Touring bikes have long since shaken off the ‘dad bike’ image. Now, the segment has managed to cross paths with the sport and adventure crowds, producing models that are more than mere mile munchers.
Honda has taken this touring renaissance into account with the NT1100, a travel machine that shares a lot of DNA with the iconic Africa Twin. It has the same 1,084cc liquid-cooled eight-valve parallel-twin engine as the manufacturer’s premier adventure machine. In NT1100 guise, the mill makes 100.5hp at 7,500rpm and 104Nm of torque at 6,250rpm.
Showa takes care of suspension duties, with a 43mm SFF-BP inverted front fork and a gas-charged pro link rear shock. Braking is handled by dual 310mm front discs and a single 256mm rear disc, while ABS comes standard.
Unlike the Africa Twin, the NT1100 is almost entirely road-biased, hence its touring designation. Giving the bike its long-distance riding chops is a generous set of features.
The NT1100 off the factory production line complete with a 6.5-inch TFT touchscreen with Apple Carplay and Android Auto, auto-canceling turn signals, an emergency stop signal, auto-adjusting daytime running lights, cruise control, a center stand, heated grips, a rear carrier rack, and hard panniers.
Through the dual-display setup, the rider can access the electronics package, which includes five riding modes, HSTC, wheelie control, and Bluetooth connectivity.
As with all Hondas that utilize the 1100 twin-engine platform, the NT1100 will be offered in two flavors: Manual, and DCT. The standard version uses a conventional six-speed gearbox, while the DCT lets the rider switch between automatic shifting and manually going through the gears with buttons on the handlebars.
Three colors are available: Matte Iridium Gray Metallic, Pearl Glare White, and Graphite Black. The manual is priced £11,999 (P840,600), while the DCT version goes for £12,999, (P910,600).
We can only hope that Honda Philippines brings this well-set-up tourer to our market.
NOTE: This article first appeared on TopBikes.ph. Minor edits have been made.
