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Model(s) covered: 2004 Honda CB Hornet 599, 2004 Yamaha FZ6, 2004 Triumph Speed Four, 2004 Suzuki SV 650
Somewhere between a Hayabusa and a Honda Rebel exists a class of motorcycles that cuts one of the largest swaths among streetbike riders, they are what we like to call "reality bikes."
A reality bike, by our definition, is an elemental yet widely capable machine that is friendly to both its owner's wallet and its insurance provider, perfectly willing to pound out commuter miles during the week followed some out-of-town fun on the weekend.
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599 or 919, Judgement is Served... with a nice dessert wine. (Onewheeldrive.net)
Model(s) covered: 2004 Honda CB Hornet 599, 2004 Honda CB Hornet 900
In truth there can be no call between the two; it’s a mater of individual preference. I had an amazing amount of fun on the 599 – proper hooligan fun at times. The 599 demanded to be ridden hard all the time, turn that loud handle, rev that engine, grab those brakes, lean forward on the bars… it dances to a much more frenzied beat than the 919. It was more interactive, more participatory; a frantic videogame for the real world that left me grinning like a mad man. As a package the 599 is just madly fun; ride it and be smiling for the rest of the day.
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All Abuzz Part II - The Honda 599/Hornet 600 (Onewheeldrive.net)
Model(s) covered: 2004 Honda CB Hornet 599
I’m in the middle of a decreasing radius corner and I’m wondering if I’m about to get stung. No, there’s not a wayward bee in my helmet, but from the buzzing in my crotch there’s no doubt I’m on a 600; the Hornet 600, or Honda 599, depending on which part of the globe you’re in. There’s a lot of sting here but it all seems to be directed at the road, which, after pushing the 919 hard is a really pleasant surprise. The 599 is not serious fun, it’s anything but serious.
Instead it’s giddy, illicit, veering, party-like-a-rock-star and then do it all over again in the next corner fun.
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Prova in pista: Honda Hornet 600 (Motocorse.com)
Model(s) covered: 2004 Honda CB Hornet 599
Bisogna aver passato gli ultimi anni vivendo in un eremo per non aver notato il prepotente ritorno della moda naked già dalla metà degli anni ’90. Se da una parte modelli senza carena anche di un certo prestigio non sono mai mancati nei cataloghi delle quattro sorelle giapponesi, è stata Ducati, con la sua Monster, a sdoganare l’immagine della moto nuda anche presso il pubblico attento all’immagine sportiveggiante che tanto fa vendere qui in Italia.
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Model(s) covered: 2004 Honda CB Hornet 599
Suzuki’s SV650, introduced in 1999, quickly became the surprise hit of the year, having the elusive mix of qualities that appeal to both newbies and experienced riders. With its good looks, punchy V-Twin motor and light aluminum frame, the SV is a whole lotta bike for a sub-$6000 price tag.
American Honda could only look on with envy and frustration. Envy because Honda has a well-deserved reputation for building rider-friendly machines like the SV, and frustration because Honda Europe was already selling the wildly successful Hornet 600 introduced one year before the fun Suzuki.
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Model(s) covered: 2004 Honda CB Hornet 599
Less, more? What...?
Many years ago, in a land far, far away, a sportbike got into a fight with a street. The street quite rightly won, especially after damaging the sportbikes nice shiny clothing. The owner of that said vehicle neglected to replace the bodywork, added a set of comfortable upright bars and a new genre was born. The streetfighter... or something like that. Now across the pond (and then some) Mr Honda was watching this spectacle with great amusement, especially as many times the donor bike (mostly unwittingly) was his very own Honda CBR-F1234i. His answer? Give them what they want - a naked 600.
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