Of all the weird concepts to be unveiled at last year’s bike shows the Honda City Adventure was one of the strangest. A combination of adventure bike and scooter it was accompanied by a complete lack of information – even its capacity and cylinder count were up for debate – and was largely ignored as it sat alongside the rest of Honda’s range.
But now it turns out the bike is destined for production and will barely change by the time it reaches showrooms. While official information still doesn’t exist, close examination of the concept version quickly proved its engine and chassis were taken from the NC750, so we know it’s got a 40.3kW, 745cc parallel twin mated to Honda’s DCT semi-auto gearbox and tuned for economy rather than performance. The frame is a simple tubular steel affair.
What comes as a surprise is that pre-production prototypes that have been spotted testing near Honda’s European R&D department in Rome have retained the high-spec suspension components of the City Adventure concept bike. While other versions of the NC750 platform make do with conventional forks, normal brakes and steel swingarms, the City Adventure features USD forks, radial calipers and an aluminium rear arm. So despite its scooter-like appearance, it’s actually set to be the highest-spec version of the NC750 yet. It also features a tall, adjustable screen and all the other bits you’d associate with adventure tourers, like handguards and heated grips.
The bike’s name, when it reaches production, is expected to be either ‘ADV’ or ‘X-ADV’. Honda has filed trademark applications for both badges. The concept sported plenty of nametags reading ‘ADV’ but given the fact those letters are becoming a general catch-all for adventure bikes, there’s a chance Honda will be denied a trademark on it. By applying for the ‘X-ADV’ name as well, the firm is likely to be covering that possibility.
by Ben Purvis
