The USA is a country with such varied terrain that if you’re serious about taking a look at all (or most) of it, you’re going to need an adventure bike. Ideally, one that is reliable, won’t run out of puff or fuel on the highway, and will not shy away from a challenge in the dirt.
Of course, it will need the ability to carry luggage, and a comfy pillion perch will earn you brownie points. And circling back to our original point, if it was maneuverable in traffic, didn’t heat up too much, and had a clutch pull that didn’t tire your left hand out, it would truly be an adventure bike that could do it all, wouldn’t it?
A Few Honda Bikes Qualify As Do-It-All
Honda doesn’t have many adventure bikes in its lineup. However, they are a very interesting collection. The CRF300L Rally is a thinly disguised dual-sport. The NX500 is an outright tourer that can handle some dirt if pushed to do it, but that isn’t its comfort zone. The NC750X DCT is a scooter in disguise, and the XR650L is an old-school dual-sport bike.
Lastly, the XL750 Transalp absolutely qualifies, but it doesn’t have the kind of off-road chops that the Africa Twin does. It is an extremely capable ADV but, like the NX, is a tarmac-first tourer with some capability in the rough stuff, while the big Honda seems like it was born to it.
The Honda Africa Twin Is The Honda Adventure Bike That Can Do It All
The original Africa Twin is a legend. The XRV650 and XRV750 were derived from Dakar Rally winners, and they were so good that they remained in production for almost two decades. The draw was that, as a Honda, you knew that they would be well-engineered and reliable. However, in 2003, we saw the last of the Africa Twin until 2015. That’s when the all-new CRF1000L Africa Twin was launched.
Another big change came in 2020, when the engine capacity was increased, and we got the CRF1100L. Since then, we’ve seen tweaks to it but no significant changes. This stability isn’t a criticism of it. Honda knows it has a product that fits a niche, and its sales prove that Honda has the right idea. The Africa Twin is the Honda Adventure bike that can do it all.
It Is Priced Extremely Reasonably For A Full-Size ADV
The base Africa Twin is priced at $15,199. This is a full-size ADV, remember, yet the pricing puts it among the premium middleweight ADVs. Yes, there is an argument to be made that its power also puts it among the premium middleweight ADVs, but Honda has opted not to fight the spec sheet battle. There are other versions that are priced higher, but even the Africa Twin Adventure Sports ES DCT with the electronic suspension and dual-clutch automatic gearbox is priced at $18,599.
10 Solid Alternatives To The Honda Africa Twin
Surprisingly, there are a few Italian ADVs that undercut the flagship Africa Twin
Honda’s Proven Parallel-Twin Engine Is Unbreakable
Honda has chosen a 270-degree parallel twin engine to power the Africa Twin. This is a 1,084 cc engine that generates 100 horsepower at 7,500 RPM and 82 pound-feet at 5,500 RPM. These aren’t impressive figures for a full-size adventure bike, but this engine has a lovely torque spread that gives it performance that is usable in the real world. This engine might have four valves per cylinder, but it has a Unicam SOHC head that makes it shorter. It also has a dry sump, which helps to increase ground clearance.
Dual Clutch Gearbox Is Still Unique, Over A Decade Later
It is paired with a six-speed manual transmission with a two-way quickshifter, or you can specify it with the six-speed dual clutch automatic transmission. The latter has many different modes – the ‘Auto’ mode is self-explanatory, but there are three ‘Sport’ modes with increasingly aggressive shifts. You can also shift manually with paddles on the handlebars. Oh, and the Africa Twin’s DCT has a ‘G Switch’ that allows extra clutch slip at really slow speeds for technical work. There are now other automatic gearboxes available in the segment, but they are all much more expensive, and are all automated manuals, unlike the Honda gearbox.
The Old-School Chassis Makes It Great Off-Road As Well
The Africa Twin has a traditional semi-double cradle frame made of steel. The subframe is also made of steel, but the swingarm is made of lighter aluminum. This is a heavy frame, but it will take a beating, even off-road, without complaint. The suspension is Showa, with a 45 mm inverted SFF-BP front fork that is fully adjustable. The rear is also a Showa unit with full adjustability and has a Pro-link mounting. Travel is 9.1 inches at the front and 8.7 inches at the rear. There is no electronic suspension on offer for the Africa Twin in the US market; it is exclusive to the Africa Twin Adventure Sports here.
The brakes comprise twin 310 mm front discs paired with radial four-piston fixed calipers. At the rear, you get a 296 mm disc with a single piston caliper. Unlike the Adventure Sports, this is a 21/18 inch setup that is good for off-road work. The spoke rims have tubeless tires mounted on them.
10 Honda Bikes That Broke The Internet
Honda motorcycles that make waves on the internet, some even decades later
This Is A Full-Size ADV
The Africa Twin is a full-size ADV; there is no doubt about that. It is nearly 92 inches long and 38 inches wide, with a seat height of 34.3 inches in the standard position. There is a low seat position as well, which offers a 33.5-inch seat height. Ground clearance is 9.8 inches, which is more than that of the Adventure Sports. It has a much smaller fuel tank, though, with a capacity of 5 gallons.
Good Feature Set Backs Up The Strong Cycle Parts
The Africa Twin doesn’t promise the moon – it cannot, with that price – but what it does is offer an intelligent selection of features that will make your two-wheeled excursions complete. It starts with the 6.5-inch TFT touchscreen that has Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Needless to say, it has Bluetooth and navigation. Honda has also retained the LCD below that displays critical information like speed and the odometer.
The engine has a by-wire throttle linked to the six-axis IMU, so there are seven levels of HSTC – a feature that offers different throttle responses, six ride modes including two user-customizable ones, cornering ABS, wheelie control, and cruise control. If that’s not all, the accessories list has practical things like a center stand, engine guard, enduro footpegs, and luggage.
10 Hondas Known For Legendary Reliability
All these bikes have played their part in establishing Honda as a world leader in the motorcycle industry
Very Little Direct Competition For Honda’s Flagship ADV
The Africa Twin sits in a niche that no other motorcycle occupies at the moment. There is the Moto Guzzi Stelvio that is priced similarly, at $16,390, but its transverse V-twin engine isn’t for everyone, and neither has it managed to prove itself at the level of the Africa Twin off-road. There are other competitors that are great all-rounders, but they’re either in a different price class (BMW R 1300 GS, Ducati Multistrada V4 Rally, KTM 1390 Super Adventure R) or literally in a different class (BMW F 900 GS, Ducati DesertX V2, KTM 890 Adventure R, and Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro).
The closest rival to the Africa Twin is the Suzuki V-Strom 1050DE ($16,449), then. But with its aluminum twin-spar frame and weight, it is more a tarmac tourer than a true off-road ADV. You also pay way more money than the base Africa Twin here for what is essentially the same bike from 2021.
Source: Honda Powersports