A few months ago we saw what a Honda NT1100 X Crossover could look like. The idea was simpler than that of a Honda NT-R, although the intention was similar: to see how to take advantage of the twin-cylinder engine that Honda already has on the road with its NT1100 but with a different product.
It is not the first, nor will it be the last, time that different models from the same manufacturer use the same engine. Sometimes with minor mechanical modifications, other times with modifications to the electronic management, and other times without touching a single washer. It makes sense, because it is a much more economical way of producing and then maintaining the spare parts that the bike needs.
This time, at the request of Motorrad, Kar Lee has designed what a Honda NT-R would look like for him. In a way, following the opposite path that we have seen on other occasions, where we first saw the sportier version and then ended up getting to the touring model. The fact is that the V2 engine that Honda uses in its touring model could be a perfect choice for a different kind of sports bike.
The Honda NT-R makes some discreet nods to the legendary VTR SP1 and SP2
It should be remembered that not so many years ago it was V2 engines that ruled the sports bikes. The WSKB regulations limited four-cylinder engines to 750 cubic centimetres, leaving twin-cylinder engines to 1,000. From that era there are creations as spectacular as the Honda VTR SP1 or SP2, but also the most incredible and dominant Ducatis in history.
In this design we see an aluminium chassis that houses the engine with a mid-height fairing, without a keel therefore, a swingarm also made of aluminium and recovers precisely something that made the VTR SP1 and SP2 legendary, their double exhausts. However, on this occasion Kar Lee puts the radiator in front and not on the sides, another of the great characteristics of those machines.
At the same time, we must not forget another Honda model, but one that was not as successful: the VTR1000F, designed for more sport-touring use. This would be the predecessor of the Honda NT-R V2 that we show you here.
