The Honda Africa Twin is one of the best adventure bikes on the market , but Honda isn't resting on its laurels with its biggest ADV just yet. For EICMA , the company revealed a new generation for the Africa Twin line, bumping the bike from CRF1100L to CRF1150L with tech, styling, and comfort updates to match. The biggest change, though, is a new third sibling in the AT line: Africa Twin and Africa Twin Adventure Sports, meet the Africa Twin Enduro Sports.
๐ The Core Development
The new engine is a 1,131 cc parallel twin, presumably with the same 270-degree crank offset that's so in vogue right now. Honda claims 117 horsepower and 88 pounds-feet of torque from the new mill, though those are global numbers. If they're from the European-spec bike, expect some differences for our U.S. emissions and noise regulations. That engine's bolted to a new frame, one that tucks the fuel tank beneath the seat to lower the center of gravity. It's a trick that worked on my old F800GS, and it'll likely make the new Africa Twin feel smaller than its as-yet-unannounced weight.
The big news out of the Africa Twin line is the new variant, the Africa Twin Enduro Sports. Honda is pitching this as a bigger brother to the CRF450, to which the company says the ES has "front suspension ... specifications" that are "equivalent." It's anyone's guess as to what that actually means on two bikes with different frames, dimensions, and riding styles, but Honda is certainly making it clear that the Enduro Sports is meant to be the most focused off-road member of the Africa Twin family โ at least, as focused as any adventure bike can get.
๐ Background & Sector Context
It's always been a bit comical to see people lugging farkled-out GSes through BDRs that would better suit a DR650, but now it seems Honda has made an Africa Twin for people who want to rip through dunes. Is a 500-plus-pound ADV the way to do that? No. Maybe the bike is targeted at Pol Tarres specifically.
While the Enduro Sports is a whole new variant in the lineup, Honda hasn't forgotten the standard AT and the AS. Both get what Honda is very concisely calling "Showa Electronically Equipped Ride Adjustment electronically controlled suspension with Honda Skyhook control," which I will simply be calling "Skyhook" from here on out because, Jesus Christ. Honda claims its Skyhook will adapt damping in near real time to insulate the rider from the texture of the road surface, a touring comfort feature that points toward these two models being more road-oriented than prior Africa Twins โ even if the base bike keeps its 21-inch front wheel.
๐ Industry & Real-World Impact
That electronic suspension is paired with the usual bevy of electronic rider aids: Lean-sensitive ABS, traction control, and stability control, all of which can be changed for six different rider modes. Honda of course also offers its dual-clutch transmission, long a staple of the Africa Twin lineup, likely across all three variants.
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๐ฎ Strategic Outlook & What Lies Ahead
As usual, the Adventure Sports model remains the most road-touring oriented, with a larger 6.34-fuel tank (Honda didn't say the capacity of the tank on the base and ES models) and a unique fairing design. It retains the 19-inch front wheel of the outgoing model, cross-spoked for tubeless compatibility, and Honda has now given the bike some Gold Wing-tier software: Honda Sensing Ride, a system available on DCT bikes that uses dual front and rear radar units to monitor the area around the bike.
The front radar enables adaptive cruise control, but Honda went one step further and gave its adaptive cruise the ability to come to a complete stop in traffic and resume moving when the car ahead of you does โ a system I'm not sure I want on a bike. The radar also enables forward and rear collision warnings, brake assist, and a group ride mode for staggered riding.
