Recently, Honda published renderings of the concept Hornet, but there was no information on the engine. That has changed. The engine powering the Hornet “concept” is a 755cc parallel-twin with four-valve heads and 270-degree crank. Honda says it makes 92 horsepower at 9,500 rpm and 55.3 pounds/feet of torque at 7,250 rpm.
The horsepower and torque numbers make this an impressively powerful engine for its given displacement. For reference, the 1,084cc parallel-twin in the Africa Twin model makes a claimed 101 horsepower. If this bigger engine had the same specific output per liter of displacement as the new Hornet concept, it would make 132 horsepower rather than 101. Simply put, the 755cc twin described by Honda is a thoroughly modern, powerful design that is reminiscent of a KTM 790 Duke in engine performance.
No further details were provided by Honda, but we expect the production Hornet model based on this concept to be unveiled later this Fall. Stay tuned.
We have the following quote from Honda’s Fuyuki Hosokawa, test project leader for the Hornet project, followed by a video:
“The Hornet has always been a very special motorcycle for Honda. Exciting, engaging performance has always been matched to lithe, agile handling.
“Before starting this project, we thought long and hard about what kind of performance we wanted to give to the rider. We knew that it was essential to keep the classic Hornet top-end power ‘hit’ and at the same time, as a new generation Hornet for modern times, we wanted the engine to have a really strong torquey feel and ‘throbbing’ sensation at low to mid rpm. Our aim has always been to match these to the lightest, most agile handling possible, to make every ride, even in town, as engaging and fulfilling as possible.”
“To get the kind of performance and lightweight handling we wanted, we knew we had to develop an all-new short-stroke twin-cylinder engine, with a 270-degree crankshaft. This would not only deliver that top-end rush, but also the sporty low-down torque, ideal for riding in urban environments and powering out of corners on the open road.”
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