View Full Version : Honda Hornet Experience
Drew Carey
22-10-08, 08:12 PM
So, as per my crashy McGee thread (caused by donkey whilst stationary), I have been riding the Hornet for three weeks on Friday, so thought would give you my views for anyone that might be interested. Firstly, bare in mind I have only ever wridden for large amounts of time my SV so I am comparing it to that.
Having read a review in a recent bike magazine I was really looking forward to spending time on it. The magazine was full of praise for it and even mentioned that its 0-60 time is apparently quicker than a ZX-10R!!!!!
Anyways, first off machinery. Walking round the bike it appears nice and tidy, typical Honda in that everything appears to be in the right place and it shows some designer at Honda really thought hard bout it. First dissapointment however, considering Honda's reputation for build quality, the exahust welds are attrocious and it just looks poor. Also, the bench seat is sooooooooooo difficult to get off. But, the space under there is worst than my SV!!!!!
As for riding, I will split it up into sections......
First off, slow bimling and traffic......this is where I found this so much easier than the SV, the riding position is armchair esque and it is easy to steer and nice and nippy whilst filtering.
At speed, well, this is where it becomes interesting. The acceleration on this thing is quite immense compared to the SV, drop from 4th to 2nd at thirty and bang open the throttle and you literally wrench the arms out of their sockets (you can tell I'm a fairing man!!!!).
Finally, mach speed!!!!!! When using the bike at 8k rpm more it is crazy, the acceleration just hits like a brick wall.
The suspension and brakes are far superior to the SV. When riding the suspension is noticebly firm and one gripe is that the front is not adjustable.
So........having ridden this for a couple of weeks now, the question is......would I buy one????? Well....to be honest no......Yes it has its good points, but, there is something missing, I can't put my finger on it but it just isn't fun. Its perfectly capable as a mile muncher, but, for fun I find it quiet boring and want my SV back. I'm missing the torqueeeeeness of the SV and I'm missing the engine brakeing like you would not believe. Also, through the corners the SV seems more planted and nippier.
If I was in the market for a naked bike, then I think I would look at a Triple.....but......if I was looking for a sports bike then the engine within a CBR600RR is verrrrrrrrrrrrrrry tempting (The Hornets lump is based on this). For me, the lump is the only bit of this bike that I really like.
Anyways, I've ranted on enough and have also realised how carp I am at doing reviews, so if anyone has got this far then congrats.
thats not bad....... all made sence
didnt you find the hornet a bit fat and short i tried one and it put me right off just didnt seem well balanced too me.oh and good little review there well done.
Drew Carey
22-10-08, 08:18 PM
PS - If anyone else has ridden one and can "put their finger on" what is missing, then please feel free to add their views......I just can't seem to work out what feels so wrong bout it !?!?!?!?!?!?!?
Drew Carey
22-10-08, 08:18 PM
didnt you find the hornet a bit fat and short i tried one and it put me right off just didnt seem well balanced too me.oh and good little review there well done.
Yup, thought the tank is much wider than really needs to be.
PS - If anyone else has ridden one and can "put their finger on" what is missing, then please feel free to add their views......I just can't seem to work out what feels so wrong bout it !?!?!?!?!?!?!?
theres two too many of something take a guess;):D
PS - If anyone else has ridden one and can "put their finger on" what is missing, then please feel free to add their views......I just can't seem to work out what feels so wrong bout it !?!?!?!?!?!?!?
I had a Hornet. It did everything I asked of it, I was still rebuilding confidence after my off. It was OK, but like you I found it bland and rather boring, even though I never pushed it. It performed like a robot, predictable, reliable, but it didn't have a soul. Or if it did, I never found it.
fastdruid
22-10-08, 10:38 PM
I had one as a hire bike after the crash that ended my SV's road going life.
I wasn't too impressed, I too loved the way it took off but found it lack luster below there and most of the time was wanting the extra grunt of the SV rather than the extra power as the power was mostly faster than the limit of the road I was on (or 3 gears lower than the one I was in!)
I actually found the suspension far softer and worse in comparison but then I had USD forks etc on the SV!
It made me really miss riding the SV.
Druid
DanAbnormal
22-10-08, 11:17 PM
Isn't fun?
To each their own but it's the most fun bike I've ever ridden. I've owned 2 and ridden many others. Best bike for the money. If you prefer v twins then so be it but to accuse the Hornet of not being fun is just rubbish. You sure you even rode one properly? I've owned 15 bikes and the Hornet is by and far the most amount of fun Ive ever had on two wheels plus it's comfy and great for touring too.
End of.
;)
lukemillar
22-10-08, 11:30 PM
Isn't fun?
To each their own but it's the most fun bike I've ever ridden. I've owned 2 and ridden many others. Best bike for the money.
End of.
;)
Most fun bike you've ever ridden......in a two week period before swapping it for a brand new kwak ZX6R/street triple/ZX-10R/Z1000 ;):p
DanAbnormal
22-10-08, 11:37 PM
Most fun bike you've ever ridden......in a two week period before swapping it for a brand new kwak ZX6R/street triple/ZX-10R/Z1000 ;):p
Ah Luke my dear fellow you're only helping proving how good the Hornet is. I've owned a Hornet since Jun 2006 and have covered over 60'000 miles riding them (spread over 3 Hornets) including a trip to Nurburgring. I've owned many other bikes and they just were not as good fun in the twisties, or as practical. But yes, other bikes have come and gone so touche on that point but I have had Hornet for a few years now and I always go back. my first Hornet a 2004 model was awesome. I had 3 accidents and she kept going, clocking up over 35'000 miles. I sold her to a freind recently and it is now riding around Poland and he loves it. I had a 2007 hire version while my Hornet was being repaired. Not keen on the look but it felt just like my Hornet albeit a little tighter and newer. I then bought a 2006 version in April this year which I still have. So far I've done 14'000 miles on it.
mister c
23-10-08, 06:28 AM
Mate of mine races one in the Steel Frame 600 class & he likes it more than his CBR600. He is pretty quick on it as well leaving quite a few people behind him.
http://lh6.ggpht.com/croozenooze/SPo-4smx-fI/AAAAAAAADa4/Jmo9D4oz54U/s512/2008_1018oulton0188.JPG
Amanda M
23-10-08, 07:29 AM
Hornet - I'm gonna get one soon. I love the things and I just get on so well with them. I had the use of my brother's hornet for a while and loved it - great fun to ride. I rode it again back to back with my Z1000 a few weeks ago and it convinced me that I had to have a hornet because I got off it grinning and the Zed doesn't do that for me.
muffles
23-10-08, 07:37 AM
I wasn't too impressed, I too loved the way it took off but found it lack luster below there and most of the time was wanting the extra grunt of the SV rather than the extra power as the power was mostly faster than the limit of the road I was on (or 3 gears lower than the one I was in!)
Is that anything to do with coming from a twin? I switched back to a twin for a bit on a rideout a few months ago - I can't ride them any more, I think I need a few weeks on one again to get used to it.
I'm always keeping the revs above 5-6k, and hitting the rev limiter after it runs out of puff when I crack open the throttle.
If the power you want is 3 gears below where you are, it sounds like you are doing the opposite to me and trying to ride the IL4 like a twin?
Drew Carey
23-10-08, 07:53 AM
Isn't fun?
To each their own but it's the most fun bike I've ever ridden. I've owned 2 and ridden many others. Best bike for the money. If you prefer v twins then so be it but to accuse the Hornet of not being fun is just rubbish. You sure you even rode one properly? I've owned 15 bikes and the Hornet is by and far the most amount of fun Ive ever had on two wheels plus it's comfy and great for touring too.
End of.
;)
I take your point, but thats just it , for YOU it is fun.......but for me, its not. As for riding it properly, I am doing everything smoothly, using the full range of revs and have now cracked up 1200 miles in 2 and a half weeks. So I have given it its due. Its just not the bike for me and never will be.
SoulKiss
23-10-08, 08:13 AM
So, as per my crashy McGee thread (caused by donkey whilst stationary), I have been riding the Hornet for three weeks on Friday, so thought would give you my views for anyone that might be interested. Firstly, bare in mind I have only ever wridden for large amounts of time my SV so I am comparing it to that.
Having read a review in a recent bike magazine I was really looking forward to spending time on it. The magazine was full of praise for it and even mentioned that its 0-60 time is apparently quicker than a ZX-10R!!!!!
Anyways, first off machinery. Walking round the bike it appears nice and tidy, typical Honda in that everything appears to be in the right place and it shows some designer at Honda really thought hard bout it. First dissapointment however, considering Honda's reputation for build quality, the exahust welds are attrocious and it just looks poor. Also, the bench seat is sooooooooooo difficult to get off. But, the space under there is worst than my SV!!!!!
As for riding, I will split it up into sections......
First off, slow bimling and traffic......this is where I found this so much easier than the SV, the riding position is armchair esque and it is easy to steer and nice and nippy whilst filtering.
At speed, well, this is where it becomes interesting. The acceleration on this thing is quite immense compared to the SV, drop from 4th to 2nd at thirty and bang open the throttle and you literally wrench the arms out of their sockets (you can tell I'm a fairing man!!!!).
Finally, mach speed!!!!!! When using the bike at 8k rpm more it is crazy, the acceleration just hits like a brick wall.
The suspension and brakes are far superior to the SV. When riding the suspension is noticebly firm and one gripe is that the front is not adjustable.
So........having ridden this for a couple of weeks now, the question is......would I buy one????? Well....to be honest no......Yes it has its good points, but, there is something missing, I can't put my finger on it but it just isn't fun. Its perfectly capable as a mile muncher, but, for fun I find it quiet boring and want my SV back. I'm missing the torqueeeeeness of the SV and I'm missing the engine brakeing like you would not believe. Also, through the corners the SV seems more planted and nippier.
If I was in the market for a naked bike, then I think I would look at a Triple.....but......if I was looking for a sports bike then the engine within a CBR600RR is verrrrrrrrrrrrrrry tempting (The Hornets lump is based on this). For me, the lump is the only bit of this bike that I really like.
Anyways, I've ranted on enough and have also realised how carp I am at doing reviews, so if anyone has got this far then congrats.
Now go try a Z750......
Drew Carey
23-10-08, 08:18 AM
lol, when I saw you had posted I thought you might say that. I know it miay sound wimpy but to be honest one thing it has made me realise is that I don't particularily want a naked bike (although Lily says it suits me!!!!!!!).
custard
23-10-08, 08:31 AM
currently own a 98 hornet and an sv1k.
traded a cbr600f for it and never looked back, they are an absolute scream! for some reason it always makes me act like an absolute hooligan.
ThEGr33k
23-10-08, 09:02 AM
I take your point, but thats just it , for YOU it is fun.......but for me, its not. As for riding it properly, I am doing everything smoothly, using the full range of revs and have now cracked up 1200 miles in 2 and a half weeks. So I have given it its due. Its just not the bike for me and never will be.
Sounds like you are perhapse a Twin person. :cool:
DanAbnormal
23-10-08, 09:56 AM
I take your point, but thats just it , for YOU it is fun.......but for me, its not. As for riding it properly, I am doing everything smoothly, using the full range of revs and have now cracked up 1200 miles in 2 and a half weeks. So I have given it its due. Its just not the bike for me and never will be.
That's fair enough Drew. The SV for me was fun also, mainly due to the noise! :p
fastdruid
23-10-08, 06:15 PM
Is that anything to do with coming from a twin? I switched back to a twin for a bit on a rideout a few months ago - I can't ride them any more, I think I need a few weeks on one again to get used to it.
I'm always keeping the revs above 5-6k, and hitting the rev limiter after it runs out of puff when I crack open the throttle.
If the power you want is 3 gears below where you are, it sounds like you are doing the opposite to me and trying to ride the IL4 like a twin?
Previous to the Hornet but after the SV I was riding my wifes RS50 for a few weeks so I was used to revving the a**e of a bike to get anywhere!
There was just no real go below 50mph in 1st (10k)!
To experience the 'fun' you had to be doing faster than 50 and even then hitting the redline would see you over the NSL in 1st. I don't tend to speed but still like to accelerate hard and it annoyed me that I could never experience the power without speeding and in NSL's I couldn't even use all of the power.
Riding round in 1st in 30's was annoying and 2nd/3rd had no go in comparison to the SV.
The SV (and for that matter the VFR I ride on the road now) have far more torque and are geared lower, you need to be in 3rd for example to break the 70 limit on the SV.
I did enjoy the hornet but found it far worse in the real world than the SV unless you were going to break speed limits everywhere.
TBH it's the same reason I see a modern litre bike as pointless on the road, you can't even rev them out in first without facing a ban and potential jail time!!
Druid
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