NT1100 vs...

Daboo said:
Again, lots of members congratulate him on his new purchase, but no one else rushes out to get one.
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For me (though I don't often join the festivities) I'm happy for a member when they get a bike they like. I know what that feeling is like though I haven't got a new bike in a few years. So a guy has a new bike and wants to talk about it. I might have some questions. I'm interested in a lot of bikes here because they're not what I have.

No I'm generally not interested in buying one. But I talked a friend into going down to SoCal to the annual bike show and look at the then new ST1800 (New 'Wing). I ooohhed and aahhhed at the new kit but wasn't about to buy one. He did. And I was happy for him. Till he asked me to program the radio.

So it's not a matter of "bread sliced a new an improved way gotta have it" for me and I suspect for many others. Part of it is seeing if this might be a bike I'd be interested in. Above all it's general interest and a touch of that ol' sin envy. I envy someone who got a bike they like and am disappointed there isn't one that I'd like to own. Someone found one that perfectly fits their wants or is close enough.

I don't spend much if any time disliking a bike. Any bike I don't like is a great bike for someone else. And if they're happy then that's a good thing. A rider starts young and works his way up to better bikes suiting his preference. Sport-touring is a niche and for some of us we age out or get different bikes we feel is more appropriate. The commonality is bikes are bought all the time and make the buyer happy.

Me I needed a bike to go on a ride to MT with a couple of friends. I looked and didn't fine anything I really liked but settled on the ST. As time when on I learned to like a lot of things about it. But if something more my preference came a long I'd get it.

So when someone here gets a new ride or posts info about an upcoming product I check it out. MY preference being pretty narrow means I won't get as excited over some bikes as much as others. But every time a member here gets a new ride that makes them happy I get a Diet Dr Pepper. So it's a win for me.
 
Daboo said:
I totally get what you're saying. I'll give you a couple fer instance examples. Donk bought a Guzzi. There was lots of excitement about that purchase...but did four or five other people rush out to get one? No. Mellow buys a new bike. (I think he's on an RT now.) Again, lots of members congratulate him on his new purchase, but no one else rushes out to get one.

With the NT though, the news comes out that they are hitting the dealerships, and guys are rushing out to get one...sometimes without even seeing one in person. The feeling I get is like it is the day after Thanksgiving sale.

It's probably just coincidence, but it seemed rather strange.

Chris
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I believe you are over thinking it.
 
Don't forget we have been reading great reviews and seeing very complimentary youtube videos about this bike for 3 years with it being unavailable to us here in the states. Like dangling the proverbial carrot in front of us ...and now it's available to us

 
I guess I’m lucky I’m getting old.
After owning approximately 72 bikes now and counting, I have no lust or desire to run out and purchase any new bike for three reasons.
#1 there is almost nothing that attracts me to all these modern, plastic, ride mode, blue tooth, pigeon holed modern looking bikes out there now.
#2 I’m retired and on a fixed income
#3 I have 4 bikes in the garage at the moment.
I agree with Dave, this is being over thought.
I like and ride motorcycles, many different motorcycles.
To me, I can Tour on any motorcycle.
I can ride sporty on any motorcycle.
I think most folks get excited about magazine or video reviews and are sold on their opinions and run out and buy the latest greatest things.
Let me ask an honest question, every one remembers that old special bike they had that took them on that special trip or journey that they will always look back on and remember…..
I’ll bet if one thought long and hard about it, and were honest with themselves, they would admit the memories were not about the bike, but where and how it took them.
Getting back on topic, I looked at this bike only because I saw one a guy just bought.
It was nicer looking than many others, but had too many gimmicks on it for my taste.
I’m sure it can do anything the ST’s can do and make folks who buy them happy.
After all it is a motorcycle.
 
There is one available near me at Redline Powersports in Myrtle Beach (the same one I sat on several weeks ago and posted pics here)- I’m surprised it’s not sold yet. Then again, the economy being what it is, a new bike is more of a want than a need. For example, I really wanted Dave’s 2018 GW and the price was excellent, but then I have to decide which of the 3 bikes I have to sell to make room for it, and ultimately decided to just leave things as they are.
 
Igofar said:
I guess I’m lucky I’m getting old.
After owning approximately 72 bikes now and counting, I have no lust or desire to run out and purchase any new bike for three reasons.
#1 there is almost nothing that attracts me to all these modern, plastic, ride mode, blue tooth, pigeon holed modern looking bikes out there now.
#2 I’m retired and on a fixed income
#3 I have 4 bikes in the garage at the moment.
I agree with Dave, this is being over thought.
I like and ride motorcycles, many different motorcycles.
To me, I can Tour on any motorcycle.
I can ride sporty on any motorcycle.
I think most folks get excited about magazine or video reviews and are sold on their opinions and run out and buy the latest greatest things.
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I get what you're saying, but ....

The same could have been said, going clear back to 1969 ( in fact I did say it standing in a showroom with my dad and younger brother) when the CB 750 Honda came out with 4 cylinders and 4 carbs an electric starter and a disc front brake. We were touring across the country just fine on kick start drum brake V and P twins with a duffle bag bungied to the seat. Then a dang opposed 4 cylinder water cooled shaft driven 2 wheel car came out in 1975, with the kick starter and electrics where the gas tank was supposed to be....the Gold Wing. A few years later it came with a fairing, hard bags and a trunk. Talk about a car lol. Both bike were really well reviewed by testers and magazines, sold well and became the standards by which others were measured. We have come to accept, demand even, improvements in the vehicles we ride. The Goldwing led the way for the 700 pound plastic encased, watercooled, shaft drive, electric windshield, triple disc linked braked V4 ST series of motorcycles which we obviously all love.

I too am retired and on a fixed income. I too have other motorcycles in the garage. One a very much "modern retro ujm", with inline 4 cyl, flat seat, chain drive, naked,(very much like the one I originally shunned in 1969), the other a very much modern, plastic, ride mode, blue tooth, pigeon holed modern motorcycle with a new fangled DCT transmission ( much like the one we are discussing in this thread). It's actually the one I ride the most these days because its just so easy and enjoyable to ride. I love riding. Ride almost every day. Ridden as many as 350 days in a year. Being easy and enjoyable to ride makes me happy, and allows me to do it more often.

I dont need "all" the tech, but I sure appreciate a lot of it.

I visited my local dealer and test sat the new NT 1100. If I were taller, I'd be all over one.
 
CDNolddude said:
Haha, never too young for a Gold Wing. Had my first one at 32! 1985 gl1200 interstate. Great bike. Now back on new DCT one at 72.
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Yes, I had a 1986 interstate 1200 back in the early 90's. That when I found out I was too young for it. bought a ST1100 in 93 that the Wing just sat in the garage. Finally sold it to a much older gentleman. :biggrin:
 
In 1974 my grandmother told me I should write more. I won't feel insulted if you pass over this because of the length.

I'm one of those old guys who fits the DOWNSIZED category. 1981 CB900f SuperSport and 2004 GL1800 Goldwing. Between the two I had about 85,000 miles logged over 25 years. (No telling what I've put on other bikes.) My riding time dropped considerably after a divorce, and I met my now wife twelve years ago. (I have no incentive to ride away for a couple of days.) She used to fall asleep on the back of the Goldwing at highway speeds. (We've met others who told the same story.) I always thought I'd be willing to trade in one of my bikes for a convertible for the right woman, but I traded in my car instead. Our summer travels together are in the convertible. I think it was a good compromise. Fewer bike miles. More time with her. Then I had to buy a real car for winter driving and to haul kayaks in the summer. (We met kayaking.)

Last September the Goldwing crapped out on me three miles from home and for the first time I had to get it towed. Electrical problem that I could have figured out, but damn it, I'm too old for this. (I was 71 at the time.) While I had the cars out of the garage and tools out, I pulled the 900 in to lube the chain. Brake calipers were stuck and brakes are one thing I don't trust myself to work on. Called my mechanic to pick up both bikes. Called him back and told him to pick up both bikes and KEEP them. Give me some $$$ when you sell them. Neither bike owed me anything.

I started looking for something between the 900 and the 1800. Somehow I kept looking back at the NC750x. Everyone told me it's too small and with the automatic transmission I'd be bored out of my mind. Then I started watching reviews by professional reviewers. I went to test ride it on a day with winds gusting over 40mph. Damn thing was a blast on the city roads, then I gave it the real test. Highway riding in gale force winds. Didn't feel it until I hit about 65 mph. I had to pay attention at 75. When I hit 85, (hey, just keeping up with traffic,) I'm thinking this little machine can handle it NO PROBLEM. Bought it the next day. I did add a Puig Touring Windscreen and a cheapo extender on top of that, and after not riding much during the Boston winter, I've got over 1850 miles on it and absolutely loving its flexibility and pep.

So how does this missive address the new bigger bike this thread is about? When I bought the 2024 NC750x I knew if I waited a few weeks I could get the 2025 with all the fancy screen electronics. That *****'s too distracting. When I saw the NT 1100 DCT, I'm sure if it was available in November I would have bought it. But I live on the edge of the city. (I pay taxes to the city of Boston, but ten minutes away I can be in the country and in another ten, I'm looking at horses.) For city riding, I'm having more fun on this 750 than I have in years. For highway riding, so far so good, but I haven't had many days over 120 miles. Looking at a 225-250 mile day later this week. I'll let y'all know. That 1100 isn't far from my thoughts.
 
Being a Honda the NT is and will be a reliable bike however it's engine and power for my mind is somewhat underwhelming. One of my bikes a mint Honda Crossrunner 800 2019 IMHO is a far superior bike to the NT with an iconic engine and I dare say certainly the equal of the NT for build quality but perhaps better. I would suggest the Crossrunner outguns the NT as well. It can tour, scratch., pillion and will go on like all Honda V4's for Taxi mileage. As far as BMW alternatives I think this quote made just recently on a forum in the UK by a top bike mechanic sums the BM experience up superbly :
"I think the faults are fairly well documented in the BMW LC sections,
But my experience,
Worn canshafts,
Seized and worn propshafts,
Final drives that cannot be repaired effectively due to unlisted/unavailable parts.
That’s before you get into excessive tech like flat screens etc etc,
All of this stuff will make the bike unrepairable once it’s ,let’s say 10 years old.
Same as cars,the manufacturers have turned them into “white goods”
To be disposed of rather than repaired."

Enough said I think.
 
Jacksnipe said:
Being a Honda the NT is and will be a reliable bike however it's engine and power for my mind is somewhat underwhelming. One of my bikes a mint Honda Crossrunner 800 2019 IMHO is a far superior bike to the NT with an iconic engine and I dare say certainly the equal of the NT for build quality but perhaps better. I would suggest the Crossrunner outguns the NT as well. It can tour, scratch., pillion and will go on like all Honda V4's for Taxi mileage. As far as BMW alternatives I think this quote made just recently on a forum in the UK by a top bike mechanic sums the BM experience up superbly :
"I think the faults are fairly well documented in the BMW LC sections,
But my experience,
Worn canshafts,
Seized and worn propshafts,
Final drives that cannot be repaired effectively due to unlisted/unavailable parts.
That’s before you get into excessive tech like flat screens etc etc,
All of this stuff will make the bike unrepairable once it’s ,let’s say 10 years old.
Same as cars,the manufacturers have turned them into “white goods”
To be disposed of rather than repaired."

Enough said I think.
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Like some one said before, the US gets the scraps, I sure wished that the the US got the Honda Crossrunner 800. But we did not. what we did get back in 2010 was the NT700. That lasted two years in the US. Like I said we get the scraps.
 
RiverRider said:
I started looking for something between the 900 and the 1800. Somehow I kept looking back at the NC750x. Everyone told me it's too small and with the automatic transmission I'd be bored out of my mind. Then I started watching reviews by professional reviewers. I went to test ride it on a day with winds gusting over 40mph. Damn thing was a blast on the city roads, then I gave it the real test. Highway riding in gale force winds. Didn't feel it until I hit about 65 mph. I had to pay attention at 75. When I hit 85, (hey, just keeping up with traffic,) I'm thinking this little machine can handle it NO PROBLEM. Bought it the next day. I did add a Puig Touring Windscreen and a cheapo extender on top of that, and after not riding much during the Boston winter, I've got over 1850 miles on it and absolutely loving its flexibility and pep.

So how does this missive address the new bigger bike this thread is about? When I bought the 2024 NC750x I knew if I waited a few weeks I could get the 2025 with all the fancy screen electronics. That *****'s too distracting. When I saw the NT 1100 DCT, I'm sure if it was available in November I would have bought it. But I live on the edge of the city. (I pay taxes to the city of Boston, but ten minutes away I can be in the country and in another ten, I'm looking at horses.) For city riding, I'm having more fun on this 750 than I have in years. For highway riding, so far so good, but I haven't had many days over 120 miles. Looking at a 225-250 mile day later this week. I'll let y'all know. That 1100 isn't far from my thoughts.
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and my 2021 NC 750X is why I'm not buying an NT 1100. It does everything I ask of it, and its size suits my munchkin body. I've put 60,000 miles on mine. Coming from an ST 1300 then an FJR I thought it wouldn't be enough (and honestly it could have more power lol) but it has been an amazingly satisfying bike to ride.

DkyVPdc.jpg


For me the NT 1100 is just too big.
 
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the Ferret said:
....my 2021 NC 750X is why I'm not buying an NT 1100.
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750Xs are also great for LDs, with excellent mpg and one of the easiest auxiliary fuel tank install there is.

Two dealers here who sold NTs had both taken a 750X as trade in. Probably a good time to look for a 750!


 
I own an Africa Twin DCT which in many ways similar to the NT. I can well understand how the NT will be a great bike. The parallel twin is a great engine and performs surprisingly better than its published horsepower numbers would indicate. It has quite a low to mid range punch and pulls well out of corners where the power band makes all the difference. I've seen comparisons where the Africa twin will pull right with bikes with 30hp more up to about 85mph due to the powerband and fast shifting of the DCT. The narrow profile of the bike makes it feel small and much lighter than its actual weight. I am getting up in years now and although I love my Africa Twin, it is tall and I am getting too old for serious off pavement riding now and the bike tempts me to go places I should not. I would definitely consider a NT1100 as it has a lower seat height and I am thinking about buying a more road oriented bike.
 
MidLife said:
750Xs are also great for LDs, with excellent mpg and one of the easiest auxiliary fuel tank install there is.

Two dealers here who sold NTs had both taken a 750X as trade in. Probably a good time to look for a 750!
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The NC700X still ticks a lot of boxes for me after 12 years and nearly 100,000 miles on NCs. Realistically another one, a 750X, would probably be a better choice for me than the NT1100. I really like the NT and one might in the future replace my 1200RT. IMO dumb idea to put fuel in the frunk instead of mounting the auxiliary tank on a rear platform in place of the passenger seat. The frunk is waterproof, lockable and so practical. My aux tank mounts on a cargo platform behind the rider seat.
 
I looked at the Kawasaki and Suzuki as a matter of due diligence before buying the Honda. The Honda offers more for less money, most notably DCT. This is a well-refined and thought-out bike. I went on a 200-mile ride today, covering a mix of twisty roads, interstates, urban settings, and country roads. This is the best all-around bike I've owned. I was home before lunch and promptly cut grass (Honda self-propelled cranks on first or second pull first time.)

There is nothing my ST 1300, or 2014 FJR could do better. The NT is much more comfortable in the cockpit, with upright, wide handlebars, legroom, and the best wind management of all my previous sport tourers. With a fairing half the size of my last RT, ST, and FJR, it is quiet. I don't know how they did that, lots of wind tunnel, I reckon. It is very slick in the wind, but I also have a Shoei Air 3, the quietest and most aerodynamic helmet I've ever worn, so that helps.

The seat is satisfactory; no aftermarket upgrade is needed.

Full connectivity electronics, cruise control, heated grips, and self-canceling signals. It does have a manual transmission lever on the left switch, if you want it. I've never used it as the DCT always has me in the correct gear. I'm not aggressive enough to need precise control of the gears.

What about this, the gas tank is 5.4 gallons, I got 244 miles on the first tank, same as the 7-gallon plus tanks of the ST and RT and superior to the 6-gallon something of the FJR, which came in 225 miles. So, the same miles for cheaper.

Well balanced, easy to ride, and push around in the garage.

The RT has more features and does more, like a sound system, but the NT has Apple Play, and if your headset is Bluetooth, you're good to go. But performance is a toss-up, and it costs twice as much as the NT. I enjoyed my RT, it had everything for long riding, but I never fully trusted it. It was expensive to maintain. The Honda? You don't even think about it, putting you down.

My situation? I needed to downsize, and didn't give up anything in the process, which was something I wasn't expecting. For years, Honda asked for an authentic sport tourer, here ya go. It does everything well.
 
Igofar said:
I like and ride motorcycles, many different motorcycles.
To me, I can Tour on any motorcycle.
I can ride sporty on any motorcycle.
After all it is a motorcycle.
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While stationed in Rota Spain I realized there were three unused mopeds (with pedals!) at the fuel farm. (many acres with roads and restricted access). We had MANY happy lunch breaks racing those mopeds wide open throttle and pedaling like crazy to help acceleration! "After all they were motorcycles".:hat2::hat1::hat4: For my taste modern motorcycles have lost much of the simplicity that is so much of motorcycling's appeal. That being said I do like disc brakes and shaft drive.
 
What would you consider a BMW alternative?
Glad you’re having good luck with your BMW. After owning many airheads, and Rotax singles, I walked away from the brand when the oil heads arrived.
Spent many years around BMW service departments, the inside joke was always nobody ever wondered why they provided loaner bikes :rofl1:while I think some of the new moto guzzi bikes look nice, way too many recalls and issues to call a daily rider.
Now if Honda brought back the good old CX500 twin…..
 

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Daboo said:
Did anyone bring up BMW alternatives? Hmm...

Well, this thread really went off track... :D

Chris
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I mentioned the BMW, meaning the 1250 RT, if were comparing apples to apples (litre+ sport/touring bikes). All other aspects aside, In Canada, the RT is north of $30k, the NT is south of $20k. You say the thread has gone off track, which seems to be a very narrow track to you. The general consensus is that the NT looks to be a winner and those that have bought them are initially impressed. What is it you would like people to say? People have given their thoughts and you dont seem to want to accept them. Congrats on your new bike.
 
Things to like about the U.S. NT,

Motor
Handling
Price
Looks
DCT

Things you may not like,

Seat height
Bar reach
DCT
Seat
Shock
Windscreen
You don't have one too
 
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