News – New 2012 Honda series salvo in Milan – Crosstourer: the maxitrail confirmed

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New 2012 Honda series salvo in Milan

News - New 2012 Honda series salvo in Milan - Crosstourer: the maxitrail confirmed

Four new products that complete the Honda 2012 vintage will be exhibited tomorrow at the EICMA in Milan. As expected, two models take the twin 700 from the Integra (NC700S and NC700X). The Crosstourer and a new Wave are also detailed. Presentation.

Crosstourer: the confirmed maxitrail

A year after its presentation in the form of and a month after the confirmation that it will integrate the Honda 2012 catalog, the Crosstourer agrees to deliver all its secrets … or almost !

Available, colors and prices

  • Availability: mid-February 2012

  • Colors: Black "Pearl Cosmic", White "Pearl Sunbeam" or Metallic Silver "Digital"

  • Rate : "Well put", assures Honda France … € 14,500 ?

"Today, we can see that the final version evolves slightly compared to the concept. While the latter focused on long-distance tourism, the Crosstourer offers an even more versatile package, as effective in town and in everyday life as on the open road.", say the Japanese.

"To complete this", they continue,"the style has been revised and the machine made thinner and more manoeuvrable. The characteristics of the chassis have also been modified with the adoption of an inverted fork for better control on the road".

The technical sheet already partially confirms Honda’s claims, since by turning on itself the Crosstourer traces a circle of only 2.7 meters in radius, against 3 m for example for its little sisters NC700 S and X !

We also discover that the Japanese ultimately did not skimp on maximum power … While the Honda France staff expected around 115 horsepower (read), the V4 inherited from the VFR1200 will in fact be released in this trail version no less than 129 nags !

The BMW R1200 goddess GS and Yamaha Super Tenere are therefore both relegated to 19 lengths (110 hp for the German as for the Japanese), while the sulphurous Ducati Multistrada in the heart of Superbike is only 11 points ahead ( 150 hp in the free world).

"In order to increase the torque at low and medium speeds, the design of the camshafts has been revised (compared to that of the V4 of the VFR, NDLR), just like the timing of the distribution and the shape of the intake and exhaust ducts", add the Reds of Japan.

Still according to Honda, this would result in engine behavior "flexible and efficient, even from the lowest revs"… Which was not the strong point of the GT, far from it! Could this variation of the V4 be more demonstrative? ?

The Crosstourer – or "VFR1200X" – logically has the same overweight as its sister VFR1200F: 275 kg all full (the tank contains 21.5 liters) for the maxitrail against 277 kg for the road.

On this point, the comparison with the direct competitors becomes much less flattering … The Honda is heavier than the three motorcycles we opposed last year: the Multistrada weighs only 217 kg, the R1200GS 229 kg and the Super Tenere 261 kg (read our).

With such a mass, will the Honda manage to worry the Bavarian? Answer to follow on Site! While waiting for a first test and then a comparative test, we note that the world number one has equipped his new trail with tires of the same dimensions as the "GS" and the "Super T": 110/80 R19 and 150/70 R17.

Solid suspensions are also present (43 mm fork and rear shock mounted on Pro-Link, both adjustable in preload and rebound). And if their travel values ​​are missing for the moment, Honda guarantees them "important". The ground clearance of 180 mm will also allow you to climb sidewalks without hindrance..

Equipped as standard with C-ABS braking, a "throttle by wire"and a disconnectable TCS traction control system, the Crosstourer will as expected also be available with the famous DCT. It will then be necessary to add 10 kg to the total weight, or 285 kg…

At the same time, Honda ensures that once mode D is engaged (automatic mode "ideal for expressways, the ride and for fuel savings"), the Crosstourer DCT is more sober than the standard version: 5.99 l / 100km against 6.21 l / 100km.

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