Honda is one of the oldest player the two-wheeler market of Nepal. Jyoti Group of Companies initiated the distribution of Honda motorcycles by importing 11 units back in 1968A.D. Today, after 50 years, they are still one of the most popular brands in Nepal. They are currently selling 14 different models. Honda CB Hornet 160R is one of the best-selling Honda bikes in their lineup. So, what's makes the bike so popular? Let's find out in this Honda CB Hornet 160R: Long-Term Review.
Introduction
Honda CB Hornet 160R was launched in Nepal in April of 2016 and has been selling well even now. There has been no change in design or the internals of the Honda Hornet since its introduction two years ago. However, the bike continues to look fresh and upmarket. And to do just that, the company has introduced new color options for the bike.
The bike was initially launched for Rs.2,60,000 but thanks to appreciation, the bike price has risen to Rs.2,67,900. The Honda CB Hornet 160R has a lot of features that make it special.
This is a comprehensive review of the Honda CB Hornet 160R which also includes the pros and cons of owning the bike. Having used the bike for more than 6 months, I can definitely tell what's good about the bike and what's now. So, let's dive into it.
Design
The design of the Honda CB Hornet 160R is good but the competition now has much better-looking bikes. When you compare the Honda CB Hornet 160R with the Honda Unicorn, sure the bike looks good but the bikes from other manufacturers look more youthful.
The rear section of the Hornet 160R looks good but the front section of the bike just looks bland. The side profile of the bike is certainly good.
The thick rear tyres give the bike a beefy look and it does help while riding on bad patches of road.
Performance
The baby Hornet 160R is powered by a 162.71cc single cylinder engine mated to a 5-speed manual transmission. Unlike many of the competitors, the bike is air cooled instead of liquid cooling. But that makes sense as the motor, even when revved hard, doesn't seem to heat up all that much.
The 162.771cc engine on the Hornet produces 15.25PS power @8500rpm. The motor is also really refined and only slightly vibrates after crossing the 6000rpm mark. The performance that you get out of this motor is decent at best. The Apache 160 and the Gixxer are much more fun to ride.
The bike is also equipped with front disc-brake only. The braking performance is good but lacks the immediate bite when you want it. As such, it isn't very confidence inspiring especially while riding with triple digits on the odo. Disk brake at the front and the back would a good addtion to the bike. Also, ABS is not available, even as an option on the Hornet 160R.
Fuel Tank Capacity and Mileage
The Honda CB Hornet 160R comes with 12L Fuel Tank which is okay for a bike of this class. However, the fuel tank definitely could be better. The fuel tank looks muscular and beefy. The tank is also sculpted which helps to hold your legs in place. It provides higher level of confidence especially when going around the corners.
As with most of the other Honda bikes, the mileage of the Honda CB Hornet 160R is excellent. The 160cc single cylinder engine is frugal and returns an impressive mileage of 40kmpl in real life.
The Good
The best thing about the Honda CB Hornet 160R has to be its comfort and reliability. The bike, since the purchase, is yet to break down. The reliability of the bike is second to none.
The other strong point of this bike has to be its resale value. Honda Hornet 160R holds value much longer than its competition. And that is not it, finding spares is also much easier with this bike.
And you can definitely not ignore the fact that maintenance fees of the Honda CB Hornet are the lowest among its competitors. What's more? You can have the bike serviced at any local workshop with ease.
The Bad
The design of the bike isn't particularly striking. Also, the exhaust note from the 160cc motor could definitely be better. The two buttons for navigating through the instrumental cluster also needs serious work. The bite from the brakes could also be better.
The other thing that I am not fond of about this bike has to be the ride and handling. Yes, the ride is comfortable but if you plan on extracting a little fun out of the ride, you simply can't. There's nothing much sporty about this bike even though it carries the 'Hornet' name with it.
The Competition
The Honda CB Hornet 160R is a good bike. There are no two ways about it. But it faces serious competition from really good bikes too. The main competitors for the Hornet 160R are the Suzuki Gixxer, Yamaha FZ v2, Apache RTR 180 and the Bajaj Pulsar 200 NS.
You can get detailed information about the Honda CB Hornet 160R here.
