At the beginning of June, I took theHonda’s 2020 Africa Twin Adventure Sportswith Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT) for an off-road rip since most industries could go back to work under Level 3 lockdown regulations. Our off-road riding route traverses from our chosen meeting point in Bapsfontein all the way to Cullinan via a mostlyoff-road route.This route came highly recommended byfellowadventure biker friends, it is affectionately known as one of the best adventure bike off-road routes, it is also better suited for riders who possess average off-road riding skill sets as I do. What appealed to me the most about the routewas the fact that it is located within neighbourhood doorstep, and that it ticks most boxesfor a fun gravel route.
Riding alongside me was my audacious lady colleague Bongiwe Didiza from Heels and Horsepower Magazine on her legendary 2011 BMW F800 GS,and leading the pack was the master of off-road saves Mojaki Rammoneng on his 2019 Honda Africa Twin CRF1000L DCT. When it comes to off-road riding skills, Mojaki comes with the undisputed pedigree, he has a 2019 Honda Quest Championship under his belt. Rider experience aside, this was a good opportunity to pit the latest middle-weight offering from Hondaagainstthe old generation bike.
Fun and games, the ride took us through long kilometres of railway tracks with rider confidence crushing loose railway ballast alongside them; random and unpredictable low river crossings – some looked like they could swallow you whole; a section of gravel road covered insandypatches; and lastly, something I would term - a killer muddy section from hell. By the way, before attempting to cross the obnoxious muddy section, we had to consult one of Honda SA executives to seek for his approval first. This was just in case of mud hitting the fan, ifyou know what I mean! In the end because of wrong tyres options on two of our bikeswe chickened out from crossing this section, and instead, opted fora safer detour. All in all, our ride including a lunch stopover and sightseeing in Cullinan took us about four gruelling hoursto complete.
Likes:
• Dual LED headlights feature Daytime Running Lights (DRL)and cornering technology.
• It has comprehensive electronics like Apple CarPlay® and Bluetooth connectivity, to mention a few.
• TFT dash is good looking, they have done a great job with the layout, you can clearly see what everything means and does,but it’s not as good as for an example, a BMW TFT dash.
• This bike looks great in my opinion, I think Honda have nailed the looks of this machine, it has a Dakar bike look to it, I like the red, blue and white Honda Racing Colours.
• On the black stuff, the bike handles well on the bends, especially when you ride it in Sports Mode.
• DCT does work better on the 2020 bikewhen compared to the previous generation bike, thanks to a six-axis IMU that it is equipped with as a standard feature. A six-axis Inertial Measurement Unit now manages riding modes and Honda Selectable Torque Control(HSTC) as well as three additional systems - Cornering ABS, Wheelie Control, Rear Lift Control, plus new cornering detection functionality on the DCT version. Riding this bike in sports mode transforms it into a beast of note, I think this is the best way to enjoy it, has a drive mode as well. In my opinion I would say DCT is recommended for doing long distance trips and perhaps getting a manual would be ideal if you are going to be doing a lot of off-roading.
• The bike engine feels more powerful than a 75kW, although this is not a class leading number in terms of power for a bike like this, in my view you don’t need anything more than this.
• Engine sounds awesome with its pops and bangs when changing down under deceleration in manual mode.
Dislikes:
• Hard seat – although the bike seat is fitted in a comfortable riding height, but it is hard. But I’m sure there are more comfortable aftermarket seats/padding out there that can be used to address this issue.
• TFT Dash - the bike has loads of electronics, the TFT dash has a shiny glossy screen, there is glare on the screen if the sun is behind you, I’m sure this can be addressed by fitting an aftermarket screen protector with a matt surface finish.
• Complicated switch gear on the LHS, this bike has so many features and customisations that it can do in terms of the electronics, as a long-term owner of this bike I’m sure with time you might get used to all its features and what everything does.
• The bike is very heavy to move around in a parking lot or garage.
Other Motorcycle Rivals& Specs Sheet.
In its class the following motorcycles are direct competitors of the new Honda Africa Twin CRF1100L Adventure Sports DCT, namely BMW F850 GS Adventure, Suzuki V-Strom DL1050 and KTM 790 Adventure R.
Other Motorcycle Rivals
In its class the following motorcycles are direct competitors of the new BMW S1000RR, namely Ducati Panigale V4, Yamaha R1M, Kwawasaki ZX-10RR and Aprilia RSV4 1100.
|
BMW F850 GS Adventure |
Suzuki V-Strom DL1050 |
KTM 790 Adventure R Rally |
Africa Twin CRF1100L Standard |
|
|
Engine |
853cc Water-cooled, 4-stroke in-line two-cylinder engine |
1037cc Water-cooled 4-stroke, DOHC 90° V-twin |
799cc Water-cooled, 4-stroke Parallel
Twin engine, DOHC |
1043cc Water-cooled 4-stroke Parallel
Twin engine with 270°
crank and Uni-cam |
|
Power |
70kWat 8,250rpm |
78kW at 8500rpm |
70kW at (N/A) |
75kW at 7,500rpm |
|
Torque |
92Nmat 6,250rpm |
100Nm at 6000rpm |
88Nm at (N/A) |
105Nm at 6,250rpm |
|
Weight |
248kg |
247kg |
189kg |
248kg |
|
Seat height |
875mm |
850mm |
910mm |
870/850mm (STD/Low) |
|
Fuel tank |
23.0lt |
20lt |
20lt |
24.8lt |
|
Fuel Consumption |
4,2lt/100km |
5.0lt |
4.2lt/100km |
4.8lt/100km |
|
Price (from) |
R243 000.00 |
R221 950.00 |
R209 999.00 |
R290 500.00 DCT |
Pricing
You can expect to pay around R250 000.00 for the Africa Twin CRF1100L Adventure Sports Manual, and R290500.00 for the Africa Twin CRF1100L Adventure Sports DCT.
Verdict
When compared with the old generation bike, there is no doubt in my mind that for year 2020 the Honda Africa Twinhas grown in leaps and bounds both mechanically and electronically.With a price difference of about R40000.00 between the Manual and DCT bikes, it looks as though the manual Honda Africa Twin Adventure Sports might be a better preposition.In my opinion Honda’s Africa Twinlooks set to give other motorcycle competitors in the adventure middleweightsegment a good run for their money.
For more about the 2020 Honda Africa Twin,
click here https://www.honda.co.za/motorcycles/crf1100-adventure-sports