Deauville is a small seaside town in France, but it’s also the name chosen by Honda for its small, middleweight touring machine. The Deauville is the latest incarnation of a long-running line of all-round bikes, from the VT500 via the NTV600 Revere through the NTV650 to the current model. At the heart of the design is a 52° V-twin engine with shaft drive, fuel injection, and four-valve heads. It’s a rather unstressed, low-powered engine, producing a mere 65bhp from its 680cc, but with a broad spread of power and torque. This reliable, friendly engine lives in an unremarkable chassis, with soft suspension, linked brakes with optional anti-lock control, and a comfortable, relaxed riding position. The Deauville’s bodywork offers good weather protection, and its built-in hard luggage sidecases provide plenty of carrying capacity.
Riding the Deauville has few surprises – the engine gives easy progress, braking is efficient and the chassis is soft and compliant. It’s short on sporting performance, but for steady, economic mile-munching, it has few parallels.
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