Honda Africa Twin CRF1000L MY 2018 and Adventure Sports, 30 years old and you don't hear them [ROAD TEST VIDEO]

The theater of our test is Malaga, to test the new Africa Twin, an ideal location in which from 1986 to 1989 the Japanese company was total queen of the "race of races in the desert". A look like a true protagonist, with hers 21" and 18" wheels and 90/90 and 150/70 tyres. The 21" front makes the difference compared to rivals that don't adopt it, in terms of its ability to not be affected by road surface imperfections, especially if supported by a spoked structure.

The real big news, there's no denying it, is the version adventure sports, which shows many references to the first, legendary Africa Twin, starting with the HRC color, but we find many other goodies, such as the differently shaped and elongated side panels like on its ancestor, the luggage rack, the white color of the frame, of the swingarm with aluminum and not black like on the standard, in addition to the golden wheels, up to the commemorative writing for the 30th anniversary and much more. The suspensions absorb practically every obstacle. The other changes concern the "substance", starting with the larger tank, while the chassis becomes more aggressively off-road. Record travel for the category, both for the fork and for the rear, with a minimum height from the ground that increases, as do those of the saddle and the handlebars. The first arrives at 920 mm, really a lot for those who are not over 80 metres, but it can be lowered to 900 mm as in our test (optionally you can have the 870 mm saddle, which can be brought to 850 mm).

The risers increased they raise the handlebars by 32,5 mm, optimizing the riding position standing on the footrests. Completing the larger windshield, which is 80 mm higher, the undersigned (1,74 m tall) has never had any discomfort due to the air, but in practice it still leaves my shoulders a little exposed to the wind, while the new instrumentation it is more sheltered from reflections and improved in its layout, even if some competitors offer something even more captivating and modern.

The engine keeps the value of its power stable, of 95 horses, but it lightens of well- 300 grams of flywheel mass. This involves a big character change, decreasing inertia and increasing its reactivity. It's a simple bike, it does everything and if you gradually apply the right throttle, taming it isn't difficult even in extreme conditions. The perfect balance between electronics and chassis undoubtedly contributes to this sensation.

The curve is now less flat and regular, with a great deal change of character in the 4-5 thousand area rpm, and delivers power in a very progressive manner. Thanks to the interventions on the airbox and exhaust, the sound is more captivating, it almost seems as if the Africa Twin is fitted with an open exhaust, rather than the original one. Another great innovation concerns the transition from cable to control ride-by-wire, accompanied by electronics that take a leap to the next level. So now we find well 4 driving modes, driven both towards driving on asphalt, but above all towards off-road driving where we are not used to but designed to make even the most demanding excursions easy for the less experienced thanks to refined electronics.

A note of merit also goes to the sequential gearbox DCT double clutch (Dual Clutch Transmission). In our test we were able to try this type of gearbox off road, which is also appreciated for the nice advantage of not tiring you and having to worry only about driving: The two main modes are Drive, for quieter driving and Sport, for a more vigorous response of the gearbox. Another function, which can be activated via a practical button, is the G mode, specifically created to soften the intervention of the clutches, optimizing off-road performance, thanks to the presence of an inclination sensor, which allows the DCT control unit to establish even more accurately when to make the change, that is, try it!

So I change DCT, yes or no?

Let's make two considerations, the first is of a technical nature, while the second is more commercial: as mentioned, the DCT simplifies driving, allowing you to concentrate on other aspects, which is particularly appreciated when driving standing or in extreme situations. On the other hand, it offers almost nothing in terms of driving pleasure. The good commercial success found in the first years of sales of the DCT version of the Africa Twin, however, had to clash with a certain reticence from the two-wheel public, which often disappears only after trying the bike. Let's say that there is still too much ignorance on the subject and that being "putist", unfortunately, is almost always synonymous with not having tried an epochal novelty like this, rather than a rational judgment based on experience.

Returning to our test, the Africa Twin Adventure Sports demonstrates that, with a motorbike weighing over 240 kg, you don't need strength to ride it, strange, but true. Instead, technique is needed. Even though he is not a featherweight, with his team 243 kg with a full tank of petrol (253 kg for the DCT version), 3 more than the "standard" with 18,8 liter tank, the Africa Twin Adventure Sports 2018 becomes extraordinarily docile and easy to drive, on city routes, but also on fast sections.

The only flaw we would like to point out concerns the buttons on the handlebar, the ergonomics of which could perhaps be improved. Some commands are not very intuitive, at least initially, but all in all they are complete and allow you to manage all the main functions with ease. Like all enduro and maxienduro intended for mixed use, both on and off the road, the Africa Twin is a fair compromise, and in our test in the two contexts we must say that the work done was excellent. The MY2018 is more balanced, with progressive suspension, able to absorb bumps off-road well, but also to be consistent when pushing through the curves of asphalt roads.

Available in the next few days, the Honda Africa Twin MY 2018 is available starting from 13.200 €, this rises to 14.350 for the DCT, while the Travel Edition option, with bags and accessories offered in a package with which the buyer gets a significant discount, is paid with an additional 2.750 euros, for both versions, with manual or gearbox double clutch. For the new one Honda Africa Twin Adventure Sports instead we move on to 15.340 €, 1.100 more for the version with the DCT gearbox. The 2018 colors of the CRF1000L Africa Twin are: Matt Ballistic Black Metallic, Pearl Glare White (Tricolor), Grand Prix Red (Team HRC Rally colour) and Candy Chromosphere Red, while as regards the Adventure Sports version the only color available is Tricolour livery, celebrating the 30th anniversary of the birth of the Africa Twin. Remember that both the standard and the Adventure Sports earn the double homologation to mount knobby tires, essential for off road riding at a certain level.

For further details on the 2018 news and on the Africa Twin Adventure Sports, find a second article at this link.

Clothing used in the test: 
Jacket: Alpinestars Volcano Drystar
Trousers: Alpinestars Hyper Drystar
Gloves: Alpinestars Valparaiso
Boots: Alpinestars Tech T
Helmet: Arai Tour-X4