First Ride: 2014 Honda CTX 1300

If the past decade is any indication, Honda is betting on doing things differently. It started with the Custom 1300 series, was topped by the iconic Fury, and now culminates with a slew of futuristic plastic-clad cruisers and touring bikes—like the CTX. While all the bikes in question have similarities to what we call cruisers, they all lie along the margins. The CTXs flaunt cruiser-esque riding positions but are otherwise styled more like a sportbike. We've seen that before, however, in bikes like Ducati's Diavel, for instance. Maybe with the segment's sales eclipsing all other styles in America, "cruiser" is the new "normal," and these are now the new "standards."

Unless you're Honda, that is. The CTX1300 is, according to Honda, a bagger. Maybe the company is looking to draw from both the sportbike crowd as well as bagger (and cruiser) owners who might not have found quite the right bike. At the bike's introduction, Honda reps went on at length about the flatline hot-rod styling of the machine, but, really, you'll either dig it or you won't. The LED headlights, an elegant sweep from the short dual pipes, and the abbreviated fairing won't make a difference to you if you're not into the overall look. It shows a lot more machine than a typical sport-tourer but a lot less than a bagger.

This sleek-looking bike has a fairly conservative riding position, thanks to mid-mount pegs and a wide pullback bar. The seat is a flat, soft thing with decent support. In the end, it doesn't feel all that cruisery; it's more like a Gold Wing (but hundreds of pounds lighter). This all makes sense when you hear the CTX's place in Honda's internal market: It's slotted between the entry-level CTX700 and the Gold Wing F6B.

A jump is not what you'll get out of that smooth, counterbalanced 1,300cc V-4. "Re-tuned for torque" is usually manufacturer-speak for "detuned." This is bolstered by the fact that the CTX1300 will run quite happily on 87-octane fuel. In other words, it's not on the verge of detonation. That said, the 20-cent-a-gallon savings might come in handy. The claimed 42 mpg figure (we observed mid-30s on the CTX's instruments) is on the low side compared to C-twin cruisers, despite the CTX weighing roughly 100 pounds less than your average bagger.

The odd part is, it still seems weak on the bottom-end. There aren't many bikes I need to take to the dyno for proof of anything, but this might be one of them. For someone who comes from other types of bikes, that might feel like a normal state of affairs. But for someone raised on the bottom-end violence of a V-twin, it's under­whelming. The power sneaks up on you in a very non-visceral fashion, and that's not necessarily a good thing. The broad spread of power gradually feeds in over the rev range, and it is a fast bike; it's just that the delivery is very sedate.

Honda claims to have done some work to enhance the sound as well (via different length pipes), but most of what you hear from the cockpit is the whine of the valve train. At low speeds, you can blip the throttle or get on it to squeeze a hint of rumble from the exhaust. Note to Honda: If you sell many of these, exhaust manufacturers everywhere will thank you.

Smooth and predictable is something that can be said about far more than just the engine. The transmission shifts lightly through the gears with similarly light lever action, and with its huge spread of power, it's one of the few touring bikes in which a sixth gear would be redundant (though a gear indicator would be nice). Handling is light and precise, and the bike brings a fairly tight turning radius with decent cornering clearance. Suspension is on the soft side as set up from the factory, but it's easily adjustable for load or more aggressive riding. Although the CTX's under-seat gas tank gives it a low center of gravity, the rider feels fairly high up by cruiser standards.

Comfort is a mixed bag. While the CTX1300 has a very open, neutral riding position and a supportive seat, it also lacks options for moving around on a long trip. I found that I could hang my feet over the pegs to stretch a little, but a little lean would put a foot dangerously close to the ground. With the CTX's design, highway pegs (a staple of long-distance riders) will be hard to mount. The short shield has the wind coming in just below the shoulders on my 6-foot frame, while the optional accessory tall shield I tested puts it mostly over my head without blocking line-of-sight over the top. I also found the low, fairing-mounted mirrors hard to adjust, and their breakaway feature makes them a little too easy to, um, break away (though they are just as easy to replace).

The CTX1300 Deluxe adds functionality in the form of ABS, traction control, and self-canceling turn signals; entertainment in the form of a media player; and some anti-glitz in the form of blacked-out frame and wheels. The ABS and traction control were near invisible during our time on the Deluxe, yet linked brakes always weird me out a little, even if overall braking proved to be a solid, no-drama affair.

Between Harley-Davidson and Indian, entertainment and electronics options in a touring cruiser have taken a big leap this year, so Honda's Bluetooth system clocks in as just barely in the ballpark. Pairing a device to it is easy, if not instinctive, and it worked flawlessly. There is a USB hookup within one of the two dash compartments that will charge a phone or play music from a USB player or jump drive, but the system is not sophisticated enough to run a music app on a smartphone. As we found on Honda's F6B, volume is an issue, with the music becoming inaudible somewhere around 55 mph for Bluetooth connections and 70 for USB, depending on headwinds. All controls are on the dash, with some on the right side, which means you'll be at least removing your left hand from the bar (there's no cruise control) and reaching across the console to the right. Automatic volume control based on speed works within its limits, while auto-mute under 7 mph is a nice option as well, especially if you need to avoid pissing off cops at stoplights.

Bland is in the eye (and throttle hand) of the beholder, but I'm here to tell you that the CTX does very little wrong. It also does very little to excite, and although the CTX1300 is less money than the baggers it hopes to compete against, some riders will get hung up on displacement…or all the plastic.

The CTX concept was framed by the Honda gents as representing Comfort, Technology, and eXperience. With its limited seating position, I found the CTX's comfort to be relative. Technology, too, is debatable, given that your average V-twin is packed with some pretty impressive gizmos these days. As for the eXperience, it's a fairly bland one. Like many bikes that have debuted recently, this one is not quite a cruiser. While we think it's brave for Honda to take a new trail, this might be a bit too far off the beaten path.