Honda CB750 Hornet and CB1000 Hornet Key Replacement

Quick answerHonda's Hornets came to North America for 2025, and the owner's manuals for those bikes, titled 2025 CB750 and 2025 CB1000, describe a plain cut key with a bar-coded key tag and no immobilizer. Hornets sold in other regions do have HISS chip keys, so the first thing to establish is which one you have. On a North American bike, a lost key is a cut-to-the-lock job.

Honda CB750 Hornet and CB1000 Hornet key quick facts

The 2025 CB750 and 2025 CB1000 owner's manuals for the US and Canada each list two ignition keys and a key tag with a key number and bar code.
Neither of those manuals mentions HISS or an immobilizer. Honda's Hornet manual for other markets does describe HISS.
On both bikes the key works the ignition and steering lock, the fuel fill cap and the rear seat lock.
The front seat on both is bolted down, and the helmet holders are on the underside of the rear seat.
Both manuals tell owners to take the spare key and key tag to a dealer or a locksmith for a duplicate.

Honda CB750 Hornet and CB1000 Hornet key types by year

Years	Models	Key type	Chip	Notes
2025	CB750 Hornet (US and Canada)	mechanical cut key	no	Two keys and a key tag. No immobilizer text in the 2025 CB750 owner's manual for North America.
2025	CB1000 Hornet SP (US and Canada)	mechanical cut key	no	Two keys and a key tag. No immobilizer text in the 2025 CB1000 owner's manual for North America.
Varies	Hornets built for Europe and other markets	transponder key (HISS)	yes	Honda's Hornet (CB750) manual for other markets says HISS immobilizes the ignition system if an improperly coded key is used.

Same name, two key systems

The Hornet is a good example of why key advice found online needs a market attached to it. The owner's manual Honda publishes for the Hornet in Europe and elsewhere has a section on the Honda Ignition Security System and tells owners who lose a key to have another duplicate made immediately. The manuals for the US and Canada, which cite American Honda, the EPA and CARB, skip all of that. Their Keys page covers two ignition keys, a key tag, and where to get a duplicate.

On a North American CB750 Hornet or CB1000 Hornet SP, then, the key is not coded. A bike brought in from another market is the exception. Turn the ignition on and look for a HISS indicator if you are not sure of your bike's history.

Need a key for your CB750 Hornet?

Call or text with the year and where the bike is parked.

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Seats and storage: where the two Hornets differ

Both bikes use the same pattern: a keyed rear seat and a bolted front seat. The details under them are not identical.

CB750 Hornet rear seat: move the seat strap forward, turn the key clockwise in the seat lock, pull the seat forward and up
CB750 Hornet storage: tool kit under the rear seat, document bag on the underside of the front seat
CB1000 Hornet rear seat: turn the key clockwise in the seat lock, then lift the seat up and back
CB1000 Hornet storage: tool kit and document bag both under the rear seat, held by a rubber strap
Both: helmet holders on the underside of the rear seat, for use only while parked
Both: front seat removed by undoing its mounting bolts, which is how you reach the battery and fuse box on the CB1000

Ignition, steering lock and fuel cap

The ignition switch on each Hornet has ON, OFF and LOCK positions, and the key comes out in OFF or LOCK. To lock the steering you turn the handlebar fully left, push the key down and turn it to LOCK. Honda recommends adding a U-shaped wheel lock or similar device.

The fuel fill cap sits under a lock cover. Open the cover, insert the ignition key and turn it clockwise, and the cap opens. Push the cap closed until it locks before taking the key out.

Both manuals add that a metal key holder may damage the area around the ignition switch. A fabric or leather key ring avoids that.

If you have no Hornet key at all

The CB1000 manual says that if you lose all ignition keys and the key tag, the ignition switch assembly will probably have to be removed by your dealer to determine the key number. For a bike that cannot be unlocked or started, that means a tow or a trailer first.

We work the other way round. We come to the Hornet, check your photo ID against the registration or title, and cut a key to the locks that are on the bike. Then we prove it in the ignition, the fuel cap and the rear seat lock. On a North American Hornet there is no coding step to follow.

For a HISS-equipped Hornet from another market, a new key has to be registered to the bike in addition to being cut. Call with the model year and where the bike came from, and we will tell you honestly whether we can do it on site.

Where to find the key code

Both North American Hornets are delivered with a key tag that shows the key number and a bar code. Honda's manuals say to store it with the spare key in a safe location and to bring both when you want a duplicate made. If the tag is gone along with the keys, the number can be recovered from the ignition switch assembly, which is the dealer route Honda describes.

What to have ready

Have this ready when you call or text

Year, make and model of the bike
Where the bike is parked
Whether you have any working key, a broken key or a key code
Photo ID and registration or title (we verify ownership before making a key)

Honda CB750 Hornet and CB1000 Hornet key FAQ

Does the US CB750 Hornet have HISS?

The 2025 CB750 owner's manual for the US and Canada has no HISS or immobilizer text and describes two plain ignition keys with a key tag. Honda's Hornet manual for other markets does include HISS, so imports are different.

Is the CB1000 Hornet SP a keyless bike?

No. The North American 2025 CB1000 manual shows a keyed ignition switch with a LOCK position for the steering, and the same key opens the fuel cap and rear seat.

Can I get to the Hornet's battery without the key?

On the CB1000 the battery and fuse box are under the front seat, which is bolted rather than keyed. The tool kit that would normally help is under the keyed rear seat, though, so you would need your own tools.

Where can I get a second Hornet key cut?

Honda's manuals name both options: your dealer or a locksmith, using the spare key and the key tag. With a plain key there is no registration step, only accurate cutting.

The immobilizer system on this bike

Honda HISS Immobilizer: Keys, Lost Keys and the Warning LightHISS, the Honda Ignition Security System, is Honda's chip-key immobilizer: the engine only starts when the bike recognizes a coded chip in the key.

More Honda models

Services for this bike

Motorcycle Immobilizers Explained: HISS, KIPASS and MoreA motorcycle immobilizer is an anti-theft system that only lets the engine start when it recognizes a coded chip in the key or a paired fob.
Dealer vs Locksmith for a Motorcycle Key: Which to CallFor plain metal keys, broken keys, worn ignitions and many transponder keys, a mobile motorcycle locksmith can usually do the work where the bike sits, often for less.
When to Get a Spare Motorcycle Key, and Why NowGet a spare motorcycle key as soon as you are down to one working key.
Motorcycle Helmet Lock Keys: Factory Holders and Add-OnsMost factory helmet holders use the ignition key, either directly in a small lock on the side of the bike or indirectly, because the helmet hangs on a hook that the locked seat or trunk traps.

Where we come to you

Sources

Page last updated November 14, 2026.