Maybe...just maybe...Sport Touring is coming back!

I'm a little perplexed by their terminology in this article. This would just be another ADV bike, not a "sports-tourer". Honda is using the "X" designation specifically for Adventure Bikes nowadays.

" Despite a hint of adventure bike in its height, the overall stance is more like the Interceptor-based VFR800X Crossrunner, a bike this would effectively replace. "

The VFR Crossrunner IS an Adventure bike. Honda UK is marketing it under their "Adventure" category. This may seem like I'm being pedantic, but sports-tourer to me would be a slightly more aggressive riding position. Somewhere halfway from standard to supersport. This proposed CB1100X would most certainly be a standard riding position. There's also the lack of fairing bodywork.

Now if the hinted design were more like a VFR800F, then sure, "sports-tourer".
 
LOL Sport Touring never left... The term sport touring means different things to different manufacturers and some have different terms. BMW has Sport OR Tour... Honda has Touring and Sport...

I have personally sport-toured on a Goldwing, Super Tenere, V-Strom 650 and now the Tracer 900GT which, for Yamaha, actually falls into the Sport Touring category.

Find what bike you like and ride it how you like... that's all that matters.

I do hope Honda brings some more options to us, it's been a little light on the selection for a few years. I like the 2021 Africa Twin DCT myself... long range, tubless tires, updated dash and electronics but probably heavier than I'd like and I can get a Super Ten for less $ for that similar weight... The BMW F 850 GS is also a good contender along with the adventure version.. almost a 300 mile range on that.

The tracer is around a 180 range which in itself isn't bad but I like having that extra bit just in case you can't find gas. With the Tracer you have to fill up at anywhere from 120-150 just to be safe.
 
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The majority of Africa Twins probably see next to no off-road use. So it makes sense to me Honda would make a NC750 style bike from the powerplant.
 
Throwing the argument of what a sport touring bike is and is not as well as an adventure touring bike is and is not, out the window for a minute, lets look at what we know from the link.
It has about the same veracity as those "pics" of the New NT.
One. What we know. Honda is going to introduce a new bike called the rebel with the talked about engine. The riding position looks hideous but not quite as hideous as the looks of the bike.
rebel one.jpg


What we dont know. Someone put out a fake pic of the 1100x, which is just as fake as the pic of the NEW nt. Note the rear footpeg position. Great is your mate is 3 ft tall or a hobbit.
rebel 2.jpg


Still, this "pic" as a concept is not a bad one. I like its lines well enough, though again, big lids/bigger panniers would need to be a necessity, as well as a center stand.
What is odd is that Honda went ahead with producing the former bike which wont sell in favor of an artist's dream that might.
 
BTW, the Ninja 1000 sx is a tad over 500 lbs, 140 hp, but, flame me, is also an ugly bike with lines that are too busy. Looks like a GP bike. I never liked the C14 either but loved the C10
ridermagazine.com

2020 Kawasaki Ninja 1000SX | First Look Review | Rider Magazine

2020 Kawasaki Ninja 1000SX Kawasaki's Ninja 1000 sport tourer is getting a host of updates for 2020, enough in fact that it's been given a new (sort of)
ridermagazine.com ridermagazine.com
ninja 1000 sx.jpg
 
Coyote Chris said:
BTW, the Ninja 1000 sx is a tad over 500 lbs, 140 hp, but, flame me, is also an ugly bike with lines that are too busy. Looks like a GP bike. I never liked the C14 either but loved the C10
Click to expand...

Well, I agree with you Chris about loving the C10 and never particularly liking the C14. I won't flame you, but would argue that apparently and obviously, you and I are not the avant-garde in determining or guiding motorcycle taste and purchasing trends.
 
Pretty much anything the Europeans refer to as an "All-Rounder" would fall into the sport-touring classification. I put 10k on my baby Multistrada in less than 5 months and it makes a great sporty-touring ride. The Tracer 9 is looking pretty interesting though...:love:
 
Wow! That's an amazing hack! Do you have any idea what bike it started with?
 
Sure most* motorcycles can accomplish what other styles can (*I don't think a Goldwing would work on a Trials course..), but that doesn't mean categories aren't important. I could go "cruise" on a H2R, does that mean it's a cruiser?

There's a big difference between a sport-tourer and a regular touring bike like the NT. I can ride a VFR all day for hundreds of miles, but even with bar risers it's still a forward hunch position, arms pointing down towards the head bearing, legs starting to tuck. When I park and fire up the NT it's like settling into a barcalounger. Completely different experience.
 
If I wanted a brand new sports-tourer to replace the rides I have now, I would take a serious look at the new Aprilia RS 660. I would consider it a sports-tourer simply from the riding position. There will also be factory luggage options available. That's more than I can say for the 1998 VFR800, which had no factory luggage available and is referred to as a sports-tourer in all media I've ever seen.
 
If it's Honda... no one will know about it until they post it on a Honda website, or as in the GL1800, they intentionally leak photos of it... either way, the narrative is controlled by Honda only. Any other Honda related stuff is speculation and photo shopped.
 
Coyote Chris said:
Remember the NT1000V fake photo????? Same thing.
Click to expand...
Same with the STX sketches almost 20 years ago...

The trend has moved away from developed, grown up tourers with full weather protection, included panniers and sufficient weight to be reliable at Autobahn speeds, to insectoid looking, naked crossover rigs where you've to spend a(nother) fortune on aftermarket racks, panniers, windscreens, belly-pans, etc... to end up with a skittish ribbing, looking like some prototype or a mobile research center that's supposed to have the shirt-sleeved impression of an ADV bike... :unsure:
I dunno... :cautious:
 
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