Honda CB900F Hornet (2001-2007) - Review & Buying Guide

Rehoming proven superbike engines in more practical, easier to use street bike chassis created a boom in big bike sales from the late-’90s – a trend that’s still going strong today. Suzuki laid the groundwork with its excellent 1200 Bandit but Honda’s first attempt, the Blackbird-powered X-11, failed to gel with the public’s expectations of what a big, fruity naked should be. It was simply too heavy, unwieldy and too close to the bike it pinched its engine from. In fact, the X-11 was little more than a CBR1100XX minus the fairing.

Honda’s second stab at the class hit the mark. Shoehorning a retuned-’98 FireBlade motor into a middleweight-sized chassis proved to be exactly the right recipe. And having performed the same trick in the 600 class with its CBR600-powered Hornet, it made perfect sense to do the same with the 919cc mill. The CB900F Hornet was born.

Like its 600cc stablemate the Hornet 900 handled a treat, offering light and rapid steering, middleweight agility, and a pinch of mischief to its overall personality. Its retuned engine lost its top end rush – no longer needed on a naked street bike – and instead concentrated on low to midrange grunt; perfect for strong, off-corner drive, effortless overtaking oomph, and zipping between traffic in town.

That was more than 20-year ago, but the big Hornet should still catch the eye of buyers looking for a cost-effective street machine that’s not lost its looks or charm over time. With ride-away examples starting from as little as £2000, and minters making less that £4K there are still plenty of reasons to snap up one of the early 2000s Honda gems.

Pros & Cons

2001-2007 Honda CB900F Hornet - Prices

2001 CB900F2

Big brother to the already well received 600 Hornet. Powered by a retuned 1998-1999 FireBlade engine. 919cc, 108.6bhp, 194kg dry weight. Colours: silver, blue.

2002 CB900F2

No changes. Colours: silver, blue

2003 CB900F3

No changes. Colours: silver, blue, green (US)

2004 CB900F4

Forks gain preload and rebound adjustability, and rear shock updated with rebound damping. Front brakes upgraded with braided steel lines, sintered pads and new discs. Colours: silver, blue, green.

2005 CB900F5

Colour changes only. Colours: black, red, silver.

2006 CB900F6

No changes. Colours: black, red, silver.

2007 CB900F7

Colour changes only. Colours: orange, graphite black, silver

CB900F Hornet values:

Rough: £1200 - £1800

Tidy: £2100 - £3200

Mint: £3700 - £4200

2001-2007 Honda CB900F Hornet - Engine & Performance

For Honda, producing a 900 Hornet was easy given that the marque had dined out for a decade on the reputation, performance and sales of its much lauded 900 FireBlade. It was no coincidence, then, that the Hornet owes its 919cc motor to the 1998-1999 CBR900RR, albeit with a reworked tune to focus performance on midrange grunt.

Internal changes to the Hornet unit were many. Lower-lift cams reduced peak performance and shifted the same 68lb.ft of peak torque 3500rpm lower down the rev range, from 10,000rpm on the FireBlade to 6500rpm on the Hornet, giving the latter greater off-corner punch and much improved low-end drive. Peak power was similarly changed from a claimed 128bhp at 10,5000rpm on the CBR to a gentler 108.6bhp at 9000rpm, with top end performance not being a priority for a naked street bike.

Compression was reduced from the CBR’s 11.1:1 to a more modest 10.8:1, facilitated by the fitment of lower spec cast pistons. The fuel system was also changed from 38mm Keihin CV carbs on the Blade to fuel injection for the Hornet, featuring smaller 36mm throttle bodies, in an effort to meet stricter emissions regulations. And lastly, to match its 600 stablemate, the 900 Hornet sported a similar high-level exhaust system, featuring two under-seat silencers (the 600 used only one).

The CB900F’s power delivery feels much easier to exploit than that of FireBlade. Midrange pull is strong, smooth and effective, but cutting off the engine’s top end emasculated the unit somewhat, particularly compared to Kawasaki’s more potent Z1000 and Yamaha’s near 150bhp Fazer. Consequently Hornet 900s can feel a bit bland, even on twisty roads where the extra teeth of its rivals really show. Retrofitting a FireBlade motor is possible, by it’s not really worth the hassle. For general riding the CB’s 919cc mill works perfectly well if you’re not fussed about the Zed and Fazer packing much more of a punch.

2001-2007 Honda CB900F Hornet - Handling & Suspension (inc. Weight)

Like the early FireBlade, Honda managed to squeeze the 919cc motor into a 600-sized chassis. The steel diamond frame is light, nimble and, with a 25°/98mm rake and trail, delivers quick steering and the cornering agility of a much smaller machine.

The downside to the 900 Hornet’s chassis is its penny-pinching Showa suspension – the result of being built down to a cost. At £5999 new back in 2001 the Hornet was a full two grand cheaper than a Blade, and that saving had to be found somewhere. Early models (2001-2003) came with non-adjustable forks and a rear shock adjustable for preload only. From 2004 Honda upped the spec a touch, adding preload options to the forks and rebound adjustment to the shock. Ride quality was ok when new, but rapidly deteriorated once bikes got a few thousand miles under their belts.

Wheel and tyre sizes (120/70 ZR17 and 180/55 ZR17) synced with the stickiest rubber of the time, although the twin 296mm front disc, 4-pot caliper set-up was more akin to what you’d find on a middleweight than a litre class contender of the time. Honda tweaked the brakes at the same time as uprating the suspension, by adding braided from lines, sportier pads and new discs.

At low speeds the Hornet is extremely nimble for a bike of its displacement – U-turns are a doddle thanks to a tight turning circle, and they’ll whip in and out of traffic like a machine half its size. Even distance comfort is pretty good, bar the windblast from the fairing-less front. Fly screens ruin the Hornet’s clean looks, but a retro style bikini fairing, as on the Japanese market CB1000 Big-1 works a treat.

2001-2007 Honda CB900F Hornet - What to look for

Regulator/rectifier failure
A perennial issue with Hondas of the era. By now, most Hornets will have gone through their original reg/rec. Symptoms include dimming lights and eventual loss of power. Fortunately it’s an easy and relatively cost effective fix – Electrex World do a quality replacement for £141.12, or a complete stator kit for £540.

Fuel pump
Modern fuel is not a good bed fellow for fuel pumps. Ethanol-rich unleaded ruins pumps and fuel systems by coating their insides with a varnish-like goo which, over time, corrodes components, leading to failure. Wemoto sell replacement pumps for £115 – a worthwhile upgrade for an older machine.

Cam chain tensioner
The standard tensioner isn’t the best, and only gets less effective over time. Rattly camchains are common, so swapping to a manual tensioner is good practice. Easy to fit, cheap to buy (£45 on ebay), and a way to end the motor’s annoying rattly noises.

Rear shock
Hornet 900 shocks are not of the highest quality. Pre-2004 models come with preload adjustment only (rebound was added thereafter), but even that can become impossible to alter when the adjustment collar seizes. If it looks corroded it’s likely to be an issue. Best practice is to budget for a quality replacement unit, if it’s not been done already. You’ll get an instant improvement in ride quality, handling and adjustment options.

Suspension
On stock suspension, both ends of a 900 Hornet will feel softly damped – or, by now, lack any meaningful form of damping – due to the budget nature of the standard fitment Showa forks and shock. As per the shock (see above) pre-2004 forks are the most basic, lacking damping or preload alteration as standard. Post-’04 forks are an improvement, with preload and rebound adjustment. Look for a bike that’s already benefitted from upgraded suspension, or budget revalved forks and a new shock into the price.

Wiring loom
Check the wiring look. Up front it can rub against the headstock when the bars and can wear through its outer sheath, damaging the wiring inside and allowing water to find its way into the loom. Ensure that all electrics work as they should, and if you spot exposed wiring on the loom be aware that this could signal future issues if internal corrosion has taken hold.

Crash damage
Hornet 900s don’t crash well. The handlebars get pushed back into the tank, causing dents, and in extreme crashes can whip back and snap the lockstops off the lower yokes. The lower yokes are also a magnet for rust, so inspect carefully. Subframes can also be bent in crashes, so take a close look that everything lines up as it should.

2001-2007 Honda CB900F Hornet - Rivals

Kawasaki Z1000 - Not for the shy or retiring on account of Kawasaki’s in-ya-face styling which hasn’t aged as well as the competition. Beyond the bold looks, however, the Z1000 packs a 127bhp punch from its ZX-9R derived motor – 20bhp more than the Hornet. Fun to ride and robustly engineered the Z1000 can still deliver, but find a really good one in preferably standard condition – the stock 4-2-4 pipes look so much better than a lot of the aftermarket tat all to often fitted by owners seeking ‘improvement’.

Suzuki GSF1200 Bandit - The guv’nor of fast, affordable large capacity nakeds in the late-’90s and early 2000s. Bulletproof air/oil-cooled GSX-R1100 derived motor packs mighty low and midrange drive and, despite being built to a tight budget, the Bandit’s chassis performs better than the sum of its parts, especially when treated to a suspension refresh. More exciting to ride than the Hornet, and temptingly cheap now too. Worthy of serious contemplation if a 900 Honda’s in your sights.

Yamaha FZS1000 Fazer - After the instant success of the 600 Fazer, a big-bore variant was inevitable. With its lightly retuned R1 motor, the Yamaha is a the most powerful offering in class by quite a margin, boasting a healthy 143bhp – a good 40% more power than the Hornet. The Fazer’s more practical too, with a standard fitment half fairing, giving it the tools to act as a competent sports tourer capable of long haul trips with enough of a glint in its eye to be a hoot through twistier stuff too. Great value, well worth a look.

Kawasaki Z1000, 2003 | Approx Price: £2200 - £3900

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Power/Torque

127bhp / 70.5lb-ft

Weight

198kg (dry)

Suzuki GSF1200 Bandit, 2003 | Approx Price: £1800 - £3800

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Power/Torque

98bhp / 67.6lb-ft

Weight

220kg (dry)

Yamaha FZS1000 Fazer, 2003 | Approx Price: £1900 - £3700

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Power/Torque

143bhp / 78.1lb-ft

Weight

208kg

2001-2007 Honda CB900F Hornet - Verdict

The biggest issue with these Hondas was and is the cheap suspension. Early bikes lack any meaningful adjustment options, which a pain on a big bike that’s got the potential to make a decent pillion perch. But the good news is that given the age of 900 Hornets it’s highly likely that a previous owner will already have addressed the issue – look for a bike that’s been treated to a fork revalve/rebuild and has had a quality aftermarket shock fitted. That’s at least £1000 of work and on a bike of this vintage, it makes all the difference. The fact that tidy Hornets can be had for £2000-£2500 is the icing on the cake.

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2001-2007 Honda CB900F Hornet - Technical Specification

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