M1000 R 2023 HONDA CB750 HORNET
Honda’s bringing back the buzz
The final piece of nonsense out of BMW for 2023 is this, the new M1000 R ultra-naked. The firm’s dubbed it the ‘M R’ or ‘M Roadster’, a moniker first seen in 1997 on a wild little sports version of the BMW Z3 sports car. That M Roadster had a 3.2-litre 316bhp inline-six engine, and the new two-wheeled Roadster makes two-thirds of that power with just a third of the capacity: 210bhp from 999cc. That’s also 45bhp more than the stock S1000 R – a gaping power differential for BMW’s two inline-four naked machines.
The extra power comes from a new ShiftCam engine, which has the exact same peak output as the S1000 RR – 210bhp@13,750rpm, and a 14,600rpm redline. Add in a 199kg kerb weight, and you have supernaked performance to more than match the Ducati Streetfighter V4S and Aprilia Tuono RSV4 1100, with 10% lower capacity.
After the power output, the next craziest thing is the M Roadster’s bodywork. It’s festooned with radical aerodynamic winglets, extending out from the radiator side covers. Combined with the minimalist headlamp surround and skinny tail unit, they give a super-tough hardcore style – and adds 11kg of downforce to the front end at 135mph.
Much of the rest of the M1000 R package echoes the new S1000 RR: the frame, DDC semi-active electronic suspension, electronic rider aids and the blue ‘M’ brakes are all pretty much identical, with a set of upright wide handlebars replacing the clip-ons. There’s a titanium end can, BMW’s DLC-coated ‘Endurance’ final drive chain, lightweight lithium battery and optional carbon fibre M Package wheels.
It’s 25 years since the CB600F Hornet was launched in the UK. And now Honda’s brought the moniker back, this time on a 750 twin rather than the old 599cc inline-four lump. Launched at the Intermot show in Cologne, the new CB750 Hornet has an all-new 755cc parallel twin engine, with a 270° firing order and SOHC Unicam head, in a basic steel frame and road-friendly running gear. The firm claims 90bhp peak power, with a grunty delivery and a skinny 190kg wet weight. Those numbers put it ahead of the rest of the class – Yamaha’s MT-07, the Kawasaki Z650 and Suzuki’s SV650 – on power/weight ratio, and it’s also priced well, at just £6999 new. You get a decent rider aids package for that cash: traction, wheelie and engine brake control, plus ABS and engine power modes, all integrated into four riding modes (rain, sport, standard and a customisable user mode). The settings are controlled via a plush new 5in full colour TFT LCD dashboard with Bluetooth phone link and USB-C charging port, and there’s also an optional up/ down quickshifter. The suspension is fairly basic: non-adjustable 41mm Showa USD Big Piston forks, with compression and rebound damping functions in separate legs, and a preload-adjust rear monoshock. Tyre sizes are also a bit meh, with a 160/60 17 rear rather than the beefy 180-section hoop on the original 600 Hornet.
None of that will matter to most owners, though. A sub-£7000 Honda middleweight roadster will be more popular than a Liz Truss voodoo doll this Christmas, and the chassis will no doubt be set up nicely for the road. Where it will matter is on the track, so Honda will need to buy a catering pack of K-Tech goodies for when it launches the inevitable one-make race series – just like the original Hornet 600 cup back in 1999. Come on Honda UK – you know it makes sense…
KTM’s middleweight 890 Adventure R is a cracker, with a beefy 105bhp parallel twin motor, capable off-road chassis and sharp styling. It’s been overhauled for 2023 with all-new styling, fresh rally-style bodywork, and uprated chassis and electronics kit.
The aggressive new style is inspired by the KTM 450 Rally racebike, with tough upright bodywork, massive beaky mudguard and a chunky alloy sump guard. WP XPLOR forks and rear shock are updated with revised damping, and there are also more off-road-biased Mitas tyres.
On the electronics front, the dash is now a full colour unit rather than the old monochrome tech, which will be a massive help when you’re stuck in 50ft sand dunes in the Gobi desert, no doubt.
What’s not so good is a new ‘demo’ feature sneaked into the electronics: for the first 1500km all the optional software features are turned on so you can try them... then they all turn off until you pay the dealer to activate them for good. We can see the arguments and this is apparently common in the car world. But it definitely feels a bit ‘off’ and no one on social media seems to be a fan.