We took the Africa Twin to Sequoia National Forest for a three-day camping trip, equipped with a Shad 58X top case and Nelson-Rigg duffel that kept our stuff dry. Photo by the author.
When Honda announced that the white/blue/red, gold-rimmed color scheme was going to be available in the U.S. for 2017, we couldn?t resist adding an Africa Twin to our long-term test fleet. We?d already tested a 2016 with the optional automatic DCT (dual-clutch transmission), so we opted for the standard manual transmission version; plus we?ll admit that we?re not completely sold on using the DCT off-road. Call us old-fashioned.
The Africa Twin appeals because of its approachability, Goldilocks size, off-road capability and Honda reliability. It walks a fine line between the 1,200cc-class continent-crossing ADV bikes and smaller machines that are easier to handle off-road but lack long-term freeway comfort. Its 998cc parallel twin has plenty of character, thanks to its 270-degree firing interval, and it makes enough power to carry one or two people plus luggage, while not becoming unwieldy off-road. Dialing up the preload helps stiffen the soft, off-road-oriented suspension when tackling twisty roads. Photo by Kevin Wing.
Since the first thing we did with the Africa Twin was pit it against its closest competitor, KTM?s dirt-oriented 1090 Adventure R, we swapped the stock 90/10 tires for knobby Continental TKC80s. Most of our riding so far has been on pavement, though, and the TKCs are holding u...