Honda eyes the 1200 adventure-touring market with the release of its V4 Crosstourer Concept at the Milan Bike Show. The EICMA debut announcement states the new “the V4 Crosstourer Concept will deliver all the fun and excitement of a road sports bike; but with the comfortable upright riding position and manoeuvrability of an adventure machine.”
The new ride shares the V-Four powering the VFR1200F, as well as Honda’s Dual Clutch Transmission. Like its VFR sibling, the Crosstourer sources a shaft final drive.
Perking up its AT cred are wire-spoked wheels and tubular crash guards covering the upper fairing. Large panniers adorn the concept model, along with a tall windscreen and small beak-nose.
The new Honda looks production ready. And Honda certainly hints that there’s more V-Four models to come, stating: “The VFR1200F was the first model to utilize the new iconic V4 engine that signified the beginning of the new era in Honda’s engine line-up.”
The new Crosstourer is an intriguing design, and another bike to challenge in the 1200 adventure-touring category, where its engine configuration is unique. A design shot making the earlier rounds in the run up to the Milan was rumored to be a potential 800cc middleweight AT along the lines of Triumph’s new Tiger or BMW’s F800. When asked Honda brass seemed genuinely surprised about the photo’s origins. Whether an 800 AT will later surface, or it was actually a concept sketch of the New Mid Concept also debuted at EICMA, remains to be seen.
I don’t know if this thing is going to make it to the US, gang. Probably not. Why can’t they just give the US market the Varadero, or the Transalp?