A Honda CB1000GT is most likely coming, and it's more substantial! What kind of bike is a sports tourer?

A sport-tourer motorcycle is a bike that combines the comfort and practicality of a touring motorcycle with the performance and handling of a sportbike. These bikes are designed for riders who want to enjoy long-distance rides without sacrificing performance. They typically feature a comfortable riding position, a large fairing for wind protection, and a powerful engine that can handle both highway cruising and spirited riding. In recent years, various manufacturers have introduced new models to the sport-tourer segment, and the lineup has been enhanced. At EICMA 2025 in Milan, Italy, Honda announced its latest model, the CB1000GT, further raising the profile of this genre. Here, we will introduce the characteristics of such sports tourers and how they differ from adventure and crossover models in the same tourer series.

Features of Sports Tourer

A sports tourer is literally a bike that mixes the characteristics of both a sports bike and a tourer. Most motorcycles are seasoned with engine characteristics that are easy to handle for a wide range of users by emphasizing not only peak power in the high-rpm range but also torque characteristics in the low- and mid-rpm ranges. They are also highly stable at high speeds and when cornering, making them easy to ride even for beginners, and many of them are deep enough to be enjoyed by experienced riders as well. In terms of equipment, windscreens and fairings provide wind protection, and large-capacity fuel tanks ensure a long cruising range. They also feature an upright position and a wide seat to provide comfort on long trips.

In addition, in recent years, large-displacement motorcycles have been equipped with quick shifters that allow shifting up and down without operating the clutch or throttle. In addition, an increasing number of large-displacement motorcycles are equipped with features that reduce fatigue when cruising on highways, such as a quick shifter that allows the rider to shift up and down without having to operate the clutch or throttle, and cruise control that maintains a set speed without accelerating. In addition, an increasing number of large, high-end models are equipped with ACC (adaptive cruise control), which automatically maintains a safe distance from the vehicle in front while following it, making them as comfortable as four-wheeled vehicles. This makes for a more comfortable and safer motorcycle trip.

The latest CB1000GT is also on the market!

The following are some examples of Japanese sports tourer models. Examples of sports tourers: - Honda CB1000GT (coming soon) - Honda NT1100 - Yamaha Tracer 9GT/9GT+ Y-AMT - Yamaha TMAX560/ Tecmax - Kawasaki Ninja H2 SX SE - Kawasaki Ninja 1100SX/SE - Suzuki GSX-S 1000GT

Both models meet the requirements of a sport-tourer, as mentioned earlier, with fairings, screens, and upright positions. Of particular note, as mentioned above, is the CB1000GT that Honda unveiled at EICMA 2025, a model developed based on the street-fighter CB1000 Hornet, with the same 1000cc, liquid-cooled, inline 4-cylinder. Based on an engine originally designed for race-ready supersports, it features a dedicated fuel injection (FI) setting and throttle-by-wire (TBW) system. While maintaining the powerful output characteristics, the TBW system contributes to comfort and reduces rider and passenger fatigue during long-distance touring by, for example, making the output at the beginning of throttle opening smoother. Meanwhile, the chassis is based on the CB1000 Hornet's steel diamond frame, with a newly designed seat rail section. The seat rail section is newly designed based on the CB1000 Hornet's steel diamond frame to enhance the stability of the chassis while traveling, with consideration given to the loading of passengers and luggage. The suspension is also equipped with Showa's electronically controlled EERA (Electronic Electronic Ride Adjustment) suspension as standard. The system optimizes the damping force of the front and rear suspensions based on data such as vehicle attitude detected by the on-board 6-axis IMU, engine control information from the ECU, and wheel rotation speed to determine driving conditions. The system automatically adjusts damping force to suit road conditions. In addition, a riding mode allows the rider to adjust the power output characteristics and damping force characteristics of the front and rear suspensions to suit a wide range of conditions, from city streets to winding roads. In addition to the four selectable riding modes of "STANDARD," "SPORT," "RAIN," and "TOUR," there is also a user mode that allows the rider to adjust each setting as desired. On the exterior, a sharply shaped shroud integrated into the front cowl is adopted to emphasize the tourer-like character of the vehicle. It is also equipped with an adjustable screen with five levels of adjustment, 81 mm vertically. The screen contributes to a high level of protection and neutral handling characteristics, while maintaining a sharply sculpted appearance. According to Honda, this model is planned to be marketed in Europe, Japan, and the Asia-Pacific region. The release date and price in Japan have not yet been announced, but additional information is anxiously awaited. .

Advanced equipment as attractive as four-wheelers

In addition, an increasing number of sports tourers are also adopting a number of advanced features, again as mentioned above. Take, for example, the Yamaha Tracer 9GT+ Y-AMT. This is the first Yamaha model to be equipped with millimeter wave radar. In addition to the aforementioned ACC, this model also features the Radar Coordinated UBS (Unified Braking System), which assists braking force when there is a risk of a collision with a vehicle or other object in front. The model is loaded with highly functional features such as an electronically controlled suspension that automatically optimizes damping force depending on the situation, and a 7-inch high-brightness TFT meter that can display an app on the screen by connecting it to a smartphone.

In addition to the millimeter wave radar in the front of the vehicle that detects obstacles and other vehicles, the 2025 model also has a new radar at the rear of the vehicle. In addition, the "Blind Spot Detection (BSD)" system, which detects vehicles approaching from behind and displays them in the mirrors, has been newly adopted. In addition, Y-AMT, an electronically controlled shift mechanism, is newly equipped. This is a newly developed automatic transmission that eliminates the need for a clutch lever and shift pedal, allowing the driver to shift gears using a shift lever mounted on the steering wheel. In addition to the MT mode, which allows manual shifting with paddle shifters, the bike is also equipped with an AT mode that performs fully automatic shifting. Both modes eliminate the need to operate the clutch or shift pedal, allowing the rider to concentrate on other operations such as weight shift, throttle opening and closing, and braking.

Differences from Supersport

As mentioned above, a sports tourer combines elements of both a sportbike and a tourer, but the differences between a sports tourer and a supersport, the most popular type of sportbike, are surprisingly large. For example, supersports bikes, which are designed for speed, have a relatively tight forward lean and are not designed to carry much luggage. In contrast, a sports tourer is fully equipped with performance and features for touring. The bike's torque is high in the low and mid RPM range, so it runs smoothly from the start and is nimble in tight corners. It is also easy to carry luggage and other items, making it ideal for motorcycle trips. In addition, many models tend to use 17-inch high-grip front and rear tires, which are also used on supersports bikes. For example, the tire size of the Yamaha Tracer 9GT+ Y-AMT is as follows. [Yamaha Tracer 9GT+ Y-AMT tire sizes] - Front: 120/70ZR17M/C (58W) - Rear: 180/55ZR17M/C (73W)

These tires are the same size as those of Yamaha's latest supersport YZF-R9, which is powered by the same 888cc, three-cylinder engine as the Tracer 9GT+ Y-AMT. The 17-inch front and rear tires and wheels are now used on many sports models for their superior turning and braking performance on paved roads and comfort when cruising at high speeds, such as on highways. In this sense, it can be said that the Sports Tourer uses the same size tires as the Supersport, since its top priority is solely on-road riding, with more nimble handling and ride comfort on paved roads.

Differences from Adventure Bikes

On the other hand, adventure bikes are similar in style to sports tourers, with large windscreens and an upright position. The most obvious difference is the size of the front and rear wheels. For example, Yamaha's Tenere 700 and Honda's CRF1100L Africa Twin <s>/DCT have 21-inch front and 18-inch rear wheels. The CRF1100L Africa Twin Adventure Sport ES/DCT, which uses electronically controlled suspension, uses 19 inches at the front and 18 inches at the rear. Both are sized with a larger front wheel than the rear wheel.

In other words, this is very different from most sport-tourers, such as the Tracer 9GT+ Y-AMT introduced earlier, which uses 17-inch front and rear. This is because many models called adventure bikes emphasize off-road riding ability as well as on-road riding ability. Generally speaking, when riding a motorcycle on rough roads, a small front wheel diameter makes it easier to get stuck in gaps, and in severe cases, may even cause the bike to roll forward. On the other hand, a larger front wheel has the advantage that the handlebars are less likely to be taken off the bike even when the road surface is a little rough. In particular, the 21-inch front and 18-inch rear wheels used on the Tenere 700 and CRF1100L Africa Twin <s> are the same size often used by enduro racers for off-road competitions (motocrossers often have 21-inch front and 19-inch rear wheels). Probably, based on many years of trial and error, it is often adopted as the optimal solution for enduro racing, which is a relatively long-distance race. In other words, adventure bikes are more similar in character to off-road bikes, which is why these front and rear tire sizes are used. This is what makes them different from on-road sports tourers. .

Differences from crossover models

Incidentally, models that offer both on-road and off-road riding have recently been joined by crossover models such as the Honda NC750X/DCT and Suzuki GSX-S1000GX.

However, it can be said that many of these models also use 17-inch tires front and rear. Perhaps many of these models are more focused on on-road performance than adventure models. In this sense, crossover models are somewhere between sports tourer and adventure models. Incidentally, crossover models have also been the topic of conversation at EICMA 2025, where Suzuki unveiled its new crossover model, the SV-7GX. Equipped with the same 645cc, two-cylinder engine as the SV650 series, this model was developed based on the same concept as its sibling, the 1000cc GSX-S1000GX, and will also share the same aggressive design. It is also characterized by the light and sporty ride that the SV650 series is known for, combined with the comfort of an adventure model. The model will go on sale sequentially in various countries, mainly in North America and Europe, starting in 2026. The release date and price in Japan have not yet been announced, but we will keep an eye out for additional information in the future. Anyway, it seems that the lineup of touring-oriented models will continue to expand, including crossover and adventure models as well as sports tourers. For users, more choices will be very welcome. It will allow them to enjoy motorcycle trips that are more tailored to their preferences. Go to  (19)