by Dennis Chung | www.motorcycle.com

Sport-touring model and streetfighter receive CARB approval

Consumers hoping for Honda to bring the NT1100 sport-tourer and CB1000 to the U.S. may finally get their wish, as both models have received approval from the California Air Resources Board.

We’ve written about both models several times since they were announced for European markets. The common refrain each time was how we haven’t heard a peep from American Honda, making it seem unlikely we’d ever see them on these shores. When Honda announced the NT1100 would be coming as a police bike, it felt like a cruel joke. When Honda said it would be offering both models in Canada (along with the CB750), it offered a glimmer of hope.

That glimmer is now a full beacon, as the CARB certification is the first solid sign that both models may be coming to the U.S. after all. The NT1100 received a CARB executive order certifying it on November 14, while the CB1000 received its EO on December 23, neither document was made public until yesterday.

The NT1100 executive order listed three variants, the Police variant and two regular models with manual or DCT (marked “A6” or automatic six-speed, in the fifth column). If the Police version was the only model Honda planned to import, there’d be no reason to certify the other two variants, especially since the law enforcement model will only be available with a manual transmission.

Sharing the same platform as the Africa Twin, the NT1100 is powered by an 1,084cc Parallel-Twin engine. With its ample wind protection, six-axis IMU-backed rider aids and riding ergonomics optimized for long-distance comfort, the NT1100 has been a hit in Europe, with Honda claiming it was the top selling touring model in the market in 2023.

What remains to be seen is whether the manual or DCT model will be offered with Showa Electronically Equipped Ride Adjustment (Showa-EERA) electronic suspension. The feature was introduced as an option for the 2025 model year update, but in Canada, the only option is a regular suspension, with a Showa 43mm SFF-BP inverted fork and rear shock.

The CB1000 had a complicated route towards mass production. Originally announced for the 2024 model year in Europe as the CB1000 Hornet, it didn’t actually arrive until EICMA in the fall, as a 2025 model. When it was finally launched, it was joined by an SP variant that gets more power and torque from an upgraded exhaust and Öhlins suspension instead of a Showa 41mm SFF-BP.

The CARB executive order only lists a single CB1000 variant, with no mention of “SP” in the model code. While that may suggest it’s only the base model that’s coming to the U.S., we believe it more likely American Honda will follow suit with its Canadian counterpart which opted to only offer the CB1000SP.

For anyone wondering about the middleweight don’t-call-it-a-Hornet CB750, CARB has not released an executive order certifying it… yet. That may still come, as there are still some holes in Honda’s lineup. The Transalp, which shares its 755cc Parallel-Twin with the CB750, was part of American Honda’s 2024 lineup and it has yet to be announced for 2025. CARB has not issued an EO for it yet, but we still expect it to be announced at some point, perhaps with the CB750 alongside.

We’re also still waiting for Honda to announce the 2025 Gold Wing. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Gold Wing, and American Honda has released a video looking back at its past iterations, along with a tease for 2025. The 2025 Gold Wing has also received its CARB certification, with an executive order dated Nov. 18.Play

We hope to hear more about the NT1100, CB1000, Gold Wing and, there’s that glimmer again, the CB750 in the weeks ahead.