Aiming to improve its travel capabilities, the Africa Twin Adventure Sports has received important updates for this year: the most talked about has been the fitting of a 19-inch front wheel, but the engine has also received improvements that have increased torque and general comfort. An Adventure Sports with more refined dynamics that is more comfortable and even easier to ride, in true Honda fashion!
The story of the Africa Twin began in 1986 with the NXR 750, a motorcycle that won the Dakar on four occasions and with which, from 1988 onwards, riders could curiously choose a 21″ or 19″ front wheel, depending on the terrain. And it was this model that inspired the creation of the XRV 650 Africa Twin in 1988, which then went up in displacement to 750 cc and was in production until 2001, after more than 73,000 units sold. In 2016 the Africa Twin returned, fully modernized, and soon afterwards the Adventure Sports version was created, with touches made to the various versions so far. Now, for 2024, Honda is presenting two versions of the Africa Twin: the base version (which we’ll be testing soon), with a 21″ front wheel and optional electronic suspensions; and this Adventure Sports, which without neglecting the off-road features, presents more road-going characteristics with a 19″ front wheel, electronic suspensions as standard, a lower seat, among other features.
SOME CURIOSITIES
Since 2021, the Adventure Sports version has sold more than half of the Africa Twin models globally (around 55%), a model family that since 2016 has almost always been the best-seller in the Honda range, with more than 100,000 units registered in Europe since 2016. And while we’re on the subject of numbers, of all the Africa Twins sold, the DCT version remains the favorite, with around 63% of Adventure Sports sales in 2023.
WHAT HAS CHANGED
In terms of the engine, the 1,084 cc parallel twin still delivers the same 75Kw of power (around 102 hp) at 7,500 rpm, but maximum torque has risen to 112 Nm at 5,500 rpm, a 7% improvement from low revs that is due in particular to the new internal components of the engine and increased compression ratio. We’re talking about a redesigned crankshaft and connecting rods, as well as pistons with a slightly altered surface and larger diameter air intake ducts. As the injection system has also been improved and the exhaust system is now lighter and more efficient, all this has contributed to the improved mid-range response, without any change in the engine’s displacement or bore/stroke ratio.
As for the DCT system, which was first introduced on a Honda in 2010, in this case on the VFR 1200F, it has been evolved over the years, now featuring for 2024 a new hydraulic control that aims to make the system easier to use, especially in order to smooth out throttle control at low speeds. In addition, in conjunction with the IMU and through a series of mathematical formulas, the system has evolved to better detect curves and consequently to a better choice of gear ratios on the open road.
MORE ROAD-GOING
Source:Honda
As far as the bike’s handling is concerned, while keeping the frame intact, Honda is now fitting Showa EERA (electronically-operated) suspensions as standard, which were previously optional. The front fork is 45 mm, and together with the rear monoshock they offer a shorter travel of 210 mm at the front and 200 mm at the rear, which has lowered the ground clearance a little, as well as the center of gravity and seat height. The suspension has several operating modes (Hard, Mid, Soft, Off-Road and User) and adapts to each of the riding modes chosen, even though its operation is constantly adapting to the terrain in milliseconds. What’s new is that the driver can now choose between 4 different preload levels on the move.
One of the biggest novelties, however, is the inclusion of a 19-inch front wheel on the Adventure Sports, with a 110/80-R19 tire, something that aims to offer better rider feedback, more agility and also stability under harder acceleration and braking. The seat is slightly narrower and has been improved in terms of comfort, and with the changes in cycling it has become accessible to everyone, quite different from the first generation Adventure Sports. It’s now available at 835 – 855 mm (adjustable), and if that still gives you a hard time, you can opt for a lower one. With all these adjustments to the bike, the wheelbase has been reduced by 5 mm, the ground clearance is also lower and so is the trail, which will also benefit agility on the road. The weight is 243 kg (10 kg more for the DCT version), and in terms of tires, the Adventure Sports comes equipped with the proven Bridgestone Battlax Adventure A41, excellent road tires, although you can also opt for the adventurous Michelin Anakee Wild.
In aesthetic terms, in addition to the new decorations, the front section has been given a slightly different look for better aerodynamics, namely with a side opening next to the headlights that is intended to deflect air away from the driver’s arms and shoulders on the highway. And here it has to be said that the windshield, which can be adjusted by hand, is made from a new material (Durabio), which, although similar to the eye, according to Honda is much more resistant, moldable and has excellent wear-resistant characteristics.
OTHER FEATURES
Although it’s nothing new, the instrumentation is still a 6.5″ TFT color display, with a choice of backgrounds and connectivity with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. And all the electronic aids are still present on the current model, so we’re talking about cornering ABS, 7-position adjustable traction control, “anti-roll”, cruise control, cornering lighting, emergency braking lights and self-canceling “blinkers”. The driving modes are also unchanged, with the usual Tour, Urban, Gravel and Off-road, plus two User modes, with all safety parameters controlled by the Bosch 6-axis IMU. And of course, the brakes are unchanged too, with a proven Nissin set-up. Before we move on to the dynamic part, there are four accessory packages available, Travel, Urban, Adventure and Rally, so there are components to suit everyone’s taste, whether you want to show off an even more beautiful Adventure Sports in the café or go around the world, if that’s your goal!
ON THE ROAD
Source:Honda
This presentation got off to a great start in one respect: it was held in Portugal, in the Algarve, so there was no need to fly! The base was set up in an excellent hotel near Albufeira, and over the course of a day we covered nearly 200 km, with lots of mountain roads, a few towns, some off-road and a stretch on the highway just to “clean the coal” and enjoy the aerodynamic protection. The weather helped, and the changes to the bike’s handling and ergonomics were immediately noticeable even before we set off. You still feel like you’re at the controls of a big trail bike, but it’s easy to put your feet on the ground. The riding position is naturally excellent and everything is easy, in true Honda fashion, except for everything involving the controls and instrumentation… There are too many buttons and too many steps you have to take to get to something more specific in the menu, and if a future owner after a few days – or weeks – might be familiar with these controls and TFTs, for us journalists who are constantly changing bikes, we realize how confusing this system is and it’s far from being one of the most intuitive on the market.
GLUED TO THE GROUND
Source:Honda
Still on the low-speed route around Albufeira, I can say that I didn’t notice any improvement in the operation of the DCT. It continues to do its excellent job, but I didn’t notice any smoother starts or any indecision between gear ratios, nor did I notice any difference in how it worked in terms of detecting bends on mountain roads. There will certainly be slight improvements that will make the system better and better, and that a long-term driver can enjoy.
What is immediately noticeable is how the 19-inch front wheel helps the Adventure Sports’ dynamics, especially if the pace is fast and the road is good. Of course, the old Africa Twin, with its 21″ wheel, has always cornered well and given us confidence, but here we get a better “feeling”, a greater sense of security as if we understand everything we’re stepping on. In fact, during our lunch break we had the chance to take the previous model out for a spin. The new bike is quicker and more agile to move between bends and against bends, with a better feel for the road, making it seem as if we always have (and in fact we do have) more rubber available for cornering grip.
Equally noticeable are the improvements in the engine’s performance at low and medium revs, with the twin-cylinder now much less sluggish at around 4,000/5,000 rpm, for greater riding fun and easier overtaking, for example.
The seat doesn’t feel soft to the touch, but we ended the day the same way we started it, without any fatigue, and if we chose to ride on the road with the windshield in the lowest position, on the highway we put it almost at the top and the protection seemed very good. In the highest position it’s at my eye level (I’m about 1.68m tall), so I preferred to lower it slightly. And here’s another detail: this screen is manually adjustable on both sides, so it’s not easy to adjust it on the move. A central adjustment for one-handed use would be ideal.
EVERYTHING EASY AND PLEASANT
The electronic suspensions are undoubtedly a point in this model’s favor and we didn’t even need to make any adjustments to adapt them to our ride and the route. With the Tour mode activated, which we used most of the time, and with the preload for a driver without luggage, the suspensions were very well adjusted, both when the surface was smooth and when the bad ground could make things more difficult. On an off-road section we felt the same ease of the suspensions, but off-road, if the conditions are a little more complicated, don’t forget that you’ll have to go into the menus and turn off some of the electronics so that the Africa Twin can evolve smoothly. In the afternoon, on our way back to the hotel, we took an Adventure Sports with a manual gearbox, which seemed strange to us as we hadn’t ridden an Africa Twin with a conventional gearbox for a long time. Personally, like most buyers, I prefer the dual-clutch gearbox version because it’s more practical and still allows for fast driving (using the paddles if you don’t trust the intelligence of the system), but I understand that many prefer the conventional gearbox, especially those who use it more intensively off-road.
An Africa Twin Adventure Sports that continues to offer everything needed for very pleasant and versatile use, day-to-day or on the road, on the highway or on dirt tracks. It now has a “fuller” engine and even better dynamics on the tarmac (as well as being easier to ride with shorter legs), so the changes made by Honda have once again been successful!