A new NT rumored

Rumor: I guess this this is deleted.
Honda NT 1000 V

This photomontage aims to illustrate a possible new Honda for 2020. The Japanese manufacturer could propose a road more accessible to all points of view than the famous Goldwing to its catalog next year. The return of the Deauville? of the Pan European but with an engine derived from that of the Africa Twin CRF 1000 DCT? Do you dream? that's good, we too ...
From a very reliable source, we learned that Honda worked on a motorcycle very different from the Africa Twin while taking over its engine. In addition, the mechanical base, the 998cc inline twin, in its dual clutch DCT version, would receive a final shaft and cardan drive. This last information concerning the final transmission has been confirmed to us afterwards. This lays the foundation for a potential novelty ...
Honda NT 1000 V: The return of a pragmatic road, lower saddle, less heavy than the more than 1200 cm3, less expensive too ... great!

If our sources are good, Honda should propose a new interpretation of the famous Deauville, except that it should not bear this name, for reasons of rights of use. It could be called NT 1000 V or can be Silver Wing 1000 in memory, not the maxi scooter, but the road of the 80s that cubed 650 cm3 by means of a V-twin housed in a transverse position, as in Moto Guzzi. This road of the line of the CX 500 has enjoyed an honorable success, but not as much as the Deauville 650/700 in Europe.

The return of a more reasonable road, more accessible at all levels (handling, driving, price) would be very, very, very good for the market. Practitioners, who are getting older, and who like GTs, sometimes give up these bikes because of their weight. Everyday users, who love GTs, find that they do not have to do with their more than 100 horses in everyday life ... and finally, it would be an opportunity to have a real GT, and not a trail GT-isée, for a price more reasonable than the big GT which sells at least 17 299 € for the Yamaha FJR 1300 A (basic).

In addition, the new Honda range has seen many of its roads disappear in recent times, because of pollution standards: Deauville 700, ST 1300 Pan European, CBF 1000 F, and who knows, tomorrow the VFR 800 F? Many Honda customers are expecting a return of a standard road to the catalog to enrich the range alongside the majestic GoldWing, so expensive, so imposing, so superlative in the end.

The potential NT 1000 V Deauville would use the twin engine block of the Africa Twin DCT version and with a gimbal. It would include an adjustable bubble or electric, fashionable electronics, built-in suitcases that we hope can be accommodated (a helmet on each side), a saddle less than 800 mm, 95 horses so, and a weight of 260 kg fully loaded, either between the Africa Twin DCT (242 kg) and the Yamaha FJR 1300 A (289 kg). And the price ? difficult to make less expensive than Africa Twin DCT or Adventure Sports, so between 15 000 and 16 500 euros ...
 
Shaft drive requires the crankshaft to turn backwards compared to a chain drive version of the same engine which is normal Honda practice. I'm not sure if it would still fit under the umbrella of the African Twin's "engine family" when applying for certification.
The Honda's I have owned, shaft or chain, rotated CCW. Am I missing something?
 
Shaft drive requires the crankshaft to turn backwards compared to a chain drive version of the same engine which is normal Honda practice. I'm not sure if it would still fit under the umbrella of the African Twin's "engine family" when applying for certification.
Didn't Honda make a family of 3 V twins, 750s, a decade ago, and used the same engine with one being a shaft? Cruisers?
 
...closer to 3-1/2 decades ago... :)

Hondafan - if you work backwards from the rear wheel as regards rotation, you'll see that with two bevel gears at the transmission output shaft, where the countershaft sprocket would fit, requires a reversal in crank rotation. And I'm talking about an engine using the same crankcases, not two different animals. There are ways to work around this problem but that's the way it was done in the 80s.

My NC700X (chain drive) and NT700V both require CCW rotation of the crank for valve adj but they are two completely different engines.

JQL - Just as a point of interest, the Honda Talon 1000 (side-by-side) uses the same basic engine as the Africa Twin so they're getting plenty of use for the 1000 twin! I'm sure it has different transmission ratios and other changes to make it more suitable to that application. It is currently and has been for a while the real cash cow for American Honda, far outselling the Africa Twin.
 
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My guess is that the NC700 & NC750 are popular in countries where fuel prices are usually over $6 per gallon. My NC700X/w DCT usually delivers fuel economy of 65+ MPG. Even riding it on the slab for long distances at 65-70 mph, delivers economy in the mid-to-high 50s.

NaNCy gets about 55 MPG in Los Angeles's driving conditions. Once I get her out of the city I get between 60-80 MPG. The most economical motorcycle that I ever owned. NaTalie runs second in the high 40's.
 
I learned to ride on a Honda Shadow 600. It was a V-twin with a shaft drive. Don't know which way the crankshaft rotated. There were a lot of Honda cruisers in the 750cc size range with shaft drive. They used the same final drive casting that the NT uses.
 
I learned to ride on a Honda Shadow 600. It was a V-twin with a shaft drive. Don't know which way the crankshaft rotated. There were a lot of Honda cruisers in the 750cc size range with shaft drive. They used the same final drive casting that the NT uses.
The engine would rotate in the same direction as the wheels rotate. If it ran in reverse, the gyro affect of the crankshaft would cancel the gyro affect of the wheels, and the bike would be less stable. MotoGP bikes run the engines backwards and trade off stability for easier turn in.
 
If you look back at the history of 500GP which morphed into motoGP, crank rotation has changed many different times so there is no absolute best way for the crank to turn - it all depends on the bike and how the rider likes his bike to turn-in. They've even had periods of time when many of the engines had twin cranks!
 
In all honesty, the engine from the ST1300 or Pan European would be a better candidate for a revised NT or Deauville. This engine was already longitudinally mounted and very little would have to go into modernizing this engine. If I were in charge this engine would be a 900cc double overhead cam V-twin sharing some similarities with the old CX500. The target weight would be limited to 700 lbs or less and between 85 to 95 HP.

Why 900 cc you ask? Insurance premiums go up significantly for any motorcycle 1,000cc or larger.


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Since we are on the subject of the CX500. The "Deluxe" model was much better than the "Classic" model. It had a higher fuel capacity and a large integrated taillight into the bodywork. I got to ride both of these bikes for a period of time.

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As you can see from a completely stripped down NC700X shown below. The frame could be redone to accommodate a touring frame with plenty of space for integrated storage simular to the current NT700. The space above the airbox could accommodate a large capacity fuel tank towards 6 gallons. The NC700X is rated at about 50-55 HP, which is plenty. A fully assembled DCT NC700X weighs a little over 500 pounds. With a fuel economy of 50-60 MPG.

Sounds like a true winner to me...


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I've never understood the fall of the Silverwing. I test-rode a GL500 Silverwing in the interest of buying, thought better of the asking price, and ended up with an NT. A modern motorcycle has its advantages, and I already have a "classic" that I ride daily in high summer. Recognize that the American motorcycle market is for RVs, and daily riders are for the rest of the world. Half of the parking lot at work should have motorcycles in August, but it's full of three ton pick-up trucks that require reverse at least once to park. Do any of those guys get home in the afternoon and say to themselves "That was fun; I wish the commute home were another 10 miles"? I do.
 
In today's market it's a challenge to launch a new model. Emissions criteria like Euro4 and soon Euro5 have a lot to do with engine selection and design.The U.S. market has cratered so any new models will be based more on international wants/needs than what we in the US are interested in. The Honda X-ADV 750 is one of the best selling motorcycles in Europe and it's not offered in the US. That should tell us something.
 
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I've had a ST1300. It was heavy and generated a lot of heat. High quality and plenty of horsepower. I have a NC700 DCT and a NT700 now. Of those three the NT700 is my all around favorite, it just fits me. . I tire of riding the same bike all the time. I'm fortunate to have more than one. I'm not talking about a lot of money. The NT is worth $3500and the NC is worth $4000. I change oil and tires that's about it with these two Hondas. Ride before you buy.
I am interested in the new NT if the rumor is true
 
The Silver Wing was the right bike, at exactly the wrong time.

Honda had a brainstorm. A CX with a stretched frame, mono rear shock, and optional fairing. A middleweight cruiser.

It was conceived in the late 1970s, and hit American markets just in time for gas prices to fall like a stone. And they stayed low, for 20 years.

The Silver Wing didn't sell. It didn't have sprightly performance; it was a little short-winded for long turnpike riding (I had one; it was happiest cruising at 55). It wasn't a good commuter with that huge nose cone on it. The panniers were too small to really be useful.

Two years, with a 500 and then 650 engine, were all Honda would give to it.

The wrong time for it. Today, with FI, higher gearing and a six-speed, a computer-designed wind-protection layout...a balance shaft on the V-twin...and aluminum frame components to get weight down...it could conceivably do well. Actually, it had the right parts for an Adventure bike - its spring travel was greater than the Versys 650's is today. Just a redesigned exhaust system and skid plate, and it would have done fine there.

My associate pastor in '98, when I bought my GL650i, had had a GL600. He said, like you, that it was too slow. When he and his wife were two-up on it, he said it could barely get out of its own way. He was genuinely surprised when he rode with me on the 650. When we rode together, with him on his GL1200 Goldwing, I could stay right with him up to about 80mph. But then he pulled away. Of course, my Silverwing had the largest windscreen JC Whitney sold for the Goldwing. I could have stuffed, lit, and smoked my pipe behind that thing. It drag-limited the bike pretty severely. I think I managed to get up to 94mph with it one time. It was extremely comfortable, but not as good for higher-speed touring as the NT.
 
JQL - Just as a point of interest, the Honda Talon 1000 (side-by-side) uses the same basic engine as the Africa Twin so they're getting plenty of use for the 1000 twin! I'm sure it has different transmission ratios and other changes to make it more suitable to that application. It is currently and has been for a while the real cash cow for American Honda, far outselling the Africa Twin.
Not seen a Talon in Europe. They probably exist but...
 
I had two CX500. They initially had Cam Chain Tensioner problems which were worked out in later models.

Whichever bike they bring out it must be suitable for someone with a 30" inside leg. The NT700 is about ½" too high for me and the FJR I also have is about the same - I can't flat-foot either of them.
 
JQL - fully understandable on the lack of Talon sales across the pond. ATV & Side-by-Side sales are probably 80-90% in the US where we have lots of open land.

Most of the current bikes have a seat height close to or above 32" and I don't see that changing soon. It's gotten so bad that the first thing I look at in a magazine/internet review of a new model is the seat height and if it's too tall, I don't go any further. :-(
 
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