While the CTX was a great road-touring machine, it wasn’t a competent sport-tourer due to a complete lack of sporting intent.
The CTX lacked agility, induced understeer at corner entry, and suffered from throttle response delays.
The NT1100 reinstates Honda’s sport-touring category neatly, bridging the gap between long-distance tourers and capable sports bikes.
Nonetheless, the new model is a different beast on several levels. The NT1100 features a lighter and more aggressive look that visualizes its stripped-back, touring intentions.
Its teardrop tank comes with a ‘split-personality design’ that incorporates contrasting handlebar-mounted instrumentation and saddlebags with an integrated pillion seat.
Honda has given the NT1100 an aggressive streetfighter stance and rugged, off-road inspired componentry, including a 20-litre fuel tank with 17-inch die-cast aluminium wheels to make it suitable for long-distance tourers well as those who like to venture into the dirt.
The Honda NT1100 is the new era of sport-touring, says Honda. And the automaker is right about that.
I’m not saying you need a larger middle-weight tourer for weeklong trips, but the formula of smooth acceleration, agile handling, and bomber brakes is precisely what many modern riders are looking for.
Yep, it’s back and better than ever. Honda’s taking another stab at the growing sport-touring class with their new NT1100.
It’s got the same Africa Twin engine as before; the same 1,084cc liquid-cooled, SOHC, 8-valve parallel-twin makes 101 horsepower and 76.7 lb-ft of torque.
A new motor alone doesn’t make a motorcycle. It’s the most challenging part you have to get right. Honda has proven that it gets motor design and then adds some more things that make riding enjoyable.
The NT1100 offers sleek bodywork that would look at home on a sportbike, but it leans forward with a relaxed riding position which anchors the bike so the rider can lean on corners without feeling out of control.
The electronic package has Urban, Tour, Rain, and two custom user ride modes.
The suspension has the 43mm Showa cartridge-type inverted front end and single-tube pressurized Showa on the opposite.
Further, the new NT1100 arrives with 5.9 inches of travel on both ends with hydraulic spring preload adjustment on the mono-shock.
And that helps to carry luggage as well as a pillion and the rider.
In launching the Sport-Tourer, Honda hopes to attract a new genre of rider who’ll use the NT1100 as their standard mount. Given its various personalities, we think Honda will pull it off.
The NT1100 might be most closely allied with the Kawasaki Concours 14 but is a considerably more focused platform.
With a generous dash of comfort and a cojones-full of sport, the Sport-Tourer promises to be a load of fun at both ends of the road.
A time traveller from the year 2022 might have a tough time recognizing the NT1100 as a motorcycle. It has all of the hallmarks of a futuristic bike, including drive-by-wire throttle control.
However, the granddaddy of grand tourers also has one foot firmly planted in its touring heritage.
That’s because instead of an LCD dashboard displaying only speed, RPMs, and gear position, the NT1100 can now be outfitted with a 5-inch touchscreen infotainment system.
It also comes with a 5-stage windscreen and 6.5 inches of height adjustment. The NT1100 also has cruise control, heated grips, and panniers (65L) as standard equipment.
With a 32.3-inch seat height, the standard model arrives with 237 kgs (524 pounds) weight, and the DCT variant has 248 kgs(547 pounds) weight.
Three paint schemes for NT1100 and they are Graphite Black, Matte Iridium Gray Metallic and Pearl Glare White. In US, the NT1100 will retail at $16,500 (£11,999) while the DCT costs $18,000 ( £12,999).
via MCN and Honda
