Honda NT1100 Review – contemporary touring

Honda has a habit of manufacturing very intelligent motorcycles that meet market demands, using existing bases so that the final product has an appealing price. The NT1100 is no exception to this rule, so through the global success of the Africa Twin, a comfortable and very interesting road motorcycle was born, which certainly appeals to owners of Honda mid-sized motorcycles.

TEXT: FERNANDO NETO / PHOTOS: HONDA

The touring motorcycle segment has declined significantly in recent years, not because motorcyclists have stopped traveling, but mainly because many have started making longer trips on versatile maxi-trail motorcycles. These are fantastic bikes, no doubt, but for those who mainly use them on asphalt, one thing is certain: no adventure bike will have the comfort and dynamics of a touring bike designed from the ground up to ride only on asphalt! Honda knows this better than anyone, and between us, if you want to have a remarkable driving experience on a trip, for hours on end, don’t miss trying a model from the current Gold Wing line. The 6-cylinder engine and incredible dynamics are drool-worthy! So what was missing was a completely road-oriented model from the brand (more affordable and lighter than the Gold Wing), and while some brands simply stopped investing in the segment, others have been refining their models, such as BMW with its R 1250 RT, a favorite among motorcyclists worldwide. Here too, the Golden Wing brand preferred not to follow suit, creating something more affordable but maintaining the brand’s quality standards. An NT 1100 that fits between the successful CBF 1000F, Deauville, and Pan-European models of the past, which are no longer available in the current lineup.

FEATURES

The NT aims to have the comfort of a true touring bike and the agility of a medium-displacement crossover, for easy day-to-day use. It features lines that remind us of the CBF but with a more modern touch, 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 on the 6.5-inch instrumentation we have a display style for each driving mode, Tour, Urban and Rain, in addition to 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 of difference between the lowest and highest point, has several side deflectors for total aerodynamic protection, and is also equipped with a center stand and USB and ACC inputs for charging any electronic system. Speaking of electronics, highlight for the HSTC traction control system with various levels, which also integrates the anti-wheelie system, in addition to the engine brake regulation. The heated grips are standard (5 levels). As for the engine, the 1,084 cc twin-cylinder with a 270º crankshaft for an irregular firing order and superior traction delivers 75 Kw (about 100 hp) of power at 7,250 rpm and 104 Nm of torque, with fuel injection adjusted for easier driving, while the exhaust system is slightly quieter. Compared to the Africa Twin, it mounts a different radiator and intake ducts. The NT has a 20.4 liter tank and just like the Africa Twin, we can choose a version with DCT dual-clutch transmission – a system that has been refined over the years – so in that case we do not need to use the clutch lever and gear selector.

CYCLING

The Africa Twin’s frame remained largely unchanged, but the swingarm is new, connected to a suspension system with a Showa mono-shock, in this case with remote preload adjustment. Up front, the 43mm inverted fork from the same brand also has 150mm of travel, much less than the Africa Twin, and also has preload adjustment. The wheels are naturally 17 inches, with the front mounting 310mm discs and Nissin radial 4-piston calipers. As for the tires, the bikes in this presentation were equipped with Metzeler Roadtec 01, but they may also arrive at dealerships with Dunlop GPR-300. For those interested in numbers, comparing it with the CRF 1100L Africa Twin, this NT has 75mm less ground clearance, a seat that is 30mm lower in the standard position (820mm off the ground), 7mm less trail, and 40mm less wheelbase. As for weight, it is 238 kg (ready to ride) and 248 kg in the DCT version. In terms of accessories, this NT will also not lack much, 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 most complete Travel (€1,250) packages.

IN TARRAGONA

The image below shows the Honda NT1100 YM22 motorcycle.

This is a beautiful motorcycle, reminiscent of the X-ADV with its aggressive front end, although the windshield has different dimensions. In white and without the top case, it somewhat resembles the four-cylinder 1000F from 2011. The NT is also large and imposing, especially with the raised windshield and mounted top case. The overall quality is high, everything is in the right place, and everything is easy to handle, starting with a good riding position and comfort, and space to move around on the seat. The aerodynamic protection is very good, and you can feel the deflectors doing a great job of diverting the wind away from the body, but the fact that the windshield can only be adjusted manually from the outside of the motorcycle is a major drawback. If we don’t raise it before getting on the highway, we have to wait until the next service station, and the opposite situation can also occur when entering the city, with visibility being compromised. It’s almost comical that even the Forza 125 scooter has electric glass adjustment. Equipment enthusiasts will also miss a keyless ignition or electronic suspension, but as standard, we have heated grips, cruise control, and side cases. While riding, we notice that the suspension is quite comfortable, especially at the front, but the dynamic behavior is not affected by the focus on comfort (we missed riding in dry conditions to better assess it in sharp turns and hard braking), which is even better when riding 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 mode in an intermediate position for gear changes in both directions that seem to anticipate our intentions, even on wet mountain roads throughout the day. Only when starting, the DCT system is 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 tires are also very good in these conditions, so the NT always offered confidence through a chassis that reads the asphalt very well and a braking system that is very efficient in power and feel on the lever. The performance is also quite acceptable, with good revving and interesting torque, combined with a very appealing sound when shifting gears or downshifting. On the highway, it also showed great stability, even with the raised windshield and three bags attached, at speeds well above the legal limit. We didn’t ride much in dry conditions, which was a shame, but we reached the end of the day without any fatigue, with the instrumentation showing an average of 5.4 l/100km after covering 245 kilometers. Halfway through the journey, we decided to put the windshield in an intermediate position and didn’t touch it again, given the good compromise achieved. We liked the operation of the bags and the heated grips, but the controls have too many buttons, which can be a bit confusing, especially at night because they are not backlit. The instrumentation is excellent, and to conclude, this is a very friendly touring motorcycle that was much needed in the lineup. Agile yet stable, comfortable, and with the correct dynamics, it is the typical Honda that will not let us down, whether in the city, on the highway, or in the mountains, offering an interesting price/quality/equipment ratio. Ultimately, it is an excellent motorcycle for all Honda riders who want to upgrade from their CB 500, NC 750, among others, to a very complete and 100% road-oriented model.

HONDA NT 1100
MOTOR	bicilíndrico paralelo a 270º, 8 válvulas,refrigeração líquida
CILINDRADA	1.084 cc
POTÊNCIA	75 kW @7.500 rpm
BINÁRIO	104 Nm @ 6.250 rpm
CAIXA	dupla embraiagem de 6 velocidades
QUADRO	tipo duplo berço em aço
DEPÓSITO	20,4 litros
SUSPENSÃO DIANTEIRA	forquilha invertida Showade 43, curso de 150 mm
SUSPENSÃO TRASEIRA	monoamortecedor Pro-Link,curso de 150 mm
TRAVÃO DIANTEIRO	2 discos de 310 mm, pinças radiais de 4 êmbolos
TRAVÃO TRASEIRO	disco de 256 mm, pinça de 1êmbolo
PNEU DIANTEIRO	120/70 ZR17
PNEU TRASEIRO	180/55 ZR17
DISTÂNCIA ENTRE EIXOS	1535 mm
ALTURA DO ASSENTO	820 mm
PESO	248 kg
P.V.P.	15.100€(VERSÃO C/ DCT) DESDE14.100€

Tags: 2023HondaNoticiasNT1100