Honda CB500 Hornet (2024) - Review
By Luke Brackenbury
Former PR, Brand & Events manager at Bennetts, Luke has been riding bikes for 25 years – including seven years as a bike journo – he has competed on a variety of two-wheel disciplines and owns an eclectic bike collection.
09.10.2024
£6,199
47bhp
188kg
4/5
Honda’s humble CB500 has now been honoured with the Hornet name and a host of updates for 2024 to create a bit more buzz about the bike. Is there enough of a sting in the tail to deserve the moniker? We found out by pointing at every type of road we could.
But before that, a little background. The Hornet name has big shoes (or wings?) to fill. The original CB600F in 1998 represented the performance of a sportsbike but with the thrill of a naked bike in a budget package with a 16-inch front wheel (not important, just calling it out). Sure, the fuel range was shocking, but it was all the fun. After that came the forgettable 900 Hornet. In 2023 the name returned with the CB750 Hornet that BikeSocial ‘quite liked’ and offered incredible value. And that’s where we are at with the positioning of this bike; friendly to ride, aggressive looks, and great value.
Build quality / reliability
Great fuel economy
Perfect first big bike and commuter
Centre stand and 12v socket should be standard
Power delivery isn’t so exciting
Rear shock is easily flustered
2024 Honda CB500 Hornet Price
At £6,199 the new Hornet sticker costs an extra £100 over the previous model, but you also get a few more goodies for the extra cash. The standout feature being the 5-inch TFT screen carried over from the CB1000R, smartphone connectivity with Honda RoadSync, a backlit left switch cube to navigate through the new display, new LED headlight, taillight and traction control.
Led by the headlight, the styling has been updated ever so lightly with an ‘aggressive new look’, but you’d be hard pressed to spot the difference over the previous model as it's mainly the new nose and side panels. Looks good, though.
Amongst a host of official accessories available, Honda offers three pre-organised packages of goodies: Style Pack (Black), Comfort Pack, or Travel Pack. The bike we had on test featured the £445.50 Comfort Pack and if this bike is your daily commuter or only form of transport, you want these features. Yes, the Heated Grips when bought alone are expensive, but they’re seamlessly integrated into the bike and work very well. The centre/main stand is essential for chain maintenance and helping to clean the bike and the 12v socket is just handy when going on a 360-mile ride in a day… With the recommended Hand Grip Cement, the Comfort Pack brings you to a £6,660.50 cash price.
The Travel Pack (£210) adds a dedicated three litre tank bag along with a rear seat bag that can be expanded from 15 litres to 22 litres. For £274.50 the Style Pack gets you a ‘meter visor’ which is basically a little screen, a rear seat cowl, tank pad and some wheel stickers.
An example 37-month PCP deal with Honda for the CB500 Hornet for a maximum of 4000 miles a year is a deposit of £1,041.40 and then 36 payments of £89. Then you have to decide if you keep the bike and hand over a final payment of £3,182 or put it towards your next bike and start the cycle again.
2024 Honda CB500 Hornet Engine & Performance
Simple, efficient and effective, but not exciting; the CB500’s 471cc parallel twin punches out 46.9 bhp and a peak torque figure of 31.7lb-ft. If you’re an experienced rider used to bigger bikes you’ll find it frustrating, but if you’re climbing the big bike ladder or just need predictable and plentiful power to propel you to work each day, it’s got enough go.
Despite ECU updates to improve acceleration for this model, I found there’s no discernible ‘kick’ in the delivery within the rev range like Kawasaki and CF Moto have done with their similar engines, and you will have to chuck it down a cog or two when you want to overtake at over 60mph. It revs like an inline four and has no punch like a twin usually does; just six gears of noise and linear power delivery. But it will sip fuel (we saw a best of 70mpg on a long motorway run and 50.34mpg when we/I absolutely thrashed it…) and will always come back for more, as long as you service it regularly.
The addition of Honda Selectable Torque Control (HSTC) for 2024 provides a basic form of traction control which is ideal for colder, wetter rides and when the rear tyre is past its best. It’s also easy to turn off on the left bar.
2024 Honda CB500 Hornet Handling & Suspension (inc. Weight & Brakes)
Despite the new name, the chassis remains unchanged for 2024 over the previous model and that’s no criticism. The front end of the Hornet employs non-adjustable Showa big piston forks with twin, four-piston radial brakes. That’s right - it’s got TWO discs up front (like a ‘proper’ bike), where most of its rivals opt for just one. Is it over-braked? I’d say so, but nobody has ever complained about that ever (and I’m not). There’s a span adjustable front brake lever to tailor the position and those forks can deal with the braking forces and the ABS doesn’t cut in early.
The rear shock felt a little soft for me (74kg plus riding kit) and the rebound damping didn’t enjoy spirited riding on bumpy B roads, but I didn’t play with the five-stage preload adjustment. If I did, it wouldn’t have helped the pogoing, but if you’re going two-up or carrying a lot of luggage you’re going to want to crank up the preload. There’s quite a lot of difference when comparing the performance between the front and back suspension, but the criticism of most ‘budget bikes’ is the quality of the rear shock.
The wide bars make hustling this bike around at speed or through traffic very easy and the lack of bodywork makes you feel like you’re going faster than you are - great on the back roads, less so on the M6 in the driving rain. The cable clutch is super light - great for those with smaller hands or rides that feature a lot of slow speed work - and it has an assist/slipper function, which is great in low grip conditions and when slamming it down the ‘box too hard.
The lightweight cast wheels are fitted with Michelin’s Road 6 tyres, which are simply a great all-year round tyre. On test we rode the bike in extremely wet and dry conditions, and these tyres delivered a lot of confidence in both conditions and should offer excellent durability.
2024 Honda CB500 Hornet Comfort & Economy
The 785mm seat is confidence inspiring for shorter riders and meant that 5’8” me was flat footed at a standstill. The perch is also really quite comfy and after a 360-mile day I was happy to jump on the bike the next day. It was also a long time before I had to stretch my legs on that big mile day.
The single piece, tapered wide bars help create a commanding riding position and can always be rolled fore or aft, depending on your preference. The adjustable span adjuster on the front brake lever is a nice touch. The official accessory heated grips are a must for the all-year round rider and worth the investment rather than third party ones that will bring additional exposed wires and a controller to home. Hand guards are probably a sound investment for the hardy rider.
We can’t tell you how comfy the pillion seat is, but it has a decent space underneath for a proper disc lock to be stowed and the pad is large enough to accommodate a universal tail pack we used, helped held in place thanks to handy pull-out loops from the underside of the pillion perch.
Honda claim over 300 miles from a tank, but we saw 235 miles before the reserve light came on. After 150 straight motorway miles (yes, really), not only was I not crippled in pain but the CB500 returned 70mpg from an average 70mph speed. Impressive. Worst we got was 50.34mpg and that was really giving it some stick and messing about for these glorious photos (cheers, Tim Keeton).
2024 Honda CB500 Hornet Equipment
You don’t get a lot of sparkle for your money as standard - no ride modes (not really needed), keyless ignition (the similarly priced Z500 SE has this) or quickshifter (it’s a good enough gearbox anyway). The TFT display is very welcome and awesome - all the info you want to see, clear to read night and day and easy to navigate with the illuminated switch cube on the left bar.
The new LED headlight is really quite impressive and the indicators acting as running lights adds to a strong visible presence to other motorists - I like it. For what will be a daily ride for most riders who choose this bike, the absence of a main stand (£160) as standard is a little mean, but make sure you get one for easy chain lubing, adjustment and just cleaning the bike.
But what is there is very well finished. It might be in the lower end of the ccs, but the same Honda quality is there from the paint finish, fit from the bodywork and detailing like the fake carbon fibre. The CB500 Hornet will age well as long as you’re not too sparing with the bucket and sponge.
What you will see is rival bikes with lots of tech on, but they’ve skimped on the tyres, brakes and suspension. And I know what I’d rather have.
2024 Honda CB500 Hornet Rivals
The CB500 Hornet - even before the new name and even the ‘F’ moniker set the benchmark for being a solid, economical and reliable commuter bike that was almost impossible to kill. I own a 1996 CB500 and have ridden it in all seasons and even 1,030 miles from Lands End to John O’Groats in less than 21 hours. These bikes rule. But, there are some hot rivals the little Hornet has to contend with.
Kawasaki’s Z500 has to be the closest rival. A little sharper and cheaper, it’s a lot of fun to ride but less suited to taller riders and is a bit softer in terms of suspension and braking performance. The KTM 390 DUKE has had a huge overhaul for 2024 and is claimed to be 90% new and features adjustable suspension, a high level of electronic rider aids, very edgy styling and a punch single-cylinder engine. Will it love a 30-mile commute through winter? Not like the Hornet will.
The CF Moto 450NK is a serious contender. The brand has to make a lot of noise to tempt riders and with a price tag over £1000 cheaper and a punchy engine surrounded by a chassis festooned with top drawer features, it’s worth considering.
Yes, there’s Yamaha’s MT-03 which is a quality product, but has a lot less go and big bike feel for the same money.
Kawasaki Z500 | Price £5699 / £6,049 SE model
45bhp / 31.4lb-ft
167-168kg
KTM 390 Duke | Price: £5699
44.3bhp / 28.8lb-ft
165kg
Yamaha MT-03 | Price: £6105
41.4bhp / 21.8lb-ft
168kg
CF Moto 450NK | Price: £4999
46.2bhp / 29lb-ft
166kg
2024 Honda CB500 Hornet Verdict
A new name but the same solid, dependable CB500 that will most likely never let you down. Excellent fuel economy, a proper nationwide dealer network and it will last as long as you look after it - even as an all-year commuter.
As a first big bike or first new machine, you’re going to feel proud and build your riding skills with. It really does look the part, especially with the refresh styling and twin discs on the front. And yes you can ride it distances, even without a screen.
For experienced riders, the engine won’t excite you and the rear suspension gets flustered with hard use, whereas the Ninja 500 and 390 DUKE will take a bit more of a thrashing if you’re looking for something smaller to abuse.
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2024 Honda CB500 Hornet - Technical Specification
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