Honda Hornet 2.0 First Ride: Shot at Redemption

Today, we are riding the Honda Hornet 2.0!

When the Honda Hornet initially launched, it faced widespread criticism for its MRP. Among many, we also voiced our concerns regarding its asking price.

But that was two years ago… And, things have changed.

Almost every other motorcycle falls under the premium segment. So, giving Hornet 2.0 another chance for redemption was only fair.

That is why we are testing out the new Honda Hornet 2.0.

With a price tag of Rs. 4.98 Lakhs, the Hornet 2.0 has an uphill battle. For now, let’s not get ahead of ourselves, and simply give it our first impressions.

This is the Honda Hornet 2.0 First Ride.

Honda Hornet 2.0 First Ride

Design

Honda Hornet 2.0 sports an all-to-familiar styling. However, Honda has refreshed its styling to pump up its modern appeal.

It still sports that old aggressive styling, but now with sportier dual-tone graphics.

There are subtle redesigns almost everywhere.

It gets a compact fuel tank. It looks sharper than before, ensuring the expression of dominance and aggression.

Surprisingly, this design inspired Honda CB300F.

It is an all-new street-fighter stance, complete with Split-Seat Setup, Engine Cowl, and Aerodynamic Edges with Air Intakes.

It also sports an all-new LED headlamp, LED indicators, and X-shaped LED tail lamps. Moreover, additional upgrades include a Hazard Light Switch, Engine Kill Switch, and a new Instrument Meter.

These elements help elevate the styling and practical nature of the motorcycle.

Honda Hornet 2.0 has two additional premium surprises: Golden Upside Down (USD) Front Forks and Stylish Engine Cowl.

With the help of all these new elements, Hornet pulls off a more muscular and sporty stance.

Honda Hornet 2.0 will be available in four color options: Black, Grey, Blue, and Red.

Performance

Honda Hornet 2.0 is powered by a 184.40cc, 4-Stroke, Air-cooled, FI Engine. It generates a max power of 17.26PS at 8500rpm and a max torque of 16.1Nm at 6000rpm.

Moreover, it is mated to a 5-speed gearbox with a 12-liter fuel tank capacity.

Right off the bat, this is a BS6-compliant FI engine.

It is one of the first Honda bikes to debut its BS6-compliant engine.

However, it misses out on the Side Stand Engine-Cut-Off feature. That feature is present in future Hornet 2.0 iterations, but it is missing in this one.

One key exciting point to note is its Hornet 2.0 name tag.

The Hornet features a 180cc engine, not a 200cc one. It is just an increase of 22cc from the Hornet 160R.

Why did they do this? Let’s leave that topic for the Full Review.

Nevertheless, the new engine feels familiar.

Honda has drastically improved the engine refinements, lowering considerable vibrations. Moreover, the weight increase by 2kilos is almost negligible.

It feels lighter and more agile.

The redesigned tank profile and lower seat height make the bike more rider friendly. The rides are more engaging, helping city traffic more fun!

There are a few things to keep an eye out for; Gearbox, Cooling System, Braking System, and Tyres.

Hornet 2.0 has improved on many elements, but it has done a few cost-cutting as well.

It will be interesting to see if these cost cuts have any impacts on real-world performance.

Additional Features

Gold-colored Showa USD Front Forks and Rear Monoshock handle the suspension duties.

It gets Dual-Disc Braking with a Single-Channel ABS at the front.

The dimensions are 2047mm in length, 783mm in width, and 1064mm in height. Moreover, the wheelbase is 1355mm.

Honda Hornet 2.0 gets a 167mm ground clearance. And, the kerb weight sits at 142kg.

It sports wider 17-inch tyres: 110/70-section front and 140/70-section rear. But it misses out on the Radial Tyre.

There is a lot to unpack here.

We will go into detail about these features in the Full Review.

Features

We will talk about these features in detail in the Full Review. Until then, here is a complete list of features in the Honda Hornet 2.0.

Honda Hornet 2.0 Features Highlight

• 180cc BS6-compliant FI Engine
• Street-Fighter-Themed Design
• New LED Headlamps with X-Shaped LED Taillight
• LED Indicators (1st in Segment)
• Muscular Fuel Tank
• Sporty Engine Cowl
• New Digital LCD Meter with 5-level Illumination Control
• Split-Seat with Stress-Free Riding Posture
• Refined HET Engine with Best-in-Class Mid-range Torque
• Key on Tank
• New Engine Stop Switch
• New Hazard Light Switch
• USD Front Forks (1st in Segment) and Monoshock Suspension
• Dual Disc Braking
• Single-Channel ABS

Conclusion

Honda did pull its gun a bit too early with the launch of the new Hornet.

For context, the Honda Grazia 125 BS6 was also dubbed to be expensive during its initial launch. However, the market eventually normalized to that price segment.

Fast forward to the present, the Grazia continues to be a best-seller in the 125cc segment.

Unfortunately, the Hornet did not get that luxury.

It was one of the most highly-anticipate motorcycles in 2021. However, the price reveal disappointed many, including us!

Since all bikes are now offered at a premium price, this is a chance of redemption for the Hornet.

In our Full Review, we will see if the Hornet really justifies that asking price in 2023.