The Honda Africa Twin is a perennial favorite and on any short list when considering the purchase of an adventure motorcycle. Since the introduction of the new generation in 2016, Honda has consistently updated its models and expanded its range of technology and features to stay ahead of ADV trends.
They’ve added ride-by-wire throttle, a six-axis IMU, and lean-angle recognition for enhanced traction, braking, and shifting control. They’ve improved ergonomics and wind protection, incorporating a large touchscreen display to manage all the functions. Additionally, they’ve included tubeless spoked wheels and cruise control, and they’ve increased the engine output to 1084cc of parallel-twin goodness with impressive torque thanks to a 270-degree firing pattern. In general, Africa Twins are well equipped and ready to rip.
The Africa Twin, with its 21-inch front wheel and long travel suspension, isn’t quick in transitions, but it never feels ponderous. The standard model I tested has adjustable Showa suspension, though not the semi-active electronic suspension of the Adventure Sports ES edition. The Africa Twin’s soaked up the various imperfections of the tarmac but never felt too soft or washy like some adventure bikes can.
Like most adventure bikes, the Honda Africa Twin is not for the vertically challenged. Most of my personal bikes are taller scramblers or adventure bikes, as I prefer the leverage of that height in the turns.
The Africa Twin is good-looking. The front lights look serious and ready for business. The proportions and appearance of the AT make it look like an overgrown dirt bike that was ready for some fun, though the seat still didn’t look comfortable.
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Starting up the engine was a huge surprise for me. The reputation of Honda powerplants precedes it, so I was expecting some buttery smooth Japanese mill to fire up. Instead, I got a loud clattering engine more like a single-pot dirt bike than a buttery smooth adventure tourer. Looking at the cockpit, all the switches and buttons on various parts of the handlebar, and the Africa Twin’s two screens, I immediately felt that it is too cluttered.
Out on the street and then accelerating onto the highway ramp, the Africa Twin’s engine started to show its character. The initial clattering sound gave way to a much smoother sound, providing linear power with much more thrust than I expected. Although there were still some vibes in the grips, the engine started to hum along in a very nice way.
Weaving through LA traffic, I got a feel for the AT’s nimbleness and maneuverability. Those feelings continued throughout the test, regardless of conditions.
Like many motorbikes today, the 2022 Honda Africa Twin has a variety of dash-controlled ride modes that allow you to adjust power, engine braking, traction control, wheelie control, and ABS (as well as suspension, if you have the Adventure Sports ES and its semi-active suspension). The four preset modes are Tour, Urban, Gravel, and Off-road. Each mode has appropriate levels of electronic intervention, and allows for easy switching in different riding conditions.
After experimenting with the various drive modes, I dialed in the User mode for more power and aggressive engine braking. I like the three display modes the Africa Twin offers for its console. Each mode provides increasing levels of information on the display.
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Honda throws quite a bit of technical wizardry at you, along with a cockpit that has a corresponding complexity. I was initially overwhelmed by it all. However, the more I rode the motorcycle, the more I got used to it. Once I adjusted everything to my liking, I truly enjoyed riding the Africa Twin.
While I didn’t put it to the test in aggressive off-road riding, the times I did get into the dirt, the Africa Twin felt composed and confidence-inspiring despite riding on road-biased Metzeler Karoo Street tires.
The standard 2022 Honda Africa Twin with DCT is priced at $15,299, which compares to other middleweight ADV motorcycles. While the power-to-weight ratio may not appear favorable, the seat of the pants feel tells a different story.
DCT: Honda’s Dual Clutch Transmission
The Africa Twin I tested has the dual clutch transmission (DCT, an $800 option). Love it or not, it works very well. My biggest issue with DCT is that it tends to shift up too quickly and down too slowly, and I often found myself in 5th or 6th gear at much slower speeds than I would like.
Luckily, the Honda has given the Africa Twin customizable power, ABS, traction control, engine braking, and shifting aggressiveness to tailor the experience to exactly what a rider wants.
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Honda’s Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT) is available on any Africa Twin. However, using it on this model is, in my opinion, the best fit for adventure motorcycling. It shines here and truly belongs here. I absolutely loved having it, and my only complaint about it on a touring bike is that it makes me super lazy.
DCT has been around for a long time now. From ATVs and sport-touring bikes in the early 2000s to the Talon family of sport side-by-sides, DCT has delivered automatic transmission ease-of-use into durable manual transmission systems. Honda says approximately half of all global Africa Twin owners have DCT.
DCT is essentially an electronically controlled hydraulic clutch system that operates two overlapping clutches simultaneously-one clutch manages startup, first, third and fifth gears, while the second handles second, fourth and sixth gears. During operation, the system pre-selects the upcoming gear for shifting through the disengaged clutch. Then, the clutches switch roles, and power is transferred.
You can control DCT in a few different ways based on your preference. There are three modes: Drive, Sport, and Manual. Drive is straightforward and somewhat boring, which is as intended. It’s like a car. Sport becomes more exciting with higher rev levels between shifts and quicker downshifts when decelerating. This creates a sporty feel, and you can customize the Sport mode with three levels for even more sportiness. Manual moves the gear-decision-making to your hands via triggers on the controls. You determine when to shift, and it listens-when appropriate. You can also use the manual up/down triggers in Drive and Sport modes to “drop a gear,” for instance.
Some cool tech integration to remember here: all this DCT business is optimized by the on-board IMU, measuring things like vehicle speed, throttle position and gear position, to ensure an errant downshift doesn’t upset the chassis.
The final word on DCT tech is the G-Switch. This is mostly for off-road use but can be useful if you like a certain feel for your clutch engagement or if you want to get spicy and slide the rear end on the gas, for example. The G-Switch function simply reduces clutch slip and allows more aggressive power to the rear wheel. This is good in off-road situations when you don’t want the lag of clutch drag.
The Honda DCT clutch system adds some bulk and about 25 pounds to the bike.
American Honda says that over 40% of their Africa Twin sales over the last few years have been equipped with an automatic transmission. Honda has been developing and refining this technology longer than anyone, so by all estimates their newest generation DCT-equipped Africa Twin should be the best example of automatic motorcycling on the planet.
Adventure Sports Model
The Adventure Sports model was first introduced as a 2019 model at a product launch I attended in 2018. Its name signifies that you’re entering a world of longer-distance and more comfortable adventure touring on the street.
The fuel capacity of all Adventure Sports versions has been increased to 6.6 gallons, up from 5.0 in the standard Africa Twin. On top of the tank sits a larger, more aerodynamic fairing designed to deflect high-mileage wind.
Additionally, you receive a 19-inch front wheel and the Showa Electronically Equipped Ride Adjustment (EERA) suspension. This suspension provides slightly less travel than that of the standard model, with 8.3 inches in the front and 7.9 inches in the rear (standard Africa Twins feature 9.0 inches and 8.7 inches, respectively). These changes-the front wheel and suspension-result in a lower seat height on the Adventure Sports, which is adjustable in two positions from 32.9 to 33.7 inches in low/high settings, approximately half an inch lower than the standard version’s options.
These differences (more fuel, more wind protection, smaller front wheel, electronic suspension) are essentially what make an Africa Twin an Africa Twin Adventure Sports.
Showa’s Electronically Equipped Ride Adjustment (EERA) suspension system is an Adventure Sports exclusive in the Africa Twin range. And much like DCT previously mentioned, it fits on the big-daddy adventure touring weapon perfectly.
While the overall travel is down a bit from the standard AT’s, this thing still has plenty of travel for all road and light off-road use. The EERA system takes ride diagnostic information from the bike’s ECU, IMU and a stroke sensor in the suspension itself to calculate damping changes in about 15 milliseconds.
Honda pre-programmed four suspension modes into the system, including a fifth customizable mode. Modes range from offering low-speed ride comfort to higher-speed stability and even off-road performance. Mode names like Hard, Mid, Soft and Off-Road make sense. These programmed modes are linked to the various preloaded ride modes in the bike’s brain.
These modes trigger different power delivery, traction control (Honda calls theirs HSTC or Honda Selectable Torque Control), engine braking, ABS settings, as well as these suspension modes, depending on the planned riding scenario.
Riding modes have been covered extensively, but for a recap, they include Tour, Urban, Gravel and Off-Road, and a couple of customizable user modes you can make your own. Also included in the suspension department is electronic preload adjustment.
Honda’s preset ride modes incorporate smart amounts of electronic rider aides, and their intrusion into your ride experience is minimal. Gone are the days when traction control was clunky and ABS integration was rough.
Real-World Impressions
Riding this fully loaded ADV weapon is comfortable and fun. The torque output is spirited enough to get you in and out of California’s most brutal traffic, and the open road lets the bike spin along smoothly. It’s also a capable and careful in-town commuter.
It’s Apple CarPlay- and Android Auto-equipped to integrate into your smartphone and helmet headset and the touchscreen control is cool. The cruise control is simple and effective, and despite all the buttons on the bars, they all pretty much disappear if you just want to ride and experience what’s going on around you.
DCT will make you relax on your ride, if you’re into that sort of thing, and the electronic suspension will be a smooth companion, as well. If I’m taking a trip across the open roads, paved or gravel, and hitting twisties, this is a great touring companion.
The Africa Twin is basically a big CRF at heart. Or maybe it’s better to call it a big XR because that’s what it reminds me of. When you dial it down a bit the trail ride becomes enjoyable. The soft suspension soaks up all but the biggest bumps and the 21-inch front wheel rolls over cross rutted, rocky obstacles with ease. I very much enjoyed this bike when it was ridden tactfully rather than mindlessly.
Honda’s goal with the Africa Twin is to offer a bike that is easy to ride anywhere. As far as I can tell, the DCT is certainly an awesome feature that - once you get used to it - makes the riding experience a bit more... simple. It takes the mundane task of shifting out of the equation and allows you to enjoy the ride, soak up the scenery, and focus on the road ahead.
This is the adventure motorcycle from Honda that has it all. The most fuel. The most technology. The most comfort. Heck, parts of it might even be the most confusing. But one thing’s for sure: if you want anything more out of the Africa Twins, you’re going to need to start adding accessories.
Honda’s Africa Twin line is a tough group to criticize. They are big-bore world-travel-capable machines with impressive technology and great performance. They are easy to ride, easy to trust, and easy to purchase. They rival the best that Europe offers in terms of riding comfort and capabilities and provide built-in buyer confidence that only the world’s most (arguably) reliable brand can provide.
Even after all these years, the Africa Twin remains one of the best adventure motorcycles available. It’s a motorcycle that you can just jump onto and ride off into the wilderness, taking you somewhere you’ve never experienced.
2024 Africa Twin Adventure Sports ES DCT
The year 2024 marks an important change for Honda's premium "Adventure Sports" trim on the Africa Twin. This year Honda is unabashedly leaning into the Adventure Sports as a premium street-oriented option, which makes perfect sense considering that's how most owners use them anyway.
You've probably heard the term "tall-rounder" used a time or two to describe many of today's ADV bikes. That goes double for long-distance touring duty. With a wide bar, an all-day comfortable seat, and a commandingly upright riding position, we would happily sit on this thing from dawn to dusk with no complaints.
Of course the outgoing Africa Twin was great on the highway too, but one place we really noticed a difference was on a twisty road. Speaking of which, we'll also note that Honda's latest iteration of their DCT transmission is just mind-blowingly good on a curvy road. We were pretty blown away by just how smooth and seamless the dual-clutch transmission works.
Truth be told it's best to think of the 2024 Africa Twin Adventure Sports ES DCT as the Goldwing's lighter, more athletic cousin rather than a direct competitor for the latest KTM Adventure R or Ducati Desert X. We also think it's important to note if you've never given a DCT transmission a chance, there's never been a better time.
With that being said, if you're a true 50/50 all-terrain rider (or anything over an 80/20 mix for that matter), the Africa Twin Adventure Sports probably won't be your bag, and that's ok.
The primary difference between the two models is that the Adventure Sports comes with a 19" front wheel as opposed to the 21" front on the standard model. We averaged about 280 miles to a tank with a mix of urban, highway, and sporty mountain roads. This is a great bike for riding two up thanks to a comfortable and roomy split-level seat.
After a few months aboard the 2024 Africa Twin, we believe Honda may have a problem on their hands.
The Africa Twin's Heritage
Most folks know that the Africa Twin takes both its name and inspiration from the legendary Paris-Dakar race scene of the 1980s. The original XRV650 Africa Twin was inspired by the Honda NXR 750, HRC's factory rally racer which won four Paris-Dakar championships (including three back-to-back titles) from 1986-1988.
Honda dusted the Africa Twin name off after a decade and a half in response to the rapidly growing interest in the adventure touring segment of the 2010s.
Finally, we arrive at the current generation of the Africa Twin. The fifth 'gen Twins are largely unchanged year to year, with the exception of the latest 2024 Africa Twin CRF1100L. Additional refinements have been made to the shifting of the DCT-equipped models to take advantage of the stronger motor.
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