2023 CB750 Hornet Stings Like a Bee and We Fell in Love With the Africa Twin

Two years have passed since my last outing on two wheels at the racetrack. After my unfortunate crash in the 300cc class of our local Road Racing Cup, I picked myself up for two more track days to get past the post-crash anxiety. I went faster than ever before and felt fantastic riding a Yamaha R6 and a smaller R25, both race-ready machines.

But since then, I have had limited practice around the corners, even on public roads. My daily commute to the office on the old SV650-S isn't necessarily of much help, as I'm almost always struggling to get through traffic jams at low speeds. So the excitement I felt for the upcoming Honda Test Ride experience was mixed with anxiety about what was up next.

I was about to ride three motorcycles I had never been on before, with at least a dozen other journalists on track simultaneously. I also had to focus on the production side so you can get a taste of the event via our YouTube channel. And the scorching sun and strong winds just added to the experience. But that's enough of me whining about the elements; let's get to the topic.

Honda CB750 Hornet

Honda had brought out over 20 motorcycles for the test session, but almost as many people on site were trying to get their event coverage too. We shot at the chance of experiencing the new CB750 Hornet, and luckily, several of these arrived on the pitlane. For my first impression: thank God they brought the Mat Goldfinch Yellow version for this test.

This is the go-to color for any Hornet, even though I will admit my bias toward any yellow car or motorcycle. We decided to record a cold start and some exhaust notes, as you'll surely notice in the video included here. So, once I got on it, I couldn't help but be impressed by the seat ergonomics. I could already imagine myself giving up on the old SV in favor of the Hornet, and I hadn't even fired it up yet.

I was pleasantly surprised to see the SC-Project muffler, the only thing I'd add to a bone-stock Hornet anyway. It's loud enough to make your senses tingle without waking all your neighbors if you decide to go out for a midnight cruise around town. I managed to ride the CB750 Hornet for four laps, which adds up to just over 10 miles (16 km).

That's not enough time to get an accurate idea about a bike you've never ridden, but I have some impressions. I was disappointed to hear that the old inline-four engine setup would make way for a new twin-cylinder design. But it did make some sense. Once I got out on the track, it became apparent. The 755-cc parallel twin delivers 55 lb-ft (75 Nm) of torque at 7,250 rpm.

Sure, it doesn't sound like the old Hornet, but who needs top-end power when you've got plenty of torque across the rev range? I had the bike in Sport mode for the entire test length, and it always felt ready to go with no hesitation whatsoever. I realized I had underestimated its potential going into the test, and going up to 93 mph (150+ kph) was effortless.

Honda advised against turning this test ride into a race day so that I would keep it from its limit. Besides, I quickly realized why naked bikes are far better suited to an urban environment- things can get pretty windy pretty fast on the Hornet. That's fine for most people, but I didn't necessarily enjoy the feeling, having never ridden this quickly on this configuration.

Going around the track, I also realized I had never experienced a slipper clutch before. It can be odd the first time you try it, but undoubtedly, it makes the whole riding experience safer and more relaxing for most people. My fastest lap took about three minutes and 30 seconds, with the track measuring 2.56 miles (4,129 km). The CB750 Hornet was as agile and light as I expected and delivered quite the sting when asked to.

It would be fantastic around town, and it doesn't feel all that expensive, with a price tag of just over $9,200 in Europe. I'll undoubtedly have to get back to it for a more extensive test, as one also needs to consider looking at its rivals before signing on the dotted line.

Honda CRF1100 Africa Twin

After a short break and drinking lots of water to stay hydrated, I headed back out with another motorcycle. I had my eyes set on the new Transalp, but other fellow journalists quickly took over the only two models onsite. Strangely enough, no one was queuing up for the Africa Twin. I have heard so many stories about this motorcycle, and I've met several people who wandered around the planet on bikes like this for months in a row.

Its name is legendary, but I wondered if it would be good on the racetrack. My closest adventure experience was riding a '90s Transalp for about 400 km in a single day. It was fun, but I felt the lack of power, given I also had a passenger with me. Hopping on the Africa Twin, I knew I shouldn't worry about the weight once I got moving. "So much room for activities," I told myself once I got comfortable.

I didn't even get to play with the menu, so I went with tour mode for all six of my laps. I just turned 34 recently, which might significantly affect what I'm about to say: Oh my God, I think I've found the perfect motorcycle! That's what went through my mind after just a handful of corners. The Africa Twin feels comfy yet sporty, provides excellent protection against wind, has seemingly unlimited torque in any gear, and inspires confidence with every move.

My colleagues were onsite filming my every run, and they also noticed that sense of confidence. Analyzing the footage, I realized that my fastest lap was just a few seconds slower than three minutes. And that's not just because I almost hit 124 mph (200 kph) going down the main straight. While riding, I realized that this was the kind of bike my girlfriend would also be ok with on longer trips.

No longer would she feel frightened or crammed as she does on my old sport-tourer. With a starting price of about $17,000, the Africa Twin is a little expensive, but can you put a price on a thrilling adventure? I might be ready for a cross-country trip on two wheels now. And I have just the ideal kind of route in mind for that, but I'll let you in on all the details sooner rather than later.

We couldn't leave the site without trying something fit for the occasion, but we'll get back to you with our impressions of the CBR 650 R in the upcoming story. Until then, we are happy we at least recorded the sound of the new Honda XL 750 Transalp. Yes, it has the same engine as the CB750 Hornet, but you might be curious to hear it with the standard exhaust instead of the SC-Project we showed you earlier.

The last time I rode a Transalp was about two years ago. And it was an old '96 model. It did just fine on a 248 miles (400 km) day trip, albeit sometimes struggling with the weight of two people riding it for the whole journey. We plan on testing all these bikes and more in the upcoming months, so stick around if you want to hear our impression of them soon.