Delivering long-distance comfort without sacrificing agility or everyday usability, Honda's NT1100 DCT is born from the same engineering DNA as the Africa Twin but with a sportier focus, blending touring practicality with a nimble, confidence-inspiring character. Developed for those who view motorcycling as both a means of covering distance and an experience to savor, the NT1100 DCT is equally at home on weekday commutes or cross-country adventures. Its proven DCT technology, modern electronics package and all-day comfort make it a sport-tourer that delivers more with every mile.
HISTORY
The NT1100 defined a new breed of Honda tourer when introduced in Europe as a 2022 model, offering comfort, agility and hugely enjoyable performance. With its combination of wide-ranging abilities and rich specification, it became the continent's most popular sport-tourer.
For 2025, the NT1100 received major upgrades to engine performance, practicality and long-range comfort. It was also brought to the U.S. market, adding a versatile sport-touring option for American customers.
DESIGN / STYLING
The NT1100 DCT was designed as a sporting, agile motorcycle that is also enjoyable to ride all day. It boasts efficient, protective aerodynamics and comfortable ergonomics, all centered around practicality, as well as rider and passenger comfort.
The premium specification is rounded out by self-canceling turn signals and standard 12V and USB auxiliary sockets. A high-quality Skyrich HJ13L lithium-ion battery minimizes weight and helps to centralize mass. A center stand is standard.
Fairing
The NT1100 DCT's bodywork is designed with function in mind, enhancing comfort and overall ride quality. The rider integrates into the machine neatly, enveloped by the protective fairing. The solid, three-dimensional upper fairing (partially constructed from biodegradable Durabio) features clean, sculpted surfaces that give the front end a distinctive look, complemented by a slim, cohesive tail section.
The windscreen can be raised or lowered with one hand while seated; it offers five-stage adjustment for height and angle, through a total of 6.5 inches between the high and low positions. Set low, it sends air around the rider's shoulders; set high, it moves air over the helmet.
The exhaust muffler is positioned low, to maximize pannier volume. For protection from mud and water, the fender has a splash-guard extension covering the rear of the tire.
Cockpit
A wide, thick seat, with optimized cushion density provides excellent comfort, while a separate passenger seat offers supportive accommodations for two-up riding. Seat height is 32.3 inches, and a large grabrail for the passenger extends from the rear rack. Standard upper and lower deflectors provide wind and weather protection around the rider's arms and lower body. Multi-level heated grips are standard.
Lighting
The twin headlights comprise LED projectors, which incorporate subtle, integrated turn signals. Contrasting high/low beams express an intriguing hidden "eye." All other lighting is LED as well.
Meter / Controls
Bright and easy to read, the 6.5-inch TFT touch screen offers three choices of display: GOLD shows all numeric and mode information, SILVER centers on the speedometer and odometer, and BRONZE centers on the odometer. The background color can be set to black or white. Connectivity to Apple CarPlay™, Android Auto™ and Bluetooth allows access to smartphone functions via the TFT display.
ENGINE / DRIVETRAIN
The NT1100 DCT's 1,084cc liquid-cooled parallel-twin engine is derived from that of the Africa Twin. Aluminum cylinder sleeves keep weight low, while the 270° phased crankshaft and uneven firing interval create the engine's signature "throb."
The crankcases are split horizontally; the water pump is housed efficiently within the clutch casing, with a thermostat integrated into the cylinder head. The water pump and oil pump are both driven by the engine's balancer shafts.
At the bottom end is a semi-dry sump, with lower-crankcase oil storage. This allows a lower pan depth, to keep overall engine height low. As the pressure-fed pump is located within the crankcase, there is no need for a pressure-feed passage. Secondary vibrations are neutralized by the mutually reciprocating motion of the pistons, while primary inertial and coupling vibrations are canceled by use of biaxial balance shafts.
A crank pulsar—with relator teeth spaced at 10-degree intervals—manages misfire detection. An additional O2 sensor, positioned at the rear of the converter, gives accurate emissions-measurement readouts.
Intake
Throttle-by-wire provides engine management, and programmed electronic fuel injection (PGM-FI) feeds the 46mm throttle bodies. Throttle control is optimized for a linear power delivery.
The airbox has 33mm intake ducts. The bore and cylinder pitches are aligned to create a smooth air-intake profile. The injector angles deliver a direct spray into the twin-spark combustion chambers.
Valvetrain
Honda's single-overhead-cam Unicam valvetrain, along with the low-set position of the cast camshaft, contribute to the compact nature of the cylinder head and entire engine package. Inlet valves are 36.5mm in diameter and have 10.1mm of lift; exhaust valves are 31.0mm in diameter and have 9.3mm of lift.
Dual Clutch Transmission
In the world of powersports, Honda first offered a dual-clutch transmission on the 2009 FourTrax Rancher multipurpose ATV, followed by the 2010 VFR1200F sport-touring motorcycle. Since then, the technology has been offered on Honda touring machines, adventure bikes, cruisers, ATVs and side-by-sides. While similar systems can be found in high-performance sports cars, Honda pioneered the use of DCT in the powersports world and has accumulated experience and improved the technology along the way. In the U.S. market, Honda offers the NT1100 with DCT technology.
DCT delivers consistent, rapid, seamless gear changes, and very quickly becomes second nature to use. It utilizes two clutches—one for startup and first, third and fifth gears, the other for second, fourth and sixth gears—and the main shaft for one clutch is located inside that of the other. Each clutch is independently controlled by its own electro-hydraulic circuit. For a gear change to occur, the system pre-selects the target gear through the clutch not currently in use. The first clutch is then electronically disengaged as the second clutch simultaneously engages. As the twin clutches transfer drive from one gear to the next, there is minimal interruption to rear-wheel drive. Gear-change shock and pitching of the machine are minimized, resulting in shifts that are not only smooth, but direct. Extra benefits include durability (as the gears are less likely to be damaged by missing a shift), low-stress urban riding and reduced rider fatigue, adding to the appeal of DCT.
On the NT1100 platform, Honda's advanced automatic DCT technology benefits from an IMU, which allows cornering detection for optimized shift timing.
With DCT on the NT1100, three modes of gear-change operation are available:
- AT D ("Drive"): An automatic setting that is ideal for daily city and highway riding, when comfort and optimum fuel efficiency are prioritized.
- AT S ("Sport"): An automatic setting that is suited for sportier riding, as the ECU lets the engine rev a little higher before shifting up, and shifts it down sooner when decelerating, for extra engine braking. There are three save-able sub-settings within S mode, from the more "torquey," moderately sporty Level 1, to the sportiest Level 3.
- MT ("Manual"): A setting that gives full manual control, allowing the rider to change gears via handlebar-mounted triggers.
In the two automatic modes, immediate manual intervention is possible; the rider simply selects the required gear using the up and down shift triggers on the left side of the handlebar. After an appropriate interval (depending on throttle angle, vehicle speed and gear position), the DCT seamlessly reverts to automatic mode.
Further functionality for the DCT system comes in the form of incline detection, adapting the gear-shift pattern depending on the grade of an uphill.
ELECTRONIC CONTROLS
At the heart of the NT1100 DCT's excellent performance are throttle-by-wire management and a six-axis inertial measurement unit (IMU), tucked away at the center of the machine, making real-time measurements of roll angle/rate, pitch angle/rate and yaw angle/rate. It works through the throttle-by-wire system to respond to rear-tire traction via Honda Selectable Torque Control (HSTC), and of front-wheel lift through the integrated wheelie-mitigation system.
Cornering ABS is another feature, as is Rear Lift Control. The IMU detects lean angle and deceleration (from front/rear wheel-speed sensors) and incorporates the slip rates of the front and rear wheels to manage braking pressure through the ABS; likewise, if it detects sudden rear-wheel lift, it finely controls brake force to maintain stability.
Riding Modes
The NT1100 DCT has three preset riding modes from which the rider may choose, covering a wide variety of riding conditions. There are three levels of management for Power and Engine Braking, with level 1 delivering the maximum of either parameter. Mode selection is managed from the left-hand switch cluster.
The modes are:
- URBAN: This mode offers an all-around middle setting of engine power and engine braking.
- RAIN: This mode reduces engine power and engine braking for extra reassurance on wet or slippery surfaces.
- TOUR: Providing full engine power and standard engine braking, this mode allows strong acceleration while carrying a passenger and luggage.
- USER 1 and USER 2: These modes offer the ability to customize between all the settings for the preferred combinations. Once set, the USER settings are automatically stored, so there's no need to reset each time the ignition is turned on.
There are also three levels of Honda Selectable Torque Control, with integrated wheelie mitigation. Each level's amount of intervention is optimized to work with real-time input from the IMU (yaw/roll angle and rate), with level 3 providing the highest intervention. An indicator on the instrument display activates when HSTC is working. HSTC can also be turned off completely.
Cruise control is standard.
CHASSIS / SUSPENSION
Geometry
The steel semi-double-cradle frame employs a relatively short 60.4-inch wheelbase and neutral steering geometry, with 26.5° rake and 4.3 inches of trail. Ground clearance is 6.8 inches, and the seat height is 32.3 inches. Curb weight (with all required fluids and a full tank of fuel) is 547 pounds.
Suspension
The 43mm Showa cartridge-type inverted fork features 5.9 inches of travel and is adjustable for preload. The single-tube pressurized Showa shock has a 14mm diameter shaft and offers adjustable preload and 5.9 inches of wheel travel. To simplify carrying a passenger and/or luggage, spring preload adjusts hydraulically, and remotely.
Wheels
The wheels are aluminum, fine diecast with a sand core. An intersecting spoke design (with the spokes attaching to the rim diagonally) smooths road vibration while riding in a straight line, but it still offers high rigidity for cornering. Tires are sized 120/70-17 front and 180/55-17 rear.
Brakes
Dual 310mm front rotors are squeezed by lightweight, four-piston radial-mount calipers. The 256mm rear rotor uses a single-piston caliper.
The NT1100 DCT comes with a two-year warranty.
