The Most Practical Touring Motorcycle In 2025

Touring motorcycles aren’t always practical in the way we define the word. They keep throwing in more and more, hoping to make every ride the experience of a lifetime. However, the reality is that we rarely go on continent-crossing rides, and all those extra features bring along extra weight (and bigger insurance premiums!). So taking a step back is good at times. If you do this, you’ll quickly find that Honda will be right there, waiting for you with its product range.

That’s not to say that Honda can’t make something luxurious and fast – few tourers will be able to scale the heights the Gold Wing has. Plus, the world’s most powerful naturally aspirated inline four comes from Honda. But if you want a no-nonsense motorcycle that offers everything you need along with all the reliability you want and then adds a dollop of luxury, Honda is where you want to be. And we think it has come up with the recipe for the most practical touring motorcycle in 2025.

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The Honda NT1100 DCT Is The Most Practical Touring Motorcycle In 2025

Price: $11,899

The NT1100 is a motorcycle that fills a gap that Honda sorely needed filled. Most big motorcycle marques today have a range of motorcycles available for those who want to go on long rides: a cruiser-style tourer, an adventure bike, a sport tourer, and a crossover with a sport tourer engine plus adventure bike cycle parts. Kawasaki is an example that comes quite near to completing the set.

If you want a Kawasaki to tour with, you have the Vulcan 1700 Voyager, Ninja 1000 SX, and Versys 1100 SE LT. It misses out on the off-road-focused adventure bike. Similarly, Honda has the Gold Wing, Africa Twin, and NC750X DCT but doesn’t have a sports tourer in its lineup. However, a full-size tourer that could sit above the NC750X and plug the gap between the Africa Twin Adventure Sports and the Rebel 1100 T was missing, and the NT1100 is that product.

The Honda NT1100 Shares The Africa Twin Engine

Available Only With The DCT

Honda has, like other manufacturers, learned the value of component and platform sharing. This is why the NT1100 uses the same driveline as the Africa Twin (also present in the Rebel 1100). This is a 270-degree parallel twin that displaces nearly 1,100 cc. It is supremely unstressed to generate around 100 horsepower and 82 pound-feet. A by-wire throttle allows for ride modes, cruise control, and traction control.

Like the NC750X DCT, Honda has opted to put it on sale only with the dual-clutch automatic transmission in the US market. This six-speed gearbox has been around the block a few times, and its reliability is solid. It does lack the G Switch of the Africa Twin, which allows extra clutch slip at walking speeds for better control in off-road situations. Since the NT isn’t an off-road bike, it isn’t needed. The rider can select different shift patterns and also choose to shift manually with buttons on the left handlebar. A chain final drive rounds out the driveline.

Honda NT1100 DCT Engine Specifications

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A Capable Chassis Houses The Parallel-Twin Engine

Platform Sharing, Thoughtful Features

The sharing of components extends beyond the driveline to the chassis as well. This is a remarkably versatile chassis, with Honda even developing a café racer based on it at one point. However, the NT1100 has made a few changes to the rake and trail to accommodate its different focus. 17-inch alloy rims are present as well, which makes it a quicker-steering motorcycle overall compared to the Africa Twin. The bolt-on subframe is stronger than the Africa Twin’s, because Honda expects owners to tour with a pillion and luggage.

The suspension consists of Showa long-travel suspension with limited adjustment: only preload at both ends. Other markets do get the option of electronic suspension, but Honda has chosen not to offer that in the US market. The brakes are up to the task of hauling this bike down to a stop in a hurry, thanks to the Nissin units at both ends and ABS. The tires are expectedly to be completely road-biased.

A 6.5-inch TFT touchscreen sits at the center of the cockpit, which has wireless Android Auto as well as Apple CarPlay (something you won’t encounter often). It has a separate little LCD screen at the bottom, just like the Africa Twin. This might look a little ungainly, but should something go wrong with the touchscreen, you will still have access to critical information like speed and fuel level.

Honda NT1100 Hardware Specs And Dimensions

2025 Honda NT1100 DCT Rivals

Stiff Competition, All Very Expensive

The NT1100 enters a segment that has some incredibly strong credentials, but the NT1100 leverages its price brilliantly. The Kawasaki Versys 1100 SE LT and Suzuki GSX-S1000GX+ both are ostensibly in the same segment as the NT, but their pricing – $19,499 for the Versys, $18,599 for the Suzuki – means that they aren’t real alternatives. The most exciting crossover in the segment is the Yamaha Tracer 9, whose top-spec variant would have been the most technologically advanced and fun here. But Yamaha has chosen to delete the sci-fi features and retain the fun for now.

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