Honda CB 125 Hornet Review: the A2 Start-Up Bike with Style, Agility, and Rew Smiles, but Is It the One?
The big city is a big jungle and the new hatchling of Honda is all set to play the hunter. The Honda CB 125 Hornet has burst onto the social feeding with the hash-tag flood of #CB125Hornet banners on Twitter, it seems to be sending young riders into a frenzy. However under the blistered shell there is a looming mystery, does this mini-Hornet provide grown-up thrills or is it just the buzz around the competition? We have gone through the practical videos, reviews and specifications of the phone and Twitter responses in the real world to decode the story.
First Impressions: All-Occasion Bike and All-Attitude
Enter a dealership, and the CB 125 Hornet catches your eye balls. Stealing the style of its larger CB750 brother, it has a bulky tank, sleek LED headlights, and a sparse tail, whose cry is premium. The Twitterverse would agree ( @MotoMad _UK: it was about the coolest 125cc, on the block!), as well as @CityRiderGal, who went gaga over the color schemes of the Neo Sports Cafe ( likeMatte Steel Black, Matte Steel Black, or Honda Racing Red).
Its kerb weight of 135 kg makes it a featherweight champion. The way it interposes both feet on the ground is a revelation to new-be riders, and the 780mm seat height is not as daunting in front of proportionately short inseams. The construction? Honda-like typicality: switches have a commanding click to them and panel gaps are nonexistent, even in rush-hour traffic.
Performance: 124cc of kitten muscle
The size is not everything. The 124cc engine (single-cylinder, borrowed on this basis of CB125F) develops 14.5 HP and 11.6 Nm torque. It is friendlier with the A2 license yet full of surprises:
0-60km/h: Has excellent acceleration at the line, great in the city on the light
Top Speed: 110 km/h (governed to have more than enough to use on the highway when you need it, but you will be buzzing when you have hit it)
Fuel Consumption: A ridiculous 150kmpl- that is 850kms off half of its 11-liter gasoline tank!
Ride & handling: The implacable turner Ride & Handling: Carving Corners Like a Scalpel
This is where the Hornet bites the most. Those potholes are gracefully taken care of by the 37mm USD forks and and monoshock rear (which adjusts preload). Add to that 110/70-17 front/140/70-17 rear tires, and you have a bike that weaves in and out of traffic like a wasp.
City Performance: 10/10 that nicely lane-splits with its narrow handlebars
Twisty Roads: Utterly skilled; Not likely to scrape on the ground
Braking: Hard biting (282mm front disc) single-channel ABS brakes, not dramatic
The r/motorcycles Redditors go on about its flickability, and YouTube commentators state that it is more agile when compared to Yamaha MT-125.
Tech and Features: Shockingly Smart
A 125cc is positively equipped with the tech:
Complete LCD Dash: Gear indication, fuel gauge and service alert
Lit All Over: Headlamp, tail lamp, signals- it is all sharp and new
Honda Smart Key (available): Fancy drive walk-away locking (optional extra)
Missing? No connectivity via Bluetooth tv prometheus male testosterone pills into a disappointment-compared to the competitors, who have apps. However, it is priced at 4, 299 (UK) undercutting the KTM 125 Duke by 500 pounds.
Twitter Verdict: What the Real Riders Say
The pulse of the Twitter we probed:
Today I got my CB125 Hornet! It feels like a big bike, as it should be !!!! 💯 #HornetHive- @NewBikerJess
Wish Honda would have made it stronger… but still damn, it is pretty… – @MotoCritic
Definitely the best commuter I ever owned 3 months down the line and I have no single regret. – @LondonThrottle
Consensus? An almost flawless urban warrior sacrificed to the constraints of the engine to cater to the thrill seekers.
The Face-Off of Competition
Bike Price Power Standout
CB125 Hornet 4,299 ll) 14.5 HP Style, handling
Yamaha MT-125 5,300 pounds 15 horse-power Fast-shifter, technology
KTM 125 Duke prize 4,799 power 15 HP rowdy nature
Conclusion: The Hornet is the winner when it comes to price and appearance but it lags in technology.
