Honda CB1000GT 2025: complete test, technical characteristics and how it goes

For years Honda he built bikes that seemed to utter the same reassuring phrase every time you got on the saddle: “Don’t worry, I’ll take care of it”. Rational, balanced motorcycles, ready for anything. So perfect that they are, at times, a little too polite. Those that make those who experience motorbikes every day fall in love, but which leave a bitter taste in the mouth of those who, every now and then, would really like to “have a go at” them. There CB1000GT belongs to the same philosophical school, but decides to surprise. It maintains the proverbial ease Hondathe predictability, the comfort, the feeling that everything is exactly where it should be. However, beneath that granite elegance, it hides an unexpected side: it is a motorcycle that, when the road narrows and the curves invite you to play, never holds back. All this about 14,000 euros (at the moment, the official price has not been communicated); a miracle, considering the rich standard equipment.

1 A compact GT that pampers

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In the city, the CB1000GT it is the classic affectionate companion: comfortable saddle (compared to the CB1000 Hornet, +15 mm for the rider, +40 mm for the passenger), welcoming riding position, higher and closer handlebars compared to its naked cousin, careful aerodynamic protection. The new plexiglass, adjustable in five positions one-handed, it protects more than meets the eye and the standard hand guards prevent air from hitting your knuckles. The GT was born from the Hornet and it shows: compact, agile, intuitive. You walk relaxed, with the four-cylinder revving in sixth gear at 1,500 rpm without jerks and vibrations; thanks to the obsessive work carried out by the team Nvh engineers (Noise, Vibration & Harshness). If we really want to nitpick, around 4,000 rpm you can just hear a slight rustle coming from the top part of the engine. The surprise comes when the pace picks up. The front end remains glued to the ground, the rear follows faithfully, the electronic gearbox flows like a hot knife through butter and the engine seems to wake up from a voluntary sleep. There CB1000GT he replies with a smile: the more you push the pace, the more you discover how much sportiness is hidden under the angular fairing. Between fast curves, pif-paf and tight hairpin bends, the bike always remains composed, but alive. It’s difficult to make her lose her trajectory; easier to lose track of time.

2 Engine: the Fireblade comes of age

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At the heart of the CB1000GT is a 1,000cc four-cylinder derived from the CBR1000RR Fireblade (2017–2019 versions), revised to suit life on the road. Yet, the sporting soul has not disappeared. The numbers speak clearly: 150 HP at 11,000 rpm, 102 Nm at 8,750 rpmpower/weight ratio: 0.48 kW/kg. But what is surprising is how it pushes: in the medium range the torque is full and present, at 12,000 rpm the in-line four screams with enthusiasm, while the overdrive sixth gear allows you to travel effortlessly on the motorway. The “downdraft” intake, with dedicated airbox and oblique cut hornsimproves filling at medium-high rpm, while the short ratios from second to fifth add the promptness expected from a sporty thousand. The bidirectional quickshifter as standard, it then completes the “effortless fun” package.

3 Chassis: GT stability, sports car agility

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Honda has worked to find a rare balance: a motorcycle that must travel fast on the motorway even when fully loaded, but which wants to have fun like a sporty naked when the road calls. The CB1000GT uses a steel twin-spar frame weighing just 21.7kga dedicated 635 mm swingarm (+16 mm compared to the Hornet), a wheelbase extended to 1,465 mm, a front end with 106.3 mm of trail and an offset that goes from 35 mm (the height used on the Hornet) to 27.5 mm. The result is a perfect balance: high-speed tourer stability, precise insertions, agility in tight mixed terrain. The rider triangulation has been revised to offer a sporty yet relaxed posture, with higher handlebars and increased width compared to the Hornet.

4 suspension: real-time technology

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The Showa Eera electronic suspension is one of the most important innovations of the model. It is the first time that Honda has adopted it on a motorcycle with such a powerful inline four-cylinder. The GT offers four riding modes (Sport, Standard, Rain, Tour) plus a fully customizable User mode. The system changes damping every 0.015 seconds, an insignificant amount of time considering that a blink of an eye lasts 100 to 400 milliseconds. There is also adjustable spring preload on the shock absorber (for the first time on the Showa Eera system, there is also fork spring preload adjustment)with four presets that can be selected even on the move, or 24 levels in User mode. The result is a chassis that changes character: soft and velvety in Tour (the only mode that works semi-actively, varying the suspension calibration based on the situation), precise and supported in Sport, reassuring in Rain. A true “multi-personality” suspension. The CB1000GT is not just engine and chassis: it is a modern Honda, therefore also a concentration of well-integrated electronics. Among the features, in addition to the aforementioned four riding modes, plus the customizable one: HSTC with anti-wheelie and rear lift control, ABS cornering thanks to the 6-axis IMU, cruise control, 5″ TFT with three views (bar, circular, simple), road sync connectivity with turn-by-turn navigation, smart key, heated grips, automatically deactivating indicators and ESS (Emergency Stop Signal). Gas management is fluid in all conditions, without on/offand the answer varies significantly between the different riding modes.

5A true GT: ready to go from day one

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Honda wanted to eliminate the phase in which the user says: “I have to accessorize it first”. The CB1000GT is ready to go straight out of the dealer. As standard it offers: side cases (37 liters on the left, 28 liters on the right, for a total of 65 litres)central stand, adjustable windscreen, heated grips, ergonomic floor with lowered passenger footrests, approximately 340 km of autonomy, thanks to the 21 liter tank. It’s difficult to find a rival that offers so much without digging into the accessories catalogue. Honda has chosen a bold aesthetic language (too much so, in some areas), made up of edges, forward-leaning volumes, taut surfaces. The high semi-fairing streamlines the line, the front is aggressive, the full LED headlight projects a modern visual signature. Three colors: Grand Prix Red, Pearl (the most appropriate, in our opinion), Deep Mud Gray, Graphite Black. Honda offers three main packs: Sport Pack (skid pad, under cowl, wheel stripes, tank pad), Comfort Pack (High screen, upper & lower deflector, driver and passenger comfort seat, fog lights), Urban Pack (50 liter top box, backrest, alarm, roof rack). All packs can be combined. Accessories developed in Europe are also available, including billet levers, axle protectors, bar end mirrors and Akrapovic exhaust. The CB1000GT is not just a motorcycle, but also a project that looks to the future. The rigid saddle structures are made of recycled plasticwhile the windshield uses Durabio, a bioplastic derived from plant materials that does not yellow over time. One small step for a motorcycle, one big step for Honda towards the 2050 carbon neutrality goal.

6Pros and cons

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What we liked and what we weren’t convinced by Honda CB1000GT.

• exceptional relationship between quality and price;
• usability;
• driving pleasure in all conditions of use.

• noise in the upper part of the engine at around 4,000 rpm;
• the rear brake has little bite;
• when driving sportily the handlebars are a little high.

7In a nutshell

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The CB1000GT succeeds where many Hondas in recent years have faltered: to truly excite, without sacrificing ease of use. It is a motorbike that welcomes, cuddles, protects… but when the road bends, it shows off a sincere and surprising sportiness. A motorbike for those who want to travel. A motorcycle for those who want to have fun. A motorbike, finally, for those who want both things without compromise.