STYLING

First impressions are often the most important, and this was never more true than with the impressive styling of the original Hornet. Now, nine years on, the new 2007 CB600F  Hornet explodes onto the scene with a stunning new look that turns heads like never before. Since streetfighters like the Hornet are by design focused on the raw fundamentals of performance, the new Hornet’s boldly aggressive styling personifies its

EXILARATING FUNCTION WITH EYE POPPING FORM.

Designed based on the styling theme of ‘Edged Armour Form,’ the new Hornet’s more muscular and aggressive lines stream back from its piercing nose and through the curves of its larger-capacity new 19-litre fuel tank to narrow down to one of the slimmest and lightest weight seat and tail cowls in the Naked class. Seemingly hovering in space over Hornet’s fat rear tyre, this slippery form terminates into a sharp tail that incorporates a brilliant LED taillight into its curves. Every line accentuates the Hornet’s feeling of movement, from nose to tail and even as far as the design of its new fivespoke aluminium alloy wheels.

The fundamental styling cues of the new Hornet’s hard edges and curves are based on the elaborate suits of armour once worn by the medieval knights of olde. Even its integrated front headlight and minicowl strongly suggest the pointed mask of an ancient knight’s helmet brought up to date with aggressive downward tapering lines that thrust forward with each burst of the Hornet’s breathtaking acceleration. Even the engine’s exterior form has been thoroughly restyled from the base CBR600RR’s version to project a more aggressive look of high performance.

DYNAMICALLY STYLED LIGHTS AND INSTRUMENTS

The new Hornet’s uniquely styled new dual-bulb headlight features low beam and high beam positioned one over the other behind a protruding polycarbonate lens that accentuates this dynamic riding machine’s overall sense of excitement. Above this eyecatching headlight and its surrounding minicowl is mounted a slim, fully electronic instrument panel behind a compact, aerodynamic front cowl that features a hard-edged mechanical look derived directly from the CBR1000RR Fireblade. This lightweight, fully electronic unit features a big, racy-looking centrally positioned analogue rev counter and a large digital LCD readout of vehicle speed, dual trip gauges, multi-segment fuel gauge and a clock.

COLOURING CONCEPT

The new CB600F Hornet arrives on the streets of Europe in four dynamic colour variations that provide distinctive accents on its sharp blend of performance, style and high-impact riding enjoyment. A deeply shimmering pearlescent black exudes the sharp-eyed sense of ever-present danger prowling the night streets of the big city. A warm pearlescent yellow complements the metallic greys of the engine and frame to provide sporty, high-revving look of wide-eyed excitement, while electric candy blue calms the Hornet’s raging spirit with the icy tones of impenetrable cool. Finally, a rich pearlescent red gives the new Hornet a bright and aggressive impression of shorttempered impulsiveness that can’t wait to lay the rubber down.

The new engine and wheels share the same Matted Axis Grey Metallic finish for a burly mechanical look that provides a striking counterpoint to the richly finished colours gracing the new Hornet’s bodywork. Streetfighting performance countered with stylish elegance for an attractive visage that travels well with the Hornet’s corner carving assaults and broadly satisfying riding capabilities.

COLOURS

• Pearl Night Star Black
• Pearl Amber Yellow
• Candy Xenon Blue
• Pearl Siena Red

ENGINE

The all-new CB600F Hornet delivers exceptionally strong acceleration coupled with instant response and a powerful, torque-filled drive out of the corners. Its new state-of-the-art 600cc fuel-injected engine was developed in parallel with the race-ready mill now powering the all-new CBR600RR. One of the shortest, lightest and most compact 600cc powerplants ever in its class, this new engine makes a major contribution to the new Hornet’s 5kg reduction in overall weight relative to its previous configuration. This weight reduction also translates into big improvements in both the Hornet’s acceleration and handling.

All-New Lighter and More Compact 600cc Engine

Based on and developed together with the innovative engine now powering the 2007 CBR600RR, the CB600F Hornet’s new powerplant is one of the shortest and more compact engines in its class. Its smaller size and lighter weight also afford greater positioning freedom within the frame for an ideal balance of weight leading to quicker, more responsive handling.

New PGM-FI Fuel Injection

The new Hornet’s engine also features Honda’s most advanced PGM-FI electronic fuel injection system for more instantly responsive surges of power, more precise throttle control and smoother, more predictable changes in speed. It also combines with Honda’s oxygen-sensing catalytic converter system to reduce harmful exhaust emissions to well within EURO-3 emissions standards while still maintaining exhilarating top performance.

Specially Tuned Performance

The Hornet’s engine was developed alongside the CBR600RR’s mill and shares most of its component parts. However the focus of its performance is fundamentally different and the changes made to achieve it add up to stronger overall Hornet performance, with increases in midrange power and torque that extend far higher and smoother into the upper reaches of the new engine’s rev range than the engine it replaces. Combining strong midrange torque for faster acceleration out of the corners with a higher-revving top end, this new engine was specially tuned for exhilarating streetfighter riding excitement and more of the sheer naked performance that put the Hornet at the top of its class in the first place.

New Low-Slung Exhaust System

One of the Hornet’s signature design features since its first debut has been the impressive exhaust silencer underlining the right side of its seat cowl. For 2007 this characteristic design element has been totally changed. To minimise weight near machines extremities that can slow handling with inertial mass, all traces of the exhaust system have been removed from the vicinity of the seat cowl, leaving a much lighter and sleeker form that makes a major contribution to the new Hornet’s swift banking and turning capability.

Now, with the goal of achieving optimised mass centralisation for quicker, more neutral handling, the entire exhaust system has been moved directly underneath the engine. The Hornet’s exhaust headers now reach straight down from the engine’s exhaust ports to join together at the front corner of the engine, where a single exhaust pipe enters the large primary muffler secreted under the engine. The exhaust then exits out a right-side secondary muffler, just below and behind the swingarm pivot, through a uniquely styled tailpipe.

The positioning of this new low-slung exhaust compactly integrates its weight and mass into the centralised package created by the engine and major chassis internals to lower the machine’s overall centre of gravity and concentrates its mass much closer to its turning axes. This results in significantly quicker response to steering inputs, especially felt when leaning quickly over for tightly executed turns, or side-to-side through a series of tight esses.

CHASSIS

The new 2007 Hornet features a totally upgraded chassis based on its well established Mono-Backbone frame configuration, which reaches from steering head to rear engine mount and swingarm pivot in one long stretch of large-section rectangular tubing. One of the primary concepts behind this design is to provide a simple and solid ‘diamond’ configuration that incorporates the engine as its central stressed member for an excellent balance of rigidity and light weight. This design also allows the engine to be prominently seen, with no large frame sections interfering with its sleek, simple and aggressively mechanical design.

All-New Aluminium Die-Cast Mono-Backbone Frame

The new 2007 Hornet maintains essentially the same basic Mono-Backbone frame configuration. However, instead of being constructed of welded steel tubing, its newly developed frame features lightweight gravity die-cast (GDC) aluminium construction.

The frame’s three cast sections (front head pipe, backbone and swingarm pivot) are welded together for lighter weight compared to the older steel tube design. Besides being lighter, this new cast aluminium frame provides significant increases in strength and rigidity for sharper yet smoother handling and instantaneous response to changes of direction.

CENTRALISED MASS

In order to achieve sharper, more responsive handling in its new design, the Hornet also underwent a well-proven regimen of mass centralisation that positions the its heavier components, notably its new engine and exhaust system, as close as possible to the machine’s rolling centre of mass while lightening those sections positioned farther away from its centre. The Hornet’s slimmer and lighter seat and tail cowl combine with reduced weight at the front end to reduce inertial mass at the machine’s extremities, which translates into lighter and sharper handling everywhere. The result is a look of uncompromising performance backed up with crisp, highly responsive cornering control that handles rapid changes in direction with calmly assured control.

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