Honda CRF 1000 L Africa Twin
A few years ago I was lucky enough to drive an old Africa Twin with a 750cc twin. See, which impressed me a lot. Because, as a fan of enduro and motocross motorcycles, I could not believe that such a large motorcycle could be ridden so enduro, that is, easily, with ideal proportions for a comfortable or even sporty ride on gravel roads.
So, to get to the point: the first Africa Twin was first and foremost a big and comfortable enduro bike that you could ride to work every day, on weekends with friends mahali raja, and on vacation in the summer, loaded to the brim with a bike. the most expensive behind. First of all, you can take this motorcycle on a real adventure, where paved roads are a luxury, where the modern lifestyle has not yet wiped the smile off people's lips. I will never forget the story that Miran Stanovnik told me about how his colleague from Russia with a purely serial Africa Twin started at Dakar at his first Dakar, and then was fixed and “bolted”.
If Honda was one of the first to spark the big touring enduro trend (besides BMW and Yamaha), it was also the first to cool off and extinguished this hugely popular name in Europe in 2002. Many people still don't understand this, but a man at the top of the Honda hierarchy once explained it to me: "Honda is a global manufacturer and Europe is really a very small part of that global market." Bitter but clear. Well, now it's obviously our turn!
In the meantime, the time came when a stronger, larger and more comfortable Varadero took her place, but he no longer had much in common with Endura's genetic gene. The crossstourer is even smaller. Clean asphalt, car!
Hence the message that the new Africa Twin carries genetic data, that its essence of everything, a heart, a piece, is of utmost importance! Everything they predicted is true. It's like sitting in a time machine and jumping from the XNUMX to the present, all the while sitting on the Africa Twin. Meanwhile, there are two decades of progress, new technologies that take everything to a new, higher level.
Honestly! 20 years ago, you would have believed that you would be riding a motorcycle with ABS brakes and rear wheel slip control that helps you stay safe on two wheels at three different levels in any situation, weather, temperature, no matter what happens ... type of soil under the wheels? To be honest, I would say: no, but where, do not go crazy that we will have everything that is in the cars. I don't need it at all, I still have a feeling of "gas", and I brake with exactly two fingers, and I don't need everything that only brings extra pounds.
Well, sort of like we have everything now. And you know what, I like it, I like it. I've already tried a whole bunch of the best, good or top end electronics on two wheels, and I can only say that I'm looking forward to what tomorrow brings. It's still good for the soul to take something without the help of electronics. However, for this we have two options: sit on the old engine without it, or just turn it off. Of course, on a Honda Africa Twin, you can simply turn off all electronic systems and veil, as if you are chasing a crossover with just under 100 horses. Um, of course, yes, I know that, why this is something known in advance.
For me personally, the most striking moment of this first meeting with the new African "queen" was that we drifted beautifully from side to side of a road made of rubble, winding between fields. It's a shame it wasn't in Africa, because then I would really feel like I was in paradise. But in all this, the madness is that it is all safe, because the electronics help a lot. Trust me, on the first exclusive test, you dare not overdo it. If you don’t believe me, I’ll tell you at least two reasons: the first is that I always love returning motorcycles intact and the second is that there are too few new Africans given the influx of demand across Europe, some difficulties, since the next buyer will be left without a motorcycle. Therefore, for normal weather conditions, on dry asphalt or gravel, I recommend lowering the rear wheel slip control (TC) by two levels compared to the standard and very safe program 3 and the combination is ideal. If necessary, you can turn off the ABS, but on the rubble I didn't even have to turn it off. I would only turn it off if I was driving on really slippery surfaces, such as mud or loose sand somewhere on the Italian Adriatic coast or in the Sahara.
The brakes work great. Radial calipers with four brake pistons and a pair of 310mm brake discs do their job well. For specific deceleration, one finger grip is enough, as on off-road motorcycles or supercars.
The suspension in combination with real enduro tires (i.e. 21 "front and 18" rear) also absorbs bumps typical of rough roads. If the motocross track had been drier during this first test, I would test how well she can jump. Because everything, the steel frame, wheels and of course the suspension, are taken from a real CRF 450 R motocross race car. The front suspension is fully adjustable and has to withstand the heavier stresses of a long jump landing. ... The rear shock absorber offers hydraulic spring preload adjustment.
However, since this is not a motocross racing car and has little to do with tradition and other durability requirements, the frame remains steel.
The entire superstructure is made of colored plastic (like motocross models), which means that the color does not peel off at the first drop, and most importantly, everything remains in the minimalist style. There is nothing superfluous in Africa Twin, and everything you need is there!
I believe that a lot of knowledge, time for research, testing with suppliers has been invested in such a finished motorcycle. For if any suggestion of this first test is important, it is this: in the new Africa Twin, I have not found a single cheap solution proving that we will compromise when you make production a few euros cheaper. Another doubt as to whether 95 "horsepower" was enough by modern standards was dispelled when I felt how quickly it can accelerate both on the road and on gravel. However, I believe that even a maximum speed of just over 200 kilometers per hour is quite enough for such a motorcycle. With this model, Honda has taken a big, really big step forward in component quality and workmanship. Everything on the bike looks and works to stay there forever. Trust me, once you try what it means to have serious plastic hand guards at the wheel, the ones that are racing-friendly as well, or a cheap attempt at copying, it becomes clear to you that they are serious.
Following the example of the MX models, the entire steering wheel was mounted on rubber bearings to prevent vibrations from being transmitted to the driver's hands.
Comfort is at a very high level, and here someone in Japan had to get a PhD in ergonomics and motorcycle seat comfort. The word "perfect" is actually the quickest and most concise explanation of what it feels like to sit on an Africa Twin. The standard seat can be installed at two heights from the floor - 850 or 870 millimeters. As an option, they also have the option of being reduced to 820 or extended to 900 millimeters! Well, this is like a race car for the Dakar, a flat cross seat would suit her perfectly. Yeah, another time, with more "picky" tires.
The seat is straight, relaxed, with a very good sense of control when you grab the wide handlebars. The instruments in front of me seem a bit cosmic at first glance, but I quickly got used to them. There may be more buttons on the handlebars than on German motorcycles, but a way to view different data or electronics modes (TC and ABS) can be found very quickly without special instructions. In fact, there is nothing complicated, and there is enough data from which gear you are driving on the odometer and total mileage, current fuel consumption, air temperature and engine temperature.
So you don't have to worry about comfort on the road. With an 18,8-liter fuel tank, Honda promises up to 400 kilometers of independence, which is great. It's also nice how ergonomic it is. It never interferes with sitting or standing, does not create unnatural leg or knee positions while driving, and works great with all windscreens. So, with a big windshield and another plastic upgrade. They even made sure that hot air from the engine or radiator did not enter the driver in summer.
During a short encounter with the new Africa Twin, I managed to achieve my first fuel consumption, while dynamic driving, which also included some brisk pace on the highway and gravel roads, was 5,6 liters per 100 kilometers. More accurate consumption with more measurements, however, when it is time for a really longer test.
After what I've tried, I'm a little shorter and quicker to admit I'm excited. This is a motorcycle that does not fit into any category in terms of volume or concept. However, after what I experienced, I wonder how no one could remember this before?
28 years after the first Africa Twin, it has been reborn to continue the tradition.
