engine that you see in Unicorn 160 but it’s now been re-tuned and puts out 15.88 PS at 8,500rpm and 14.76 NM at 6,500rpm. The Gixxer, on the other hand, has the 155cc engine that puts out 14.8 PS at 8,000 RPM and 14 Nm at 6,000 RPM. Though, the Hornet offers just 1PS more but the Gixxer has better low-end grunt which is great for riding in the city. However, the Gixxer feels stressed on the highways, while the Hornet produces great mid and top end grunt making long rides a breeze.

Ride, Handling and Braking:

The Hornet 160R and the Suzuki Gixxer both employ a diamond type frame and having ridden both the motorcycles back to back, one can say that Gixxer definitely has an upper hand on the handling front. Coming to suspension, both motorcycles have beefy telescopic front forks and a mono shock at the back but the suspension on the Gixxer feels more suited for Indian roads. Even while tackling corners, the Gixxer provides more feedback to the rider and feels more planted to the tarmac. Even though the Hornet gets a 100/80 -17 tyre in the front and a massive 140/70 – 17 at the rear, but they don’t offer much feedback, this is where Honda loses another point.

On the braking front, the Hornet beats the Gixxer hands down. While the Hornet gets a petal disc brake in the front and at the rear, the Gixxer gets a disc brake only up front and a drum at the rear. Add Honda’s combi-brake system to the mix and you’ve got a motorcycle whose braking power is the best in the segment. The brakes on the Hornet are progressive and offer good feedback to the rider.

Verdict:

So, based on the comparison, we can say as far as the looks go, both motorcycles look sporty and muscular but Gixxer wins over Hornet as far as features, performance and handling go. The Hornet fights back with slightly better braking performance and has an upper hand because of Honda’s widespread after sales network. If you look at the price, the Gixxer comes for Rs.83, 000 while the Hornet 160R with CBS comes with a premium price tag of Rs. 89, 000 (both ex-showroom Mumbai). So, considering the power, performance and price and the features both the motorcycles offer, we can conclude that Suzuki Gixxer offers better value for money.