Honda has a long-standing custom of constructing middleweight bikes which are extremely succesful however visually uninteresting. The mid-2000s Honda CB600F Hornet is a chief instance. It makes just below 100 hp, handles properly, and boasts Honda’s legendary reliability… but it surely’s ugly.
We don’t see an entire lot of {custom} Honda Hornets, which is an actual disgrace. The punchy four-cylinder bare has tons of potential—if you understand how to therapeutic massage it into form.
This tradition 2006-model Honda CB600F Hornet (often known as the Honda 599 within the US) comes from Francis Von Tuto in Florence, Italy. Francis is not any stranger to older Japanese sportbikes, so he got here into the challenge with a transparent thought of learn how to take it from bland to lovely. However earlier than he might deliver this tradition Honda Hornet to life, he needed to get his shopper on board.
From the shopper’s perspective, the challenge had been off to a rocky begin. He’d initially given the bike over to a unique {custom} builder—a superb pal of Francis’ who makes a speciality of efficiency bikes and manages a WorldSBK race crew. However, attributable to unexpected circumstances, the workshop by no means acquired additional than stripping the bike.
Francis was referred to as in to take the challenge over. The shopper agreed, however he was understandably annoyed on the prospect of getting to elucidate all his concepts to a brand-new workshop. However one have a look at Francis’ portfolio set his thoughts relaxed, and the 2 slowly began constructing a rapport.
“He initially had concepts that didn’t actually match the fashion of the construct, or in some circumstances that might compromise the rideability,” says Francis. “In lots of circumstances, it doesn’t assist while you search for inspiration on the web, since individuals put up all the pieces from six-figure builds to unrideable showpieces. It’s generally troublesome for the common consumer to inform the distinction.”
“After a number of mock-ups and conferences, we discovered a approach to straighten issues out. Let me say that is nothing unusual, it occurs greater than you’ll anticipate… and I get it! Fortunately ultimately we discovered a compromise and it began to make sense.”
“One of many downsides of the Honda CB600F Hornet, aside from its terribly lengthy and tall rear body part, is its voluminous tank. However the proprietor wished to maintain it—so first I needed to create a brand new design to work round it. That meant the exhaust, sprint, and headlight all needed to go, and the entire rear part needed to be shorter and narrower, however nonetheless snug for a pillion.”
Francis began by remodeling the Hornet’s subframe; a chore in itself. The OEM subframe is an oblong tube affair that was designed to be hidden below bodywork—however the redesign was going to depart it uncovered. So Francis minimize the tip off, did some even handed de-tabbing, and welded in a brand new rear loop, fabricated from spherical tubing.
Additional care was taken to make sure that the brand new setup wouldn’t have an effect on the rear suspension geometry, and that there would nonetheless be room to squeeze a passenger on. Subsequent, Francis formed a seat pan out of fiberglass, then handed it over to BF Tappezzerie, an auto upholsterer in Florence, to complete it. It now wears double-density foam and a vinyl cowl, with stitching particulars that have been requested by the proprietor.
Decrease down, Francis ditched the Hornet’s airbox to slim it down extra. Alloy aspect panels now flank the bike, wrapping across the remnants of the oblong subframe for a extra cohesive aesthetic. Hiding behind the aspect panels are a Lithium-ion battery, a coolant reservoir, and the important electrical bits.
A row of filters from BMC deal with consumption duties, with purple bases that match the opposite purple accents on the bike. Francis additionally put in a stage three efficiency equipment from Dynojet, to guarantee that the bike runs easily with the open filters.
The Hornet’s upside-down forks and 17” alloy wheels have been retained, however the forks wanted a rebuild. An elegant sculpted fender sits above the entrance wheel; it appears to be like prefer it’s been borrowed from a contemporary sportbike, however Francis truly formed it out of aluminum utilizing an English wheel, a hammer, and a sheet curler.
The bike’s proprietor provided a brand new LED headlight, however the remainder of the cockpit’s structure was as much as Francis. He put in the sunshine on aluminum stays, then added a laser-cut fly display screen above it. A laser-cut dashboard sits flush with the display screen and hosts a digital Motogadget speedo, whereas low-rise handlebars and bar-end mirrors full the bundle.
For the reason that bike wanted to be street-legal and considerably sensible, Francis wanted to create a number of further items to decorate the rear. A fiberglass hugger retains muck away from the rear shock, whereas laser-cut chrome steel brackets maintain the license plate, bolted to new CNC-machined chain adjuster plates. There’s a custom-made chain guard again there too.
Highsider LED flip alerts do obligation up entrance, with three-in-one Highsider objects doubling up as flip alerts and taillights on the again. The Hornet’s completed off with a pair of gnarly chrome steel mufflers, hooked as much as the OEM headers through a {custom} connector pipe.
The Hornet’s proprietor wished his bike to match his Jeep, in order that took the guesswork out of choosing a shade. The livery wanted a number of small particulars although, so Francis enlisted the assistance of a pal—an illustrator who operates as The Junkers—to create a number of renders. Ultimately, all of the design wanted was numbers on the aspect panels, a touch of black alongside the underside of the tank, and traditional Honda logos.
“I owe him,” says Francis, “as a result of he hates this type of work and by no means does it. So the truth that he did it for me is a giant plus!”
Like all the pieces on this tradition Honda Hornet, the livery is easy, tasteful, and placing. It’s proof that the vanilla donor bike has oodles of potential—and that Francis is aware of learn how to extract that potential.
Francis Von Tuto | Fb | Instagram | Pictures by Rafael Montañes Ruiz | Francis want to thank Aero Membership Serristori and Etruria Volo
