Because I have seen the former statement from you quite a few times over the past several years the latter statement has made me curious enough to ask- At 1100cc, would the NT1100 be on your short list?
Yes it would and it was. I think I mentioned early on that the NT1100 was on my short list...but it wasn't available in the states till the last few months.
I'm not hard and fast on that criteria, but it is a start and helps narrow the choices down. My riding history started with small bikes and worked its way up, rather than like many on this forum where you rode much bigger faster bikes and as you age, you went down in size. That's happening at the same time as I age.
My Honda NT700VA fit the criteria perfectly. The later BMW F800GT did pretty good, but had a belt drive instead of a shaft drive. My current BMW F900XR has a chain. You can't win them all.
Your overall comments seem to indicate that you consider the package more than any one individual characteristic. I guess the real question is where is the line where a motorcycle crosses over from a mid-weight to a heavy-weight cruiser and would no longer be considered? I suspect that you would not consider it a simple matter of engine size but more a question of engine size in combination with weight. The reason I am curious is because you have become an avowed advocate of smaller/lighter motorcycles and have been convinced of their merits. As you have had several with many miles on them you have experience upon which to base an answer.
When I was coming up close to retirement, I bought a 2011 Honda NT700VA. It was drop-dead gorgeous in black. I was planning to take it on my post-retirement ride. Engine size less than 1000ccs. Full fairing even to include a lower fairing for the feet. It even had a shaft drive. It was made to be a sport-touring bike and eat away the miles.
Wet weight was 570 lbs. You've hopefully noticed some of the pictures I've taken on my rides. Well, more than once, I had passed on stopping to take a picture simply because I didn't want to manhandle the bike on the shoulder of the road. Long story short, I came across the BMW F800GT. Newer technology in that it had 50% more hp and weighed 100 lbs less.
I thought my Honda was really good at managing wind. It turned out the BMW was better. BMW must've spent time in a wind tunnel in its design. Even with things like freeway truck turbulence, it was noticeably smoother. I'd stick my hand down next to my leg and it was in calm smooth air. Yet if I moved my hand out an inch, it was in the full force of the wind. It moved the air enough...but not too much.
That made a difference in the fuel economy. Even though the F800GT had 50% more horsepower, it got incredible gas mileage. Average gas mileage was in the low to mid-50s. It was not unusual to hit the low to mid-60s though. With a 4 gallon gas tank that makes a huge difference in range. But even more so, it lessens the weight of the bike to not require more fuel to get acceptable range. Again, the vicious circle.
I take a lot of rides to Artist Point. It's a full day long ride. On my Honda NT700VA, I'd want a nap when I got home. On my first trip back with the BMW F800GT, I was about 45 minutes out from home and the thought of the nap came to mind. And then I realized I wasn't tired. In fact, when I got home, I mowed the lawn. That's a three hour long project. Two if I do a minimum job. The only difference was the bike and the bike made a huge difference in just how tired I was. The Honda NT700VA was good...but the lighter F800GT was better.
When I set out on my epic post-retirement ride, I told my wife that I might get back and decide I wanted something bigger. It turned out that never once on that ride did I find the smaller package of the F800GT to be lacking. Cruise control was the only thing I thought of, and I was quite happy with a throttle lock.
One more quick story...
Pre-COVID I was invited to join up with a group of Canadian riders. To them, Washington state was a speed bump to get out of the way as they headed to back roads in Northern California and Oregon. They were predominately riding Kawasaki C14s with a BMW K1600 and a ST1300 in the mix. All were remapped and I'd guess they were putting out around 160 hp to the rear wheel. The first day, I was having problems keeping up. My riding style is smoother and less intense. By the third day, it was no problem at all. They rode extremely fast till about 10 am in the morning. Then they slowed down to where I could let them get way out ahead of me while I slowed to take in the scenery...and then I'd "reel them in". No real effort. Their bikes were fast...but heavy. And that weight took its toll as the ride went on. They could go faster in a straight line, but we were riding some of the twistiest roads I've seen. The weight was a handicap. And like on my trip above to Artist Point, I found I could keep that pace up all day long whereas they were beat.
The NT1100 is a good direction for Honda...and anyone who buys one. The engine is big enough to do all you could want safely on the public roads. It'll carry two easily, or one with bags easily. The comfort is there. The handling isn't up to sport bike level, but do you really want that? It's perfect for sport-touring...or even just commuting back and forth each day. As you pointed out Andrew, it isn't just one item...but it is the sum of the whole bike that makes it as good as it is.
Chris
