Short answer: this Honda CB500 Hornet buying guide says buy the bike for what it is — a friendly, honest 471cc naked middleweight that now costs $5,899 new. The Hornet is the CB500F under a new name, the same motorcycle with the same CB500FA code, and that fact shapes every used deal in this Honda CB500 Hornet buying guide: search both names and judge the generation, not the badge.
That discipline matters because this Honda CB500 Hornet buying guide covers a market split across two names and three generations. A 2021 bike, a 2024 bike, and a 2026 bike can all be the same platform wearing different labels.
Honda CB500 Hornet Price and Market Availability
New and used prices sit close together on this bike, which is why the new-versus-used maths deserves care in this Honda CB500 Hornet buying guide. A leftover new 2025 CB500F can cost less than a nearly new used example, while a well-bought older bike saves thousands.
What Does a Used Honda CB500F Cost in the USA by Generation?
For 2026, the new anchor is simple: the Honda CB500 Hornet costs $5,899 plus a $600 destination charge, $6,499 before tax and dealer fees, in Black only, per Honda’s own 2026 CB500 Hornet page. That is $1,000 below the 2025 CB500F at $6,899 — a price cut, not a redesign. For the full model story behind that price in this Honda CB500 Hornet buying guide, see our Honda CB500 Hornet review.
Used prices follow generations: pre-2022 bikes (single disc, LCD dash) are cheapest, 2022–2023 bikes (SFF-BP fork, dual discs) sit higher, and 2024–2025 bikes (TFT, HSTC, still called F in the US) higher again. A fresh November 2026 sample of US dealer asks in this Honda CB500 Hornet buying guide, labelled as asks and not completed sales, shows the pattern: a used 2025 CB500F ABS with 3,015 miles was listed at $5,491 in Jacksonville, Florida, and a used 2024 CB500F ABS with 2,093 miles at $5,525 in Forest Lake, Minnesota — both well under their $6,899 original MSRP. A leftover new 2023 CB500F was also advertised at $5,999 in Litchfield, Illinois, which is why checking new leftovers belongs in any used search.
| Example (November 2026, dealer asks) | Asking price | Mileage and note |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 CB500F ABS, Jacksonville FL | $5,491 | 3,015 miles, used |
| 2024 CB500F ABS, Forest Lake MN | $5,525 | 2,093 miles, used |
| 2023 CB500F, Litchfield IL | $5,999 | Leftover new |
| 2026 CB500 Hornet, new | $5,899 + $600 destination | Black only, Honda USA |
| Summary | 2024–2025 asks near $5,500 | Asks, not sales |
Search Both Names and the CB500FA Code When Shopping Used
This is the single most valuable shopping habit in this Honda CB500 Hornet buying guide. Because the bike was sold as the CB500F in the United States through 2025 and only became the Hornet for 2026, a search for “Hornet” alone misses nearly the whole used market. Search “CB500F” and “CB500 Hornet” together, and add the model code CB500FA. The companion CB500F buying guide covers the same platform under its older name — the code on Honda’s 2026 page and F dealer sheets, sometimes suffixed CB500FAR or CB500FAS. Two name traps deserve naming in this Honda CB500 Hornet buying guide. First, a “2024 US Hornet” is a mislabel: the 2024 US bike is a CB500F. Second, a “2020 US CB500F” needs paperwork proof, because Honda took the F out of the US lineup for 2020 and brought it back for 2021. Neither trap automatically means a bad bike — but both mean the price should reflect the paperwork, not the listing headline.
Honda CB500 Hornet Insurance and Ownership Costs
Insurance is where this Honda CB500 Hornet buying guide has to be honest about a gap. No published US model-specific insurance quote for this exact bike was found, so every figure here is a labelled benchmark for the class, never a quote for a CB500 Hornet or CB500F in your name, at your address, with your record.
No US Model-Specific Insurance Data Was Found for This Bike
The honest position in this Honda CB500 Hornet buying guide is plain: no US model-specific Hornet or F insurance figure was found in accessible sources, and no UK fleet figure specific to this bike is asserted here either. That is a reason to get a real quote before signing anything. What can be said with confidence is structural: this is a 471cc, A2-class, sub-50-horsepower naked with ABS standard and a large parts supply, all of which insurers generally price more kindly than a faired supersport. Get quotes from at least three insurers with the exact VIN before budgeting in this Honda CB500 Hornet buying guide, and treat any single online “average” as background, not a price.
How to Estimate Fuel, Maintenance, Parts and Other Ownership Expenses
Fuel is the easiest cost to estimate honestly in this Honda CB500 Hornet buying guide. Cycle World’s 2022 test averaged 59.0 mpg on the F, and Rider’s 2017 test recorded 62.4 mpg, so a planning figure of around 55–60 mpg is realistic for mixed riding, giving roughly 250 miles from the 4.5-gallon tank with reserve to spare. Maintenance is the next line in this Honda CB500 Hornet buying guide: first service at 600 miles, then oil and filter every 8,000 miles or 12 months, valve inspection every 16,000 miles, brake fluid every two years, and coolant every three years. Parts availability is good through Honda dealers. The costs that surprise first-time buyers are tyres, a chain and sprocket set, and crash damage — and on a naked bike, crash damage is at least visible. For tested power and economy figures, see our Honda CB500 Hornet performance guide, and for service intervals in detail, see our Honda CB500 Hornet reliability guide.
How to Inspect a Used Honda CB500 Hornet
Inspection on a naked bike is easier than on a faired bike, and this Honda CB500 Hornet buying guide treats that as an advantage to use, not a reason to rush. With no fairings to hide damage, a careful walk-around tells you most of what you need to know before a test ride tells you the rest.
Checking Valve Service at 16,000 Miles and Recall Completion
Paperwork comes first in this Honda CB500 Hornet buying guide. Ask for proof of the 16,000-mile valve-clearance inspection on any bike at or past that mileage, and note the year split on spark plugs: the F schedule supports plug replacement at 16,000 miles on 2019–2021 bikes, while later manuals differ by year, so check the manual for the year you are buying. Then run the VIN through Honda’s recall lookup in this Honda CB500 Hornet buying guide and get recall status in writing. The recall picture is year-exact and must not be merged: recall 21V-382 covers the F for 2021 only, 256 units, for a dim rear reflector, confirmed in the NHTSA document for 21V-382. Recall 21V-690 does not name the F at all — its bulletin covers the CB500X and CBR500R — so a seller who claims F inclusion is confusing models. An open recall is unfinished business to finish before money changes hands.
Inspecting Crash Damage With No Fairings to Hide It
Start at the extremities, because a naked bike wears its history on its edges. Check bar ends, levers, mirrors, and footpegs for scrapes that suggest a drop; check fork stanchions for pitting and seals for weeping; check the radiator for bent fins and the engine cases for rash or fresh paint hiding it. Then check the generation tells — this Honda CB500 Hornet buying guide treats them as honesty tells: a 2022-on bike should have the inverted SFF-BP fork and dual 296mm front discs, a 2024-on bike should have the 5-inch TFT dash and HSTC, and a US bike should have a manual six-speed gearbox — E-Clutch on a bike claimed as a US model means an EU import or a mislabel, since Honda USA offers no E-Clutch on this bike for 2026. The video below is a used Honda CB500 Hornet review covering real-world pros and cons and what to check before buying — exactly the inspection lens this section uses.
Finally, ride it before you buy it in this Honda CB500 Hornet buying guide: cold starts, clutch feel, and brake feel are all price information.
Honda CB500 Hornet Model Years and Features to Compare
Three generations, one platform — and the differences between them are the whole used-buying decision in this Honda CB500 Hornet buying guide. Pay for the generation you want, not for the newest badge on an older bike.
Comparing Pre-2022 Bikes With the SFF-BP Fork Generation
Pre-2022 bikes are the value entry point in this Honda CB500 Hornet buying guide. They carry the same 471cc twin and the same friendly character, with a single front disc setup and an LCD dash, and they are the bikes most likely to have been dropped by a beginner — which, on a naked bike, you can see and price. The 2022 update is the first real step change: the 41mm Showa SFF-BP inverted fork, dual 296mm front discs with radial-mount calipers, and lighter wheels and swingarm. If you ride twisty roads or brake hard, that generation is worth paying for over a pre-2022 bike in similar condition. If you commute and ride gently, a clean pre-2022 bike with full service history is the better value in this Honda CB500 Hornet buying guide. Either way, check chain slack against the manual for the year you are buying — a 2015 manual allows 35–45mm, a 2022 manual specifies 25–35mm.
2024-On Bikes Add TFT and HSTC Under Either Name
The 2024 update is the second step change, and the name confusion around it is the trap in this Honda CB500 Hornet buying guide. In Europe the bike became the Hornet for 2024, with a 5-inch TFT dash, HSTC, and an ECU update. In the United States the same updated bike kept the CB500F name for 2024 and 2025, and only became the Hornet for 2026. So a US “2024 Hornet” listing is a European bike or a mislabel. One handling note deserves care here: Honda USA’s own page was said to list an LCD gauge, but the page fetched for this research showed no instrument type in its spec excerpt at all, so this Honda CB500 Hornet buying guide does not repeat the LCD claim as current fact — check the live page at buying time, and trust the bike in front of you over any webpage.
Honda CB500 Hornet vs Kawasaki Z500: Which One to Buy in the USA
The Z500 is the natural cross-shop because it undercuts the Honda on price. This Honda CB500 Hornet buying guide puts the rivals on one table with trim-labelled prices, checked against their sources.
Hornet at $5,899 Against the Z500 ABS at $5,699 Plus $650
For 2026, the Kawasaki Z500 ABS costs $5,699 plus a $650 destination charge, confirmed on Motorcycle.com’s 2026 Z500 specification page and on multiple dealer listings. With destination included, the Hornet is $6,499 and the Z500 is $6,349 — the Honda is $150 dearer out the door, $200 dearer on MSRP. That gap buys the Honda’s larger 471cc twin, dual 296mm front discs against the Z500’s single 310mm disc, and Honda’s dealer network. The Kawasaki answers with a lighter bike — around 366–368 lb against the Honda’s 414 lb claimed curb weight — and a lower seat for shorter riders. Neither bike is objectively better in this Honda CB500 Hornet buying guide; the choice is weight and price against size, torque, and braking hardware, and a test ride on both settles it faster than any table.
| 2026 rival (new) | MSRP | Destination | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Honda CB500 Hornet | $5,899 | $600 | 471cc twin, 414 lb, dual 296mm discs |
| Kawasaki Z500 ABS | $5,699 | $650 | 451cc twin, ~367 lb, single disc |
| Honda CBR500R | $6,399 | $600 | Faired sibling, $500 more |
| CFMOTO 450NK | $5,399 | Freight extra | 449cc twin, 50 hp claimed |
| Summary | Hornet $6,499 before tax/fees | Z500 $6,349 — Honda $150 dearer |
When a CBR500R at $6,399 or a 390 Duke Makes More Sense
The faired sibling makes sense when wind protection and highway miles matter more than upright comfort. The CBR500R costs $6,399 plus $600 destination for 2026, $500 more than the Hornet on MSRP, for the same platform with clip-on bars and a fairing — a better highway bike and a worse city bike, in this Honda CB500 Hornet buying guide’s judgement. The KTM 390 Duke is the messy one, and this Honda CB500 Hornet buying guide says so rather than picking a stale figure: current dealer listings show $5,899, while a TopSpeed report from August 2026 puts the base price at $5,499 after a price cut, and an older tariff-era figure of $6,499 also still circulates in spec listings. Verify the current price with a dealer before comparing. The Duke answers with a lighter single-cylinder bike, adjustable WP suspension, and a TFT with cornering ABS, but it is a single, not a twin.
Is Buying a Used Honda CB500 Hornet Worth It?
Yes, with three conditions in this Honda CB500 Hornet buying guide: the generation you think it is, the service history to prove it, and a price inside the sampled bands. The deal breaks when any condition fails in this Honda CB500 Hornet buying guide.
Benefits and Risks of Buying the CB500F or Hornet Used
The benefits in this Honda CB500 Hornet buying guide are straightforward: a proven 471cc twin with no documented chronic engine failure pattern, fuel bills at around 59 mpg, standard ABS, and a used market where a clean 2024–2025 bike can be had near $5,500. The risks in this Honda CB500 Hornet buying guide are equally clear. First, name confusion: paying Hornet money for a pre-2022 F, or paying 2024 money for a bike that is really a 2022 bike with a new badge story. Second, beginner damage: this is a popular first big bike, and many examples have been dropped — visible on a naked bike, as Bennetts’ used CB500F review also notes. Third, service gaps: a bike near 16,000 miles without valve-service proof is a bike with a bill attached, and a bike with an open recall is a bike with unfinished business. Fourth, the India trap: a new India-market 2026 Honda CB500, a 501cc single at roughly $3,000 converted, is a completely different motorcycle.
US-Market Alternatives: MT-03, 450NK and the NX500
The wider alternatives in this Honda CB500 Hornet buying guide each change the deal. The Yamaha MT-03, listed at $4,999 in a 2026 comparison, is cheaper and lighter but works off a 321cc twin that runs out of headroom as ability grows. The CFMOTO 450NK, at $5,399 plus freight, undercuts the Hornet on MSRP with a claimed 50 horsepower from its 449cc twin, but its dealer network, long-term parts support, and resale values are less proven than Honda’s, so the saving on paper is not the whole story. The NX500, the adventure sibling formerly called the CB500X, is taller and dearer — worth it for adventure ergonomics, overkill for a city commuter. For most buyers, the verdict stands: buy a clean, VIN-verified CB500F or Hornet inside the sampled bands, with the 16,000-mile service proven where it applies.
Honda CB500 Hornet Buying Guide FAQs
Direct answers from the research in this Honda CB500 Hornet buying guide, so this Honda CB500 Hornet buying guide ends with the questions buyers actually ask.
How much does a new Honda CB500 Hornet cost in the USA?
In this Honda CB500 Hornet buying guide, the 2026 bike costs $5,899 plus a $600 destination charge, $6,499 before tax and dealer fees, in Black only.
Is the CB500 Hornet the same bike as the CB500F?
Yes. In this Honda CB500 Hornet buying guide, the Hornet is the CB500F under a new name — same 471cc platform and CB500FA code, renamed in Europe for 2024 and in the US for 2026.
How much does a used CB500F cost in the USA?
In this Honda CB500 Hornet buying guide’s November 2026 sample, used 2024–2025 dealer asks clustered near $5,500 (2025: $5,491; 2024: $5,525) — asks, not sales.
Should I search for CB500F or CB500 Hornet when buying used?
Both, plus the CB500FA code. In this Honda CB500 Hornet buying guide, searching only “Hornet” misses nearly the whole US used market, because the bike was sold as the CB500F through 2025.
Is there a 2024 Honda CB500 Hornet in the USA?
No. In this Honda CB500 Hornet buying guide, the 2024 US bike is a CB500F; the Hornet name only reached the United States for 2026, while Europe got it for 2024.
Does the US CB500 Hornet have E-Clutch?
No. In this Honda CB500 Hornet buying guide, Honda USA offers no E-Clutch on the 2026 Hornet — it is a six-speed manual only, while Europe offers E-Clutch as an option for 2026.
Which recalls affect the CB500F in the USA?
In this Honda CB500 Hornet buying guide, recall 21V-382 covers the F for 2021 only (256 units, rear reflector), while 21V-690 does not name the F at all. Always run the VIN.
What should I check first on a used CB500F or Hornet?
In this Honda CB500 Hornet buying guide, check VIN and recall status first, then proof of the 16,000-mile valve service where it applies, then crash damage at bar ends, levers, fork seals, and engine cases.
Is buying a used CB500F or Hornet worth it?
Yes, for most riders, in this Honda CB500 Hornet buying guide — provided the generation, service history, and price all check out, and provided you buy the bike in front of you rather than the badge story in the listing.
What is a better alternative to the CB500 Hornet?
In this Honda CB500 Hornet buying guide, the Z500 ABS is the closest rival ($5,699 plus $650), the 450NK undercuts on MSRP ($5,399 plus freight), and the MT-03 is cheaper ($4,999) but smaller (321cc).
