This large-displacement Hornet variant was introduced in 2001 as Honda expanded the Hornet idea beyond the original mid-size models. It was conceived as a high-performance naked road sport bike aimed at riders who wanted the easy, everyday usability of a standard machine but with the stronger presence and exciting character of a bigger street-focused motorcycle. Honda positioned it as part of the wider Hornet family, which had started in 1996 and grown with the 600-class model in 1998.
Unlike the earlier CB family that had been associated with traditional standard and road sport themes, this model was developed around a more modern super-naked concept. Honda’s own history materials describe it as a machine intended to bring the appeal of sporty riding on highways and winding roads into a more practical urban setting. That combination of compact styling, responsive character, and broad market appeal made it especially significant in Europe, where Honda had been working to strengthen its image in the large-bike category.
The nameplate had a straightforward, single production run. It appeared in 2001 and remained on sale through the 2007 model year, after which Honda’s Hornet line entered a period of retirement before later being revived in other forms. Enthusiasts often remember it as one of the key models that helped define Honda’s early-2000s naked-sport identity: purposeful rather than flashy, versatile rather than extreme, and closely tied to the broader Hornet family’s reputation for accessible performance.