I love the aggressive look of my hornet(has a mask). Very safe and stable on the run. Hornets really stand out . Love'em

I have loved this bike for the whole time. I have always felt stable and safe even when I wasnt confident. I rode with Harleys but didnt really like them (no offence) and didnt want a look a like so went for a naked. Loved the look especially with the back tire same as off the 900. A lot would say it doesnt look like a 250. The whole purpose was to get my licence and it took this long to feel a need to change. I have mainly riden on my own and it was more than enough to give me a thrill with great pick up once you go over 8000 in any gear. Great high range acceleration for a little one especially if you are getting back into it like I was. There are easier bikes to ride for an absolutely beginner. My partner just bought 08 NInja and I havent come across an easier bike to ride.
Now I ride with big sports and sports tourers and I find its a little hard work to keep up having to change gear all the time and keep the revs up. Would like to have some more mid range acceleration but then wouldnt have that little bit of power with the 4 cylinder. Its just time for something bigger. Great on the open road great on the corners. It has never broken down, very reliable. I am 5'4 and its a great height. It would be heavy to pick up but I am sure I could, luckily have not needed to. If you like a bit of weight to feel stable then you will also love this bike. I have always liked naked bikes but riding the Ninja I notice the difference with the wind when getting up shall we say over the speed limit. Its nice to have the fairing to duck behind. Will miss this bike when I change and would recommend the Honda CB250FT Hornet 250 to anyone.

I've had my Hornet 250 for almost two years, for the first year it was restricted to 33bhp but is now full power. Not entirely sure how much power that actually is but according to an old BIKE article and many websites I believe it has roughly 36-40bhp. Anyways its certainly enough after you've passed your test and has been a PERFECT bike to gain experience on.

The handling on this thing is ridiculous and I reckon I'm unlikely to experience any better to be honest (in the bike world). The light weight, low center of gravity and ultra capable Bridgestone rubber (BT-014 in case your wondering) add up to equal insane fun! I was once waved through by a guy on a Fireblade purely because in the twisties even sportsbikes struggle to go round corners any quicker!

The engine is a 250cc inline four (which you'll already know if you found this review I imagine). Its more than powerful enough if all you've ever know is a 125, but feels a bit gutless if your used to serious power. The bike redlines at 16 grand and there is nothing until at least 8-10. Once you get onto the B-roads though and you start tap dancing with the gear lever the combination of a pretty decent gearbox, revvy engine and light weight equals huge fun.

On more practical points there is no low fuel warning light and the clocks are in kmh so I tend to just reset the trip after every fill, leave the tap on reserve all the time (seems to run smoother), and start looking for some fuel once the trip hits 160km (100 miles). That works well for me anyways because I normally need a break after I've been on it for that long. If you were pushing it I'm sure it could go 120 miles between fill ups, its pretty economical. I've got a proper Honda flyscreen (most parts for the bike are interchangeable with its bigger brother) and that ensures my head doesn't move about too much on the motorways, where even in 6th gear theres a decent amount of torque to keep up with traffic without needing to change down.

Sorry for the essay but if your reading this your probably thinking of buying one so I've tried to be as thorough as possible. To sum up its a 9/10 bike, a couple niggly faults but thats being pedantic. I strongly recommend the Hornet 250 to anybody who is thinking about getting one.

P.s. theres a vid of my bike on youtube if you type in 'hornet vs fiesta' you'll find it!

Mono shock at the back makes it like riding a sports bike the fat tires makes it look good and looks like a bigger bike though it is only a 250cc engine... the exhaust is a bit awkward though it makes much more features on the tires as in seems to be no bulky objects hanging around like the standard bikes.

The Honda CB250FT Hornet finish is pretty good given that it was initially pitched at the highly competitive 250cc market sector in Japan. The 'Grey' import origin ensures that all labels / info on the bike are printed in Japanese including the original owners handbook and one can expect to find a KM/PH Speedo. Look out for Japan only oddities such as a side-stand (down) 'idiot' light, oddball headlamp spec and suspension typically aimed at a lighter rider than the average for Europe.

Despite a sprinkling of CBR 250/400/600 components (the wide 180 section rear tyre for example), the CB250F Hornet is built down to a price hence the basic suspension setup and single front disk albeit with a four-piston Nissin calliper. The CB250F Hornet was never officially sold thru the UK Honda dealer network and as it was NOT destined for these shores, there are a few minor issues. The headlamp runs all the time and on my bike the indicators were also illuminated permanently but do flash when needed until I modified the wiring.

As a result the CB250F Hornet was and still is a bit thin on the ground due to the new pricing being high for a motorcycle of this class. My bike was purchased by the 1st owner for a shade under £4,000 in 1997. Nowadays second hand examples fetch whatever someone is prepared to pay and it remains possible to find a CB250F Hornet for around the same price as a CB600F Hornet of the same age.

FAULTS TO DATE
Warped or heavy front disc wear will set you back £180 from Honda or £170 from EBC to rectify (that's some choice is it not?). The disc wore out on my bike within 14,000 miles. Apart from worn tyres, chain/sprockets and the usual service replacements, this has been one reliable bike, which easily started first time after a 2-year break from the road prior to my purchase. The suspension is a bit tired now making for a harsh ride when ridden over speed bumps but it has held up well for a decade.

CONCLUSION
The CB250F Hornet is visually indistinguishable from the 600 (only when you look at the engine(s) can the differences be fully appreciated). As a result there are many common parts (care must be taken to ensure compatibility though). The handling is great for a 250, the 16" front wheel on my 1996 CB250F Hornet makes for lively cornering, the styling has survived quite well and these bikes can be 'refreshed' with almost as many accessories as are available for the CB600F Hornet. There is an active on-line community that greatly helps with ownership.

The engine is a gem (same as the CBR250 / Jade CB250F) - It has been around for a good few years resplendent with a prominent 'whine' noise that anyone familiar with a Honda VFR/NC/RC series will recognise. This ensures peace of mind, as there isn't a cam chain to worry about. The 'whine' may or may not annoy some riders and it adds character to the bike.
At tick over and low revs the CB250F Hornet is perhaps too quiet (you are aware that it is a 4-cylinder 4-stroke) but if you roll on the throttle towards 12,000 RPM, the bike transforms into a 'pocket rocket' with an excited exhaust note. It is not excessively fast and the acceleration certainly will not stretch your arms under g-force, but it can be rewarding when riding away from town.

Riding the CB250F Hornet is not about top speed (which should reasonably exceed 100 MPH) and you can elect to ride around town at 4,000 RPM / 30-40 MPH in top gear but the engine lets you know that it wants to be to revved and invites the rider to use the 6-speed gearbox to the full. The clutch is light, the gearbox is standard 1990's fare with a slightly clunky / vague selection into neutral and reasonably positive action into the other gears. The riding position is a full half way between 'sit up and beg' and race replica. The pegs are relatively high and as the seat is slightly lower than CB600F Hornet; some riders may need to make adjustments to the handlebar and their riding position. The pillion footrests are too high for sure so the perch is there for occasional 'use'. Under seat storage is minimal, lack of bungee hooks and the high level exhaust make carrying items a little awkward. The CB250F Hornet has fun-bike written all over it and if you use it as such, it should provide many years of enjoyment.