05 CB900F Honda Hornet Review

[Zapf]

Update... Hornet 900

-Mirrors... no complains about the factory mirrors they would ok when I needed them.

-Fuel range... around 250~270km before reserve light comes on (250 if riding hard or 270 if soft) use around 6L/100km and has a 19L tank so should do just over 300km

[Kendog]

Now that I have seen the light and got me a Hornet thought I would add some comments.

Mirrors - I agree, factory ones work pretty well (for round mirrors) I did paint them black so they blend with the bike better.

Screen - honda screen was already on the bike, but was a smokey brown colour So painted this black as well, looks pretty good now.

Flapper mod - did this yesterday, I think the bike is a little louder. Haven't been for a decent ride yet to see if there is any perfrmance difference.

Radiator cover - I got some wire screen material (like fly screen) from Mitre 10, painted it black (loving that can of spay paint) and tied it on with some black ties. Can only see it if you look really close up and will keep the bugs off the radiator.

Seat height - looking at options for lowering the bike so the other half can ride it, justs needs to drop by about an inch. So far I have heard about an aftermarket shock from the US and carving foam out of the seat. Am also keeping my eyes open on E-Bay and Hornets nest (great site).

Indicators - got to get me some smaller ones

Riding the bike - The best part. Really enjoying myself

[et al]

The standard indicators are indeed just way too big. I put Oxford arrow shaped ones on mine - got them from Sawyers, cost $60 a pair I think it was.

[sparrow_34]

I put Buell Firebolt indicators on Mine. They are about $12 an indicator. They look alot better than the huge stock blinkers. They come with a 10watt bulb, whereas the Hornets are 15w. What I did was take out the orange inner lens from the Buell indicators and replace the clear 10w bulbs with 15w silver coated orange globes. The fronts swap out easily, on the rear I had to cut the existing indicator wires and put on connectors, but it is a piece of Piss.
Here are a couple of Pics from a ride.

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/at...7&d=1133077597

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/at...5&d=1133074087

[skelstar]

Interesting. I was wondering if anyone had done this headlight mod in NZ. Buell XB12S headies?

[sparrow_34]

They aren't off a Buell. I got them from here.

http://asiapac.clickandbuild.com/cnb...dCategoryID=25

I have had them on the bike for about a year or so now.

[skelstar]

Ah yeah. No probs with fitting them between the brackets?

[skelstar]

Oh, meant to ask: no probs with the USA light pattern shining right instead of left (NZ light pattern)

[sparrow_34]

No worries getting them into the existing bracket, just had to loosen off the bolts a bit. Don't know about the left or right pattern thing, they point the way the handlebars are pointing :slap: They came from Hong Kong.

[Groins_NZ]

It's great how you can easily modify the Hornet as you see fit - a very 'mod-centric' bike (whatever that means ) and lots of sites on the Internet where you can order stuff from.

Regarding the seat lowering - I too had read about fitting different shocks, do you have to do both the front and rear to keep the bike handling as designed. Fairly expensive refit though aye!?

Seat height - looking at options for lowering the bike so the other half can ride it, justs needs to drop by about an inch. So far I have heard about an aftermarket shock from the US and carving foam out of the seat. Am also keeping my eyes open on E-Bay and Hornets nest (great site).

Didn’t think there was much foam in the stock seat to take out as I remember but I’m sure an upholsterer could put in some better foam to compensate. Before I got my Corbin seat I was going to get something done through this outfit which had some nice looking examples Trimit. They can remodel and I’m pretty sure the guy who emailed me said they use a high quality, dense foam. Just a shame they are in Tauranga but if you need to send your seat away then give me a yell as I still have my stock seat which you could borrow.

[Kendog]

Didn’t think there was much foam in the stock seat to take out as I remember but I’m sure an upholsterer could put in some better foam to compensate. Before I got my Corbin seat I was going to get something done through this outfit which had some nice looking examples Trimit. They can remodel and I’m pretty sure the guy who emailed me said they use a high quality, dense foam. Just a shame they are in Tauranga but if you need to send your seat away then give me a yell as I still have my stock seat which you could borrow.

Awsome, thanks Groins, may take you up on this.
I contacted them and they say they can lower the seat using better foam
Now comes the decision, do I go for a nice long ride up there or send by courier, I know which one I would rather do if I had the time....

BTW
It was a reluctant decision not to buy your leathers as they are so damn good. But I need the money to lower the seat.

[et al]

I am seriously considering getting after market exhausts for the Hornet now - mainly just to give it a bit of character. I have seen the various links earlier in this post and know there are a lot of options. Also read recently in Rapid magazine where they have a Micron set fitted to their long termer/project Hornet and they claim good weight saving and horsepower increase (although untested). I am not too worried about whether any can gives better Horsepower than another - I am just looking for something that sounds hornier and the weight saving is useful as I find the Hornet has a lot of weight up top and being old and a short arse I always worry about it getting the better of me when I am rolling it in/out of garage etc. As far as looks go I don't think anything I have seen so far tops the original pipes so I am just going to forget about that aspect, although that is one reason why I fancy the Microns over others at the moment. I have sent off an enquiry to Neptune asking if they can do Hornet cans - we (sons and I) have got several pipes off Mark over the years and I prefer to give him the business if he can do it, otherwise I will make enquiries with my favorite local bike shops regarding getting me the Microns. Will let you know how I get on, any advice will be appreciated in the meantime.

[skelstar]

Has anyone tried a 'bafflectomy'? Will get link if interested.
Talked to Mark on Friday re: Hornets et al. Just incase he mentions it; discussed the single side can option.

[et al]

Thanks - re the 'bafflectomy': I have seen the link about that being done with the Hornet, and I know Mark can/and has done it (with Ducati pipes anyway) but I want to preserve the original pipes as-is so unless I could get a spare set for the butchering then not an option fo me. Not sure I would like the single pipe option as I think twin high rise pipes suit the bike - the post from Groins NZ showing the 2Bros "Stash" pipes was a unique way to do it though.

[Zapf]

I have replaced the factory pipes with pipes by Custom chambers... and got them to put the factory heat shields back on for the looks.

So they sound nice and look factory.... all good. Pitty they won't do it again, as it was lots of work mounting up the factory heat shields I was told.

I have see the bike without the exhaust under the tail section and can confirm that it looks great without the under seat exhaust and should look great with a single can down the right side. In fact if I ever change my exhaust again that will be the my choice.