Honda has now entered the sporty 125cc motorcycle segment in India, with the all new CB125 Hornet taking on the much established Hero Xtreme 125R. The Hornet comes loaded with premium, segment-first features like golden USDs and connected TFT display – for a redefined category. But the Hero Xtreme 125R still has just a tiny bit more in raw bhp, so it’s the fight between modern smarts and proven zeal.
The all-new Honda CB125 Hornet is a 123.94cc single-cylinder engine that generates 11.14 PS and 11.2 Nm of peak torque. Meanwhile, the Hero Xtreme 125R has a 124.7cc motor that makes 11.55 PS and 10.5 Nm, albeit with more power and lesser torque. Though the Xtreme wins on the top end, the Hornet’s greater torque at lower revs should offer speedier jump off the blocks in city traffic.
Hardware and Features: A Strong Divide
The big change is in terms of hardware. “The Hornet CB 160R is decked up with latest aggressive styling and advanced features, better braking efficiency and enhanced suspension to keep you poised for all types of riding conditions,” the company said in a statement, CESL added. The Xtreme 125R rides on standard telescopic front forks.
Technologically, it’s simply another class on the Hornet. It gets a new 4.2-inch TFT instrument console that can be connected to the rider’s smartphone via Bluetooth using the Honda Roadsync application and gets features like turn-by-turn navigation, call alerts and music controls. The Xtreme 125R gets a basic digital LCD screen, but good enough of the basics are covered. For safety, both the motorcycles get Single-channel ABS.
The Hornet is 124 kgs, which is far lighter than the Xtreme 125R’s kerb weight of 136 kgs. And that’s 0.6 kg lighter than the Xtreme, which taken away from its torquey engine gets it a 0-60 kmph time of 5.4 seconds – that’s half a second quicker than the Xtreme.
Specifications at a Glance
Read Also: June 2025 Motorcycle Sales: Splendor, Shine, Pulsar Rankings Revealed