In 1996, the Japanese motorcycle manufacturer launched the Honda CB250 Hornet, a standard motorcycle part of the CB series, also known as the CB250F, which was initially made only for the Japanese market as a domestic model, but also made available for the rest of the world.
The bike was powered by a de-tuned version of the engine used on the CBR250 and delivered 40 hp at 14,000 rpm with a red line at 16,000 rpm that allowed the engine to provide more useful low-end power.
The entry-level naked machine was fitted with standard features, such as cast aluminum wheels, a chromed exhaust system with the mufflers mounted under the seat, a one-piece dual seat with a passenger grab handle, a wide handlebar, and a blacked-out steel frame.
The bike featured a lightweight aluminum frame that housed a 40mm telescopic fork on the front and a preload-adjustable monoshock absorber on the rear for optimum suspension performance.
As for braking performance, the bike packed a 296 mm disc coupled to a two-piston caliper on the front wheel and a 220 mm disc with a single-piston caliper on the rear wheel for optimum stopping power.
In the power department, the 1996 Honda CB250 Hornet had its soul brought to life by a 249cc four-stroke four-cylinder liquid-cooled engine that delivered an output power of 40 hp with a peak at 14,000 rpm and 24 Nm (18 lb-ft) of torque at 11,000 rpm.