Our Editor-in-Chief got the farkling bug, and outfitted his Africa Twin with enough crash protection to cover any unexpected dirt naps, plus hard luggage and more. Photos by Kevin Wing.

It started innocently enough. At 507 pounds ready to ride, Honda?s CRF1000L Africa Twin is the lightweight among the liter-class ADV machines, and given my short legs and lukewarm off-road riding skills I had little desire to make it any heavier. What goes down must come up in order to carry on, and much beyond 550 pounds or so there?s little chance I?m picking it up by myself.

But before riding off into the sunset, every proper ADV machine should have a centerstand and heated grips, right" Both are Honda accessories and were easily installed. Hard saddlebag mounts were next — Honda?s bags are good-looking and convenient since they drop and lock right onto the bike?s built-in mounts, but aren?t quite sturdy enough for the adventures I have in mind. Wanting to mount either soft waterproof saddlebags to save weight or locking aluminum panniers for riding behind enemy lines, a good option is the Hepco & Becker Fixed Side Carrier ($281.18), distributed in the U.S. by Moto Machines. This adds just 10 pounds and carries my Hepco & Becker Alu-Case Xplorer 30-Liter Panniers ($821) quite securely, providing some tipover protection as well as storage. The bag/carrier combination on the bike is about an inch wider than the handlebars, and asymmetrical since neither the car...