2026 · Naked Bike · A variant of the CB750 Hornet
Differences between the standard CB750 Hornet and the E-Clutch
The Clutch-Free Everyday Hornet
The CB750 Hornet is Honda's middleweight naked, built around a 755 cc liquid-cooled parallel twin with a 270° crank. It makes 92 hp at 9,500 rpm and 55 lb-ft at 7,250 rpm. The engine sits in a steel tube frame with a USD fork, and the bike weighs 432 lb (196 kg) wet. What sets this trim apart is the Honda E-Clutch: it handles the clutch from a standstill and through every shift, with rev-matched downshifts, and the lever stays on the bar for when you want it. It keeps the standard bike's ABS, traction control, ride modes, TFT dash and navigation. Smart, not showy.
So what's this hardware built for? On paper, it's built for the riding most people actually do: traffic on weekdays, back roads on weekends. The 31.3 in (795 mm) seat and 4.0 gal (15.2 L) tank put it within reach of a wide range of riders. Honda says the bike balances sporty enjoyment with a comfortable upright riding position, and that the E-Clutch adds practicality in urban environments. That points to a rider who wants 92 hp from a light twin and doesn't want to work a clutch lever through every stop-and-go jam. It's a clean, well-judged package. Sensible, not sober.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 92 hp (68 kW) @ 9,500 rpm |
|---|---|
| Torque | 55 lb-ft (75 Nm) @ 7,250 rpm |
| Displacement | 755 cc |
| Engine | Parallel twin |
| Cooling | Liquid-cooled |
| Gearbox | 6-speed |
| Final drive | Chain |
| Fork | Upside-down (USD) |
| Front tire | 120/70-17 |
| Rear tire | 160/60-17 |
| Seat height | 31.3 in (795 mm) |
| Wet weight | 432 lb (196 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 4.0 gal (15.2 L) |
Equipment check
Chassis
Connectivity
Drivetrain
Lighting
Safety
The CB750 Hornet E-Clutch (RH12-E_Clutch) builds on the standard CB750 Hornet: the upgraded hardware, the key spec changes and where its character shifts. The full ride, specs, scoring and verdict are all right here on this page.
Equipment the E-Clutch adds vs the standard CB750 Hornet
| Spec | Standard CB750 Hornet | E-Clutch | Δ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wet weight | 419 lb | 432 lb | +13 lb |
This isn't my test ride. It's what I've collected over years of listening: paddock talk, owners collaring me at club nights, and the emails and messages riders send once they've lived with a bike. On the CB750 Hornet the pattern is clear. Owners rave about the engine and the steering, and grumble most about a snatchy throttle and basic suspension.
Ask an owner what defines this bike and the answer is almost always the engine. Riders consistently describe pull from low revs, a strong midrange and a lively top end, all carried on that uneven 270° beat. The deep stock exhaust note gets singled out repeatedly, and plenty mention the induction howl. The chassis earns nearly as much praise: light and agile for its size, easy to filter, easy to flick side to side, and confidence-inspiring at low speed. The steering is quick. Some owners needed a few rides to adjust, then rated it a strength. Riders also count the equipment as strong for the money, the E-Clutch as convenience that costs no control, and the accessory quickshifter as clean-shifting where fitted. That's the love.
The loudest complaint is the throttle. Riders report a jerky on-off response in first and second gear at city speeds, and at part throttle low in the revs. Some owners say Honda has since revised the mapping to address it. Suspension comes next. The fork has no rider adjustment, the rear shock adjusts for preload only, and owners describe the setup as soft and comfort-biased. Heavier riders and those who push the pace report oscillation on rebound, and an aftermarket shock is a common fix. Basic, they say.
Taller owners report a cramped knee bend that ends in knee cramp on longer stints, and several find the seat hard on long rides. On loose surfaces, riders say the ABS can be over-sensitive, and it can't be switched off. There's no cornering ABS either, which limits the bike on gravel roads. The last gripe is cosmetic: the steel box-section swingarm looks low-rent next to pricier rivals. It keeps coming up.
Soft suspension setup, limited adjustability
The Showa SFF-BP USD fork is non-adjustable on the standard model; the Pro-Link rear shock offers preload only (7-step). Heavier riders and brisk-paced riders report rebound oscillation, bouncing on bigger bumps, and a setup biased toward comfort over control. Aftermarket shock upgrades (Wilbers and similar) resolve this for owners pursuing sporty pace. Honda revised the fork damping for 25YM, but the adjustability did not change.
Jerky on-off throttle at low rpm and urban speeds
The ride-by-wire throttle calibration is abrupt during transitions between closed and small-throttle openings, particularly in 1st and 2nd gear at urban speeds and at part-throttle below approximately 5,500 rpm. Multiple owners report a TPS reset procedure provides limited improvement; Honda is reported to have improved the calibration for model year 2025.
ABS cannot be switched off, no cornering ABS
The 2-channel ABS system is fixed and non-defeatable, with no IMU and therefore no cornering ABS. Reviewers report the ABS can intervene aggressively on loose surfaces. This is a spec design choice rather than a fault, but it is a documented limitation for owners using the bike on gravel or for back-track riding.
HSTC traction-control setting resets to default on every key-on
Owners and reviewers note that the bike does not retain the rider's HSTC setting across a key cycle; it returns to the default level whenever the ignition is turned off and on again. An annoyance for riders who routinely run a non-default HSTC level.
Stock mirrors mounted close to the bar centerline
The stock mirrors are mounted inboard such that riders see their own forearms more than the road behind. Bar-end mirror replacements are a popular owner modification.
Where this Honda CB750 Hornet pulls ahead of — or falls behind — its rivals on the numbers, and the typical bike in its class on character.
Power
Torque
Displacement
Wet weight
Seat height
Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the CB750 Hornet is actually built for.
You're the best match here: the E-Clutch takes the clutch work out of San Francisco stop-and-go, and a 432 lb chassis with a modern TFT dash is built for the weekend Skyline run.
Made for Bay Area Ridge Roads · San Francisco / Bay Area · Skyline Boulevard / Alice's Restaurant
A solid fit if precision matters more to you than peak power: 92 hp in a light steel frame suits tight canyon roads. If you're heavy or ride hard, note the fork isn't adjustable and plan on suspension upgrades.
Made for Angeles Crest Highway · Coronado Trail / US 191 · Highway 1 / Big Sur
A good match if you're honing technique on Blue Ridge and Dragon-style corners: accessible handling, a 31.3 in seat and clutch-free shifts keep your mind on your lines, not on levers.
Made for Tail of the Dragon · Back of the Dragon · Blue Ridge Parkway
If you're cross-shopping the older generation, here's what changed.
Previous generation · 2023
Light Hands, Genuine Grin
Compare to the previous model →If this one isn't quite the fit, these are the bikes worth riding back-to-back against it.
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Competitor · 2014–2017
Raw Twin, Weightless Handling
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