How Yamaha’s flagship touring bike is under attack by Honda

We all know that adventure bikes are all the rage these days. But not everyone wants to regularly hit the road with their heavy premium bikes. This has created a new niche in the market: crossovers. These look like ADVs from afar with their tall stature, but have the right bias for road riding. And when you think of bikes like that, you almost certainly think of Yamaha’s Tracer 9.

It is quite popular worldwide, thanks to the combination of a likeable engine, high-quality electronics and striking road presence. For 2026, however, Team Blue’s crossover has a new nemesis to worry about. We’re talking about the Honda CB1000GT, which trumps the Tracer on almost every possible criterion.

To give you the most current and accurate information, the data used to compile this article comes from authoritative sources such as Honda Powersports.

The CB1000GT features Honda’s CBR-derived inline-four engine

As the name suggests, the GT is based on the CB1000 Hornet. So you get the same liter-class inline-four engine derived from the 2017 CBR1000RR. Here it’s been slightly retuned to offer smoother performance for touring duties, although the power figures remain the same. All that torque is down low (just 8,750 rpm), which is why Honda claims a decent fuel efficiency rating of around 40 miles per gallon. That means a range of more than 200 miles from the new 5.5-gallon tank. Oh, and if you get spicy, just shift into the six gears and you’ll see a top speed of over 120 miles per hour on the dashboard.

Honda CB1000GT Engine Specifications

Showa electronic suspension comes standard on the CB1000GT

This is where the CB1000GT carves out its own niche. Honda has equipped it with Showa Electronically Equipment Ride Adjustment (Showa-EERA) suspension as standard. This includes 41mm USD forks (5.1 inches of travel) and monoshock (5.6 inches of travel), both of which are fully electronically adjustable. It works together with the six-axis IMU and SCU (suspension control unit), which monitor the bicycle speed (from the ECU), the position and attitude of the bicycle (from the IMU) and the fork behavior (from the stroke sensor). It then adjusts the damping force based on calculations made in just 15 milliseconds.

Four preset suspension modes make life easier

At your helm are four preset suspension modes, based on driving conditions. This is supplemented with a USER mode if you want to fine-tune things yourself. A brief summary of these includes:

• STANDARD (all-round mode for a wide range of situations)
• SPORT (for high suspension stability for more aggressive riding)
• RAIN (soft damping response for a smooth and slow suspension response)
• TOUR (maximum braking and turning stability and the firmest damping for high speeds and touring with two people, fully loaded)

The wheels and brakes are also beneficial for road driving

The suspension is clearly road-biased, with low travel and road-biased settings. The wheels and brakes therefore follow the same command. You get 17/17-inch alloy wheels, with dual 310mm discs at the front and a 240mm disc at the rear (all with Nissin calipers). It’s all derived from the Hornet, and we think Honda should have given bigger brakes to counter the 40-pound increase in curb weight. However, its weight is still in the ballpark of its rivals, so that’s a good thing.

Sympathetic electronic aids enrich the package of the CB1000GT

One of the biggest complaints with the Hornet is the bare electronics package. Fortunately, that is not the case here. A six-axis IMU is central here, ensuring that traction control, wheelie control, engine braking control and ABS work flawlessly. There are four preset modes: Standard, Sport, Tour, Rain, along with a user mode that lets you fine-tune things. With the latter you can choose from three levels for each parameter.

And the design is just as impressive

As for the design, this is another place where Honda impressed us. The GT looks surprisingly aggressive, with a sharp CBR650R-style headlight and sporty fairings next to it. The tank also has a distinct shape, seeping into the CB1000 Hornet-inspired tail unit. Three color options complete the package (Graphite Black, Pearl Deep Mud Gray and Grand Prix Red). Finally, there is also plenty of comfort, such as:

• Heard grips

• USB port

• Fully LED lighting

• Illuminated switchgear

• TFT instrument cluster

• Adjustable windshield

• Keyless ignition

• Cruise control

The CB1000GT promises to be the kryptonite of the Yamaha Tracer 9

It undermines the Yamaha in Europe

On paper, the CB1000GT is a rival to the Suzuki GSX-S1000GX. But in typical Honda fashion, the bike maker has priced it so aggressively that it ends up rivaling lower segment bikes like the Yamaha Tracer 9 GT and Triumph Tiger Sport 800. In fact, the Honda undercuts the Tracer by a significant amount, while also costing less than Honda’s own NT1100 DCT.

With that in mind, we think the US price will be between $11,500 and $12,000. This would make it one of the most affordable liter-class crossover touring bikes on the market. Let’s also not forget that no other bike in this area offers electronic suspension as standard, which is another big plus for the Honda.