HONDA TRIUMPHS AGAIN AT RED DOT DESIGN AWARDS
Honda Bikes managed two Red Dot Design Awards wins, for the CB750 Hornet and XL750 Transalp motorcycles.
The Red Dot Design Awards are a highly coveted accolade that honours exceptional product design that is aesthetically pleasing, practical, clever, or inventive. The winners were chosen by a group of 50 worldwide specialists who tested and evaluated each submission. They represent the most recent consumer demands in terms of technology, society, economy, and ecology.
A product design prize went to the CB750 Hornet motorcycle. The resurrected nameplate is mounted on an ancestor-inspired middleweight naked sport bike with a brand-new 755cc parallel twin-cylinder engine and a brand-new, ultra-lightweight steel-diamond frame. The CB750 Hornet was created by Honda's design studio in Rome as a fresh, modern expression of technical beauty with crisp lines and forceful angles. The fuel tank, which is the principal distinguishing feature of the Hornet and is shaped after a hornet's wing, epitomises the muscularity and athleticism associated with motorbikes in the Streetfighter style.
The Red Dot judges also gave the XL750 Transalp its highest rating. The XL750 Transalp delivers the cosy all-purpose crossover to a new generation of riders, bringing the Transalp name back to Honda's motorcycle lineup after almost ten years. It is faithfully modelled after the legendary 1986 original XL600V Transalp but has a distinctly modern appearance thanks to the sculpted fairing and screen that work together to lessen buffeting and increase weather protection. It is powered by the same brand-new 755cc parallel twin-cylinder engine as the Hornet. The recognisable long-legged stance is still present, reflecting the adventurous spirit for which the bike is known. It is sleek, simple, and clean.
This year’s accomplishments bring the number of Red Dot Design Awards won by Honda to 13 since 2020, including a ‘Best of the Best’ accolade for the Honda e in 2020. Both it and the CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP have since been inducted into the Red Dot Design Museum in Essen, Germany, one of the world's most significant exhibitions of contemporary design.
