Honda’s new-for-2025 Hornet 1000 has won plenty of admirers, including MCN – who awarded it their prestigious ‘Bike of the Year’ award, and now for 2026 it’ll be joined by a retro suited version, called the CB1000F, with styling in the vein of those early ‘80s Honda CBs – in particular racing icon Freddie Spencer’s CB750F superbike racer.
The retro’s Fireblade-based engine has been retuned to deliver peak power of 122bhp at 9,000rpm, down from over 150bhp at 11,000rpm on the Hornet. This has been achieved many through revised camshaft designs and should, along with a different 4-2-1 megaphone exhaust and longer intake funnels, change the character of the engine and the sound of the bike to suit the retro vibe. We loved the Hornet when we rode it recently, but felt the performance was arguably too much for road riding, so we’re sure the CB1000F’s meatier bottom end will be well worth the top end sacrifice for real world riding.
Despite styling being influenced by designs from nearly half a century ago, the electronics and rider aids are right up to date, with a six-axis IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit) facilitating cornering ABS, an upgrade over the Hornet 1000 with which it shares so much of its DNA. Other features appear largely the same as the Hornet, with three default and two user configurable riding modes allowing the characteristics to be further modified to meet the rider’s needs and tastes. The frame is a modified version of the Hornet’s, with an extended subframe helping to recreate the old fashioned looks.
And styling is what the CB1000F is all about. It evokes memories of Spencer’s championship winning superbikes (not to mention the more humdrum Superdreams we bought by the thousand) as it reboots Honda’s design language from the early ‘80s. That means body panels (some of which have been made from recycled materials) inspired by those found on that CB750, with a near coffin shaped tank, extended rear seat cowl and set off with plenty of silver paint and two-tone stripes (there is also a black version available).
The look is completed with the round headlamp, embossed seat and aforementioned megaphone mufflers, although real ‘80s Honda nerds will likely be disappointed that they haven’t gone the whole hog and reincarnated the iconic Comstar wheels. The modern version wears contemporary cast alloy hoops rather than the distinctive composite alloy wheels which many Hondas, including the CB750F2, ran back in the day.
That minor (and most likely completely impractical) gripe aside, the Honda CB1000F looks great and continues the current trend by Japanese manufacturers in offering retro models inspired by their halcyon days from back when Wham! ruled the charts. The Honda joins Suzuki’s GSX-8T range and the Yamaha XSR900GP in providing nostalgic rides for Gen Xers.
Sound like your next bike? Honda’s been sharp with its pricing in recent years and that looks likely to continue here, with the F expected to go on sale for £10,599 when it arrives in showrooms. A whole host of accessory options (shown on the black bike pictured) will also be available, meaning buyers will be able to customise their bikes at an extra cost, with the bikini fairing expected to be among the more popular options.
