HONDA HORNET 2.0

The Hornet 2.0 is a big departure from the original, but it drifts too far away on the price chart too

- ROHIT PARADKAR

Type 184.4cc, air-cooled, single-cylinder

Max power 17.26PS@8,500rpm

Max torque 16.1Nm@6,000rpm

Kerb Weight 142kg

Seat height 790mm

Fuel tank 12 litres

Price ₹1.56 lakh, on-road, Mumbai

+ Sharp handling, supple ride

- Lacklustre engine, ridiculous pricing

The Hornet is Honda’s answer to the likes of the Yamaha FZ and the TVS Apache. It has been a heady mix of commuter ergonomics, a frugal engine and contemporary styling, which has made the Hornet 160 a common sight – almost as common as the Unicorn was in the first couple years of its launch. So after that successful stint in the 160cc segment, the Hornet now wants to punch in the higher category and that is the reason why it came out of the BSVI transition point looking more muscular and packing more of a punch. Honda is calling it the Hornet 2.0, so you are bound to expect plenty of changes so let’s take a look at what’s new.

Design

The design of the Hornet builds on the pluses of the original and adds more beefiness to the bodywork. The sculpting of the tank is more muscular than before, the tank shrouds look sharper, and so does the new headlight with its leaner design. The headlight’s spread and throw is surprisingly good too. The front registration plate is more neatly placed between the headlight and the integrated instrumentation. The kick-starter is gone, but the fully digital instrumentation has a voltmeter to tell you if the battery is low, in case the bike doesn’t crank up.