The Honda CB1000 Hornet SP marks the brand’s fourth launch this month under the BigWing umbrella. In this comparison, we pit this litre-class streetfighter against a direct rival and motorcycles that, while not belonging to the same segment, offer similar power and fall within the same price range.
Honda CB1000 Hornet vs rivals: engine and output
Engine and output
Honda CB1000 Hornet
Suzuki Katana
Triumph Street Triple RS
Kawasaki Z900
Engine
999cc, inline-4, liquid-cooled
999cc, inline-4, liquid-cooled
765cc, inline-3, liquid-cooled
948cc, inline-4, liquid-cooled
Power
157hp at 11,000rpm
152hp
130hp at 12,000 rpm
125hp at 9,500rpm
Torque
107Nm at 9,000rpm
106Nm
80Nm at 9,500 rpm
98.6Nm at 7,700rpm
Gearbox
6-speed
6-speed
6-speed
6-speed
Power-to-weight ratio
744hp/tonne
700hp/tonne
691hp/tonne
589hp/tonne
The Triumph Street Triple RS has the smallest engine.
Both the Suzuki Katana and Honda CB1000 Hornet SP feature bona fide superbike-derived 1000cc engines producing similar power, with the Katana’s output slightly lower. The Triumph Street Triple RS may have the smallest engine and lowest torque, but its power-to-weight ratio is superior, giving it an edge over the Z900 and placing it just below the litre-class Katana in terms of power-to-weight ratio.
Honda CB1000 Hornet vs rivals: dimensions and weight
Dimensions and weight
Honda CB1000 Hornet
Suzuki Katana
Triumph Street Triple RS
Kawasaki Z900
Kerb weight
211kg
217kg
188kg
212kg
Seat height
810mm
825mm
836mm
820mm
Fuel capacity
17 litres
12 litres
15 litres
17 litres
Ground clearance
135mm
140mm
NA
145mm
Wheelbase
1455mm
1460mm
1399mm
1455mm
Both the Honda CB1000 Hornet and Kawasaki Z900 have a 17-litre tank.
The Honda CB1000 Hornet strikes a balance with a manageable 810mm seat height and 211kg kerb weight while offering a 17-litre fuel tank – matched only by the Kawasaki Z900, which is slightly heavier at 212kg and taller at 820mm. Despite being a middleweight naked, the Z900 weighs 24kg more than its competition from Triumph and as much as these litre-class super-nakeds.
The Suzuki Katana is the heaviest at 217kg, with a taller 825mm seat and a smaller 12-litre fuel tank. Meanwhile, the Triumph Street Triple RS is the lightest at 188kg but also the tallest at 836mm, and it comes with a 15-litre fuel tank.
Honda CB1000 Hornet vs rivals: suspension, tyres and brakes
Suspension, tyres and brakes
Honda CB1000 Hornet
Suzuki Katana
Triumph Street Triple RS
Kawasaki Z900
Suspension (F/R)
USD fork / monoshock
USD fork / monoshock
USD fork / monoshock
USD fork / monoshock
Brakes (F/R)
310mm discs / 240mm disc
Twin discs/ disc
310mm discs / 220mm disc
300mm discs / 250mm disc
Tyres (F/R)
120/70- R17 / 180/55-17
120/70- R17 /190/50- R17
120/70- R17 / 180/55- R17
120/70- R17 / 180/55- R17
The Triumph Street Triple RS and Honda CB1000 Hornet share the same front brakes and suspension setup.
Both the Honda CB1000 Hornet and Triumph Street Triple RS feature a high-quality suspension from Showa and Ohlins, with full adjustability at both ends. In contrast, the Kawasaki Z900 offers only rebound and preload adjustability at both ends.
When it comes to brakes, the Hornet 1000 and Street Triple RS both sport top-drawer Brembo Stylema callipers with steel-braided lines. The Suzuki Katana, while also equipped with Brembo brakes, lacks the premium Stylema callipers and, like the Z900, uses standard rubber brake lines.
Honda CB1000 Hornet vs rivals: features
The Katana is the only one to feature an LCD dash.
All three motorcycles, except the Suzuki Katana, come with a TFT display, while the Katana uses a negative LCD unit. Bluetooth connectivity is standard on the others via a dedicated app, but the Triumph Street Triple RS requires a Rs 27,000 module to enable it on the TFT. A bi-directional quickshifter is available on all models except the Z900, and rider modes and traction control are included across the board – as expected from bikes of this calibre.
Honda CB1000 Hornet vs rivals: price
Price
Honda CB1000 Hornet
Suzuki Katana
Triumph Street Triple RS
Kawasaki Z900
Price
Rs 12.36 lakh (ex-showroom, Gurugram)
Rs 13.61 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi)
Rs 11.81 - Rs 12.07 lakh (ex-showroom, India)
Rs 9.38 lakh (ex-showroom, India)
The Z900 is the most affordable of the lot
At Rs 12.36 lakh, the Honda CB1000 Hornet SP delivers litre-class performance while being priced just Rs 29,000-Rs 55,000 above the Triumph Street Triple RS, a middleweight naked. That minimal premium for a big jump in engine capacity and power makes the Hornet SP a tempting proposition. It also undercuts other litre-class offerings like the Suzuki Katana while offering significantly more than the Kawasaki Z900, which sits nearly Rs 3 lakh lower but doesn’t match up in outright performance or componentry.
This overlap in pricing makes a spec comparison relevant, as the Hornet 1000 competes with middleweight offerings while sitting a segment above. The Z900 remains the most affordable of the lot, but an update with a new design, more features, and a brand new TFT dash is incoming and has already been patented in India, likely with a price hike. This new-gen bike is also expected to launch in a higher-spec SE guise, with uprated suspension and braking hardware.
Vishal Venugopal
Stephen Raj Antony
