10 Reasons The New Honda NT1100 Is A Great Tourer For Americans
American-style touring bikes are generally considered the standard for the touring genre on our side of the world. But they aren’t the only players in the game, far from it. As one of the Big Four, Honda enjoys plenty of name recognition everywhere it goes with plenty of sports bike experience, so it’s a natural fit for it to produce a capable
sport-touring
machine. Enter the 2025 NT1100 DCT that has just been launched here.
Honda kept to more of what you might call a classic sport-tour design while resisting the adventure-ification that has pervaded the genre in general. It carries the typical bodywork associated with such machines, and detachable saddlebags are available for purchase for the requisite storage capacity. The ride-control electronics are fairly comprehensive overall, but this bike has something that puts it in very rare company indeed: the proprietary Dual Clutch Transmission that delivers the ultimate in ease of operation. With the tone set, let’s dive into what makes this great for Americans.
To give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from Honda. The specs and information is current as of this writing.
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10
Eco-Friendly Innovation Meets Classic Style
Half-fairing and adjustable windshield enhance comfort and sustainability
The front fairing on the NT1100 is interesting in that it’s built partially with biodegradable Durabio plastic. Honestly, considering recycling and stewardship of the environment, it’s a noteworthy feature. The windshield is adjustable so you can dial in through five positions over a 6.5-inch range for preference. For added convenience, you can do so with one hand.
This is particularly important if you wear a full-face or modular bucket that needs the air to hit it head-on to make the helmet’s ventilation work properly. Plus, the windshield is vented for a smooth, non-turbulent upper-edge to the rider’s pocket. The fairing is stylish and is a natural extension of the bodywork with a nice visual design flow throughout.
9
Comfort And Customization In The Cockpit
Adjustable display, plush seating, and practical storage for every rider
Behind the fairing on the NT1100, a cozy cockpit awaits the pilot. It rocks a 6.5-inch color TFT screen that you can set up with a display layout that best suits your personal riding style. You can set the background to either black or white to give you some flexibility under changing light conditions.
The seat is designed with long-distance rides in mind. It rocks nice thick padding for both occupants in a wide build that supports the hips. The pilot’s perch rides 32.3 inches off the deck, which is typical of the breed, but may be a trifle tall for shorter riders. If you shop in the Big & Tall section, an optional 32.6-inch saddle is available for you. A set of beefy J.C. rails brace the pillion and extend aft to form a small luggage rack for some open-air stowage.
8
Stay Connected On The Go
The NT1100 DCT’s Android Auto and Apple CarPlay keep you entertained and informed
Wandering hither and yon can be fun, but it’s even more fun if you’ve got some tunes with you. The Android Auto and Apple CarPlay system adds that and more to the NT1100 DCT. You can field phone calls, receive text messages, and check your planner. The calendar function is handy for planning over the long term, as well.
This system connects wirelessly to your phone through a Bluetooth device, which then acts like a modem of sorts for the infotainment goodies. All this comes up on the TFT screen so you can tap, click, and drag your way through all the menu options. You can also access all your phone functions as well to further expand your capabilities.
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7
Cutting-Edge Tech For A Smarter Ride
Advanced electronics enhance safety
Honda actually packs on quite a bit of tech beyond its fantabulous automatic transmission. First off, the NT1100 DCT mounts a six-axis inertial measurement unit that informs the rest of the gadgetry. A throttle-by-wire system controls the engine and enables the Honda Selectable Torque Control system with wheelie control to keep the front end planted through heavy acceleration.
Cornering ABS and the Rear Lift Control work through the brake system to prevent the rear end from lofting on you when you grab a fistful. A trio of preset riding modes – Urban, Rain, and Tour – allow for quick personality changes, and it comes with not one but two user-configurable riding modes. So you can mix and match to find your perfect combination of power delivery and engine braking effect.
6
Game-Changing Dual Clutch Transmission
Honda’s DCT brings seamless shifting and scooter-like simplicity
It’s impossible to overstate how much Honda’s Dual Clutch Transmission changes the game on the NT1100. It’s a constant-mesh transmission with the successive gears on alternating shafts for quick and smooth shifts. Each shaft has its own clutch, hence the DCT moniker, which also alternates to make the magic happen. As a result, the NT1100 is a full-size sport-tourer with a liter bike engine that operates much like a scooter does – with twist-and-go operation.
This unburdens you considerably, because when and how to shift are handled for you. So all that plus the proper clutch techniques are made obsolete since the bike handles it automatically. You can also choose between a trio of shift modes that include a “Manual” setting for push-button shift control. A non-DCT, manual transmission version is available in some markets, but not in the U.S. sector. It might be a bummer for some of you, we know.
5
A Punchy Engine with a Twist
Power, torque, and reliability are aplenty
Folks, what we have here is a full-on
literbike
with its 1,084 cc engine straight out of the Africa Twin. However, unlike many liter bike engines, this one runs a parallel-twin layout instead of the more common inline-four mills found in high-displacement
sports bikes
. It’s liquid-cooled and understressed, so you can count on that thermal stability, even under harsh riding conditions and when you’re feeling frisky with the throttle.
This engine produces 100.57 horsepower at 7,500 RPM with 82.6 pound-feet of torque at 5,500 RPM, which indicates a peaky yet punchy personality that will prefer being wound up pretty tight. These are the claimed figures from the factory, and are no doubt measured at the crankshaft without the mechanical losses of the drivetrain factored in. Just keep that in mind.
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4
Power Meets Control
High-performance dual front rotors ensure confident stopping
Honda gave this bike lots of “go,” so it stands to reason that it needs plenty of “stop,” as well. The factory saw to that business with dual, radial-mounted, 310 mm rotors and four-bore calipers to haul down the front wheel. This is where about 70 percent of your stopping power comes from under normal conditions, so it needs to be substantial.
The rear brake is mostly about just keeping your rear end where it belongs — behind you — during heavy braking moments. It relies on a 256 mm disc and single-piston caliper to do its job.
Cornering ABS
comes stock, along with the Rear Lift Control feature.
3
Precision And Agility In The NT1100 DCT’s Frame
Steel chassis, sporty geometry, and lightweight wheels
Steel was the material of choice for the bone structure of the NT1100 DCT for the rigidity and tunable flexibility it adds to the equation. In fact, it’s the same frame as in the
Africa Twin
. The NT1100 has a relatively short wheelbase of only 60.4 inches between the axles, which helps with agility. The steering head backs that up with a 26.5-degree rake angle and 4.3 inches of trail.
Both fall at the more nimble end of the maneuvering spectrum. Ground clearance rides at 6.8 inches for plenty of room to lean into the curves if you get to feeling like sticking a knee out. The aluminum wheels are die-cast with what they call a sand core that produces a hollow hub structure on the front wheel for reduced weight, inertia, and gyroscopic forces.
2
Premium Suspension For A Smooth, Sporty Ride
Showa’s SFF-BP forks and Pro-Link shocks deliver comfort
Showa has long been a heavyweight in the suspension subset of the motorcycle world, with Honda as a major customer. The factory taps Showa’s SFF-BP (Separate Function Fork – Big Piston) stems for the front end of the NT1100. These forks separate the spring support and the hydraulic-damping functions between the left and right fork tubes, respectively. This is paired with a large-diameter piston for greater damping than you get from the usual setup.
Out back, a Showa Pro-Link monoshock takes care of business. Components at both ends have remote hydraulic preload adjusters for ease of adjustment with 5.9 inches of travel for a fairly cushy ride. As a cherry on top, the inverted, cartridge-style forks add to the NT1100’s sporty demeanor.
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1
Big Value In A Sport-Touring Package
Delivers premium touring features at an affordable price
Tour-capable bikes tend to run toward the higher end of the price range, especially for domestic touring machines. But sport-tour imports are generally more affordable and that’s certainly true here. Honda looks to get $11,899 MSRP for the NT1100, which means you get a lot of bike for your buck and can’t touch one of the
American touring models
for less than around twice that much. The pannier mounting kit adds $164.95 to the price while the panniers themselves will set you back $779.95. If you really want to punch up the touring utility, you can opt for the top case that runs 500 bucks for the box and its mounting kit.
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