Honda CB1000GT (2026) – Technical Review

The term ‘crossover’ has been around for decades in the car world to describe road-only machines with the high-riding stance of an SUV and it feels like it’s time to bring the same nomenclature to the motorcycle market as a growing number of brands apply the same formula to two wheels. Honda is the latest with the new CB1000GT – a bike that takes the bones of the stunningly successful CB1000 Hornet and revamps them to create a high-riding, high-performance sports-tourer to rival the likes of Yamaha’s Tracer 9, Suzuki’s GSX-S1000GX and even BMW’s S1000XR.

Pros & Cons

2026 Honda CB1000GT - Price & PCP Deals

Honda’s CB1000 Hornet and CB1000F already show Honda is on a mission massively undercut its direct competitors in terms of price and the CB1000GT underlines that with its £11,999 tag.

With competition like the Suzuki GSX-S1000GX and Yamaha Tracer 9 GT in the £14k-£15k bracket, along with more conventional sports-tourers like Kawasaki’s Ninja 1100SX SE, it’s a price that gives the Honda a considerable advantage.

With removable panniers, cruise control and heated grips as standard, buyers won’t need to delve deep into the accessories catalogue to have a capable long-distance machine, either – although of course there are still tempting add-ons available to increase the bottom line, including a bellypan, decal kits to add more visual spice, alternative seats and screens, and additional luggage and lighting.

The paint options are a little subdued, with the Grand Prix Red version the only one with a splash of colour, alongside ‘Pearl Deep Mud Grey’ and ‘Graphite Black’ variants.

2026 Honda CB1000GT - Engine & Performance

Like the CB1000 Hornet and CB1000F that share so many of the CB1000GT’s main components, the engine is Honda’s 1000cc four derived from the 2017 Fireblade motor, albeit with a state of tune that’s specific to the GT’s needs.

The engine itself is familiar, with the same 76mm bore and 55.1mm stroke as its sister models and a fairly tame (by high-performance bikes standards) 11.7:1 compression ratio – well down on the 13:1 that the original Blade variant used. In terms of performance, it’s close to the CB1000 Hornet, with 147.6hp at 11,000rpm where the Hornet makes 149.7hp at the same revs and the Hornet SP manages 155hp thanks to its different exhaust. The CB1000GT’s torque peaks at 102Nm (75.2lbft) and 8,750rpm, compared to 104Nm (76.7lbft) at 9,000rpm for the Hornet and 107Nm (78.9lbft) for the Hornet SP.

Those figures are substantially higher than the retro CB1000F’s peak of 122hp at 9,000rpm, but of course a long way down on the original 2017 Fireblade’s 189hp at 13,000rpm, showing how Honda achieves a broad array of different performance profiles from the same basic engine components and illustrating very clearly that more revs equal more power.

The motor drives through a variation of the same six-speed box used on the CB1000GT’s sister models, but with dedicated ratios for its sports-touring role – second to fifth are tuned for acceleration, while sixth is a long ratio for relaxed revs at high speed. There’s the expected assist-and-slipper clutch and an up-and-down quickshifter is standard, but Honda has (so far) stopped short of fitting the bike with the automated E-Clutch system that’s rapidly spreading through the rest of the company’s range.

Ride-by-wire throttles and a standard-fit, six-axis inertial measurement unit mean Honda has been able to exploit all the latest rider assist gizmos, with cornering traction control and ABS as well as a host of adjustable settings. There are three throttle maps and engine braking maps on offer, along with a trio of traction control settings, all combined into four standard riding modes – Standard, Sport, Rain and Tour – and one user-configurable preset.

2026 Honda CB1000GT - Handling & Suspension (inc. Weight)

The frame is essentially the same diamond-style steel design used on the CB1000 Hornet and CB1000F, but with an extended, strengthened subframe to provide additional capacity for luggage and passenger loads.

The swingarm is longer than the Hornet’s, up from 619mm to 635mm for more stability, and the rear shock mount is revised. Combined with the new rear shock and forks, the result is the same 25-degree rake as the Hornet, but with a 10mm longer wheelbase – 1465mm instead of 1455mm – and 106.3mm of trail, up from 98mm. The bulkier subframe also shifts weight distribution slight back: 51% front to 49% rear on the CB1000GT compared to 51.2%/48.8% on the Hornet.

There’s only 3mm more ground clearance than the Hornet, which comes as a surprise given the CB1000GT’s high stance, while the seat height rises from 809mm to 825mm, thanks largely to 15mm deeper padding for more comfort.

But the really big difference is the suspension itself, with the CB1000GT adopting Showa EERA (Electronically Equipped Ride Adjustment) semi-active kit front and rear. Working alongside the IMU and a stroke sensor on the forks to monitor the front suspension’s movement, EERA’s control unit adapts the damping, reacting in just 0.015 seconds.

There are four presets, selectable from the bars: Standard mode is an all-rounder setting, Sport firms up the damping, Rain softens it, and Tour configures the dampers for high speeds and two-up riding. There’s also a ‘User’ mode to apply your own personal damping and preload choices.

Rear preload can also be tweaked on the move, with 24 steps, to compensate for additional loads or changing conditions or preferences.

The brakes, as on the Hornet, are Nissin four-pot radial calipers on 310mm discs, but with the addition of cornering ABS thanks to the IMU, and the bike’s wet weight of 229kg is competitive within its class.

2026 Honda CB1000GT - Comfort & Economy

Keeping the rider in comfort at speed has been one of Honda’s priorities in the CB1000GT’s design process, which employed computational fluid dynamics to help shape the nose fairing and screen to not only deflect the wind but to work across a broad array of situations in terms of pitch, roll and yaw.

The screen is adjustable – not electronically, but with a one-handed operation – to five positions over an 81mm range of heights, and there’s an optional taller version on offer as well. As with several of Honda’s latest bikes, the screen itself is made of Durabio, a plant-derived, eco-friendly plastic, while some other elements of the bike are recycled polypropylene.

The 825mm seat height isn’t as tall as some rivals in the class, and Honda boasts that the padding is thicker than the Hornet’s, while the bar and peg positions are revised for a comfortable sports-touring posture. The pegs themselves appear to be the same, lower-set components used on the CB1000F.

Handguards, heated grips and cruise control are all standard.

Honda’s claiming 47mpg fuel economy, and pairs that to a large, 21-litre tank for a potential range of 217 miles if you’re prepared to run it dry.

2026 Honda CB1000GT - Equipment

The CB1000GT’s five-inch colour TFT dash is borrowed from the existing range and on a par with expectations in this class and has all the usual phone connectivity features via the Honda RoadSync app for Android or iOS when it comes to calls, music and navigation, controlled via a four-way toggle switch on the left bar.

The ignition is via Honda’s proximity ‘Smart Key’ system, so there’s no need to get the fob out of your pocket, but lockable elements like the seat and fuel cap use a conventional key that flicks out when it’s needed.

Other tech includes full LED lighting and auto-cancelling indicators, plus Honda’s ESS system to flash the hazards during hard stops, and a USB-C socket so the all-important phone shouldn’t be left with a flat battery.

While some rivals expect you to splash out on luggage separately, the CB1000GT gets detachable panniers as standard, with 37 litres of capacity in the left case and 28 litres in the right. Optionally, that can be bolstered with an additional 50 litres of space in a top box, which requires an additional rear carrier mount.

A centre stand, something many rivals charge extra for, is also fitted as standard.

A trio of accessory packs tailors compiles the optional extras into curated sets: the Comfort Pack adds the tall screen, comfort seats for rider and passenger, upper and lower wind deflectors and fog lights; the Sports Pack includes a bottom cowling, engine guards and decals for the tank and wheel rims; and the Urban Pack includes the top box, rear carrier mount and associated fittings. Alternatively, you can mix-and-match from the whole options catalogue.

2026 Honda CB1000GT - Rivals

Combining a tall riding position with 17-inch front and rear wheels is a growing trend among sports tourers, with the likes of BMW’s S1000XR and KTM 1290 Super Duke GT at the higher end of the performance and price scale (along with the vastly more expensive Ducati Multistrada V4 Pikes Peak and RS variants) and Japanese contenders in the form of the Yamaha Tracer 9 range and Suzuki’s GSX-S1000GX. The CB1000GT looks to be a convincing alternative despite costing thousands less than its competitors.

Yamaha Tracer 9 GT - A close competitor for the Honda, the Tracer 9 range offers a whole gamut of possibilities and price levels – from the base £11,304 version to the £17,004 GT+. The GT has the panniers to compete with the CB1000GT, but you’ll need to step up to the GT+ to get electronic suspension. Yamaha’s Y-AMT semi-auto box is also an option, or standard on the GT+, but the 890cc three-cylinder engine can’t match the CB1000GT’s outright punch.

Suzuki GSX-S1000GX+ - Packing Showa EERA electronic suspension like the CB1000GT the GSX-S1000GX+ also uses a similar combination of superbike-based powertrain and high-rise stance, but with the benefit of an aluminium beam frame instead of the Honda’s steel design.

BMW S 1000 XR - Also following the superbike-engine-in-a-sports-tourer formula, combined with a tall look, the S1000XR is at the pricier end of the spectrum but rewards with strong technology and performance that’s a step above the Honda after an upgrade to 170hp in its current form. Again there’s electronic suspension, but you’ll pay handsomely for extras like luggage and a centre stand that come standard on the Honda.

Yamaha Tracer 9 GT | Price: £14,354

Read more

Power/Torque

117.3bhp / 68.6lb-ft

Weight

231kg

Suzuki GSX-S1000GX+ | Price: £14,999

Read more

Power/Torque

150bhp / 78.2lb-ft

Weight

232kg

BMW S 1000 XR | Price: £16,960

Read more

Power/Torque

170bhp / 84lb-ft

Weight

227kg

2026 Honda CB1000GT - Verdict

As seemingly typical of Honda in recent years, get the price attractive enough to make riders sit up and take notice and each bike, including this 2026 Honda CB1000GT, has the potential to be the package to beat. This sit-up-Blade-GT sits in the growing crossover/sports-tourer market and offers a high level of standard kit that rivals often charge extra for. The engine and chassis are already well proven, and Honda’s massive dealer network is another point in its favour.

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2026 Honda CB1000GT - Technical Specification

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