Honda
Honda Hornet
Well-equipped naked bike that undercuts most rivals on price for the kit
In short
The Hornet is Honda's 184cc naked streetfighter, priced from ₹1.5 lakh with USD forks, a monoshock and traction control, a genuinely well-equipped package for the money. Its 17.03bhp beats most similarly priced rivals like the Yamaha FZ X and Suzuki Gixxer SF, though the Bajaj Pulsar N250 offers more power for slightly more money.
- Engine
- 184 cc
- Power
- 17.03 bhp
- Claimed mileage
- 42.3 kmpl
- Kerb weight
- 142 kg
What works
- USD forks, monoshock and traction control at this price
- 17.03bhp beats the Gixxer SF and FZ X at similar cost
- Colour TFT with Bluetooth and turn-by-turn navigation
- Dual-channel ABS with slipper clutch
What doesn't
- Pulsar N250 offers more power for a modest price difference
- Air-cooled engine can feel warm in slow traffic
- Real-world 42kmpl is average for the class
Best for: Naked streetfighter styling, City and highway commuting, First 150-plus cc bike
Price and variants
Ex-showroom Delhi. On-road estimate for Delhi; other cities on the price page.
There is only one Hornet to buy, priced at ₹1,49,616 ex-showroom in Delhi. The only decisions left are colour and whether to finance it.
That makes it priced 34th lowest among the 75 sports bikes we have reviewed. Its closest price rivals are the XSR 155 (₹1,341 more) and the FZ X Hybrid (₹3,649 less).
On the road in Delhi, budget about ₹1.73 Lakh for the base variant once 8% Delhi road tax, registration and five-year third-party insurance are added. Dealers often quote higher by bundling accessories, extended warranty and handling charges; all three are negotiable.
| Variant | Ex-showroom | Rough EMI |
|---|---|---|
Standard | ₹1,49,616 |
Mileage
Hornet's claimed mileage is 42.3 kmpl, and unusually, owners and our own riding land right on it: expect 42–42 kmpl in everyday use. Few bikes get this close to their brochure figure.
Among the 67 sports bikes we have reviewed it ranks 32th for mileage, right on the group average of 42 kmpl.
Engine and ride
Power comes from a 184cc single producing 17.03 bhp and 15.9 Nm, paired with a 5 Speed. At 142 kg the power-to-weight figure is 120 bhp per tonne, which ranks 44 of 73 in its class here.
The torque and power figures are well balanced, so it neither needs to be revved hard nor feels lazy when you do.
Chassis hardware includes USD front forks, a rear monoshock, dual-channel ABS, a slipper clutch and traction control, with a disc, 276 mm, 2 piston caliper up front and disc, 220 mm, 1 piston caliper at the rear.
At 790 mm the seat is average for the class; most riders from 5'5" up will be comfortable at stops.
Our review
Riding impressions and the buying advice a spec sheet cannot give.
Verdict
The Hornet packs USD front forks, a monoshock and traction control into a 184cc naked bike priced from ₹1.5 lakh, a genuinely strong equipment list for the money. At 17.03bhp it beats the Yamaha FZ X and Suzuki Gixxer SF at similar prices, though the Bajaj Pulsar N250 edges it on outright power for a modest premium.
Riding it every day
The upright naked riding position and 790mm seat height suit most riders comfortably in city traffic, and the USD forks soak up potholes and speed breakers with noticeable composure. At 142kg, it changes direction easily through traffic, and the slipper clutch smooths downshifts when braking hard for sudden stops. The engine stays tractable at low revs without excessive vibration.
What to know before buying
Real-world mileage of around 42kmpl is average rather than class-leading, and being air-cooled, the engine can run warm in extended stop-go traffic during summer months. The colour TFT console with navigation is a genuine highlight, rarely offered at this price elsewhere. Honda's service network is dense across India, typically easing scheduled maintenance and spares availability.
Who should buy it
The Hornet suits a rider looking for naked streetfighter styling with genuinely capable hardware like USD forks and traction control, who wants strong equipment for the price without stretching to the more powerful, slightly pricier Pulsar N250.
Features and colours
- Dual-channel ABS
- Front disc brake
- Rear disc brake
- Tubeless tyres
- Alloy wheels
- Traction control
- Side-stand engine cut-off
- Hazard lamps
- USD front forks
- Rear monoshock
- +10 more
On safety kit the Hornet has dual-channel abs, front disc brake, rear disc brake, tubeless tyres, traction control, side-stand engine cut-off and hazard lamps. Dual-channel ABS is the one item on this list worth paying for if it is variant-dependent.
Against NX200, MT-15 V2 or Gixxer SF, it gets led daytime running lamp, colour tft console and usb charging port that most rivals skip.
It is offered in 4 colours: Radiant Red Metallic, Athletic Blue Metallic, Pearl Igneous Black - OBD 2 and Matte Axis Grey Metallic - OBD2. Colour availability varies by variant and dealer stock.
Warranty, service and ownership
Standard warranty is 3 years or 42,000 km. After the free services, the recommended interval is every 6,000 km.
Service reach is excellent: Honda has about 6,000 dealer and workshop touchpoints across the country.
On sale since 2020, the Hornet is established enough that early production issues have been worked through and used examples give a fair read on resale.
Hornet: questions people ask
- What is the price of the Honda Hornet?
- The Hornet is priced at ₹1,49,616 ex-showroom Delhi in its single variant, as of September 2026. On-road price adds road tax, registration and insurance.
- What is the on-road price of the Hornet in Delhi?
- Roughly ₹1.73 Lakh for the base variant in Delhi: ₹1,49,616 ex-showroom plus ₹11,969 road tax, ₹1,100 registration and about ₹10,055 insurance. This is an estimate; dealer quotes include handling and accessories.
- What is the mileage of the Hornet?
- Claimed mileage is 42.3 kmpl. Owners typically see 42–42 kmpl in mixed city and highway riding.
- How much does the Hornet cost to run per month?
- Fuel works out to about ₹2.26 per km in Delhi, so a 30 km daily commute costs roughly ₹1,761 a month before servicing.
- What is the EMI for the Hornet?
- With 10% down, a 36-month loan at 9.5% on the base variant comes to about ₹4,740 a month. A shorter tenure raises the EMI but cuts total interest; see the EMI calculator on the price page.
- What is the engine capacity and power of the Hornet?
- It uses a 184cc engine producing 17.03 bhp and 15.9 Nm, with a 5 speed.
- Is the Hornet suitable for short riders?
- Yes. Seat height is 790 mm, low for the class, so riders around 5'2" and above can reach the ground comfortably.
- Hornet or NX200: which is better?
- The NX200 is ₹10,989 more expensive to start and less efficient at 42 kmpl against 42.3 kmpl. Pick the Hornet for naked streetfighter styling, the NX200 for adventure-styled commuting. Our side-by-side comparison covers every spec.
- Which bikes are cheaper than the Hornet?
- Among the 75 sports bikes we have reviewed, the Pulsar 125 (₹93,507), the Pulsar NS 200 (₹1.39 Lakh), the Apache RTR 160 (₹1.11 Lakh) start lower.
- Is the Hornet a good highway two-up bike?
- It handles two-up highway riding reasonably well, with the monoshock and 142kg kerb weight keeping it stable at speed. Expect it to feel composed on typical highway stretches, though a taller-torque bike like the Pulsar N250 will overtake with less effort.
- Does the Hornet need premium fuel for its claimed performance?
- Honda does not require premium fuel for the Hornet, and it runs on regular petrol available nationwide. Performance and the claimed 42.3kmpl figure are typically based on standard fuel rather than higher-octane variants.
Hornet vs its rivals
Around ₹1.5 Lakh
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Before you buy
Hornet from
₹1.5 Lakh