Honda CB750 Hornet, CB1000 Hornet SP, NT1100 First Look

Honda has officially confirmed that three of its most compelling models of recent years—the CB750 Hornet, CB1000 Hornet SP, and NT1100—are heading to the US market with the first of them set to arrive in dealers as soon as April. The first bike set to arrive will be perhaps the most interesting of the trio, the new CB1000 Hornet SP, while customers for the other two machines will only have to wait a few more weeks as they’re scheduled to arrive in May.

Let’s start by looking at the CB1000 Hornet SP. We’ve actually ridden this bike already—you can read about that experience here—and came away impressed. In the States, we’re only getting the higher spec “SP” version, which means standard equipment including Brembo Stylema radial-mount front calipers, an Öhlins TTX 36 rear shock and an adjustable, up-and-down quickshifter with an auto-blipper for downshifts.

But the star of the show is the engine, based on the four-cylinder from the 2017 CBR1000RR, which on the SP version includes a servo-operated valve inside the exhaust that opens at 5700 rpm to improve gas flow and boost power. Honda’s official specs don’t include a power figure for the US market bike, but approval documents filed with the EPA list the bike with a peak of 129 hp at 9000 rpm. That’s a disappointment if you’ve been following the progress of the bike in other markets: in Europe the Hornet SP puts out 155 hp and the base model, without that exhaust valve, manages 150 hp. The difference comes down to revs, as the Euro bikes don’t hit their peak until 11,000 rpm, suggesting the US models are artificially restricted to limit the top-end performance.

How much would you expect all that to cost? In the past, Honda’s equivalent model was the CB1000R, which also had a CBR1000RR-based engine and similar dimensions but used an aluminum backbone chassis and single-sided swingarm where the Hornet has a steel twin-spar frame and dual-sided arm. The 2024-spec CB1000R Black Edition lists at $12,999, while the new CB1000 Hornet SP carries an MSRP of only $10,999. On the downside, Honda follows the same route as the Ford Model T when it comes to colors and only offers the big Hornet in black.

The same ethos of offering more for less continues in the smaller CB750 Hornet, which carries an MSRP of $7999 and is due to arrive in April. Launched in the rest of the world back in 2022 as a 2023 model, Honda has made the US wait for this one. In fact, the 2025 version includes a face-lift, replacing the original nose and headlight, which was borrowed from the CB500F, with a more distinctive design.

Built around the same all-new parallel-twin engine that powers the Transalp, the CB750 Hornet manages 91 hp at 9500 rpm in Europe but approval documents filed with the EPA show that the US version is rated at 83 hp, as is the Transalp. Again, the power reduction for the US is the result of a lower rev ceiling, with the American bikes peaking 1000-rpm lower at 8500 rpm. Even so, the CB750 Hornet’s outright power in US spec still matches that of its nearest rival, Suzuki’s GSX-8S, and the Suzuki is significantly more expensive with an MSRP of $9209.

Finally, there’s the NT1100. Like the CB750 Hornet, this is a model that appeared in other markets several years ago—we first saw details of the bike back in 2021—and has just received its first face-lift with the launch of the 2025 version. Based on the 1084cc parallel-twin engine and steel chassis of the Africa Twin, paired with street-biased suspension, 17-inch wheels, and all-enveloping styling, it becomes a convincing tourer. While Europe gets three versions of the NT1100, including a base model with a manual transmission, a midrange variant with Honda’s DCT semi-auto gearbox, and a top-end bike with DCT and Showa electronic suspension, the US market only gets the mid-line DCT machine.

Unlike the two Hornets, the NT1100 isn’t detuned for the States, with the same 101 hp peak at 7500 rpm seen in other markets, but in common with Honda’s other two newcomers it’s given a surprisingly affordable price, carrying an MSRP of $11,899. That’s a lot less than an Africa Twin despite the large number of shared components between the two bikes.

Honda’s 2025 model revisions elsewhere in the range include small tweaks to the Rebel 300 and Rebel 500, both getting updates to their handlebars and riding positions while the latter also gains a new seat, and revised suspension settings for the CRF300L and CRF300L Rally. The company has also confirmed several carryover models and announced the 2026 versions of the CBR600RR, CBR1000RR, Grom, ADV160, and Metropolitan, albeit without any mechanical changes.