Drawing on its rally heritage, the athletic design of the Honda CRF1100 Africa Twin will draw attention. With famous rally pedigree and legendary Honda reliability, the Africa Twin will take you wherever you want to go. The Honda CRF1100L Africa Twin is ready to take on any challenge with enhanced off-road capability and a 1.8kg lighter chassis.
Engine and Performance
The new 1,100cc parallel twin-cylinder engine of this sporty bike offers you a boost in power. You will get a peak power of 100.6bph at 7,500rpm with this impressive bike. You can expect a peak torque of 105Nm at 6,250rpm. Enjoy predictable and agile power delivery at all times with the proven 1,100cc engine.
The top speed of the Honda CRF1100L Africa Twin is 124mph. The steel double cradle frame is stiff yet balanced. Also, it is not only 1.8kg lighter, but it feels light to ride too. By placing heavy components like the battery near the bike's center of gravity and using a compact engine, we've created a platform for excellent handling.
A narrow 1083cc parallel-twin engine delivers torque smoothly throughout the RPM range, making them great for everything from off-road riding to highway cruising. Like all 270-degree twins it’s hard to dislike the motor; the stock pipe makes a fruity sound and the temperature bars never budge.
All Africa Twin models come factory-equipped with cruise control for touring, and you’ll thank us after those high-mileage rides. You will also get smart seven-level Honda Selectable Torque Control, helping you to reduce rear tyre slip. The optional new six-speed DCT gearbox enhances the ride control on and off-road. Meanwhile, the ABS brakes help ensure that you can brake confidently on gravel.
Read also: Property Practitioners Regulatory Authority
Advanced Features and Technology
This innovative bike comes with a brand-new 6.5-inch touchscreen dashboard, allowing you to view navigation and more. View all the important information with the 6.5-inch TFT touchscreen display. The bike also comes with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity as standard. A 6.5-inch Thin Film Transistor (TFT) instrument touch panel features three displays and can show a multitude of information, depending on your needs.
With four standard riding modes, cornering ABS, and more, every journey feels exciting and dynamic. The systems also improve stability, allowing you to ride home safely.
Design and Handling
The 226kg bike has a seat height of 850mm. You can choose from new body colour options, such as Pearl Glare White and Grand Prix Red. The CRF1100L Africa Twin has a fuel capacity of 18.8-litres, and it can go up to 230 miles in-between fill ups.
After repairing the bike, in October 2021, I spent a week exploring some trails in the High Atlas and got to grips with the AT on the dirt. However they managed it, the AT feels like a giant trail bike; it must be down to the scaled-up triangle of the ‘bars, pegs and seat, plus the 21-inch wheel’s rake and trail. As I’ve found with previous project bikes (like the TDM900, left, the XSR7 and even the CB500X), geometrically it’s definitely not as simple as just slapping on some ‘bar risers, wide ‘bars and a bigger front wheel.
Whatever, once you turn onto the dirt the AT tracks naturally for what it is, so you don’t give it a moment’s thought providing the trail is easy. But you could say the same for a any bike. With the tanked and loaded L nearly three times my weight, the slightest deflection or need for an assertive move could end badly if the thrust of that mass isn’t aligned with the direction of the front wheel. It’s not that the centre of gravity is abnormally high for a bike like this with a big tank in the conventional position - it’s just a whole lot of bike to finesse when you get even a little out of shape.
Read also: Amazing Facts About Africa
Fuel Consumption and Economy
On the A1 motorway down to Agadir I spent a couple of days establishing the exact fuel consumption so I’d know what to expect when it mattered down south from the 18.9 litre tank (4.16 Imp; 5 US) tank. I’ve often wondered if lower power modes equate to better fuel consumption. You’d think so because less powerful bikes like a CT125 are amazingly economical. But it seems not; maybe power-softening modes are merely fuel inefficient - the engine is tuned to run best in at full power.
Cruising along at a very modest 105kph/65mph - in other words, with a barely open throttle:
- ‘Gravel’ mode (‘P3’). True 19.8kpl (19.1 indicated). Potential true range: 374km/232 miles
- ‘Tour’ mode (‘P1’): true 22.7 (ind: 21.5). In P1 Tour the engine felt noticeably smoother and crisper and what’s more, the range jumped to nearly 430km which was good to know.
In the CRF1100L graph above, the percentages shown are throttle openings, not power. Nail the throttle (‘100%’) in any mode and you get all the beans. But at small openings (‘25%’) as you’d use noodling about off-road, power is reduced, presumably to constrain wheelspin or unwanted lurches. It’s true that traction control does that too, but that can be turned off. If, as I have, you’ve ridden without TC most of your riding years, you may initially prefer turning it off until you get to trust TC1, as most AT riders seem to settle on.
I now realise something about bikes of 1000cc+ which in my book have always been overkill for a solo travel bike. Either the great weight or more probably the swept volume hold the economy back, no matter how slowly you ride. My best reading of 64mpg closely correlates with 65 I recorded from an as-slowly ridden 1200GS on my tours one time.
Honda Adventure Riding Tips - Offroad Basics
Comfort and Suspension
Everything is a natural distance away for my size and the excess of power does have a certain relaxing effect. It wasn’t until I got to the turn-around point 50 miles from the Mauritanian border (and following a quick ‘how-do-you…’ youtube vid) that I finally managed to lower the saddle. I’ve only just realised just how tall the AT is at 900mm or 35.4″ - a bit much for a bike this heavy. Lowering it gets you down to 870mm or 34.25” and there’s an 840mm optional saddle. Sat down, the 30mm bar risers felt little different from stock, but enabled standing without stooping and doing so - often on the rod to give the backside an airing -the bike felt comfortable, just like the oversized trail bike it is.
Read also: Discover Thula Thula
One good thing about spending big on a modern, top-of-the-range adv is you get decent suspension. I didn’t meddle with it much off-road as both ends felt good enough. It’s only when you go fast off road that limitations become apparent, and I wasn’t going to be doing that.
| Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | 1,100cc Parallel Twin-Cylinder |
| Peak Power | 100.6bph at 7,500rpm |
| Peak Torque | 105Nm at 6,250rpm |
| Top Speed | 124mph |
| Fuel Capacity | 18.8 Litres |
| Seat Height | 850mm |
| Weight | 226kg |
Final Thoughts
Is the Honda CRF1100L Africa Twin worth buying? Yes! This bike delivers fantastic value for money. It’s fun to ride in off-road settings and will keep you wanting more. Its one of the best adventure bikes in its class.
Adventure calls in two options: the Africa Twin and Africa Twin Adventure Sports ES. Both pack a powerful 1083cc engine and long-distance comfort, plus optional DCT. The standard model journeys off-road with its 21-inch front tire, while the Adventure Sports ES goes the road route with electronic suspension and a 19-inch front wheel. Wherever you’re headed, Honda’s Africa Twin has got the power, poise, and control to take you there - paved road optional.
Popular articles:
tags: #Africa
