Honda’s CB750 Hornet Brings a Big Sting to the US

Say what you will about Honda’s delayed entries into the US market: After this week’s announcement of the CB750 Hornet’s American debut, we’re beginning to think these long waits are as much about strategy as anything else.

First came the middleweight Honda Transalp. Sure, it was a little late to the scene, but it also snuck in under the $10,000 mark, stealing the “cheapest middleweight ADV” title from Yamaha’s beloved Ténéré 700.

The CB1000 Hornet SP, with its Öhlins suspension, Brembo brakes, and jaw-dropping price, looks poised to pull a similar maneuver in April with a $10,999 MSRP. Now Honda has confirmed the CB750 Hornet will begin trickling into dealerships this spring with an asking price of just $7999.

Related: The New 2025 Honda CB1000 Hornet’s Price Will Shock You

At that price the middleweight Hornet will effectively undercut every current competitor, either in terms of price, performance, or both. Both Suzuki’s GSX-8S and Yamaha’s MT-07 fall into the latter category, while maxi-middleweights like the new Kawasaki Z900 and Yamaha MT-09 deliver bigger performance for a bigger chunk of change.

The key to the Hornet’s advantage (price notwithstanding) is its new 755cc parallel-twin engine, which employs the popular 270-degree crank design, but does it with some serious revs. At 9500 rpm (the same peak as the Z900′s inline-four), Honda claims the Hornet makes just over 90 hp, a 10% improvement over Suzuki’s entry and a whopping 20% advantage over Yamaha’s CP2.

Related: Tour de Force: Riding 50 Years of Honda Gold Wings

Aside from that, the Hornet’s running gear is largely par for the course. Suspension comes courtesy of Showa with a 41mm SFF-BP fork upfront and Pro-Link shock in the rear. Adjustability is limited to rear preload, presumably to help keep costs in check.

The same goes for the 2025 CB750 Hornet’s electronics, which include three preset rider modes and two customizable ones, three selectable levels of traction control, and a modest 5-inch full-color TFT dash. There’s no IMU, so neither the traction control or ABS is lean sensitive, but that’s to be expected at this price.

Related: Best Budget Adventure Motorcycles

Braking components are all Nissin branded, with dual radial-mount calipers in the front and a single-piston caliper out back. A short wheelbase and steep rake ensure lively handling, while a relatively low 31.3-inch seat and upright riding position bode well for commuters.

Perhaps most important, however, is that Honda has confirmed the 2025 model gets two crucial improvements over the version originally launched in Europe. The first is that its suspension settings have been revised to help address complaints of an overly soft ride, and the second is that the front headlight-fairing assembly has been restyled for a more aggressive appearance.

A quickshifter will also come as standard equipment here in the States rather than an added accessory. The CB750 Hornet will come in two colors this year, Matte Pearl White and Matte Black Metallic, and should start hitting showrooms in May according to Honda.