Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India is all set to expand its 125cc portfolio in the Indian market with the launch of the CB125 Hornet. Set to launch on August 1, the baby Hornet is ready to throw its hat into the ring against well-established players like the TVS Raider and Hero Xtreme 125R. In this comparison, we see how the new kid on the block lines up against its rivals, on paper.
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| Honda CB125 Hornet | TVS Raider | Hero Xtreme 125R | |
| Engine | 123.94cc, single cylinder air-cooled | 124.8cc single cylinder air-cooled | 124.7cc single cylinder air-cooled |
| Max Power | 11 bhp at 7500 rpm | 11.2 bhp at 7500 rpm | 11.4 bhp at 8250 rpm |
| Peak Torque | 11.2 Nm at 6000 rpm | 11.2/11.7 Nm (iGo) at 6000 rpm | 10.5 Nm at 6000 rpm |
| Gearbox | 5-speed | 5-speed | 5-speed |
All three motorcycles feature a single-cylinder, air-cooled engine with displacements hovering around the 125cc mark. In terms of power output, the Honda CB125 Hornet delivers 11 bhp at 7500 rpm, placing it slightly below its competitors. The TVS Raider produces 11.2 bhp at the same rpm, while the Hero Xtreme 125R leads the trio with 11.4 bhp at 8250 rpm. This means the Hornet makes 0.2 bhp less than the Raider and 0.4 bhp less than the Xtreme 125R.
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Looking at torque figures, the CB125 Hornet offers 11.2 Nm at 6000 rpm, which is on par with the standard version of the Raider. However, TVS also offers an ‘iGo’ variant that pushes peak torque to 11.7 Nm. On the other hand, the Hero Xtreme 125R produces 10.5 Nm at 6000 rpm, making the Hornet 0.7 Nm torquier than the Hero offering. All three motorcycles come equipped with a 5-speed gearbox.
| Honda CB125 Hornet | TVS Raider | Hero Xtreme 125R | |
| Kerb Weight | 124 kg | 123 kg | 136 kg |
| Seat Height | 796 mm | 780 mm | 794 mm |
| Fuel Tank Capacity | 12 litres | 10 litres | 10 litres |
| Wheelbase | 1330 mm | 1326 mm | 1319 mm |
The Honda CB125 Hornet sits between its competitors when it comes to dimensions and other numbers. Compared to the Raider, the Hornet is slightly heavier by 1 kg, which is a negligible difference in real-world use. However, it's significantly lighter than the Hero Xtreme 125R by 12 kg. In terms of seat height, the Hornet is the tallest of the three. It's 16 mm higher than the TVS Raider and 2 mm taller than the Hero Xtreme.
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The small Hornet clearly takes the lead in fuel tank capacity. It offers 2 litres more than both rivals. When it comes to wheelbase, the Hornet has the longest among the three.
| Honda CB125 Hornet | TVS Raider | Hero Xtreme 125R | |
| Front/Rear Shock | USD/Monoshock | Telescopic/Monoshock adjustable | Telescopic/Monoshock |
| Tyre size front | 80/100-17 (tubeless) | 80/100-17 (tubeless) | 90/90 - 17 (tubeless) |
| Tyre size rear | 110/80- 17 (tubeless) | 100/90- 17 (tubeless) | 120/80 - 17 (tubeless) |
| Brakes front | Disc – 240 mm | Disc – 240 mm | Disc – 276 mm |
| Brakes rear | Drum – 130 mm | Drum – 130 mm | Drum – 130 mm |
The Honda CB125 Hornet is the only one here to feature upside-down (USD) forks, while both the Raider and Xtreme feature telescopic forks. At the rear, all three bikes use a monoshock, but only the Raider offers adjustability. In terms of tyre sizes, the Hornet and Raider share the same front tyre size, while the Xtreme goes for a slightly wider front tyre. On the rear tyre, the Hornet sits between its two rivals. The Hornet and the Raider are equipped with similar-sized front discs, while the Hero Xtreme features a larger front disc. All three bikes use a drum brake at the rear of the same size.
On the features front, all three motorcycles offer a complete LED setup, including headlights, DRLs, tail lamps, and turn indicators. The Hornet is equipped with a full-colour 4.2-inch TFT display that supports Bluetooth connectivity through Honda’s RoadSync app. On the other hand, the TVS Raider also features a TFT display in its higher variants, offering smartphone connectivity and voice command support through the SmartXConnect system. Meanwhile, the Hero Xtreme 125R gets a basic LCD display and also offers Bluetooth connectivity.
| Honda CB125 Hornet | TVS Raider | Hero Xtreme 125R | |
| Prices (ex-showroom) | TBA | Rs 87,000 – Rs 1.02 lakh | Rs 98,500 – Rs 1.02 lakh |
Honda will announce prices for the CB125 Hornet on August 1. Given its competitors' pricing, Honda will likely price it competitively within this Rs 90,000 to Rs 1.05 lakh bracket. However, we expect it to be the most expensive of the lot, considering what it has to offer, especially on the hardware and features front.
