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• New 1000cc adventure motorcycle
• Compact twin engine 70kW/98Nm
• DCT, ABS and multi-mode HSTC
• Four colour schemes
Honda has released further technical details of its new CRF1000L Africa Twin, set to be launched in Europe towards the end of 2015.
Honda said: “Like its celebrated forerunners, the CRF1000L Africa Twin is thoroughly equipped for true adventure, with a potent engine and dynamic chassis ready to cover continents on or off-road.”
The Africa Twin is powered by a 1000cc parallel twin engine derived from that used in its CRF250R/450R racing machines and borrows materials from the CBR1000RR Fireblade.
'CLEVER PACKAGE'
Honda added: “The engine's short height contributes to the CRF1000L Africa Twin's excellent ground clearance - another prerequisite for a true adventure machine. It also uses clever packaging of components to dynamic and aesthetic effect.
"The water pump is housed within the clutch casing and the water and oil pumps are driven by a shared balance shaft.”
IMAGE GALLERY: 2015 Honda CRF1000L Africa Twin
VIDEO: The CRF1000L in its natural environment - Africa
The engine is mated to a six-speed manual which uses the same shift-cam design from the CRF250R/450R.
Its inverted forks are adjustable and use dual radial-mount Nissin four-piston brake calipers and 310mm wave-style floating discs. The Showa rear shock has an hydraulic spring pre-load adjustment. Like the CRF450R Rally, Honda says, the CRF1000L Africa Twin uses 21” front and 18” rear spoked rims shod with 90/90-21 and 150/70-18 tyres.
Dual headlights maintain the original bike's signature design and the seat height adjusts through 20mm to either 870mm or 850mm. An 18.8-litre fuel tank provides a claimed range of 400km.
HSTC
*Honda selectable torque control (HSTC) has three riding modes:
Standard - Allows the rider to operate shifts with triggers on the left handlebar
D mode - Balanced fuel economy and cruising.
S mode - Has been revised to for sports performance, with threeshift patterns (S1, S2 and S3).
The rider can disengage anti-lock braking on the rear wheel for soft conditions.
The CRF1000L Africa Twin will be available in four colours - CRF Rally, tri-colour, silver and black.
There will be several versions with prices in Europe starting from the equivalent of R169 000 (prices vary according to local taxes).
DUAL-CLUTCH TRANSMISSION (DCT)
The dual-clutch gives the rider better control off-road by improving traction through instant gear-changes - meaning little, if any, loss of drive.
New functionality for the DCT is the incline detection which adapts the gear-shift pattern depending on the gradient.
Honda said: "From the start of the CRF1000L Africa Twin project there was one motorcycle that consistently impressed with its balance of usability, poise and handling, on road and in dirt - the seminal XRV750 Africa Twin.
"It proved a worthwhile benchmark, even when set against today's myriad adventure motorcycles. The machine that now bears its name may share no common part with the old but it inherits to the full the essence and spirit of what made the XRV750 Africa Twin so good."
* HSTC and ABS not available on the base version; are standard on ABS and DCT versions.
