Staying True to the Dual Sport Spirit
In 2003, fans of the XRV750 Africa Twin shed a heartfelt tear. The occasion marked the passing of one of the first big dual sport bikes with genuine off-road capabilities.
With the press alerting everyone to the arrival of an all-new Africa Twin in 2015, AT fans had only one more year to wait. The CRF1000L was a big bore dual-sport that looked like nothing on the market. It was lean and mean and featured an engine layout that put it in a class of one.
At the time, adventure bikes had followed two distinct routes: overweight behemoths or barely controllable rocket ships. The new Africa Twin with its compact parallel twin engine and perfect poise, came as a breath of fresh air.
The Spirit lives On
Staying true to the original’s spirit, the all-new Africa Twin had big shoes to fill. The bike didn't just look the part, though; Honda paid close attention to its weight and balance, providing authentic off-road ability.
The engine's 94bhp gave an impressive spread of real-world torque and matched the handling perfectly, making it the complete package.
The parallel-twin layout also provided a low, narrow profile, separating it from its shire horse-like rivals. As a result, the new CRL1000 Africa Twin put the adventure back into adventure biking.
Never one to rest on their laurels, Honda upped the stakes within two years of its launch. Offering the bike with manual or DCT transmission, the 2018 Africa Twin also came with throttle by wire, three riding modes, seven levels of HSTC traction control and improved engine response.
Travelling Faster, for Longer
Hot on its heels came Honda's announcement of the Africa Twin Adventure Sport's launch. The Adventure Sport boasted all the 2018 model's updates and could carry an additional 6L of petrol.
The front suspension came in the form of 45mm fully adjustable Showas and 20mm of extra travel plus 13 other mods enabled the Africa Twin to travel further and faster.
The next upgrade to the Africa Twin came in 2020. It saw the bike lower, slimmer and more agile with the engine size increasing to 1100cc, boosting power to 100bhp.
In keeping with the Adventure Sports' higher spec, the bike's electronic rider aids also got a significant overhaul. The addition of a 6-axis Inertial Measurement Unit controlled the 7-level traction control and the 3-level wheelie control and cornering ABS.
For both 2022 Africa Twin models came minor tweaks with manual or Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT) options.
Dirt-Friendly DCT
If you thought DCT was only for road-going tourers, it's time for a significant rethink. The Africa Twin's DCT proves it's equally viable on and off the road.
There are three operational modes from which to choose. Firstly, riders can move between MT and manual shifting via switchgear-mounted paddles. Second, D mode gives automatic gear changes ideal for fuel-efficient highway riding. Finally, in S mode, you can opt for three levels of sportier performance.
By activating the G switch on the bike's TFT touchscreen, the DCT's additional off-road specific skills kick in. This switch reduces clutch slip while changing gears and adds incline detection for optimum control.
Further enhancements add to the off-road experience with IMU-triggered cornering detection and enhanced DCT settings. These focus on the first and second gears to give smoother standing and slow speed starts.
Initial hesitance for new technology is fast becoming a thing of the past. To date, Honda sales of bikes equipped with DCT are over 200K.
As for the Africa Twin, the figures speak for themselves. Currently, the Adventure Sports version outsells the standard model. Furthermore, with over 60% of Adventure Sport owners opting for DCT, any question of the dual-clutch transmission being off-road capable is buried in the dirt.
Colour Options for 2023
In 2023, both models will be available in manual and DCT options with the standard Africa Twin receiving two colour updates. These options are Mat Ballistic Black Metallic and Glint Wave Blue Metallic Tricolour.
For the latest Adventure Sport, the Pearl Glare White Tricolour remains, joined by Mat Iridium Gray Metallic.
With continent-crossing comfort and surefooted off-road manners, the Honda Africa Twin and Adventure Sport stay true to the dual-sport spirit outclassing all other motorcycles.
