Honda CB Hornet 160R

Hornet 2.0 is the latest entry to the 180-200cc category of sporty commuter motorcycles from Honda
Honda Motorcycles and Scooters had a big revelation a few days ago in the form of Hornet 2.0 and the Japanese auto giant was able to surprise its audience rather pleasantly. Ever since its launch, people have been wondering what’s different and how is to ride it in comparison to its predecessor- the CB Hornet 160R.

Obviously the Hornet 2.0 is a new and upgraded motorcycle from Hornet 160R which is powered by a new 184cc single-cylinder air-cooled fuel-injected engine. However, there are quite a few changes to make people sit up and take notice. In the video uploaded by Dino’s Vault on YouTube, the vlogger stresses the key highlight of the bike and gives us a detailed description of its riding and handling dynamics.
Powertrain, Transmission Details
As mentioned earlier, the new Hornet 2.0 is powered by a 184cc unit which churns out 17.3 PS of power @ 8500 rpm and maximum torque of 16.1 Nm @ 6000 rpm. Now, these figures are not exceptionally high but are decent enough for a sporty commuter in this segment. It is to be noted, that this is the same engine derived from the Hornet 190R which is sold in Indonesia. This unit is paired with a 5-speed gearbox.
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The vlogger also highlights some of its interesting features. First, are the front suspension units from Showa which are chunky and covered in golden colour which surely gathers the attention of people around. Hornet 2.0 is the first bike in this segment to offer upside down USD forks at front. Exact specification of the forks is not revealed yet but gauging by the looks of it, they seem to be 41mm forks.
The bike is much lighter than its compatriots at 142kg which gives it a high power-to-weight ratio and better fuel economy as well. Also, it gets an all-LED lighting setup including headlamp, indicators and the X-shaped tail lamp. Braking duties are carried out by petal discs of size 276mm and 220mm at front and rear respectively. It gets XtraMax tyres from Maxxis with profiles of 110/70 R17 and 140/70 R17 at both front and rear.
Ride & Handling
Now coming to its most crucial aspects- its ride and handling, from the video, it is suggested that the engine is tuned for better initial acceleration to bust out of traffic rather than wind-piercing speeds. The bike provides a healthy mid-range torque which gives you the thrust needed for a quick overtake. However, top-end performance is not very sporty. The vlogger manages to hit a peak speed of 125 kmph in his speed test.
Top speed achieved = 125 kmph
Another important highlight is the dual-throttle cable which provides quicker in-gear acceleration. However, it is advised to cruise at a speed at 90-95 kmph in the fifth gear to enjoy most of this engine. The engine is very refined and vibrations are negligible. As reported by the vlogger, on everyday use, this engine can return a fuel efficiency of 38-42 kmpl which is decent enough.
Other details
Braking is good too as it comes to a standstill from high speed in a composed manner although exact breaking distance is not measured in the video. However, it could have been better with dual-channel ABS. Gear ratios are not too short which means one can accelerate in the same gear for a longer duration.
The seats are on the firmer side which takes a little time to get used to. It also gets a hazard light which could be very useful as it enhances the visibility in murky conditions. At Rs 1.26 lakh (ex-showroom), it seems Honda has pulled off a win here which could give its rivals in the sporty commuter segment a run for their money.
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