Milan Show: FireBlade-based Honda CB1000R to replace Honda Hornet 900

Honda has launched the radical new CB1000R at the Milan motorcycle show.

Based on the 2007-spec FireBlade engine, it’s the most hardcore naked bike the firm has ever made.

The CB1000R may appear closely related to the Hornet 600, but the CB1000R is only related in its basic styling – the clue is in the name. The current 600 is called a CB600F Hornet – the ‘F’ denoting the bikes softer, more friendly attitude. The ‘R’ in the CB1000R’s title hints that Honda has made the bike a much harder-edged machine, and the decision to drop the ‘Hornet’ title shows that the firm is keen to distance the two differently-focused machines. 

The CB1000R is powered by a detuned version of the 2007 Fireblade’s 998cc inline four, set up for low and midrange power. The fuel injector bodies are considerably smaller at 36mm (the Fireblade has 46mm bodies), and each cylinder’s independent ignition and fuel setup is tailored for low and mid-range torque as well as a linear delivery.

The CB1000R’s aluminium backbone frame is a development of the 2007 Hornet 600’s, but the rest of the chassis parts are considerably higher spec than the budget-priced 600. The upside-down forks are taken from the 2008 Fireblade.
Four-piston radially-mounted Tokico calipers grabbing 310mm discs are standard, but there’s an ABS version which has three-piston Nissin calipers and Honda’s Combined Braking System.

Price is yet to be announced, but is expected to be between £7000-£7500 to place it close to competitor’s machines.

Read all the details of the new CB1000R in MCN on sale on Wednesday November 7, where we’ll also be revealing all the other new bikes from Milan.