Honda Africa Twin in the Top Test

The first impressions of the new Honda Africa Twin were promising during its presentation. But now it’s official. The first test bike is ready for the top test. And the expectations are high. But Honda meets them with self-composure. And it can afford to.

Strange things have been happening recently in the editorial team. Colleagues from various departments are suddenly standing in the door: Travel colleague Markus Biebricher was the first, then service man Thorsten Dentes showed up: “Hey, um, do you think I could have the keys for the Honda Africa Twin for an hour or so”? Or they ogle the long-legged Honda, like classic bike colleague Uli Holzwarth: “For how long can we test it? Do you think I could try it sometime? Come on, turn it on for a second just to check the sound”. Seasoned editors tiptoe around the Africa Twin like cats around a milk saucer. “Finally”, exclaims Markus. And he receives head nodding.

Change of scenery, south of France. Photo stop to shoot some detailed photos. While snapshooter Markus creeps into the last angle of the Honda Africa Twin with his camera, a battered van roars up. Its driver hits the brakes ambitiously, jumps out and introduces himself as Franck. Franck is completely over the moon. He had seen us in the morning already and drives a 750-series Africa Twin RD 07, last years’ make, and lives in the next town. And he just had to stop to marvel at the new one. He speaks, gets in his van and is gone. A half hour later a posh 750-series Africa Twin from 2003 comes firing around the corner, Franck gets off and begins a lively discussion.

New Honda Africa Twin has become very appetising

No question, the CRF 100 is casting viewers under its spell. And if there were critical voices before about the “only” 94 hp and over 230 kg weight, nothing is to be heard of them now. The new Honda Africa Twin has become a very appetising motorcycle. Slim, with a narrow waist, like it is made from one piece. And it’s of high quality – it’s simply fun to look at. The brilliant red and snow white of the finely pained tank provides a wonderful contrast. The seat with the black-white-red upholstery matches wonderfully. Honda has a pleasant courage to use colours, even if the labels of the covering are not painted over. The worksmanship can be seen. The plastic parts are custom-fit and do not look cheap.

The steel frame of the Honda Africa Twin is cleanly welded – unfortunately also the frame rear. A bolted frame would have been better in this case. No trace of cable ties or loose dangling plugs. Only the sensor cable on the front wheel seems a bit sloppily installed. But details such as the sturdy aluminium engine protection, plastic frame protector over the footrests, folding shift lever and grip serrated brake pedal, as well as the 21-inch front wheel and ample 230 mm ground clearance, this tastes of dusty tracks and wanderlust. These are the footsteps that its 2003 predecessor left behind, thanks to its tremendous reliability. And they are pretty large – which could not be filled since by the chubby Varadero.

The tank holds 18.8 litres

But before we now wallow in the past all touchy-feely: The here and the now matters. And it’s called 880 mm of seat height. This can easily be managed for normal-sized adults thanks to the narrow seat and therefore proper step bend length. For those who like it lower: The Honda Africa Twin can also be mounted 15 mm lower by a simple reconnection. Honda offers 30 mm higher or lower seats for those who want even lower or higher.

The 18.8 litre tank of the Honda Africa Twin provides for a tight knee grip. It is nevertheless supposed to hold 400 kilometres thanks to the modest consumption. Honda promises this. We will see. Also here and now: Twin in-line instead of V2. And it makes itself known at the push of a button, whirs to life with a slightly elevated 1800 rpm resting pulse. Two things occur when reaching for the clutch: Firstly, an adjustable hand lever was a victim of budgetary cuts – not necessarily to be expected given the price. Secondly, the slipper clutch only requires little manual force. The first gear engages gently and from the first few metres the Twin advances splendidly. And immediately I feel the corners of my mouth begin to form a smile.

Only the bare bones are on-board in terms of electronics

The 998 cm³ Twin is a flatterer with excellent manners. Honda puts faith in the conventional throttle cables with the Africa Twin instead of the electronic ride-by-wire. The engine responds nicely to the throttle, direct and yet soft. Only the bare bones are on-board in terms of electronics. A three-stage traction control that is easy to operate from the handlebars whose softest level, however, intervenes somewhat early and rigorously. For this purpose, there is an optional ABS (surcharge EUR 600) that can only be switched off on the rear wheel for off-road excursions. For those purists out there: A version without ABS can also be had this year, since the Africa Twin is still homologated according to Euro 3. The Honda Africa Twin does not offer different mappings, which is easy to get over. What is annoying, however, is that every time the ignition is switched off – even by kill switch – the ABS and traction control are reset to the factory setting. But back to the engine.

It is one of those engines that unexcitedly gets to the matter at hand from idling, but with a gentle effort. Softly roaring, ugly load change jerks are largely avoided. In the crisp precise gearbox after start-up – DCT version with dual-clutch gearbox was not yet available for testing – this animates you to shift up to the second gear and shift up early. Shortly after leaving the village, you can already get into sixth gear. In everyday driving, you are then usually between 2000 and 4000 pm. This is relaxed, makes you calm and spares your nerves. Hairpin turns are child’s play for the Honda Africa Twin. Gently roaring, the Twin pushes through the corner. The engine responds cleanly to the throttle, simply poised. Far removed from any kind of hustle and bustle. Also because the Twin displays an excellent quality and balance of the engine.

The developers also gave it two balancer shafts. And they do their job excellently. They leave nothing more than a gentle pulsing, regardless of the speed. The Honda Africa Twin engine therefore has fine manners. And a uniform power delivery as well. One of its strengths is undoubtedly the very broad usable speed range. A fine entrance from the speed ground floor, no drop in the middle and there is still some more life at 6,000 rpm. First at 7,500 rpm does the vigour of the melodious Twin subside.

It received a pleasant muffled voluminous sound, which is based for one on the crankshaft with 270 degrees of firing interval. This results in principle in the firing order of a 90-degree V2. The Honda Africa Twin indeed does not sound like a Ducati V2. But it roars full and gently, meaty when accelerating, but not aggressively and never intrusive. This is due to the sophisticated inner workings of the silencer – recognisable by the two differently sized exhaust pipes – that fits in line well despite its size and nestles closely to the machine.

Calmly from one slanted position to the next

The seat arrangement is just as successful. Thanks to the slim contoured seat, normal adults can easily reach the ground. The handlebars lie almost perfectly in your hand, the seat is tautly upholstered and offers plenty of room to move. The driver sits loosely, but not passively. Even after hours of riding, you get out of the saddle relaxed. And happy. Because the chassis of the Honda Africa Twin does not lower its guard. This would be due to the perfect balance of the chassis for one thing. The 233 kilogrammes (fully fuelled) are spread 50 per cent to the front and 50 per cent to the rear wheel.

But much more remarkable than such number games is how the Honda Africa Twin performs in the thick of curves. As soon as the wheels roll, it seems as if they had thrown half a hundredweight of ballast overboard. Although it cannot turn corners like a rabbit, which is not surprising to anyone given the 21-inch front wheel and the geometry trimmed for stability with long trail and a flat steering head angle. But the Africa Twin mellowly and confidently pushes streets of any kind under its wheels. It dives from one inclined position to the next calmly. It is willingly directed through hairline bends, switchbacks and fast bends on the wide aluminium handlebars. It follows the specified course stably. It wards off bumps unimpressed and it can only smile tiredly about the righting moment when braking, which is also typical of machines with a 21-inch front wheel.

The handling stiffens at higher speeds

The downside: At higher speeds, the handling stiffens noticeably. What is ultimately only a small flaw in the otherwise fine balance. Another positive point: Thanks to the ample sized steering angle, the Honda Africa Twin effortlessly performs manoeuvres virtually on a dime. The designers were eager to find the lowest possible centre of gravity. The coolant expansion tank therefore lies below the engine, and the ABS modulator and battery are grouped around the centre of gravity. The engine does, however, play a special role here. It is very flat thanks to the unicam cylinder head.

And even if the followers of the V2 (to whom the author also belongs) now would like to howl: The Twin in-line engine is much more compact than a V2 (and also cheaper to produce), which offers more freedom to position it in the chassis. And at the same time, this makes a tremendously long swing arm possible. 655 mm is record-breaking and provides for a good grip. The Twin hides the oil supply of its dry sump lubrication below in the crankcase. This saves installation height, but requires a dipstick to check the oil level. The Honda Africa Twin water pump is integrated into the clutch cover for this purpose – and not in the clutch, as some trade magazines reported in full confidence in the press release.

The successful performance of the chassis, however, is also based on the well-tuned suspension elements of the Honda Africa Twin. Despite the long spring deflection (230 millimetres in front, 220 in the rear), they strike a balance between sufficiently taut tuning and fine comfort. They conscientiously take care of the small and large faults in the asphalt.

They are fully adjustable, have a fairly wide adjustment range and react promptly to a few more clicks of damping. However, this occurs at the expense of sensitivity. The bottom line is that the factory setting offers a good compromise between stability and comfort. Even at full braking, the long-legged Honda Africa Twin remains largely quiet. The brakes could be a little more spontaneous and give slightly more feedback to the inner workings. But thanks to the fine-regulating ABS with 9.2 m/s², they provide for an ordinary delay.

Armed to inherit the legacy of its predecessors

The tyres, however, are not at the high level that the chassis sets. The Dunlop D 610 Trailmax do not nourish any sporty ambition. They have daggers drawn when it is cold and wet. And the front tyre is not particularly communicative in terms of its contact with the asphalt. The fine Honda Africa Twin could have actually deserved something more fitting here. Its off-road qualities will be explored in a separate test anyway – with adequate tyres. However, it is easy to get over the fact that it is rather restrained in terms of top speed at 199 km/h. Especially since it is extremely stable at this speed in a straightaway. And the long final transmission keeps the revs low, although the acceleration values in sixth gear are a bit pale. So you can complete large stages at once relaxed before the tank gauge urges you to transition to the filling pump. Upon reaching the reserve, it informs you of the remaining range with a fairly accurate display. And look: If driven conservatively, the Africa Twin consumes only 4.3 litres, which boosts its actual range to 437 kilometres.

If driven in a fast manner, a good 350 kilometres can be reached. This pleases long-distance travellers as do the numerous hooks for securing luggage, the unobtrusively integrated luggage holder or the surprisingly good wind protection of the comparatively small windscreen. What it is missing is a main stand. The extensive range of accessories offers the main stand (EUR 219 as well as a larger windscreen (EUR 147) and matching luggage (30/40 litres, EUR 689). All you have to look for in the accessories retail is the crash bar. But the bottom line remains: The Honda Africa Twin is back and ready again to inherit the legacy of its predecessors.

 

Technical Data of the Honda Africa Twin

	Honda CRF 1000 L Africa Twin
Model year	2016
Motor
Number of cylinders, design	2, in-line engine
Bore / stroke	92.0 / 75.1 mm
Displacement	998 cm³
Valves per cylinder	Four valves per cylinder
Compression	10.0
Output	70.0 kW (94.0 PS) at 7,500 rpm
Max. torque	98 Nm
Number of gears	Six-speed gearbox
Rear-wheel drive	O-ring chain
Chassis, wheels, brakes
Frame	Bridge frame
Front/rear spring deflection	230 mm / 220 mm
Tyres	90/90 21, 150/70 18
Front/rear brake	310 mm four-piston fixed callipers / 256 mm single-piston floating calliper
ABS	No
Dimensions and weights
Wheel base	1575 mm
Steering head angle	62.5 °
Trail	113 mm
Dead weight with a full tank of petrol	228 kg
Seat height	n/a
Permissible total weight	427 kg
Maximum speed	199 km/h
Price
New price	EUR 12,405.00

 

Set-up for the countryside highway

Fork
Rebound damping: 2.25 revolutions
Compression level: 8 clicks
Preload: 5 revolutions*
Air pressure: 2.0 bar

Suspension strut
Rebound damping: 10 clicks
Compression level: 12 clicks
Preload: 6 revolutions*
Air pressure: 2.5 bar

* All revolutions counted from closed position

 

Measured values

Honda CRF 1000 L Africa Twin 69,8 kW (95 PS) bei 7500/min 98 Nm bei 5900/min	Honda CRF 1000 L Africa Twin 69.8 kW (95 hp) at 7,500 rpm 98 Nm at 5,900 rpm
Motorleistung	Engine output
Motordrehzahl in 1/min * 1000	Engine output in rpm x 1000
Drehmoment in Nm	Torque in Nm
Leistungsdiagramm	Performance diagram

 

Gearbox

Getriebe	Gearbox
Geschwindigkeit in km/h	Speed in km/h
Nenndrehzahl	Rated speed
Motordrehzahl in 1/min * 1000	Engine output in rpm x 1000
Max. Drehzahl	Max. rpm

As you can see, there is nothing spectacular. Instead you see a uniform power curve aspiring for a rounded peak and a good 80 Nm of starting torque at already just over 2,000 rpm. Even if performance fetishists want to nag that the kick is missing, this engine characteristic is an excellent fit for the relaxed appearance of the Honda Africa Twin. Due to the long transmission, it reaches the top speed a good 1,000 rpm before the speed limit.

Brakes test

Due to the long spring deflection, at full delay the Honda Africa Twin tends to be somewhat unstable, whereby the rear wheel can temporarily lose contact with the ground. It churns a little over the longitudinal axis, but this is not harmful. The braking effect is good, but the pressure point could be a bit more direct. The delay is good due to the long spring deflection and narrow tyre.

Brake measurement from 100 km/h: 41.9 m
For comparison with this, the reference, BMW R 1200 GS: 39.3 m

This means: When the BMW is already at a standstill, the Honda Africa Twin still has a residual speed of 24.9 km/h and still needs 2.6 metres to come to a standstill.

Other measured values

Drive performances

Maximum speed
199 km/h

Acceleration
0–100 km/h: 3.8 sec.
0–140 km/h: 6.9 sec.

Torque
60–100 km/h: 4.6 sec.
100–140 km/h: 6.1 sec.
140-180 km/h: 10.9 sec.

Tachometer deviation:
Display: 50/100 km/h
effective: 44/93 km/h

Torque deviation
Display of the red area: 8,300 rpm
effective: 8,300 rpm

Consumption

Country road: 4.3 l/100 km
at 130 km/h: 5.2 l/100 km
Theoretical range on country road: 437 km
Fuel type: Super

Dimensions + weights

L/W/H: 2340/960/1480 mm
Seat height: 865–880 mm
Handlebar height: 1180 mm
Turning radius: 4840 mm

Weight fully fuelled: 233 kg
Payload: 194 kg
Wheel load distribution front/rear: 49.9/50.1 %

 

About the unicam valve control

The valve control, which Honda uses under the tuneful name unicam in the Honda Africa Twin, is in principle a sohc design, i.e. a single overhead camshaft (single overhead camshaft). With conventional sohc engines, the camshaft is placed centrally between the intake and exhaust valves and controls these via rocker arms. With the unicam engine, however, the camshaft is located directly above the intake valves and actuates them via bucket tappets and shims. Roller rocker arms with set screws for the valve clearance are used to actuate the exhaust valves.

This design is not only lighter than a conventional sohc head, but it also saves installation space and makes it possible to design the cylinder head to be more compact. In addition to the Honda Africa Twin, the NC models as well as the Crosstourer and the VFR 1200 carry unicam heads. The first Hondas that came on the market in 2004 were competitor’s machines, however, namely the Crosser CRF 250 and 450. What is still simultaneously proof of the durability of this technology is the fact that the CRF 250 still runs at over 11,500 rpm.

With the NC models that operate at much lower speeds, the rocker arms originate from the automotive sector, namely from the Honda Jazz. Meanwhile, other manufacturers have also recognised the advantages of this design. For example, KTM is sending the latest generation of the Duke 690 to the starting line with a similarly designed cylinder head. However, the intake valves of the Duke are actuated by cam followers.

 

Competition

BMW F 800 GS

84 hp, weight 222 kg,

0–100 km/h 4.0 sec,

Vmax 204 km/h,

Consumption 4.6 litres, ABS,

EUR 11,200 without additional costs

KTM Adventure 1050

94 hp, weight 233 kg,

0–100 km/h 3.7 sec,

Vmax 205 km/h,

Consumption 5.0 litres, ABS,

EUR 12,795 without additional costs

Yamaha XT 1200 Z Super Ténéré

110 hp, weight 269 kg,

0–100 km/h 3.7 sec,

Vmax 210 km/h,

Consumption 5.8 litres, ABS,

EUR 12,955 without additional costs

 

Conclusion

Welcome back. The Honda Africa Twin has the virtues on board that we associate with this great name. It impresses with a wide range of skills and by the sum of its qualities, not by one individual outstanding characteristic. Like its predecessor, it is not a rally rocket or showman. Comfortable, economical, balanced. The sophisticated engine completes its fine début. What it can do off-road will have to be proven in a separate test – with adequate tyres.