2025 Honda CB500 Hornet Review | LAMS Motorcycle Test

Honda CB500 Hornet Review

Quite the little charmer this one. The CB500F has long been a favourite here amongst all of us at MCNews.com.au. And now its continued evolution sees it join the Hornet family, alongside the terrific CB750 Hornet we tested back in mid-2023 (crikey time flies!).

The headline story with the move to the ‘Hornet’ family for the CB500 can be summarised as follows:

• A subtle but effective styling update for more aggressive looks and better aerodynamics
• Introduction of the new five-inch TFT screen with Honda’s Turn By Turn Nav and Bluetooth connectivity via an app
• Updated switch-gear including the introduction of TC via Honda’s ‘Selectable Torque Control’
• Some tweaks to the mapping for improved acceleration

Now at 47 horsepower or 35 kw depending on which language you prefer, I’m not able to call out a noticeable difference in performance over the old model. I’d need to run them back to back and even then I suspect I’d be struggling. But what I can tell you is that the little 471 cc parallel-twin remains just as endearing and willing as ever.

The fuelling tweaks apparently open up the bottom end a little more while also allowing it to rev more freely throughout the rev range. I can certainly vouch for the fact that fuelling remains pretty well spot on. Power is smooth and encouraging. Doesn’t seem to have any dips or noticeable flat spots. The team have done a good job here.

In fact. When talking the bike over with Rob on the shoot, it became obvious that this bike reminded me a lot of some Hondas of old. In a good way. A great way even.

I’ll throw my hand in the air and be the first to admit I can be pretty picky at times on anything that I see as ‘not-quite-finished’. Or a bit underdone in some areas. It frustrates me when I see a bike that’s 95 per cent great, only to be then let down by one or two obvious shortcomings. Suspension that’s underdone or mapping that’s not quite right, for example.

Not so in the case of the newest Hornet. The bike lives up to what I expect from a Honda. It’s bloody good at everything. Not necessarily with a specific standout feature, just… really nicely designed with a build quality to match.

Some of my own favourite bikes have fallen into that bucket. My old CBR600F4i certainly wasn’t the sharpest Supersport at the time, but it was an epically good road bike. And set up well, with a spirited rider, they could be punted along more than quickly enough for the road. I made some exceptional memories on that bike.

But let’s get back onto the little 500 before I get carried away reminiscing.

So the engine is a pearler. The gearbox, is typically Honda firm-from-new but will no doubt loosen up nicely over time. Shifts cleanly and I had no missed gears at all. The slipper clutch being on hand to help keep things sorted when banging down cogs with some enthusiasm.

Handling too remains a strong point. It carries over the same 41 mm USD Big Piston forks from Showa that were updated a couple of years back, which remain excellent for this variant. Together with the preload adjustable rear shock the bike is really nicely balanced front to rear and ever-so-easy to ride.

Super confidence-inspiring, intuitive handling right in the goldilocks zone. Not too slow or too sharp. Not too firm or too soft. It feels sorted. I reckon they’ve got this one about bang on.

Styling-wise I think the new updates work really well too. I didn’t mind the outgoing styling but the latest update definitely looks more polished. Simpler. Sharper. More defined. A little sportier.

Those stacked LED headlights are pretty damn good too. High beam gets my ‘that’s a good enough spread to spot roos’ tick of approval.

You can even see the work that was put into the OEM accessories with the rear luggage rack for example. The way that tube runs up and matches the lines of the bike. Like a lot of aspects on this bike, it’s just… nice.

Comfort-wise the CB500 feels noticeably lighter when lifting off the side stand compared to the CB650R I just dropped back. That surprised me actually as it’s quite noticeable. With a kerb weight of 188 kg versus the E-clutch fitted CB650R at 207 kg – that difference felt even larger than those numbers suggest, which tells me that the bike holds its weight quite centrally.

In amongst the morning grind to work, it slices through traffic like the cliched hot knife. Filtering between lanes with ease and confidence. And out on the open road it doesn’t feel out of place either. The seating position is fairly neutral and relaxed with wind directed at your chest so there are no buffeting issues to be had.

The seat is comfy too – my 90-odd minute commute is done easily enough without getting a sore freckle. But like the last one, I dunno if most riders would want to be spending six hour days touring. Doable I’m sure, but that’s not the intent here.

The updates to the dash and switch-gear are in line with the rest of the current CB line-up and are a noticeable step forward from the outgoing model switch-gear that in retrospect seems a little chunky. And now the bike has a nice little TC on/off button. However, I’m not sure how much use that will get on a bike with just under 50 horsepower to be fair.

The new dash is easy to use and allows Bluetooth integration and turn by turn Nav, though I wasn’t able to set the readout to show distance to empty rather than trip meter (as I could on the CB650R).

I was able to get well over 400 km out of the 17.1 L tank though, that engine is certainly frugal. Which is probably the other key callout here. Low cost of ownership.

These smaller capacity street bikes are so good in that regard. Great as an entry level bike for a beginner, just as good as a ‘second’ bike alongside a sportsbike or adventure bike – something to use as a commuter or all-rounder.

There’s a fair bit to like really. Which is why this whole segment is running hot right now. This one is definitely up there with the best.

Sub ten grand ride away represents excellent value, even more-so with the expected typical Honda build quality. Add to that a whole bunch of good quality accessories available like the screen, tank bag and rear luggage as shown here and its a great proposition.

I think this is still my favourite of the current LAMS Hondas. Excellent.

Honda CB500 Hornet Hits:

• That little 471 cc twin cylinder engine is as charming as ever.
• The new styling really hits the mark, simpler, more stylish, slightly more aggressive.
• Remarkable value at under ten grand for this build quality.

Honda CB500 Hornet Misses:

• Distance to empty on the dash would be nice.
• Nope. That’s it. I wouldn’t change a thing. Not for sub ten big ones.’

Head to the Honda Motorcycles Australia website to find your local dealer, or localised pricing.

Honda CB500 Hornet Specifications

Honda CB500 Hornet Images