DOSSIER

HONDA

NT1100 2022, test of the new Japanese touring motorcycle

We have been watching for years how the great trails take over a part of the life-long tourism market. These motorcycles destined to circulate anywhere, which were first simple and of medium displacement, first increased their capacity, then they were equipped with fairing, and finally they integrated suitcases. The prospect of emulating those adventurers who traveled the world with the house in tow and dozens of stickers with the flags of the most diverse countries became irresistible.

 However, so much weight and so much volume was not to everyone's taste, and the passenger cars were attacked from the other side, that of the naked ones, also with powerful engines, but smaller and lighter. The new segment of sports tourism, or "crossover" as you want to call it, has been created, providing them with fairings, suspensions with more travel and more relaxed positions, which has taken another piece of the cake.

NEW WAY...The Honda NT1100 shows that there were still directions to continue pushing, in this case from the purest and hardest trail, that of the models with a more country-oriented orientation, as is the case with the CRF1100L Africa Twin. However, this new model is much more than an Africa Twin with another fairing and suitcases, something you have to check about it, because the differences between the two in their technical sheets do not seem at first to have as much effect as they actually do. Simplifying, it could be said that the NT1100 is an Africa Twin to which tires and suspensions have been changed and to which a different bodywork has been put, and it may technically be so, but now, on a lower motorcycle, with more protection and with more grip on the road, life changes completely.n Honda offers you a motorcycle without complications, comfortable and ready for anything, which is halfway between the traditional gran turismo, of considerable volume and weight, and the new generations of sport tourism with a more limited radius of action.

KNOWN ENGINE...With its starting base it shares the propeller of two cylinders in line maintaining heights and the 270 ° crankshaft offset. It has balance shafts and develops a power of 75 kW (102 hp) at 7,500 rpm and a maximum torque of 104 Nm at 6,250 rpm. The power figure is not very high for a motorcycle with more than one liter of displacement, but it assures you of torque and response at any speed, especially considering that some changes have been made to further improve acceleration and recovery at low speed. , with modifications to the intake, exhaust and the new one-piece radiator. The higher efficiency of the engine allows a range of 400 km with a consumption that in our test was around 5 liters.

TWO VERSIONS...As is customary for most new-generation Honda models, two versions are offered, one with a six-speed manual transmission or the DCT automatic, with a weight difference of 10 kg more in the second. Today half of the sales of the models that equip it are already automatic transmission, and Honda has sold in Europe about 200,000 units with this transmission system since 2009. For the NT1100 the operation in the first two ratios and the gear speed when the throttle grip is widened has been smoothed. The electronic package includes 3-level selectable traction control, wheelie and speed control. The instrument cluster is similar to that of the rest of the brand's new generation models, with a 6.5-inch TFT touch screen.

CONNECTED...The screen offers 3 display options called Gold, Silver and Bronze. For those who like to be always connected, it has Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Bluetooth that allow access to the functions of the smartphone through the TFT screen. There are three pre-programmed driving modes: Tour, Urban and Rain, plus two others in which the driver can independently select each parameter. In this sense, it follows the guideline of the starting model. Continuing with the similarities, the double-cradle steel frame is the same, except that the seat height adjustment has been eliminated and there are different supports for the exhaust, headlights and radiator. The swingarm is somewhat different, shorter at 644mm, which achieves a shorter wheelbase of 1,535mm, and the steering geometry is somewhat tighter, with 26.5 ° of steering angle and 108mm of lead.

MORE LOW...A key point is the suspensions with less travel, now 150 mm in both trains, which only have preload adjustment, hydraulic in the rear axle. The 310mm front discs have 4-piston radial-mount calipers, and the 256mm rear a single-piston caliper. The rims are now the usual ones for road bikes, with 120 / 70-17 "and 180 / 55-17" tires. Admittedly, the aesthetics of this Honda NT1100 is particular, but at the same time you just have to put it next to an X-ADV to see that on its fronts you have to play the differences to identify them. This together with a quite serious choice of colors, white, black or gray without more details, causes that at least it is a motorcycle that aesthetically does not unleash passions.

ADJUSTABLE PROTECTION...In fact, it is a motorcycle designed to offer the greatest comfort to its occupants, and that, without a doubt, it achieves it. It does not have seat adjustment, but it does have height and angle of the dome, which is adjustable in 5 positions with a total variation of 164 mm between the highest and lowest position. However, you can't regulate it on the go, you have to stand up and do it from the front. The front is wide enough to offer good protection, and you also have upper and lower deflectors to protect you from the wind around the arms and lower body that work very well. In general you are very comfortable, with a 74 mm thick seat for the driver and 60 mm for the passenger. You get to the ground well without having to be tall, much better than in the Africa Twin and with a very wide handlebar, you can control the bike perfectly in the maneuvers.

VERY EQUIPPED...The equipment is focused on traveling, and the heated grips and cruise control, a large passenger handle, central stand, LED lighting with DRL, self-canceling turn signals, emergency brake signals, ACC and USB sockets and removable suitcases of series, which are designed and manufactured at the Honda factory in Barcelona, ​​which has become in charge of these tasks for Europe. The volume of the suitcases is 33 l on the left and 32 l on the right, being designed to be as thin as possible and to facilitate use in the city. With them the motorcycle measures 901 mm at its widest point. The exhaust silencer is also placed lower to increase the volume of your suitcase.

MORE OPTIONS...For those who still want more, 3 packs are available, the Urban with a 50 l top box with inner bag, comfort backrest, and a 4.5 l tank bag, the Comfort with comfort seats for driver and passenger, comfort passenger footrest and fog lights, and the Travel with a 50 l top box with inner bag, comfort backrest, 4.5 l tank bag, driver and passenger comfort seats, comfort passenger footrest and fog lights, which have prices respectively of € 560, € 670 and € 1,230.

EASIER...This first contact that we have had with the Honda NT1100 has taken place in the Priorat in Tarragona, an area that who knows it well knows that it is an endless succession of curves, but unfortunately this time with very wet asphalt, which It has not allowed us to check its sports skills for obvious reasons, but it has allowed us to do it with more intensity in what are its strengths, comfort, protection and functioning as a tourist. Driving alongside the starting bike, the Africa Twin, in these conditions the advantage of the NT is overwhelming. While the trail with its narrow front wheel had to always be attentive to the front grip, with it the touch and grip that the Metzelers provided was in another dimension, and also with a total sense of security.

SIMPLIFIED OPERATION...The version we have tested is the DCT, which version after version improves. The day that the clutch can be manually operated to activate it and make it skid at will at very low speed and in maneuvers will be incontestable. In any case, once underway, the possibility of activating the paddles manually in any of the options allows you to control the gearbox when you are going fast and want to enter a curve with the gear ratio already inserted.

The only but is that the left pineapple is very large and has many buttons, and the cam to reduce is a bit hidden and forces you to force your thumb to tighten it. The engine is well known, and on this bike it continues to demonstrate its virtues, with a frank departure at any speed, comfortable and easy to use, and with the possibility of letting it do it even in the transmission if you want.

EASY ACCESS...The NT1100 has a contained ride height and shorter travel suspensions that make life easier at low speeds, but remain comfortable on the road, even in poor condition. The setting is adequate to go light, they are not so soft that there is a great transfer of weight in braking, although that is easy to say with the braking power that you apply on wet asphalt.

Without six-axis IMU, ABS is traditional, without special operation with the bike tilted. The protection is impeccable, from top to bottom even with the wide handlebar, which facilitates direction changes and makes the bike very easy to move. With a weight of 238 kg in the manual transmission version and 248 kg in the DCT, it is not heavy, and less in its segment, something that favors loading it without becoming something more clumsy. Honda has come up with a bike that is primarily practical, and the result is exactly what you have been looking for.

CONCLUSION...The Honda NT1100 is not a motorcycle that attracts attention, nor is it aesthetically, nor chromatically, nor probably because of the segment in which it is included, but it is a model that fits perfectly in what was intended, a simple motorcycle to drive, practical and perfect for traveling and also for regular use, with load capacity, protection and all the current technology. The manual version costs € 14,400 and the DCT € 15,400, which makes it an accessible model in a segment that traditionally is not.

DATA SHEET(Honda NT1000 / DCT)...Price: € 14,400 / € 15,400; Engine: 2 cyl. online. Refr. liquid; Distribution: DOHC 8V; Bore x stroke: Displacement: 1,084 cc; Compression: 10.1: 1; Power max. dec .: 75 kW (102 hp) at 7,500 rpm; Max torque dec .: 104 Nm at 6,250 rpm; Power supply: 2 injectors. 46mm nozzles; Driving modes: 5; Electronic aids: TC, AC, CC Clutch acc.: Cable / Automatic; Change: 6 relations; Transmission sec. : Chain; Chassis: Tubular double cradle in steel; Swingarm: Aluminum double arm; Geometry: 26.5 ° / 108mm Front Suspension: Inverted Fork; Bar Dia / Travel: 43mm / 150mm; Settings: Preload; Rear suspension / Travel: Progressive monoshock / 150mm; Settings: Preload; Front brake: 2 x 310mm discs; Calipers: 4 pistons; Rear brake: One 256mm disc; Caliper: One piston; ABS type / Disconnect: Curved / No; Front wheel: 120 / 70-17 ". Rim 3.50"; Rear wheel: 180 / 55-17 ". Rim 5.50"; Measures. chap. tank: 20.4 l; Filled weight: 238/248 kg; Distance between axes: 1,535 mm; Seat height: 820 mm.

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