Motorcycle specifications HondaNT 1100 2023 Between Africa and Deauville

The NT 1100 made an excellent debut, finishing in the top 10 of sales in France. This was no easy feat, given the market's infatuation with maxi-trailers when it comes to travel. This state of affairs + the disgusting dominance of the BMW RT have led the sector towards a very clear segmentation of the offering: the tourer no longer exists! Except for this NT.

Either you opt for a heavy-duty vessel(Honda Goldwing, Indian Roadmaster, Harley Limitedor Road Glide, BMW 1600 GT / L or R18 Transcontinental) that's financially majestic; or you go for a road-going trail bike. Or take a close look at Honda's new NT 1100. A real surprise and a real challenge. This tourer, based on theAfrica Twin, revives the category.

As is often the case, Honda hasn't taken any design risks. Inspiration is not to be found in the 1100 AT, Gold or other in-house bikes. Instead, it's in the scooter segment that the big NT has drawn its inspiration. The similarity with the X-ADV is obvious from the front. Without the suitcases, the rear view is even more obvious. On the other hand, the profile gives the impression of a CBF 1000 F. In short, the silhouette is not very bold, almost placid. But Honda is rarely about showmanship; it's more about efficiency.

The NT 1100 takes this approach to protection. The bodywork is designed to counter the elements. The fork head, shoulders and boomerang-shaped side panels are definitely wide. Inside, fairing returns and appendages at foot level are committed to protecting the lower body. Hands are protected by discreet transparent deflectors on either side of the bubble. The bubble seems to have a well-calibrated size, can be adjusted to 5 levels with a total travel of 164 mm, and benefits from a central vent to reduce the air depression behind it.

travel also means having the right equipment. It's much nicer to be able to take things with you, and to be able to relax once you're on the handlebars. The Honda NT 1100 scores points with its suitcases and heated grips as standard. Even cruise control is included. With 55 liters of cargo space, 33 on the left and 32 on the right, the crew can take on board a little more stuff than in the pockets of the 1800 Goldwing (bagger). A central stand facilitates routine maintenance, while reducing the bitterness of not having a cardan drive. We also welcome the presence of two power, USB and accessory sockets; little things that have become indispensable and should be found everywhere. The package holder, with its good handgrips, is also a much-appreciated daily companion. Honda isn't stingy and has really thought about both multi-purpose and travel use.

However, a few things are still missing. One or two storage compartments, at least one slightly larger or expandable case to accommodate a full-face helmet, possibly an adjustable seat height. But all in all, the NT 1100 is ready for a trip with everything it comes with as standard.

Before it, the NT was a medium-displacement bike, with an attractive price tag. The increase in cm3 and technology has had a leverage effect on the price. As a result, it no longer appeals to the same clientele; but the sum demanded is not as high as for most GTs. By using an already familiar platform, Honda minimizes costs.
So, under the bodywork, we find the architecture of theAfrica Twin, with its steel frame and aluminum rear frame. The brakes are also taken from the Africa Twin, with 310 mm front discs squeezed by 4-piston radial calipers. Pleasant and efficient in use on theAT 1100, they should offer similar behavior on the tourer - the two bikes weigh almost the same and are built on the same base. The rear brake uses just one piston on a 256 mm disc.

correction . Braking should be a little more efficient. Better road tires and suspension will improve energy transfer. The Showa inverted fork here measures 43 mm in diameter (45 mm on the Africa) and slides 150 mm. As does the rear shock absorber. Here, the travel is a little greater than usual, to absorb more of the road's imperfections. For both elements, only the preload can be adjusted - via a remote knob for the rear.
Back to weight. The NT is a few kilos heavier than the trail bike. 12 to be precise. So, 238 kilos doesn't swing from right to left like a ballerina. Except that Honda has mastered weight distribution and chassis balance, that the wheelbase is 40 mm shorter on the NT to boost agility, and that the tire profile should participate as well.

There was a time when Japanese GTs were all about 4-cylinder engines. Yamaha FJ / FJR, Kawasaki 1000 / 1400 GTR, Honda 1100 / 1300 Pan-European, Suzuki 1400 Cavalcade... Not for the NT. Developing a new berlingot is out of the question (it's very expensive). Since theAfrica Twin frame was already there, we might as well have the engine too. So it's the big 1084 cm3 twin that will power this schooner. With a good character and sufficient power, this block delivers 102 hp and 10.7 mkg. That's good enough, even with a passenger, but not quite up to the standards of the big GTs. The latter boast power outputs of 130 to 150 hp, and sometimes more; but their masses orbit around 300 kilos. What's more, Honda wanted to create a homogeneous package. Reasonable all around!
The twin is identical to that of theAT. The engine-makers have simply modified the intake ducts and the interior of the silencer to offer a more road-going feel, more reflective of the on-board vocation.

the large TFT screen announces the color (lol): electronics are included in good measure in the NT 1100. First between engine and wheels, with torque control, anti-wheeling, 4 available power levels, 3 for engine braking and 5 steering modes. 3+2 would be more accurate: Urban, Rain and Tour Modes are already pre-programmed in memory, plus User 1 and 2 for creating your own control maps. Details of the main Modes are given below.

The electronics also include ABS, daytime visual signature, automatic stop indicators, emergency brake warning light, LEDs everywhere and a rich cockpit. Here, too, the Africa's dashboard is used, with its small secondary display dedicated to essential information (speed - gear ratio - trip - indicator lights) and its large 6.5-inch touchscreen. Plenty of space to display all driving parameters in 3 available themes.
- Gold, displaying all information and modes
- Silver, focusing on the tachometer and rev counter
- Bronze, which focuses on the rev counter.
Bluetooth and Apple CarPlay / Android Auto compatibility will enable a smartphone to be controlled to enjoy its goodies, such as GPS navigation, access to phone contacts, calls, music, text messages, weather, the official Honda app.....
So, as on most modern motorcycles, there's a throttle and a brake for steering, and some fifteen buttons on the commodos for the rest.

or even more, if you opt for the NT 1100 with DCT robotized gearbox. A very tempting transmission choice, as it lends itself very well to the use of this machine. Having the option of a fully automatic or sequential gearbox that can be operated by the rider's fingers is very rare and really enjoyable.
In MT, the rider manages everything from the trigger.
In automatic, he can choose between D mode (rather sluggish and relaxed) and the more spirited S mode. The latter is divided into 3 sub-modes for more or less sporty behavior. S1 is slightly dynamic, S2 more cheerful, while S3 behaves almost like a human. It's not Bayle yet, but we're surprised by the progress made in silicon management. Matrix coming soon?
As with other models, the DCT option requires an extra 1,000 euros on the budget and 10 kilos on the scales.

at one time, Honda was one of the manufacturers with a fine range of roadsters. There was something for everyone: 700 Deauville, 1300 Pan-European, 1800 Goldwing - even an 800 Pacific Coast in the distant past.
The brand is back in the road bike game, with a bike halfway between the CBF 1000 and the Pan-European, with a size somewhere between a roadster and the R 1250 RT. An interesting approach, and above all, the only alternative to the road-going SUV steamroller. However, with its lack of cardan shaft, sad colors and scooter-like face, the NT 1100 lacks sex appeal. The fact that its price is far less stifling than that of a big GT helps to arouse curiosity. As for the automatic gearbox, it will be the only one in the segment to offer it.

M.B - Manufacturer's photos

driving modes in detail:

URBAN: for most situations, with intermediate power and engine braking;
RAIN: limits power and engine braking for greater confidence in precarious grip conditions;
TOUR: for heavy use, with passenger and luggage, with maximum power (acceleration) and intermediate engine braking;
USER 1 & 2: allows the rider to define two distinct personalized settings. Settings defined in USER mode are automatically saved and do not require reprogramming when the ignition is switched off.