Sometimes it feels like the US is second fiddle to Europe when new streetbikes get launched years before they find their way to our shores. Such is the case with Honda’s CB750 Hornet, which was announced all the way back in 2022 at the Intermot show in Cologne as a 2023 model. But there are some advantages to these delays, as the Hornet (that also shares a platform with the Transalp) has already received some updates that the US market benefits from right away. So while we may never understand the delayed deployment of the 2025 CB750 Hornet, we’re quite excited for its tardy arrival.When the Hornet and Transalp platform were launched, it was another example of Honda smartly creating multiple machines from the same DNA that appeal to totally different riders. In the case of the Hornet, it follows in the footsteps of the 599 and 919 naked bikes that were wildly popular in Europe, but never found great success in the US. But over the years, US buyers have finally warmed to the idea of naked bikes, and the timing of the Hornet 750 couldn’t be better especially when you look at the $7999 price tag.

For a while there it appeared that Honda was falling behind the European manufacturers in technology, but in today’s motorcycle market those high-tech features have driven many motorcycle’s prices into automotive territory. Hindsight reveals that Honda has smartly implemented just the most necessary tech where needed, while ensuring that its products offer a level of performance and value that a lot of the market has abandoned. 755cc Parallel-twin EngineThe go-to engine configuration for so many new models these days continues to be dominated by the parallel-twin. Reasons for the shift towards this layout are numerous, but in a nutshell it comes down to reduced complexity, which lowers manufacturing costs, improved emissions, and conveniently, real-world riding power delivery.

Displacement for the Hornet 750’s engine actually measures 755cc with 87.0 x 63.5mm bore and stroke dimensions. Like so many parallel-twins, and those in Honda’s range, this unit features 270-degree-crank phasing, delivering an uneven firing order that mimics the delivery of a V-twin. The cylinders feature a Nickel-Silicon Carbide coating (Ni-SiC) as found in the CBR1000RR-R. The compression ratio is set at a fairly conservative 11.0:1. Like the twins in the Africa Twin and NT1100, the Hornet features an Unicam design which actuates a pair of 35mm intake and 29mm exhaust valves per cylinder. The engine is fed by a pair of 46mm throttle valves controlled by Honda’s PGM-FI. Honda did not specify power figures for the Hornet. Unlike so many modern bikes with this engine configuration, the Hornet uses a more traditional looking exhaust system with a single silencer exiting on the right side.

As an interesting contrast, the Hornet 750 shared a two-day press event with the CB1000 Hornet SP. After riding that 1000cc beast the previous day, our expectations for the 750’s performance were a little bit subdued. How wrong we were to think that. Our ride in the mountains southeast of Sacramento, California, would total about 195 miles with a variety of roads from ultra-tight hairpins to fast flow, and even a bit of freeway and city riding to round things out.

It doesn’t take more than a block or so to appreciate the delivery of the 755’s power around the city. In this environment the bottom- to midrange torque is easily accessible and makes navigating urban congestion relaxed and easy. The clutch pull is light, while the standard up/down quickshifter helps deliver smooth shifts even at very low rpms. As Judas Priest said: “when I’m heading out to the highway, I got nothin’ to lose at all…” The Hornet delivers very good freeway performance, slay the on ramp, and then settle into the flow with the counterbalanced engine very smooth with minimal vibes, especially at those mid-range revs where you tend to sit on the highway.

But none of that is the romantic side of riding that we all want to hear about, we all want a bike like the Hornet to attack sweeping corners with our buddies on a fun weekend ride. And this is where a flashback to the ride the previous day on the CB1000 SP weighed in on our impression of the 750. While the 1000 is a blast to ride on similar roads, it also requires total attention. Even with a comprehensive electronics package, the 1000 leaves you walking on eggshells at times—not in the same manic way as a Streetfighter V4—but forcing you to always leave a little bit in reserve so you don’t get bit. The 750 is quite the contrast, and in many ways, more fun to ride. Yes we just said less is more. Just hear us out for a second… On the 750, an experienced rider can absolutely ring the parallel-twin’s neck and have a really great time without feeling like they should throw it on the trailer and head to track day. That’s not to say that the 750 is slow or lacks performance, it’s just that the way the engine makes power rewards corner exits and roll-on performance, while the 1000 wants to be wound up into the upper echelon of the rev range, where it starts to become a triple-digit beast. For example: on the Hornet 750, if the tach is sitting at 5000 rpm when you exit a corner, the available torque grunts you out of the corner with ease without having to dance on the shift lever. Dip the clutch, and little floater wheelies are at your beckoning.

The 1000 is still waking up from a nap at this rpm, and makes you keep the left foot busy or pay the price until it finds some revs. Of course a 1000cc inline four has more performance, but the Hornet 750’s accessible power makes it a much more entertaining motorcycle to ride on the road where most of us spend our time. And while it’s the torque that is the headliner, the 755 still delivers good power across the range, and in all honesty makes this bike an incredibly fun streetbike. ElectronicsWhen it comes to electronics, Honda definitely plays to the audience. Many modern motorcycles have become so complex in terms of electronic rider aids and features as to be almost overwhelming. There is of course a place for that complexity on certain bikes like a track-oriented homologation sportbike or even on an open-class adventure bike. But on a middleweight naked that will likely spend more time commuting than strafing apexes, keeping it simple makes a lot of sense.

The Hornet has just about everything it needs, and almost everything you would want. There are three fixed ride modes including Rain, Standard, and Sport, and a User mode that allows you to adjust the Engine Power (EP), Engine Brake (EB) and Honda Selectable Torque Control (HSTC) with integrated wheelie control. You can also switch HSTC off entirely, which also importantly eliminates wheelie control. The Hornet has a ride-by-wire throttle to allow these modes, but doesn’t have a six-axis IMU, so there isn’t lean-sensitive TC or ABS. Both of those are controlled the old fashioned way by using wheel-speed sensors to give the ECU info. So what is it missing? If there were a few things we’d ask for they would be the ability to independently change TC and Wheelie control, and also not have to go into the menu and reset it to Off every time the key is cycled. Other than those areas, everything makes sense on this bike and works quite well.

The Hornet comes standard with an up/down quickshifter which offers three levels of adjustment for both up and downshifts: Soft, Medium, and Hard. Those settings essentially control how much pressure it takes to trigger the shift, and can be tuned to preference. Beyond that, you get an easy to read full color TFT that offers some customization for viewing preference. The left-bar control pod is intuitive and easy to use and allows the rider to scroll through modes, and screens on the fly, and to alter settings when parked. For those who want to utilize turn-by-turn navigation, Honda’s RoadSync app can be tethered to the dash via Bluetooth and offers multiple other features as well. Chassis ErgonomicsIf there is an area where Honda elected to save money and keep this bike’s price at “bargain level,” it’s the chassis. At the bike’s core is a steel-diamond frame with an integrated subframe. The wheelbase measures 55.9 inches, while a sporty 25-degrees of rake and 3.9 inches of trail are aimed at snappy handling. Suspension is very basic front and rear. The fork is a Showa Separate Function Big Piston (SFF-BP) unit with no provisions for adjustability and 5.1 inches of travel. At the rear is a Showa Pro-Link monoshock with seven stages of preload adjustability, and identical travel to the front.

Braking is handled by a pair of radial-mount four-piston Nissin calipers squeezing 296mm discs at the front, while a 240mm rotor and single-piston caliper are used at the rear. Attractive cast-aluminum wheels with Y-shaped spokes measure 3.5 and 4.5 inches wide front and rear and come with either Michelin or Dunlop rubber in 120/70-17 front and 160/60-17 rear sizes respectively. Out on the road, we discovered that despite the lack of adjustability from the CB750’s suspension, Honda did a great job of finding the right compromise between comfort for rough pavement around town and damping when ridden at a sporty pace. Of course if all you did is flog the bike on sporty roads, wanting more adjustability would be a valid gripe, but clearly this bike is intended to be a much more well-rounded machine that is as happy commuting as attacking corners. Only when pushed very hard does the Showa fork start to lack a bit of hold up and damping, but overall, the settings that Honda’s engineers settled on, work very well in a wide range of riding conditions.

Like we said about the engine, the 750 has such a fun and playful character when riding a twisty road, and so much of that is a result of the bike’s 422-pound wet weight. The upright and comfortable moto-style handlebar provides good leverage and when combined with the bike’s light overall weight allows it to be flicked into and out of corners with minimal effort. This is also a huge factor in what makes it such a good around-town machine, allowing quick and accurate steering when a pothole or pedestrian jumps out at you.

The riding position is upright and neutral with a comfortable bend at the legs and a very accessible 31.1 inch seat height that makes it easy to find firm footing around town. Despite the only wind protection coming from the TFT display, it keeps the wind off of your chest quite well, and creates zero buffeting to the flow over your helmet. Honda does offer a small accessory windscreen if more protection is needed. Is Less Really Better? When you look at Honda’s—or any company’s—naked or “standard” sportbike offerings, the 700 to 800cc range is the sweet spot between price, performance, and practicality. If you’re looking for a sporty motorcycle that can grind through the daily commute to work or school, provides fun performance for weekend rides, and one that costs less than most mid-range mountain bikes, then you are clearly the intended CB750 Hornet buyer.

When we dropped two cylinders and 250ccs of displacement for our second day of riding at the Hornet launch, we never expected that we’d have so much fun. It’s the perfect delivery of the old cliché that less is more. The CB750 Hornet may offer less power and less performance from its engine and chassis compared to the 1000cc four, but in the real world it offers more accessible fun for more people at a price that is easier on the budget. The 2025 CB750 Hornet is available in two color options: Matte Black Metallic or Matte Pearl White and is in dealers now.

2025 Honda CB750 Hornet Specs