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Honda roadster

Mid-range naked bike with 1100 twin

The Japanese motorcycle manufacturer Honda could launch a roadster in the middle class that relies on the drive from the refreshed Africa Twin.

B.As early as the summer of 2019 there were rumors in the French media that they claim to refer to trustworthy sources within the Honda organization. After that, Honda would work on a new tourer that gets much of its technology from the Africa Twin. The 1,100 cm³ in-line twin-cylinder with just over 100 hp, refreshed for the Euro 5, would serve as the engine. DCT should be planned for the transmission. And to make the drive fully suitable for touring, the final drive is via a cardan.

Honda NT 1100 almost without competition

The chassis is based on 17-inch rims. A half-shell cladding with a height-adjustable window and a case integrated into the rear should ensure travel comfort. The whole concept is reminiscent of the Honda Deauville, which the Japanese had derived from the legendary NTV models at the time. The Deauville was never a best seller, but its travel qualities were well recognized. The Honda NTV 700 Deauville was manufactured with its 65 HP V2 engine until 2012.

Honda

The French threw NT 1000 into the room as a possible name for the mid-range tourer. As a purely road-oriented touring model, the NT 1000 would be almost unrivaled. Honda itself has the Gold Wing at the top of its range, in the mid-range the VFR 800 models come closest to a tourer concept. In the competition, only the Yamaha Tracer 900 GT would actually be considered.

1100 roadster in two versions

However, a Honda patent that emerged in March 2020 shows an alternative. Here, too, the focus is on the two-cylinder in-line from the Africa Twin, but the concept around it has changed. Instead of a tourer, you can guess a roadster. The naked bike continues to rely on a final drive via chain. The patent shows two different frame constructions relating to the two-cylinder engine. Variant a) relies on a trellis bridge frame made of steel tubes with screwed cast aluminum elements that accommodate the rear frame and the swing arm. The rear frame also seems to be made of a cast aluminum part. The frame version b) comes with a central tube above the engine and a forked frame below the two-cylinder. The rear frame is screwed on as a cast part. In both cases the motor is integrated as a stabilizing element.

Honda

In terms of dimensions and key data, both framework designs seem to be the same. The attachment parts shown also appear to be identical and come from the corporate shelf. With this approach, Honda would have the opportunity to offer a new model in the booming middle class at relatively low cost – and that in two versions. We know that a patent does not require a new model. But with this patent the rumors intensify.

Conclusion

A mid-range naked bike would be a real asset. With the Africa Twin, there is also an adequate technology to dispense ready.

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