Why is the Crosstourer a flop?

I like the AT. I sat on one at the Long Beach IMS back in 2017 and thought it was a great fit.

When compared to other bikes in similar categories they are often spoken as being more dirt-centric than other bikes I'm looking at so I've dismissed that model. Also, can't use my V35's on it.

The forks thing is scraping the bottom of the complaint barrel, I'll admit it.

Yes

My only real suspension complaint regarding the AT is the same one I have for most Japanese bikes: too soft. I'm right around 225lbs in full gear, and everything dialed up to near max still uses all available travel on any "fun stuff" off-road, which admittedly mine sees little of. I haven't opened the forks up yet, and so can't speak to the coating damage thing. Mine needs stiffer springs, and likely stiffer valving which will happen hopefully sooner than later. Otherwise I love the bike. I go on record saying that I do not for one minute regret buying my 2016 Africa Twin. Your mileage may vary.

I felt that way too. Don't ride a VFR1200X is all I'm saying :)

It appears some of the doodads are critical for some..........when someone says “ No cruise on a 1000cc ADV bike = a no sale.

Yeah, usually the guys who rack up big miles on long rides. Not a deal breaker for the guys who stick to back roads or just ride locally.

...or are just willing to add them themselves?

I'm 250 before gear and totally agree on the AT suspension. Fixing to hit 1k miles on mine tomorrow. I'm loving it. Mine's a '17 I got a week before Thanksgiving. Gotta love NOS discounts!

With all the tiny lightweight 3/4 seat wonders out there it is always great to see a bike scaled for larger riders. For a street going sport tourer with shaft drive, abs, wind protection and plenty of power the VFR1200X is a bargain at sub 10k pricing. If I’m on a road where I feel I need cruise control I’m definitely not on the right road. Nothing wrong with the bike if you understand what your needs and capabilities are. Good luck.

Whom is it intended for, who is it target buyer? As an ADV it's too top-heavy and as sport-tourer it looses to pretty much every ST bike out there.. and it's not cheap. Whomever came up with idea in Honda marketing division should be sentenced to riding all BDRs on it solo..

That sounds like a great challenge.

Sounds like you only ride your local area. I like to check out new roads/places and that means spending some time on expressways to get there as quickly as possible so I can spend more time exploring those new places.

Europeans it would seem. The Crosstourer began production in 2012. It was already a 4 year old bike when it was introduced to the US market, hence the lack of tech in the bike. Both the X and F models appear to be more popular outside the US than in it with the X being in production for 7 years and the F for 8, versus 2 and 3 years respectively on the US market.

Because I don’t feel the need for cruise control on a motorcycle I must be a local rider? That’s just plain silly.

It was too little and too late, but in reverse. Honda was about 8 years late in releasing it and when it showed up it was missing some key features.

When it comes to “flops” in the US market ( some were successful in other markets) over the years I owned and enjoyed quite a few like :

CBX. ( owned three at different times)
GB500
Transalp. ( one of my favorites)
CX500 Turbo. ( still own two)
NT650 ( still own)
Pacific coast

sure I am forgetting one to two more.

Bottom line not selling the US seems to have little to do with the actual merits of the bike. Yes, every bike has compromises in design and execution.

To add a little more clarity to my original (1st) response: When the bike came out, it was too expensive to not have cruise control. At that time, aftermarket cruise controls were still well north of $1,000. They've come down radically in price now, making this a real option.

I'd be a big fan of offering two models - one devoid of excess electronics (at a price to reflect it) and one with the add-ons that people are willing to pay for.

I have a Crosstourer and in all honesty I don't know exactly why it has been a flop? It IS heavy but no heavier than BMW's second best seller, and what my Crosstourer replaced, BMW's R1200GSA. It doesn't have cruise (and I wish it did) but there are good selling motorcycles that also don't (Africa Twin 1000), and surely this alone isn't a deal breaker is it? For what you get it's not really expensive compared to KTM, BMW, Harley, even some other Honda's. I guess it's just the combination of the above plus probably a few other things. Here are what I perceive as negatives;

Weight especially lifting it up off the side stand or pushing it around the garage is an issue for many. We sometimes hear " but the weight disappears once you get moving" only in this case it's true more than on any motorcycle I've ever ridden, somehow it really is light on it's feet.

Lack of cruise, along with it could use a bit better fuel mileage or an extra .5 gallon or so, could be a nit pick as a tourer for long distance riders.

Ergo's are good other than the bars are a little far of a reach for many. I remedied this with a $40 set of bar risers. Seat is uncomfortable to me just like almost every stock seat but Corbin fixed that.

I bet it's a job getting to some servicing, valves etc. Oil and filter change is easy though.

Front suspension being simply too harsh, stiction or something, on rough roads is my biggest gripe and unfortunately it's not an easy or cheap fix. It's a little better now after reducing the preload and damping, and maybe just breaking in, but the Africa Twin or GS ride much nicer on rough roads.

Initially I felt that low speed throttling to be a little abrupt but taking out the throttle cable slack and just adapting my use of the throttle has taken care of most of that. Basically I use this bike as an all day comfortable sport tourer that'll do the occasional dirt/gravel road ok.


What I see as positives;

At the current discounted prices this bike is a steal get one while you can. I imagine when Spring hits they'll all be gone.

Wind protection is just right, enough w/o too much, with the nicely adjustable windshield and engine/exhaust heat is well managed.

Shaft drive with single side swing-arm is nice.

Wonderful engine with plenty of power and just a nice feel to it.

Tubeless wheels (why in this day and age do they even supply tube type wheels on street bikes?)

Available DCT which I happen to really like.

The bike is nicely finished and to my eye fairly attractive.

Well said, congrats on getting a great bike. I bought a new left over 2011 NT700V a little over a year ago for less than 1/2 the original msrp. Great machine that sold well in the UK and Europe but not much here.

Thread dredge...

How does the CT suspension cope 2 up with hard box luggage ? I have a 56lt topbox and 33lt trekkers, im 100kgs and the Mrs 80.

I currently ride a 2018 Versys 1000 and it does not cope well with understeer giving vague / light front end uneasyness while 2 up touring.

Ive maxed out the rear preload and slowed up the re-bound and have the forks 10mm thru the triples to help, 1 up is fine but not 2.

The Versys has pre-load up front and RHS only re-bound and no compression, the rear has a remote pre-load and re-bound.

Cheers