The Honda CB900F Hornet is a competent handling motorcycle, but lacks some finesse, especially at the front end, where the forks are non-adjustable.
The overall ride is pleasant though and the Honda CB900F Hornet makes an ideal commuter, or a curiously overpowering novice motorcycle. Just a tad too 'easy listening' for a streetfighter.
Out on the open road, the nakedness of the bike quickly makes itself felt. While the engine pulls willingly to the red line, the rider is left clinging to the bars searching from some relief from the wind blast as you get into the higher gears.
Like most naked bikes, staying over about 85mph for any length of time is literally a pain in the neck, but Honda sees this as a more relaxing ride than the sportsbike that donated its engine.
The chassis is similar to the Hornet 600, too, though it is actually a new item. It offers the same quick, light steering that makes the 600 fantastic fun around tight lanes and even race tracks.
The 900 tips the scales at 194kg dry, but even U-turning in a narrow lane, you don’t feel it thanks to the excellent low-speed manners. Clearly Honda is expecting riders to spend a lot of time weaving through traffic.
The Honda CB900F Hornet's CBR900RR FireBlade 918cc inspired mill has all the right moves; smooth torquey power, sweet-shifting gearbox and a healthy 110bhp kick in the pants.
It's the best thing about the Honda CB900F Hornet by far and Honda pulled off a neat trick by squeezing it inside a 600 chassis.
If you don't keep it clean, it will look shabby fairly quickly, but otherwise the Honda CB900F Hornet is a reliable, everyday workhorse of a motorbike, which can play ball at the weekend. A stonking great motor, a classy chassis at reasonable road speeds and the simple user-friendly nature of the Honda CB900F Hornet mean it's much better than average.
Other big roadster motorcycles are often cheaper to insure, they hold their resale value better and they offer more sheer, kick-ass fun than the Honda CB900F Hornet to be totally blunt. Yes, the Honda CB900F Hornet is a bit cheaper than some of its rivals, but it looks and feels like a Streetfighter-lite experience. Not good. Find a Honda Hornet for sale.
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The Honda CB900F Hornet looks a bit of a rush job to be blunt; no centrestand, the exhaust downpipes hang down from the motor rather than hug the cases, the mirrors look small and cheap and there's what can only be described as token mudguards. On the upside the Honda CB900F Hornet's brakes, suspension and seating are excellent.