Honda ‘s long-anticipated CB1000GT tall-rounder and CB1000F retro roadster models will finally arrive in dealers from July.
Both machines were revealed in late 2025 and are powered by versions of the 1000cc inline four-cylinder engine first seen in the CB1000 Hornet revealed in 2024 – itself derived from the 2017 CBR1000RR Fireblade superbike.
The Hornet proved an instant sales hit, thanks to tempting pricing that currently starts at £9099, but both the base and SP models suffered from excessive oil consumption , leading to a recall affecting a confirmed 950 UK-registered machines.
According to a Honda UK representative, finding a permanent solution to the issue was prioritised over the arrival of the GT and F variants – and the supply of the required parts took longer than anticipated.
Further hold-ups were said to have been caused by the conflict in the Middle East . This began on the 28th of February and delayed shipping times from Japan.
A Honda spokesperson said: “We can confirm Honda is implementing a permanent solution to fix the excessive oil consumption impacting some CB1000 Hornets.
“All related activities will be undertaken at Honda facilities by specialist technicians, in line with Honda’s commitment to customer satisfaction and product quality.
“All local authorities have been informed of these next steps, and letters informing owners of the next steps will be issued as soon as possible. Customers will be contacted by direct mail to organise repair at their dealer, who will manage timings.”
They continued:” The root cause of the excessive oil consumption has been identified, a permanent fix has been created, and customers will be notified as soon as possible with details of the timeline.
“The cause is related to piston rings and piston specifications, which can result in oil entering the combustion chamber.”
The Honda representative went on to state that affected Hornet models will have their pistons and piston rings changed to fix the issue.
The most anticipated of the new models is the CB1000F, which starts at a tempting £10,599 and was first shown in October 2025.
Its styling echoes the CB750f and CB900f of the 1980s, with a claimed 122bhp at 9000rpm and 76lb.ft of torque arriving at 8000rpm.
To achieve the new performance, cam timing has been revised – and the bike has a 4-2-1 ‘megaphone’ exhaust. New intake funnels – about three times longer than those on the Hornet – are unequal in length to create a ‘pulsating’ sound on throttle opening. Gearing has also been tweaked.
The £11,999 CB1000GT was initially seen at last November’s EICMA show. It’s claimed 148bhp at 11,00rpm and 75lb.ft at 8750rpm will be fed by a 21-litre fuel tank.
The Hornet was not the only model experiencing issues with oil consumption – problems were also reported with the CBR600RR .
Returning to the UK in 2024 and currently priced at £10,999, it’s now been confirmed that 1064 motorcycles are impacted in the UK and that a final fix is coming to customers soon.
“The root cause of the excessive consumption for the 600cc engine has been identified,” the Honda UK spokesperson added.
“A permanent fix has been created, and customers will be notified as soon as possible with details of the timeline.
“Impacted customers will be contacted via letter, and their local dealer will arrange a time for the repairs to take place. Relevant authorities have been informed of these updates. The cause of the high oil consumption is an improperly finished cylinder, resulting in a rough cylinder surface.”
Unlike the Hornet, which will see parts replaced within the engine. To remedy the problem, every CBR motor will be checked, and if the piston surface roughness is outside specification, a full engine replacement will be required.
You may be surprised to see that more CBR600RRs are impacted than CB1000 Hornets, but it’s important to bear in mind that the screaming supersport model has been on the market for a lot longer – it was first shown at the 2023 EICMA show.
Arriving the following spring, the Hornet was instantly popular – it was Britain’s bestselling middleweight that June.
MCN’s Justin Hayzelden sampled the CB1000GT at its launch late last year, and was full of praise, saying: “Although the motor’s internals are unchanged, a remap has smoothed out throttle response to give it better tractability from the closed position and through the lower rev range.
“The GT delivers a bucketload of fun in terms of handling and performance; however, the hooligan side it inherits from the Hornet has been teased into something more dashing – elegant, even – thanks to the enhanced stability, increased comfort, and touring-focused electronic additions such as cruise control, heated grips and lean-sensitive rider aids.
“Honda’s value for money philosophy is prevalent too, as with an OTR price of just £11,999 it outflanks the opposition and offers tremendous bang for your buck. The CB1000GT is involving, practical, affordable and a…