The next midsize Honda Tourer?

I was at the shop last Saturday chatting with a salesman. He told me that in May of 2016 Honda is bringing us a bike not unlike the NT in styling, weather protection and ergos with the VFR V4 detuned from 170HP to about 100HP
He says there is already a similar bike in Europe
Has anyone read or heard such a thing?

Probably referring to the VFR800X Crossrunner which is about 105 HP and chain drive

http://www.honda.co.uk/motorcycles/range/adventure/crossrunner-2015/overview.html

or the Crosstourer which is about 125 HP and shaft drive

http://www.honda.co.uk/motorcycles/range/adventure/crosstourer-2014/overview.html

Hmmm - the Crosstourer would be nice, especially with the dual clutch transmission. (Getting lazy in my old age.)

I saw the Crosstourer when I was in Europe 2-years ago and it looked huge. It has a 33.4" seat height.

Cross Tour looks interesting...wondering what the load capacity is?

RedNigel said:

I was at the shop last Saturday chatting with a salesman. He told me that in May of 2016 Honda is bringing us a bike not unlike the NT in styling, weather protection and ergos with the VFR V4 detuned from 170HP to about 100HP
He says there is already a similar bike in Europe
Has anyone read or heard such a thing?

Click to expand...

Really? Is he blind or just clueless?

I do like the platforms but they are nothing like an NT. Maybe an NC?

FWIW, if they did bring out either of them in a platform like an NT I'd probably buy it. "I wish the NT had 20 more hp and 6 speeds..."

The Crossrunner looks interesting to me. However, I've become accustomed to the wind/weather protection and saddlebags of the stock NT.
I don't know if the Crossrunners' smaller stock windshield would provide the same protection.
One thing the NT has in it's favor....it's paid for!

The Crosstourer has potential for a "pure" sport tourer - better protection, lower seat height, better seat, larger gas tank, and, most importantly, cruise control.

Yep, all it needs is a decent fairing.

As a new owner of an NT and a guy who's previous bikes have all been sport (aka crotch-rockets) or sporty standards.
And a guy who has ridden a GSXR though out most of North America. All lower 48 states; except Rhode Island, Florida, and Louisiana; and most of Canada.
I would not describe either of those; VFR800X or Crosstourer; as any type of "tourer".

A touring motorcycle to me has to have at a minimum these factory items:

• shaft drive
• fairing
• built-in hard luggage
• longer than average cruising range

--ET

ett said:

As a new owner of an NT and a guy who's previous bikes have all been sport (aka crotch-rockets) or sporty standards.
And a guy who has ridden a GSXR though out most of North America. All lower 48 states; except Rhode Island, Florida, and Louisiana; and most of Canada.
I would not describe either of those; VFR800X or Crosstourer; as any type of "tourer".

A touring motorcycle to me has to have at a minimum these factory items:

• shaft drive
• fairing
• built-in hard luggage
• longer than average cruising range

--ET

Click to expand...

I agree with the list of "has to have". I have not toured as much as et, but over the past year I put a lot of miles on my Kawasaki Concours 1400. It has all the above, in fact a lot more than the NT I just bought and I find it all important! I plan to do a lot of touring on the NT. The Concours is a great, fast, comfortable ride, smooth as silk on freeways, and handles great on two lane roads. But a little heavy in parking lots for my 160lb weight and 5'9" height!

http://harrisburg.craigslist.org/mcy/5318148585.html

Having said all this....the ADV type bikes are great for cross country trips as long as you like their setups. There were quite a few of them in the IBR this year.

Me? I want at least a 3/4 fairing with a decent size windscreen. Some of the ADV bikes will come close with an aftermarket windshield and bits.

I find this information a little suspicious. As you are aware, the VFR has come in two configurations....800 and 1200 cc,
neither of which obtained 170 horsepower. If he is talking midsize, then he is obviously referring to the 800 cc. Another
thing, as a rule, dealerships can't tell you what Honda is doing tomorrow, much less in a year. I hope he is correct. It
doesn't matter to me. At 63, I am riding my last motorcycle. I don't plan on giving it up too soon. Wish I had more time
to ride it, but that is another story.....

Living on a gravel road, and riding on many I always would eye a dual sport, but all where too high of seat. I ride a BMW R100RT as well as the NT and really for the roads I have ridden I seem to get by just fine. I most likely won't purchase another motorcycle useless I get a trike some day. I learn in West Virginia I can ride the NT on some of the worst gravel(?), roads that exist. rocks as big as can of pop, and you just slow down and wish you were not so stupid to miss the curve as the sun shown in your eyes.
I think if a company would make more motorcycles with 30" height seats they could sell more. I see at the IMS shows people get on the selection and tip toe walk away. H-D get a lot of riders with a 28" seat height, your lucking to find a Honda, Kawasaki, etc. one within 2". Scooters are going to be more poplar because of the easy of getting off and on with new riders, and old guys who still want to ride but legs make it necessary. I think a reverse trike will become more popular, the Piaggo MP3 has been around a while.

[..I think if a company would make more motorcycles with 30" height seats they could sell more. I see at the IMS shows people get on the selection and tip toe walk away...]

I agree completely and sadly, the "adventure bike" look has raised seat heights to stratospheric levels! I would guess that older riders although they may have an inseam of 30-32 inches or more, still have trouble with tall bikes because of reduced leg strength, poor balance, etc.

Honda has announced that they will bring the CrossTourer (V4 1200cc) in next year. I was hopping that they would bring the CrossRunner (V4 800cc) in, BUT.......... If they do it will be too late for me, as I am set with my 2014 FJR1300 and my 20014 V-STrom 650 Wee. Guess I will just have to wait about 4 more years when I turn 70 and see what is available from Honda then.

I am at my limit seat height-wise right now. My next bike will have to be lower,which rules out some bikes I do like

I like many on this forum were attracted to the NT because of it's size and weight.
I liked my old Concours 10 but I could envision parking lot problems while manuvering on tip toes. The problem is I think the bike companies see us as a small group and they don't see enough profit in developing a shorter bike. The companies are too greedy. They want big profits fast. I guess I can't blame them for that.

Brad

ett said:

As a new owner of an NT and a guy who's previous bikes have all been sport (aka crotch-rockets) or sporty standards.
And a guy who has ridden a GSXR though out most of North America. All lower 48 states; except Rhode Island, Florida, and Louisiana; and most of Canada.
I would not describe either of those; VFR800X or Crosstourer; as any type of "tourer".

A touring motorcycle to me has to have at a minimum these factory items:

• shaft drive
• fairing
• built-in hard luggage
• longer than average cruising range

--ET

Click to expand...

This thread might not be the best place for it, but I would like to read about your rides throughout the country on the GSXR. What challenges did it present riding a "sport bike" through that many states. Was it all one trip or multiple trips? Did you modify the bars and seat to have a more upright or comfortable position? Sounds like you yourself have proved the saying "You can tour on anything!".

My new acquisition has cruise control. I have "toured" without cruise control for years, but my first long highway trip using cruise made me place cruise control first on my want list for a touring motorcycle. I like it so much, I might even put a throttle lock on my little DR650.

Interesting cause I am also on the 'real cruise control' side. I have had a throttle lock on every bike I have owned going back 30 years.

I was surprised at a recent rally how many folks there said they really wanted a real cruise control on their bikes. Almost all of them had some sort of throttle lock. And this was a bunch of Guzzi riders. Kind of interesting since Guzzi has just now included cruise on a bike, but, only on the hulking cruiser model, not the sport touring one. Oh well.