Honda CRF1000L Africa Twin: Review
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- čas přidán 27. 08. 2024
- Honda has stepped into the big bike adventure market after a few years off. The Africa Twin has a long a history with a strong following so this new Africa Twin has some big shoes to fill.
Overall I was very impressed by this bike. It is not a ball tearing dakar machine, rather it is a very well put together and capable big adventure bike. This bike is definitely worthy of a test ride if you are looking in the big adventure bike category. It is a little lighter than others in the category, some 20kgs lighter than the 1200GSA. It also makes less power, but the motor is a gem and never feels like it needed more. It was a perfect balance between having enough power to be fun but not too much as to be unusable by us mortals.
Suspension was firm but plush where it needed to be. Handling was quite good for its size. Overall definitely worthy of the Africa Twin name sake.
Specs:
- 998cc liquid cooled, paralel twin engine
- 90hp/98nm of torque
- 19 litre tank
- 21 inch front/18 rear, tube type
- ABS/Traction control and DCT available depending on model.
- 236 kg wet
- 9.8 inches of ground clearance
I really like the white. It reminds me of the old XLs from the 80's. Thanks for the video.
If only Honda would put this engine a road bike. Think CB500F, but twice the capacity. I'd buy that in a shot. Again... another excellent review.
+Christian Weller Thanks mate. CRF1000F? I could see the appeal. Not my cup of tea but the engine is a torque gem and would work well in a road bike. Yamaha and the MT series would be in trouble :P
+chroniclesofsolid I was also going to say Honda are really pushing this bike in the press and there are many vlogger test rides because there are many test bikes. They should do more with it like the NC750 which has something like 5 variants now.
+Christian Weller I think you are right on the money. Honda have done well with their variants of the 750 and 500 range. Makes sense to do that with the 1000, it would be a shame to keep such a nice engine in only one bike.
+chroniclesofsolid 500, 750, 1000. The numbers would certainly point to that. Honda now treat their MCs like their cars and develop based on platforms, so it would make sense. Fingers crossed.
I hope you are right. I am all for it. Love how they have been approaching the market with affordable, efficient and fun bikes recently.
Indicator and horn are swapped because of the DCT version. Honda has done it for almost all the bikes now. DCT version has minus button under the indicators :)
Nice review.
+iSlander Well that solves that mystery, thanks for the info!
nice first impression. always love your vids
Thanks Spirit Wolf :-)
I had the 750 AT while we lived in the Andes - she was fantastic. I waited for the new AT, but Honda did not deliver. Now, way too late they celebrate a huge commercial bomb in the middle of a worldwide economic crash. I this a bad joke? And all tester scream "Oh what great wonderful bike!" and of course "even better with DCT!". I cannot hear that anymore. Honda literally made me a Yamaha rider.
So many thanks for your honest review, this was a wonderful refreshing "first".
+Wanderer Thanks, you make a good point.
Nice review! If that bike would have been available when I bought my Tiger 800xcx last year, it would have made my choice a bit harder for sure.
+Evil Droid Thanks! It is a very hard bike not to love! What would have held me back, if it was available when I bought the F700, is the cost once you factor in all the accessories you need/want. But as top tier adventure bike going up against the 1200GSA, Tiger explorer, 1190 etc it is priced very nicely.
if I had my open class license it would be in the running for me great review mate.......safe travels kind regards Phil
Thanks Phil :-)
Sound is the same as the old 750cc even though it was Vtwin, thats nice.
+hayios0 Impressive considering EPA regulations these days.
Great review
This would really suit me, I like you am tall 6ft 3" I ride a GSX 1250 so for me this would be lighter then my present machine I have struggled to find something I like ,in the UK this bike makes a lot of sense I ride on Tarmac roads from motorways to narrow broken country lanes and the odd forest sand trail it makes the same HP as a GSX 1250 so is the first bike I have seen in years that would suit me so thanks for the great review 👍🇬🇧
+Graham Calvert The motor is a gem, enjoy!
good, review, well I was also hoping for something around 660cc at most for new Africa Twin :(
Anyway, very nice bike but way too heavy for offroad and also too expensive to throw around in dirt
Honda I guess figured it out it's easier to profit from more expensive, big bikes then from something like 500cc rally style smaller one. BTW, what do you think about new v-strom 650 xt?
+Enduro Riders I think you are right on the money. The AT is a great tourer with dirt capabilities, too big for the real stuff (at least for me). I was also hoping for a KTM690 Endruo approach dakar bike but it is what it is and it is a very nice bike. I have not got a leg over the Vstrom 650 XT, I should though. What I am going to ride next will be the SWM RS650R :)
Good review:)
great video, thanks CoS
Nice review man. I have a F800GS and the stock seat kills me in long distance trips. How do you feel about the AT seat? Big difference from your GS? Overall comfort is better?
+Rodrigo Moura I had the same experience with my GS. The seat was ok for town work but long distance was uncomfortable. I would say they are about the same. Once you get to that 20-30min mark you get the tell tale niggle. Hard to really say but I get the feeling that if I had have got an hour+ on the AT it would have been just as bad seat wise. Keep in mind I am stick thin with no padding on my butt.
PS I got the comfort seat on the GS for touring and it was a massive help.
+chroniclesofsolid Thanks. I'm holding to invest on the comfort seat while evaluating new bikes. I live in Brazil and accessories can be f# expensive. Still waiting Honda to launch the AT here, it should come only in June and I'm strongly willing to try it. Hope you have recovered well from your accident. Where are you from by the way? Keep safe!
+Rodrigo Moura Brazil thats cool! All the people I have met from Brazil are very nice. I'm from Australia where everything is expensive as well :(
The AT's biggest gain over the F800 will be the torque of the motor. Other than that there is not much in it. Thanks for your concern about my accident, yes recovering well :)
There's a guy who's crashed the AT and uploaded the video on YT. The crash guards survived, not a scratch on the bike.
+cagednm69 Referring to Cager on Two Wheels video?
So - now that you've tested both - would you pick your F700 or the Africa Twin if the cost was the same? Also, how much heavier did the Africa Twin feel over your F700GS?
+Matthew Herman You may as well ask me which testicle I would rather have removed!
Hard one to answer but I will try (get comfy).
If the AT was the same price as the F700 came with a stock power outlet, better seat and standard heated grips I think you would have a strong case for the AT. But more importantly is how much better the throttle response and smooth the fueling is over the stock F700. But throw in a pipe and ECU on the F700 and that is sorted.
If in 2013 both these bikes were available I would still have taken the F700 purely because it is not as intimidating. Given I had a pretty big accident the year before, I wanted something that would be kind to me but still enough bike to get the job done.
Now If I didn't have the F700 and I was choosing, well my needs are a little different. I am far better in the dirt now so I think the extra suspension and the spoke wheels would be nice. But there is no way around the price differential.
Money no object then I would take the AT. In the real world where I am dirt poor the F700GS, you get more for your money and plenty left for accessories.
Weight wise you can hardly tell once moving. At a stand still it is marginally noticeable, where it might matter is in picking it up after a drop. The AT carries it's weight very well but it is also a much bigger bike physically as well.
In conclusion the AT is very very good and I would be happy to own one. But it isn't throw away the BMW keys and never look back good. Hope that helpes?
Its going to be an interesting category with a new Tenere and 800cc KTM on the way.........
+Shaun Timberlake Indeed! Looking forward to both. Especially the Tenere as the motor out of the MT07 is a gem.
I took one out the other week....preferred my f800 gs if I'm being honest. It's a nice bike though.
+Ian Ginn I would have a hard time justifying an upgrade from an F800GS to the AT.
+chroniclesofsolid i have my gs just perfectly set up for me...honda wanted £5500 plus my bike....no chance..i love the gs800...great go anywhere bike
+Ian Ginn That is a good point and one I agree with. Once you factor in the cost of modding the bike for your needs and comfort that extra cost becomes a major factor (for any bike).
Torque moves the machine..... Torque is what matters, HP is a sub function of Torque.
justme My point is tarque is the number that matters...Jesus Is Lord, and you are deceived, Read Josephus
Amen to that
omg... another 'genius'... really... in the dna of Internet and freely available information there is unbelievable amount if clueless people talking gibberish pretending like they know what they are talking about...
Torque does NOT move the machine, it is power that moves it. Torque * rpm matter and by the way torque * rpm = power so actually torque is sub function of HP not the other way around genius.
かっこいいですね⤴︎
No camera go pro 😓
Nice, which country? AUS or NZ?
AUS :)
which one would you prefer - xt660z or this one? :)
If I get to keep my WR250R, I would take the Africa Twin without hesitation. If It was my only bike I would probably take the XT660Z.
Agreed, if I could, I'd get rid of my KLR 650 to have the Africa Twin and a 250cc dirt bike.
The XR upgrade/Dakar model is coming soon. This is the way Honda operates; the CRF 250L is too cold, the CRF 1000 is too hot. Everyone wants the middle ground. It's all a marketing ploy.
I'd like to know how the dct model will work on sand/beach riding?
+jason tudehope Couldn't tell you only rode the manual. Plus I am way to crap to handle the big red pig in the sand, I have enough trouble with the 250 :P
+chroniclesofsolid have you tried the super tenere?
+jason tudehope When I test rode the 660 I asked to take the 1200 out but they had no demo models :( Definitely high on the list as the next test ride, seems to be very good value for $
+chroniclesofsolid im torn between the super ten and the new afica twin , lol
+jason tudehope Haha yer I can see that being a tough choice :P At the end of the day both very nice bikes, so you win no matter what. Good luck!
Is this a traffic adventure?.
The only kind you can have near the city :-(
2:28 Did you just say "kaputt"?
+v1ncn7 I did indeed.
I test rode the base model and its got a gutless engine. The wind noise was deafening. It handled like a cruiser as well so because its got a Honda badge everyone will say its good lol.
That looks like Victoria Park! :p
You are correct sir!
+chroniclesofsolid used to live in the area! been down a lot of those streets myself on a ZXR250 then KLR 650 :) especially commuting to Curtin!
Nice choice of bikes! ZXR250 was the last of the great IL4 250's, rode one once about 8 years ago.
+chroniclesofsolid cheers! sure was, knocked the socks off any of the modern 250s! best sound from a 250 as well xD sold it a couple years ago because desperately wanted to hit dirt trails, never looked back hah.
You into adventure bikes/riding then? Are you on the Perth Adventure Riders Facebook page?
Yep well into the off road scene. Was into sport bikes, found out about adventure riding, sold it an never looked back. Now have a F700GS for the touring and WR250R for the off road. Yep am a member of PAR, great group I will keep my eye out for KLR riders on the next ride :)
A test of an AT without DCT is like kissing ones sister...what is the point?
+Jeff Martin because incest is wincest. Also what's the point in paying more for dct, if you like a manual bike like most people.
+DeeKay Plus, the DCT bike is 22lbs heavier than the ABS version. I have 46 years in the saddle and I really can't see myself with the DCT bike.