Honda CRF1000L Africa Twin

The current trend in adventure motorcycle design by default uses the BMW inspired duckbill front fender. Thankfully the Honda takes a departure from this trend. The snub-nosed front end with dual symmetrical LED headlights, big vented windshield, and a fairing otherwise left wide open in the front cuts a distinct picture from the rest of the current crop. The front fender seems to have been bolstered to cope with the mud guarding and protect the front forks.

The handles are provided with plastic handguards as is the underside of the engine. From the sides, the high fuel tank and shoulders leave the seat in a deep pocket. The high tail end gets LED lighting as well, along with a plastic mud guard. It is also provided with big grab handles for hanging panniers and luggage. The upswept exhaust with its squared section looks ready to go. As do the 21-inch front and 18-inch rear spoked wheels with 90/90 front and 150/70 rear knobbly tires. With its dimensions at 2335 mm (L) x 930 mm (W) x 1475 mm (H), it is compact by modern adventure bike standards. 250 mm of ground clearance speaks highly of its off-roading credentials. The instrumentation is also Dakar inspired. It uses a negative LCD screen which is very easy to read while also being comprehensive. There are two color options on offer – Victory Red, and Pearl Glare White.

The Honda CRF1000L Africa twin uses an aluminium semi-double cradle frame with steel reinforcements. 27.5 degrees of rake, 113 mm of trail, and a wheelbase of 1575 mm make the bike stable. The 870 mm high seating position is aided by footpegs that are well suited for off-roading, allowing the rider to stand straight or hang off corners with legs tight around the tank. The windshield might seem small but is very well designed and does its job very well. The bike comes with a 45 mm cartridge-type inverted telescopic fork with dial-style preload adjuster and DF adjustment courtesy Showa for the front. The rear gets a monobloc cast aluminium swingarm with a Pro-Link with a gas-charged damper, hydraulic dial-style preload adjuster and rebound damping adjustment. 231 mm of travel up front and 221 mm of travel at the rear means the bike can boast of massive off-roading credentials. The 233 kg bike makes its weight disappear quite easily as the suspension is very well adjusted from the factory. It allows decent lean angles on the road at speed. The suspension - despite its long travel - does not pitch when driving at speed on or off the road. This provides the rider with immense control and feedback, making it approachable even for new riders.

The engine powering the Honda CRF1000L Africa Twin is a 998 cc liquid cooled 8-valve parallel twin that produces 94 PS at 7500 rpm and 99 Nm of torque at 6000 rpm. The anti-hopping aluminium cam assist and slipper clutch is wet multi-plate with coil springs and the transmission is six-speed. The Philippines currently does not get the lighter DCT equipped model. But a lot of weight has been shaved off in crucial areas. The new model also comes equipped with Honda’s proprietary selectable (3 level and off) torque-control system. The engine with its 270-degree firing order is tuned to provide traction on soft surfaces. The flat torque means that the bike is just as much of a blast on paved surfaces as well. The fuel tank has a capacity of 18.8-litre and delivers a claimed fuel economy of 21.6 kmpl.

Braking on the Honda CRF1000L Africa Twin is courtesy of dual 310 mm wave floating disc with 4 piston callipers on the front and 256 mm single disc on the rear with a single piston calliper. And obviously, there is a switchable 2 channel ABS as standard.

The Honda Africa Twin was a very good bike, to begin with. But the newest model is a large improvement on the already existing masterpiece. The engine is friendly, the bike is comfortable, and the off-roading ability is hard to match. By the looks of it, it is not that expensive either. The Africa Twin is some formidable competition to the established players.