Honda Sport Touring Line-up for 2025
Sport touring motorcycles are built for riders who crave the perfect blend of long-distance comfort and sportbike performance. Choosing the right bike can be daunting, especially as the lines between sportbikes, touring machines, and adventure bikes continue to blur. For 2025, manufacturers are offering a range of compelling options, and in this article, we take a closer look at Honda’s sport touring lineup. As one of the most respected names in motorcycling, Honda continues to refine and innovate, delivering models that cater to a variety of sport touring temperaments.
Important News Coming Soon From Honda
While researching this article, we spoke with Honda and learned that a major announcement about the 2025 model lineup is coming next week. Honda plans to answer questions and reinforce the company’s strong commitment to the sport touring segment. More on this coming soon.
The Soul of a Sport Touring Motorcycle
To be included in our consideration set, a motorcycle must be built for sport-touring straight from the factory, meaning it includes the necessary touring features, or the manufacturer offers the accessories needed for long-distance sport touring. Honda’s 2025 lineup presents several options, although the ST1300, discontinued long ago, still leaves a noticeable gap.
Before we jump in, let’s define what makes a sport touring motorcycle. Sport touring riders love adventure on the road, logging long days exploring little-traveled backroads in search of the best motorcycle roads in the country. And when such a road presents itself, they can’t hold back—they lean into every corner with skill and precision, constantly refining their entry speed and perfecting their exits. A sport touring motorcycle is this rider’s soulmate, bridging the gap between sportbike agility and touring comfort, delivering the best of both worlds.
Qualities to look for in a sport touring motorcycle:
Performance – Enough horsepower and torque to carry a rider, passenger, and luggage over the highest mountains with ease. A smooth transmission with the right tall final gear for highway use, plus essential rider aids like ABS and traction control for enhanced safety.
Handling – Suspension geometry that hews to sportbike agility, allowing the bike to carve corners with confidence. Wheelbase, rake, and trail specifications are useful indicators of how a bike will handle.
Rider Ergonomics – Long rides demand attention to comfort. The rider triangle—formed by seat position, pegs, and handlebars—should promote a more upright posture and relaxed knees to reduce fatigue, making long-distance rides enjoyable from start to finish.
Touring Conveniences – Sport bikes emphasize performance, while touring bikes prioritize comfort. A sport touring bike blends both, incorporating touring essentials like integrated luggage, cruise control, heated grips, and smartphone connectivity. And, of course, a fuel tank with enough range to cross long stretches of road—like the Loneliest Highway (US-50) in Nevada—without frequent fuel stops.
Honda Sport Touring Lineup for 2025
Honda is one of the most respected names in motorcycling, a true pioneer in the field, offering a range of motorcycles designed to fit the needs of almost any rider. But sport touring riders may find slim pickings on the showroom floor. Since discontinuing the ST1300 in 2012, Honda has not offered a direct replacement. The ST series, initially sold as the ST1100 in 1990 and later the ST1300 in 2002, provided a lighter, more maneuverable alternative to the Gold Wing. Today, in 2025, Honda shoppers face choices between bikes with strong but starkly different sport and touring characteristics—with no true of a purpose-built sport touring machine to bridge the gap.
Honda Gold Wing Tour
The Honda Gold Wing Tour marks its 50th anniversary in 2025, celebrating five decades as the benchmark for luxury touring motorcycles. It remains one of Honda’s most important models, defining the company’s commitment to long-distance touring. While Honda firmly positions the Gold Wing as a luxury tourer, updates since 2018 have enhanced its sport touring potential. A revised chassis better distributes weight, increased cornering clearance improves lean angles, and refined suspension tuning sharpens handling—making the Gold Wing more capable on twisty roads than ever before.
The Gold Wing brings unmatched comfort and refinement to sport touring with a 1,833cc 6-cylinder engine, 6-speed manual or automatic dual-clutch transmission, and rider aids including ABS, traction control, and multiple ride modes. While its longer wheelbase reaches deep into grand touring territory, a low center of gravity and responsive suspension deliver surprising agility.
Comfort stands out, with an upright rider position, plush seating, and top-notch wind protection. Touring conveniences include integrated luggage, cruise control, heated grips, and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity. However, the 5.5-gallon fuel tank—smaller than the 6.6-gallon tank found on the Yamaha FJR—means more frequent fuel stops.
In the end, the Gold Wing Tour remains the top choice for sport tourers who put a high priority on comfort, especially in this milestone anniversary year.
Honda Rebel 1100T
The Honda Rebel 1100T brings a cruiser-inspired take to sport touring, blending minimalist styling with practical touring features. Its 1,083cc parallel-twin engine, paired with either a 6-speed manual or automatic dual-clutch transmission, delivers strong midrange torque and smooth power delivery.
A shorter wheelbase and low seat height give it an easy, confident feel, though its relaxed rake and cruiser geometry trade agility in favor of stability. It’s important to note however that, unlike typical cruisers, the Rebel 1100T offers greater cornering clearance, allowing riders to lean into turns with confidence when the opportunity arises.
Comfort is streamlined with a relaxed rider position, firm but supportive seating, and a batwing-styled fairing for wind protection. Touring essentials include hard saddlebags, cruise control, and throttle-by-wire ride modes, but the 3.6-gallon fuel tank limits range compared to traditional sport tourers.
The Rebel 1100T is a compelling option for riders who want light sport touring capability with a taste of cruiser attitude.
Honda NC750X
Another Honda option that may appeal to sport tourers is the NC750X. This bike offers a practical, adventure-bike approach to sport touring, combining efficiency, comfort, and versatility. Its 745cc parallel-twin engine, tuned for strong low-end torque and fuel economy, pairs with either a 6-speed manual or automatic dual-clutch transmission for smooth, accessible power delivery.
A taller stance and upright ergonomics provide all-day comfort, while a low center of gravity and balanced chassis make for confidence-inspiring handling. The windscreen and fairing offer moderate wind protection, and while Honda’s optional side cases add touring convenience, storage space remains modest. A 3.8-gallon fuel tank, offset by the bike’s excellent efficiency, delivers respectable range but falls short of long-haul sport tourers.
The NC750X is an ideal choice for riders who value practicality and efficiency in a light, adventure-leaning sport tourer.
About the Transalp
We initially considered the XL750 Transalp as a sport touring candidate, and some readers may wonder why we didn’t include it here. After all, it has a slightly stronger engine than the NC750X and dual-disc front brakes. However, after reviewing the specs and speaking with Honda, it became clear that this motorcycle was developed and tuned primarily for adventure riding. Yes, it’s entirely street-worthy—an important factor between adventures—but for riders seeking a mid-range sport touring model, Honda recommends the more on-road-focused NC750X.
Canadians Have Another Option
Canadian motorcyclists have access to a factory-built sport tourer that fills the gap left by the ST1300—the Honda NT1100. This bike, not yet available in the S, offers a modern, road-focused take on sport touring, built around the 1,084cc parallel-twin engine from the Africa Twin. Designed for long-distance comfort with sporty handling, it features a 6-speed manual or automatic dual-clutch transmission (DCT), three ride modes, and Honda Selectable Torque Control for a customizable riding experience. A large adjustable windscreen, integrated luggage, heated grips, and cruise control make it well-equipped for touring. With a 5.4-gallon fuel tank, the NT1100 provides solid range for long-haul riders.
Honda has not yet introduced the NT1100 to the U.S. market—but with recent police model availability, emissions certifications, and a major announcement coming next week, that could soon change. For now, Canadian riders have a compelling sport touring option with modern technology and factory-equipped touring features, while American riders are left waiting.
Which Honda is Right for You?
Beyond these models, Honda offers some of the best supersport and sport bikes on the market, along with a solid selection of standard motorcycles. Each is purpose-built to stand out in its category, but Honda doesn’t attempt to blur the lines by offering factory accessories that misrepresent their sport touring potential. Instead, riders who want to adapt one of these bikes for sport touring will need to look elsewhere for luggage and accessories to make the conversion.
No matter your preference, Honda offers choices for sport touring riders. If long-distance luxury is what you crave, the Gold Wing Tour stands out. If a cruiser with touring ability is more your style, you’ll find it in the Rebel 1100T. And for those who prefer an adventure-leaning sport tourer, the NC750X emphasizes efficiency, while the Transalp brings more capability for long-distance travel.
The magic happens when you find your own intoxicating blend of riding comfort, performance, and practicality.
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by John DeVitis, Editor and Publisher
John DeVitis, Editor & Publisher of American Sport Touring, has been riding and writing about all things motorcycling for decades, with a special focus on sport touring. He possesses an uncanny knack for discovering little-known roads in picturesque locations across the United States and Canada, turning riding adventures into stories that inspire readers to explore. These experiences—both on the road and in digital publishing, including years at MSNBC.com—have shaped strong editorial principles and a clear vision, assuring readers of high-quality content they can trust.
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