The NT1100, whose combination of performance, comfort, functionality, elegant styling and excellent value for money made it the best-selling touring bike in Europe in 2023, receives two striking new color updates for the 2024 model year.

To add to its comprehensive appeal, Matt Blue Jeans Metallic and Candy Chromosphere Red join the ever-popular Matt Iridium Gray Metallic in the NT1100 line-up, with all three colors featuring a new Matt Ballistic Black Metallic rear rack.

Since its introduction to the European range in 2022, more than 12,000 NT1100s have been sold, with more than 66% of customers choosing the option of Honda’s exclusive dual-clutch transmission.

To ensure that the NT1100 rider can have their bike exactly the way they want it, three dedicated accessories are available that improve comfort and functionality over long distances. Available individually or in three dedicated packs – Urban, Touring and Voyage – the accessories include a 50L top box, fog lights and a comfortable seat.

The NT1100 24YM will start arriving at European dealerships at the end of this year.

O conteúdo Honda NT1100 gets two new colors for 2024 aparece primeiro em Motorcycle Sports.

Honda has a habit of making very intelligent motorcycles that meet the demands of the market, taking advantage of existing bases so that the end product has an appealing price. The NT1100 is no exception to this rule, so the global success of the Africa Twin has led to the creation of a comfortable and very interesting road bike, which is sure to appeal to owners of mid-range Honda motorcycles.

The touring motorcycle segment has fallen sharply in recent years, not because motorcyclists have stopped traveling, but above all because many have started to make longer journeys on the back of powerful maxi-trail bikes. These are fantastic bikes, no doubt about it, but for those who use them only on asphalt, one thing is certain: no adventure bike will have the comfort and dynamics of a tourer designed from the ground up to ride only on asphalt! Honda knows this better than anyone, and between you and me, if you want to have a remarkable riding experience on the road, for hours on end, don’t miss a day of trying a model from the current Gold Wing range. The 6-cylinder engine and the incredible dynamics are to die for! The brand lacked a fully road-going model (more accessible and lighter than the Gold Wing), and while some brands have simply stopped betting on this segment, others have been refining their models, as is the case with BMW, whose R 1250 RT is one of the favorites of motorcyclists the world over. Here too, the Golden Wing brand has chosen not to go backwards, making something more affordable while maintaining the brand’s quality standards. An NT 1100 that stands between the successful CBF 1000F, Deauville and Pan-European of the past, which are no longer in the current range.

FEATURES

The NT aims to have the comfort of a real tourer and the agility of a medium-sized crossover, for easy everyday use. It has lines reminiscent of the CBF but with more modernity, and the front is clearly inspired by the X-ADV, with LED lighting. It has very refined side cases with a total capacity of 65L, and the 6.5-inch instrumentation has a display style for each riding mode, Tour, Urban and Rain, as well as two customizable modes. The instrumentation features Bluetooth connectivity and is compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and the windshield is manually adjustable in 5 positions, with 164 mm difference between the lowest and highest point, has several side deflectors for total aerodynamic protection, and is also equipped with a central rest and USB and ACC inputs for charging any electronic system. Speaking of electronics, the HSTC multi-level traction control system is a highlight, as is the anti-roll system and engine brake adjustment. Heated grips are standard (5 levels). As for the engine, the 1,084 cc twin-cylinder with a 270º crankshaft for an irregular explosion order and superior traction delivers 75 Kw (around 100 hp) of power at 7,250 rpm and 104 Nm of torque, with fuel injection adjusted for greater rideability, while the exhaust system is slightly quieter. Compared to the Africa Twin, it also has a different radiator and different intake ducts. The NT has a 20.4-liter tank and, as with the Africa Twin, we can choose a version with a dual-clutch DCT transmission – a system that has been refined over the years – so in this case we don’t need to use the clutch lever and gear selector.

CYCLING

The Africa Twin’s frame has remained unchanged, but the swingarm is new and is connected to a Showa monoshock suspension system, in this case with remote spring preload adjustment. At the front, the 43 mm inverted fork from the same brand also has 150 mm of travel, much less than the Africa Twin, and also has preload adjustment. The wheels are naturally 17 inches, with the front mounting 310 mm discs and Nissin 4-piston radial calipers. As for the tires, the bikes in this presentation were fitted with Metzeler Roadtec 01, but they may also arrive at dealerships with Dunlop GPR-300. For those who like numbers, making some comparisons with the CRF 1100L Africa Twin, this NT has 75 mm less ground clearance, a 30 mm lower seat in the standard position (820 mm to the ground), 7 mm less trail and 40 mm less wheelbase. The weight is 238 kg (in running order) and 248 kg in the case of the DCT version. In terms of accessories, this NT also lacks little, with a huge list of items manufactured at the Montesa factory in Barcelona. More comfortable seats, tank bags, quickshift, top case, fog lights, etc., can be purchased separately or with the Urban (€565), Comfort (€680) and the more complete Travel (€1,250) packages.

IN TARRAGONA

This is a beautiful bike, reminiscent of the X-ADV with its aggressive front end, although the windshield has different dimensions. In white and without the top case, it’s a bit reminiscent of the four-cylinder 1000F from 2011. The NT is also large and imposing, especially with the windshield raised and the top case fitted. The overall quality is high, everything is in the right place and everything is easy on the move, starting with a good riding position and comfort and space to move around in the seat.The aerodynamic protection is very good and you can feel the good work of the deflectors taking the wind away from the body, but the fact that the windshield is only adjustable manually and from the outside of the bike is a big hindrance. If you don’t raise it before entering the highway, you have to wait until the next service station, and the reverse situation can also happen when entering the city, with visibility being impaired. An almost cartoonish situation when even the Forza 125 scooter has electric window adjustment. Equipment freaks will also miss a keyless ignition or electronic suspension, but heated grips, cruisecontrol and side bags are standard. On the move, we noticed that the suspension is quite comfortable, especially at the front, but the dynamic handling is not affected by the focus on comfort (we didn’t get to ride dry to see it better when cornering and braking hard), which is even better when you ride an NT with the Comfort seat! Only the DCT version was available at this presentation, in our opinion the most sensible choice, and after starting the day in D mode (which shifts gears earlier) we switched to S in an intermediate position, for gear shifts in both directions that seemed to guess our intentions, even on a mountain road that was wet all day. Only when starting off is the DCT system not as smooth as an experienced driver dosing the clutch, but otherwise 5 stars! As for the driving modes, I almost always preferred Tour, switching to Rain when the road was more slippery. Fortunately, the Metzeler bikes are also very good in these conditions, so the NT always offered confidence through a bike that reads the asphalt very well and a braking system that delivers on power and feel. The performance is also very good, with a good rise in engine speed and interesting torque, plus a very appealing sound when shifting gears or downshifting. On the highway, it also showed great stability, even with the windshield up and three suitcases in place, at speeds well above the legal limit. We didn’t do much dry driving, which was a shame, but we arrived at the end of the day without any fatigue and with the instrumentation showing an average of 5.4 l/100km after 245 kilometers. Halfway through the journey we opted to put the windshield in an intermediate position and didn’t touch it again, given the good compromise we got. We liked the operation of the bags and the heated grips, but the controls have too many buttons, which can get in the way a little, especially when driving at night, as they are not backlit. The instrumentation is excellent and to finish off, it remains to be said that this is a very nice tourer that was missing from the range. Agile but stable, comfortable and with the right dynamics, it’s the typical Honda that won’t let you down, whether in town, on the highway or in the mountains, and offers an interesting price/quality/equipment ratio. Basically, it’s an excellent bike for all Honda riders who want to upgrade their CB 500, NC 750, among others, to a very complete and 100% road-going model.

O conteúdo Review – Honda NT1100 – contemporary tourer aparece primeiro em Motorcycle Sports.