On paper, the late-2000s Honda CB600F Hornet is a great bike; a lively four-cylinder middleweight, widely praised for its rideability and reliability. But in the flesh, it’s hard to get excited about. Like most of Honda’s naked bikes, the steadfast Hornet lacks panache?which makes it prime material for customization.
This Honda Hornet café racer comes from Sébastien Vernaison in France?a part-time custom builder that works as Seb Kustom Motorcycle. He bought the bike a few years ago, customized it, and then decided to put it back under the knife to add even more swagger. And we’re glad he did, because the result is miles apart from the bike’s vanilla origins.

Seb’s latest mods include the Honda Hornet’s racy new bodywork. The fairing and tail bump are aftermarket fiberglass parts from the French kit maker, Poly26?but both have been modified heavily to suit this build. The Honda’s OEM fuel tank sits tidily between them. The overall aesthetic is incredibly well-judged, blending sportbike and classic endurance racer elements to create a modern café racer vibe.

The fairing sits on a handmade frame and is easy to remove, while the tail section pops off to reveal a bench-style seat. The seat?and the subframe below it?are carried over from the Hornet’s earlier iteration. (Seb has the old LED headlight on hand as well so that he can easily switch between the two styles.)
A slim front fender and a sharp belly pan add extra piz...