10 Perfect Honda Motorcycles That Are Ultimate Choices For A One-Bike Garage

Honda has a reputation for building motorcycles that are extremely reliable, and ever so slightly boring. That’s not to say that the world’s biggest two-wheeler manufacturer cannot build an exciting motorcycle; all the motorsport glory it has won over decades will attest to the fact that it can build some very fast and exciting motorcycles. However, there is one thing that Hondas do exceedingly well – and that is most things. That might sound a little confusing, but Hondas are a little bland because they are quietly competent at so many different things.

That is what makes a Honda the perfect choice for a single bike garage. Bikes with the winged badge are usually more than one-trick ponies, even if they are classified as a tourer or a cruiser, or something else. Here are ten perfect Honda motorcycles that are the ultimate choices for a one-bike garage.

To give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from authoritative sources such as Honda Powersports.

Honda NX500

Price: $7,399

The NX500 is an unassuming adventure-style tourer that has no airs about it. There is no truly aggressive styling or tires, and no loud decals. However, it is confident in its abilities. It can deal with some unpaved roads, although expecting it to do hardcore off-road work is an unreasonable expectation. Other than that, it can do pretty much everything: it is a light commuter, a refined highway bike, and it has some of the best fuel efficiency and tank range figures among any motorcycle. Among the features are a 5-inch TFT color display, Bluetooth, navigation, ABS, and switchable traction control.

Honda Shadow Aero

Price: $7,949

The Shadow is an old-school cruiser, but there’s nothing that prevents it from being usable in today’s world. Heck, Honda even gave it a rear disc brake and ABS last year. The ABS is a $300 option on the Shadow Aero, while the more modern Shadow Phantom has it as a standard feature. That’s probably why it is a much more expensive $8,699. You don’t get much by way of features, but you do get a water-cooled, fuel-injected V-twin engine with a five-speed gearbox and shaft drive. That translates to great vibes and low maintenance.

Honda CBR650R E-Clutch

Price: $9,399

This is the only sports bike in its segment that possesses a semi-automatic gearbox. That’s right, the E-Clutch system takes control of the clutch actuation, and all you need to do is shift gears. No, you don’t have to pull the clutch in when you come to a halt. Yes, you can turn the system off and operate the clutch yourself. The sweet-sounding inline four engine doesn’t have a lot of poke, but there are features that make it a better everyday bike, like a 5-inch TFT color display with Bluetooth and navigation, and ABS.

Honda NC750X DCT

Price: $9,499

If you don’t want to shift gears at all, then Honda has another solution for you: the NC750X DCT. This is a motorcycle that has more in common with a couple of full-size scooters than it does with any other motorcycle, which would explain the massive storage space where you’d expect the fuel tank to be – and the under-seat fuel tank. You get a very efficient parallel twin engine and the well-known 6-speed dual clutch automatic gearbox packaged in an adventure tourer format. This makes it ideal for everything from commuting to touring.

Honda Rebel 1100 DCT

Price: $10,299

If you’re a fan of fuss-free cruisers, then it is difficult to ignore the Rebel 1100. Not only is it the most powerful Honda cruiser available today, but it is also docile enough to be a good first cruiser for anyone. It is available with the six-speed dual clutch gearbox as well, so if you’re going to have just the one bike for everything, it makes sense to get the automatic. You get manual control as well, in case you need it.

Honda CB1000 Hornet SP

Price: $10,999

The CB1000 Hornet SP is one of the greatest bargains in the market. Sure, it is available in the US with a little less power (129 horsepower), but it won’t be too difficult to get it back to its near-160-horsepower global power output. Plus, you get some really fancy bits because it is an ‘SP’, so you get Showa SFF-BP front forks and an Öhlins TTX36 rear shock. That rear shock is one that we usually spot on trackday special sport bikes. The brakes are provided by Brembo and have a radial front master cylinder as well. This is a bike that is happy to do the commute, and will be great at a racetrack as well.

Honda NT1100 DCT

Price: $11,899

The NT1100 is a crossover or a sport tourer, depending on which way you look at it. It uses a lot of Africa Twin parts, like the instrumentation and driveline, to great effect. Unlike the Africa Twin, it chooses to focus on tarmac only. You get 17-inch alloy wheels and sticky tires, and brakes to match. The feature set includes the 100-horsepower parallel twin engine, the six-speed dual clutch gearbox, and the large TFT touchscreen display that has wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

Honda Africa Twin DCT

Price: $15,599

The Africa Twin’s price has crept up over the years, but that is because it has added features as well. It is the thinking man’s full-size adventure bike, and Honda has gone to great lengths to make it feel manageable, unlike some of the other bikes in its class. It can therefore be genuinely used as a daily driver, tourer, and off-road machine. The automatic gearbox only adds to it, as Honda has given it a ‘G Switch’, which slips the clutch so that riding it at walking speeds is a smooth affair.

Honda Africa Twin Adventure Sports ES DCT

Price: $18,399

The Africa Twin Adventure Sports ES DCT costs almost $3,000 more than the Africa Twin DCT. The difference is similar to that between the BMW R 1300 GS and the R 1300 GS Adventure – the latter models are adventure touring models, with less focus on off-road capability and more on long-distance touring. It trades in the 21-inch front rim for a 19-inch one, the ‘ES’ stands for electronic suspension, and it gets a significantly larger 6.6-gallon fuel tank. But it remains just as usable in most situations.

Honda Gold Wing DCT

Price: $26,200

The Gold Wing is better known in its full-dress tourer guise, the Gold Wing Tour, but the added weight and bulk will make it a little less usable as a daily driver. The regular Gold Wing is a lot easier to handle in traffic. Yes, it remains a large motorcycle, but at no point does it feel unwieldy, and the smooth engine and automatic gearbox are always on your side. Honda has even given it a reverse gear and a ‘walk’ feature. The current generation’s narrower engine and better weight distribution mean that it can truly be used on a daily basis – and then for a long ride over the weekend, or even a continent crossing.