EICMA update: Honda’s new CTX1300

Do you feel the need, the need to speed cruise? Honda’s hoping there’s a few people in that position, with new additions to their CTX lineup.

First off, there’s the all-new CTX1300T. A natural progression in the CTX lineup (we rode them last summer), Honda says the new 1300 is a “new style touring cruiser featuring a soulful V4 power unit and advanced technology.” This ain’t your Grandpa’s air-cooled V-twin.

The liquid-cooled eight-valve V4 motor, of course, has been transplanted from the ST1300; Honda retuned the motor for relaxed riding (with emphasis on low and mid-range torque). Gearing is taller, and the 4-2-2 exhaust is supposed to give a cruiser-ish rumble, instead of a sport-tourer whine. The bike has a shaft drive and five-speed gearbox. It puts out around 83 hp at 6000 rpm and 109 Nm of torque at 4500 rpm. Electronic traction control helps you keep the rubber side down.

This bike is aimed at the luxury touring market, with heated grips as standard, as well as a twin-speaker stereo system (which is Bluetooth-compatible, making it easy to connect an MP3 player and also allows the use of helmet headsets, rider to pillion or bike-to-bike). The speedo and tach are analogue, but the other displays are digital. The headlights, taillights and indicators (self-canceling) are all LED units.

The CTX1300 has a steel double-cradle frame, with 41 mm USD forks up front and aluminum swingarm. There’s twin shocks in back; they’re adjustable for preload. Seat height is 735 mm, and there’s a 19.5-liter fuel tank under the seat. You should get a 350-km range, if you see the claimed 17.2 km/l fuel economy. The bike has a 1645 mm wheelbase and 338 kg curb weight. A 600-watt alternator means you can power all sorts of gizmos while you’re on the road.

Wheels are 18-inch in front (with 130/70 R18 tire) and 17-inch in rear (with 200/50R17 tire). There’s dual 310mm discs up front, with three-piston calipers, and a single 316 mm disc in back, also with three-piston caliper. The bike has Combined ABS braking.

What about handling? Honda says  the new bike “is poised neatly between the laid back feel of a pure cruiser and the functionality of a touring bike, imparting around-town usability with the ability to deal comfortably and luxuriously with long-range weekend trips.” 

Worried about someone hotwiring your new sweet ride and stealing it? The CTX1300 has the Honda Ignition Security System, with ID chip embedded in the key and in the ECU system. If they don’t match, the bike won’t start.

The bike comes stock with a short windscreen that probably doesn’t do much good (of course, a taller windscreen is available at extra expense).

Buyers wanting to tart up their ride can spring for all sorts of chrome add-ons, a top box, fog lights, and other odds and ends from Honda. It’ll be available in black, white and red, but we don’t know which of those colours will make it to Canada, or when, or at what price. There’s also a standard version that is sans sound system and traction control, but that won’t be coming to Canada from what we can tell.

Honda also officially introduced their CTX700N and CTX700N at EICMA for the Europeans, but those have been on the North American market for a while already.

GALLERY

Check out all the pics that go with this story! Click on the main sized pic to transition to the next or just press play to show in a slideshow.

The new CTX1300 takes the ST1300’s motor and puts it into a cruiser chassis.

It’s late in the show season, but you can check out the 2014 bikes at Halifax’s May show.

Good to see the ST motor being re-used.

Looks like it’ll make a reasonable tourer though you may need that taller screen option

SPECIFICATIONS