Honda CB750 Hornet (2023+) Complete Maintenance Schedule and Service Intervals
This is the maintenance schedule and service intervals for the Honda CB750 Hornet — sourced from the owner’s manual, referencing parts diagrams.
The Honda CB750 Hornet is based on a 755 cc liquid-cooled parallel twin motor with a 270-degree crankshaft. It runs an 11.0:1 compression ratio, and manages to push out an impressive 67.5 kW (92 hp) at 9500 rpm, even when running on standard unleaded (91 RON).
The Honda CB750 Hornet isn’t really a successor other than in name to the 2nd generation CB600 Hornet, though it does share some style elements, as it does with the 1st generation CB1000R.
The CB750 Hornet was co-released with the Honda XL750 Transalp, which shares a motor.
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Honda CB750 Hornet Service Intervals
Like many liquid-cooled Honda motorcycles, the Honda CB750 Hornet has 8000 mi / 12000 km or annual service intervals, at which the oil should be changed and a bunch of other things inspected.
Honda recommends you change the air filter and oil filter less often, per the schedule below.
The Honda CB750 Hornet has major valve service intervals of every 16000 miles / 24000 km — but with no time-based component. But they only recommend you change the spark plugs every 32000 miles / 48000 km.
You also need to refresh the brake fluid and coolant regularly — see details in the schedule below.
What you need to service your Honda CB750 Hornet
Honda recommends you use the following consumables for a basic service on your Honda CB750 Hornet.
| Part | Honda CB750 Hornet spec |
|---|---|
| Engine oil | Use Pro Honda 10W-30 motor oil, or another JASO T 903 oil that is not the “energy conserving” kind of weight 10W-30. |
| Oil filter | The Honda CB750 Hornet uses a Hiflofiltro HF204RC. |
| Spark plugs | The Honda CB750 Hornet takes spark plugs of model code SILMAR8A9S. |
| Air filter | Official part number for the air filter is 17210-MLB-D00. |
| Coolant | Pro Honda HP Coolant or Honda Coolant, or another one with 50% ethylene glycol content. |
| Brake fluid | Use Honda DOT 4 for the brake fluid. |
| Front brake | Part # for the front brake pad set is 06455-MKP-DN1, or EBC FA759HH. |
| Rear brake | Part # for the rear brake pad set is 06435-MGS-D32, or EBC FA140HH. |
| Chain management | Honda doesn’t specify a chain lube, so use something well-liked like Motul chain paste. You can also use SAE 80 or 90 gear oil. |
Pre-ride / Regular maintenance for the Honda CB750 Hornet
Below is the list of pre-ride maintenance items to check on your CB750 Hornet. You should also do these as part of regular service.
| Honda CB750 pre-ride maintenance |
|---|
| Check engine oil level. |
| Check throttle free play (2-4mm), smoothness and return. |
| Check clutch system (engagement, free play — target 10-20 mm / 0.4-0.8 in) |
| Check brake fluid level. Top up as necessary (Honda DOT 4) |
| Check tire condition, pressure and wear. |
| Check the drive chain tension and lubrication (Motul chain paste) See below notes on drive chain tension |
| Check brake pads thickness and replace if necessary (Minimum thickness: 1mm) |
| Check coolant level, and top up if necessary (Honda coolant) |
| Check lights, horn, and indicators, making sure they work properly |
| Make sure side stand and center stand (if fitted) operates smoothly |
Honda CB750 Hornet Maintenance Schedule Table
Below is the list of maintenance operations to be done on the CB750 Hornet.
Bear in mind that this schedule is for road use of the Honda CB750 Hornet. If you use your bike on the track, even if not racing, all parts of the motorcycle are more stressed so the routine maintenance operations must be carried out more frequently than indicated.
A few notes about maintaining a Honda CB750 Hornet:
- Follow the maintenance schedule beyond the end in the pattern shown, repeating every 8000 miles.
- Follow the earlier of time-based or distance-based service intervals.
- Honda recommends you get a skilled mechanic to service the wheels, tyres, and steering head bearings.
| km x 1000 | 1 | 12 | 24 | 36 | 48 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| mi x 1000 | 0.6 | 8 | 16 | 24 | 32 | Every |
| Engine oil — Change (Pro Honda 10W-30) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Year |
| Oil filter — Change (HF204RC) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Air filter — Replace | ✓ | ✓ | More often if riding in dusty / wet conditions | |||
| Spark plugs — Inspect | ✓ | |||||
| Spark plugs — Replace (SILMAR8A9S) | ✓ | |||||
| Valve clearances — Inspect / Adjust | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
| Brake fluid – Replace (Honda Dot 4) | 2 years | |||||
| Radiator coolant — Replace (Pro Honda Coolant) | 3 years |
Honda CB750 Hornet Service Checklist
Below is the list of what to do on your Honda CB750 Hornet for regular service.
| Honda CB750 Hornet Service Checklist |
|---|
| [Dealer] Honda diagnostic system — Run test |
| Drive chain slider — Inspect |
| Fuel lines — Inspect |
| Engine idle speed — Check Target idle speed: 1300 +/- 100 rpm |
| Cooling system — Check for leaks / correct routing |
| Brake system — Check |
| Brake light switch — Check |
| Headlight aim — Check |
| Crankcase breather — Check |
| Front suspension — Check for smooth operation, and pitting / wear / leaks |
| Rear suspension — Check for smooth operation, and pitting / wear / leaks |
| Nots, bolts, and fasteners — Check for tightness / security |
| Steering head bearings — Check / adjust tightness |
Maintaining Your Chain on the Honda CB750 Hornet
It’s important to maintain your chain on the CB750 Hornet, as on any chain-driven motorcycle. Use a good-quality chain lubricant like Motul chain paste, or a Motul chain care kit which comes with a couple of handy tools to maintain the chain.
Honda recommends you follow the following chain maintenance schedule:
| Chain maintenance item | Every |
|---|---|
| Check drive chain lubrication condition, lubricating if necessary | 600 mi / 1000 km |
| Check drive chain slack, adjusting if necessary Target slack: 25-35 mm | 600 mi / 1000 km |
Notes:
- Do these items (checking/adjusting slack, and checking/applying lubrication) more often if you ride your Hornet in dusty or rainy conditions.
- Always lubricate the chain after washing the motorcycle.
To measure chain slack on the CB750 Hornet, measure the free vertical movement of the chain. Make sure the motorcycle is in neutral, on a level surface, on its kickstand, and with no luggage or anything on it.
Target chain slack for the Honda CB750 Hornet: 25-35 mm (1.0-1.4 in)
If the slack is out of spec, you need to adjust it. The general procedure to adjust chain slack is to
- Loosen the rear axle
- Loosen the lock nuts for the chain slack adjusters
- Turn the adjusters equally, making sure alignment is kept by looking at the markers on either side, until the target chain slack is reached
- Re-tighten the axle, then re-tighten the adjusters.
Tire sizes and pressures for the Honda CB750 Hornet
The manual says that the Honda CB750 arrives shod with Dunlop Roadsport 2 or Michelin Road 5 tubeless tires.
Here are the tire sizes and recommended pressures. Naturally, modify the tire pressures to suit your riding style.
| Wheel | Tire size | Tire pressure (cold) |
|---|---|---|
| Front | 120/70ZR17 M/C (58W) | 250 kPa / 36 psi |
| Rear | 160/60ZR17 M/C (69W) | 290 kPa / 42 psi |
About the Honda CB750 Hornet
The Honda CB750 Hornet is a new model in the Honda line-up, and also a new model in the long string of motorcycles with the Honda CB moniker, many of which are still made.
The CB750 Hornet is sold alongside several other middleweight sport bikes from Honda, including the Honda CB500F and Honda CB650R, both of which serve slightly different markets from the CB750 Hornet. But there’s a lot of overlap.
Where the CB750 Hornet is different from the others is that it has a new engine concept for Honda — a parallel-twin engine with a 270-degree crankshaft. These engines have become in vogue of late, ever since the Triumph and Yamaha parallel twins brought them into mainstream consciousness. They’re known as being an excellent balance between torquey and powerful, and can have the character of a Ducati V-twin but with much easier maintenance, thanks to the fact that they have just one cylinder head, and don’t have the rear cylinder cooling and access problem that V-twins have.
The engine in the Honda CB750 Hornet is a 755cc parallel twin with a single overhead cams and four valves per cylinder. It is of a “unicam” design, an intentional single overhead camshaft.
Per Honda, the Unicam design is intended to combine the best features of single- and double-overhead camshafts. The Unicam design means less weight and less space taken up in the cylinder head. The camshaft sits lower in the head, which makes for a more compact engine and lower centre of gravity.
Honda has implemented the Unicam design in a bunch of off-road / motocross motorcycles, starting with the CRF450R, but more recently also in the CRF1000L / CRF1100L parallel twins.
The Unicam is a distinct differentiator for the CB750 Hornet vs Suzuki’s competitor to the Hornet, the GSX-8S, which they released the same year.
Aside from the novel engine, there’s quite a lot that’s novel and interesting about the Honda CB750 Hornet.
Firstly, it’s the first Hornet motorcycle to have a parallel twin motor. They have all had inline four-cylinder engines in the past.
Secondly, the CB750 Hornet has quite a bit of standard tech. It comes with a highly legible 5-inch colour TFT display, ride modes (including a custom one), traction control (known as Honda Selectable Torque Control), wheelie control, an assist/slipper clutch, and even an optional up/down quick-shifter.
Thirdly, despite all the updates, the CB750 Hornet still strikes a balance between features and affordability. It omits a few things that are present on high-end naked bikes, like cornering ABS, cruise control, and adjustable suspension. Like the previous Hornets, it’s trying to be “just enough bike” without presenting an overwhelming amount.
The Honda CB750 Hornet comes in a few options packs, including a sport pack, style pack, and touring pack. If you want the adventure touring pack… then you’re probably looking for the XL750 Transalp.
Honda CB750 Hornet Owner’s Manual
The above info was sourced from the owner’s manual for the Honda CB750 Hornet. See screenshots below for reference.
You can download the manual for the new Hornet from the Hondamotopub website.
