Honda cb600 Hornet

[Cache Wraith]

Anyone heard if and when the new 600 Hornet is hitting NZ shores and any thoughts on a price point? Thinking about upgrading to the CB900 but the new 600 looks interesting.

[Zapf]

na get the 900 :) you'll love the torque.

[kneescraper]

What are the 600cc and 900cc Hornets like to ride? good two up?

[gijoe1313]

Heh, I be in the same mind as well ... since I want to have the whole "family" 250, 600 and 900 :yes:

[Zapf]

yea my GF likes it. Very smooth, and just ride it off the torque. Suspension has preload and rebound both front and back. Can also get full Givi hard luggage topbox and panniers for touring if required. I have put MX bars and a screen on the bike. The headlights are one of the best. Best easy to ride and fun in twisties. Factory shock is build to a price, not that its bad. But I replaced it with an Ohlins. Front suspension is very good, no replacement bits needed. 19L tank will have you riding a long time before filling up.

[limbimtimwim]

I rode an old and f&*^ed up Hornet 600 around Manfeild once, heaps of fun!! Totally chuckable. Bouncy and kinda wobbly feeling, but a good laugh to ride. I'd hope the latest Itaian Job version would be just as much fun. It'd be a great upgrade from a 250.

The bigger one I think is less chuckable and less fun, but you'd be getting a better all around bike. Well, better than the old 600 hornet.

[pritch]

What are the 600cc and 900cc Hornets like to ride? good two up?

My "expert" rated the Hornet as the most comfortable bike she had ridden on.
Not surprisingly she found it more comfortable than the sportier metal, CBR, CBX, VTR, VFR, but she also considered that the Hornet has more leg room for a passenger than the CB1300.

She also tried the Gold wing but considered that to be a car...

[gijoe1313]

*watching thread with intent interest* :corn:

[canarlee]

na get the 900 :) you'll love the torque.

thats what i agree with!


and they are still chuck-about-able, so im told

[Zapf]

chuck-about-able, so im told

have mine setup for slower stuff, MX bars and Ohlins shock its all fun. I did the SI and Grand Challange on it too. And it'll reel in 600 sports and likes in the twisties.

It is never meant to be a high speed bike, anything up to 160ish is ok. It can go well into the 2xx, but you'll have to hold on for ur dear live.... it gets windy at that speed. After market exhaust is good for freeing up the breathing, making it more lively.

[Gremlin]

well into the 2xx,
oh really? I found it reasonably tapped out at 200... and it was weaving around a lot :innocent: oh wait... it was yours!

they're quite good 2up, and the pillion makes it pretty piss easy to wheelie it too. Excellent torque on the 900, smooth, excellent if you want to have fun at lower speeds. Very friendly bike, and certainly a decent size so you're not cramped up on it. For the price, I really don't think you can go wrong either.

[Krayy]

Anyone heard if and when the new 600 Hornet is hitting NZ shores and any thoughts on a price point? Thinking about upgrading to the CB900 but the new 600 looks interesting.
I sent an email to the importers (Bluewing Honda) and they reckon that it won't be coming here as a new model.

Looks like you'll have to wait for some Jappa imports to come in.

[Boob Johnson]

Mmmm, been thinkin bout a 600 Hornet, seems from comments here its a pretty good bike for an intermediate rider moving up from a 250.




She also tried the Gold wing but considered that to be a car...Was just replacing my helmet after the recent 20 foot flying leason had a wee look at one of the goldwings at Honda in NP, its a bloody car alright lol :yes:

[Krayy]

Come September the Triumph Street Triple 675 will be on the shop floors at $14999!!!

I'll be serious contender for that one :yes:

[Zapf]

Come September the Triumph Street Triple 675 will be on the shop floors at $14999!!!

I'll be serious contender for that one :yes:

Think about it this way. You can buy a 900 Hornet, which has more grunt and you can sweeten it with an Ohlins shock and still have change left from $14999

And you know its Honda quality

[limbimtimwim]

Think about it this way. You can buy a 900 Hornet, which has more grunt and you can sweeten it with an Ohlins shock and still have change left from $14999. And you know its Honda qualityYou forgot to mention that you can get funding from Pharmac if you buy a 919 hornet with a letter from your doctor to treat your insomnia. A Hornet will send the rider straight to sleep better than warm milk or pharmacy grade sleeping pills.

[skelstar]

You forgot to mention that you can get funding from Pharmac if you buy a 919 hornet with a letter from your doctor to treat your insomnia. A Hornet will send the rider straight to sleep better than warm milk or pharmacy grade sleeping pills.
Bored with your GSXR yet Simon?

[limbimtimwim]

Bored with your GSXR yet Simon?;)

It lasted longer than a Hornet would have. I'm an impatient child who changes his mind every 30 seconds, I admit it.

[skelstar]

Great, that makes you the ideal person to judge whats boring or not then... :niceone:

[limbimtimwim]

Well, SOMEONE has to temper the rampant Hornet 919 fan-boy-ism that dribbles out of far too many KB members than is healthy.

If I didn't.. Who would? Someone might not frame their opinion as a joke and then it would all degrade into a shitfight.

And then there would be tears before bedtime.

[gijoe1313]

Well, SOMEONE has to temper the rampant Hornet 919 fan-boy-ism that dribbles out of far too many KB members than is healthy.

If I didn't.. Who would? Someone might not frame their opinion as a joke and then it would all degrade into a shitfight.

And then there would be tears before bedtime.

Hey! I resemble that remark...'cept I'm a two fiddy fan-boy :o :innocent: but will be a 600 and a 900 fan-boy eventually :innocent: :rofl:

Good on ya, gotta keep people honest by querying their motives and actions to ensure that the status quo is challenged! :niceone:

[Zapf]

Hate to say... but I have had a GSXR750 / SV650S... etc.

And the Hornet has stayed the longest so far. So that does count a lot for someone who owned over 7 bikes in just over 2 years.

The Hornet is a good all rounder, and very nice / easy to live with in the long term. It does a bit of everything, ticks lots of boxes. Not as focused as a narrow focused sports bike. And you can still play with the sports bikes in the twisties.

[MacD]

I sent an email to the importers (Bluewing Honda) and they reckon that it won't be coming here as a new model.

Looks like you'll have to wait for some Jappa imports to come in.

There's always the Suzuki GSR600 and the Bandit GSF650 if you're after an IL4-600.

And you know they're Suzuki....umm....price! ;)

PS: Zapf - I thought you'd just moved on from changing bikes to starting a collection :)

[Pancakes]

The Suzuki GSR isn't as steady or light feeling as the Hornet 900, had short test on Suzuki, borrowed hornet for a few days, if you want a GSR 600 buy a FZ? 6 (they had one at Red Barron and now have the thou') Naked, lots of room, simple but modern style. My half a cent from limited test time.

[Kendog]

Well, SOMEONE has to temper the rampant Hornet 919 fan-boy-ism that dribbles out of far too many KB members than is healthy.

If I didn't.. Who would? Someone might not frame their opinion as a joke and then it would all degrade into a shitfight.

And then there would be tears before bedtime.

Well I went sports bike (CBR600) to CB900 to sports bike (GSXR750) and I am still reminded how great the 900 is when I take Trudi's bike for a ride. Boringness aside it really is a great all round bike at a great price.

But I think this summer on the roads and track will see me fully converted to the sports bike way of things.

[limbimtimwim]

I never said it was poor, nay, it is probably the best bike for the money around.

Just not that exciting.

[pritch]

Looks like you'll have to wait for some Jappa imports to come in.

Might be a long wait. the new 600 Hornet is a "Made in Italy" Honda like the CBF1000 which doesn't come here either.