An Africa Twin-based Honda tourer named NT1100 is coming to New Zealand, reviving the NT name. It is also the firm’s first big Sport-Tourer since the ST1300 bowed out midway through last decade. Only this one isn’t a V4 but rather is powered by a parallel twin-cylinder engine and is essentially a road-oriented variant based on the CRF1100 Africa Twin mechanicals. Previously Honda made the NT650/700, also known as Deauville.
We’ve previewed the NT1100 before so won’t go into too much detail but essentially it is a fully kitted large sports tourer powered by a 1084cc parallel twin, good for 75kW at 7500rpm and 104Nm at 6250rpm. There will be a choice of transmissions, just like with the Africa Twin, being a six-speed manual and a five-speed semi-automatic DCT gearbox. The former has a wet weight of 238kg and the latter adds another 10kg.
With a seat height of 820mm this new offering caters for owners who want a traditional touring bike rather than one that’s kitted out for dual-purpose work. So this gets a 17-inch front wheel rather than a 19- or 21-incher, though it shares its steel cradle frame with the Africa Twin. A set of 45mm Showa SFF-BP inverted forks offers preload adjustability, as does the rear shock via a remote knurled knob. Wheel travel is 150mm at both ends.
Other standard kit includes a five-position height adjustable screen with 164mm of travel, wind deflectors for arms and legs, cruise control, the Africa Twin’s dual readout screens (including CarPlay and AA), three ride modes, TC and wheelie control, and an optional quickshifter for the manual variant. The DCT can be used in full auto or manual mode. A 20L fuel tank gives range of around 400km.
Expect the NT1100 to come in slightly beneath the CRF1100 on pricing which is not yet to hand. That said, it is on sale in the UK for ₤12,499 and has a sticker price of $24k in Australia, so feel free to draw your conclusions from those figures. Available colours should include two hues of grey and a pearly white.
