Honda CB1000GT Review: What If a Fireblade and an NT1100 Had a Baby?
Honda has taken the performance DNA of a Fireblade, mixed it with the practicality of an NT1100 and created something rather special. But is the CB1000GT really the best of both worlds?
Have you ever wondered what would happen if a Honda Fireblade and an NT1100 had a baby?
No? Well, neither has anyone normal. Fortunately, normality has never been my strongest suit.
Meet the Honda CB1000GT, a motorcycle that promises sports bike excitement without the chiropractor bills, and touring practicality without making you feel like you've given up on having fun.
On paper, it sounds like the perfect recipe. But as anyone who's watched Get Ben Riding before will know, I'm not particularly interested in reading specification sheets back to you. I want to know what a motorcycle is actually like to ride, whether it makes me smile, and whether I'd spend my own money on one.
So, naturally, I took it out for a proper ride, gave it a bit of stick and stopped at the Super Sausage Café for a full English. Thorough scientific testing, obviously.
A Fireblade with a sensible side?
The CB1000GT borrows its engine heritage from the 2017 Fireblade, rather than the latest superbike, producing around 150 horsepower in a package designed for considerably more than chasing lap times.
And while the engine has been retuned, don't mistake that for Honda removing all the fun.
There's a fantastic spread of midrange performance, and when you start getting enthusiastic with the throttle, the GT quickly reminds you where its family roots lie.
It's properly quick. The sort of quick that makes you question whether something this comfortable should be allowed to accelerate quite so enthusiastically.
But what makes the CB1000GT interesting isn't simply how fast it goes. It's what happens when you stop riding it like you've stolen it.
The NT1100 influence
This is where the other half of the family comes into play.
Electronic suspension, comfortable seating, heated grips, cruise control, adjustable wind protection and standard panniers make the GT a genuinely usable motorcycle.
It's the sort of bike you could comfortably ride to Scotland on Friday, enjoy some brilliant roads over the weekend and ride home on Sunday without needing a week to recover.
During my test, I spent the entire day in the saddle and never found myself getting uncomfortable or constantly shifting around looking for a better position.
The suspension deserves particular praise. In normal riding it's compliant, predictable and remarkably easy to live with. Then, when the road gets interesting, there's enough sporting character to remind you that this isn't simply an NT1100 wearing a different outfit.
That's arguably the CB1000GT's greatest trick: it doesn't force you to choose between comfort and excitement.
It's not completely perfect
Now, before anyone accuses me of becoming Honda's unofficial cheerleader, there are a few things that irritated me.
The ABS can feel a little too eager to intervene, the hazard lights have an annoying habit of making themselves known, and I really think Honda missed an opportunity by not including Apple CarPlay and the larger touchscreen from the NT1100.
Then there's the keyless ignition.
Why give me a keyless motorcycle when I still need to dig out the key every time I want to open the luggage or fill it with petrol?
Answers on a postcard, Honda.
I also spent some time evaluating the optional Comfort Pack, including its taller screen and upgraded seats, along with an Akrapovič exhaust that makes the bike sound considerably more entertaining.
Some accessories are absolutely worth considering. Others? Well, you'll have to watch the review.
Has Honda found the sweet spot?
The really interesting thing about the CB1000GT is the type of rider it could appeal to.
If you're coming from a superbike and your wrists, knees and back are starting to complain, this might be the motorcycle that allows you to keep enjoying serious performance without the physical punishment.
Equally, if you're riding a big adventure bike or traditional tourer and fancy something lighter, sharper and a little more mischievous, the GT makes a compelling argument.
And when you consider the equipment, performance, six-year warranty and overall value for money, it's difficult not to be impressed.
But is it genuinely the perfect blend of Fireblade and NT1100? And more importantly, would I actually buy one?
Watch my full Honda CB1000GT review
In the latest Get Ben Riding video, I take the CB1000GT out on some brilliant roads, explore its sporting side, investigate its touring credentials and explain exactly what I love — and what I don't.
There's plenty of riding footage, a few questionable jokes and considerably less specification-sheet waffle than you'll find elsewhere.
A big thanks to Motorcycle World in Northampton for supplying the test bike.
Over to you
Has Honda finally built the sports tourer you've been waiting for?
Would you choose the CB1000GT over an NT1100, a BMW S1000XR or something completely different?
Let me know in the YouTube comments, and if you enjoy independent motorcycle reviews with a healthy dose of humour, don't forget to subscribe to Get Ben Riding.
Ride safe, have fun, and I'll see you in the next one.
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