1998 HONDA XRV750 AFRICA TWIN
Here’s a big trail bike that really stirs the emotions! Bertie Simmonds makes the case for Honda’s XRV750 Africa Twin being a 1990s classic!
Bertie Simmonds on the coolest of big trailies.
If there is a case to be made for a modern classic (or classics) in the big trailie sector from years gone by, perhaps two or three models spring to mind. BMW’S GS range of Boxer twins are perhaps the most iconic, running from 1980 to the present day in various guises and maybe Yamaha’s XTZ750 Super Tenere slips in too, but there is one other, Honda’s XRV series Africa Twin. The Twinkie, as it is affectionately known, has had its own somewhat shorter history and subsequent rebirth compared to the German bike. And for good reason: many years ago I was discussing my own XRV750 that I’d just bought with the then-head of Honda UK Motorcycles Steve Martindale: “If I had a quid for every time people said we should do a new version of the Africa Twin I’d be a rich man,” he said. That was back in 2010 and five years later the new generation of AT was born. Shows that Honda listens, eh? But what we’re talking about here is the original(ish) and best. Now, if you fancy the history lesson, feel free to check out the timeline, but basically the Africa Twin was loosely based on the Honda NXR desert racers and used the bottom-end of the Transalp as the basis for the engine architecture. Where the bigger XRV scored over the more humble Transalp was in looks and kudos. As far from the real Dakar-winning NXRS as it was, the Africa Twin looked the part with knobbly tyres, big seat height in the heavens and big road presence. Every version from 1989 to the bike’s demise in V-twin form in 2003 had that certain something. Sure, by 2002/3 the bike was hardly at the cuttingedge of the ‘adventure bike’ market (as big trailies were being called) that went to the likes of the BMW R1150GS and even Aprilia’s V-twin Caponord but then something happened.
Like most things that go out of fashion, the Africa Twin became fashionable once more and the end result was some very strong second-hand prices for low-mileage machines. But let’s not jump ahead of ourselves. Instead, let’s go ride one of the last of the proper XRVS. This S-reg 1998 RD07 A is not quite in mint condition, but with just 7500 miles on the clock it’s very desirable. We’ll talk later about build quality, but for now I want to enjoy the muted, butch black finish and cool Dakar decals as I saddle up. You’ll see this machine is fitted out for practical use – despite the low miles. So it’s equipped with a Givi top-box, a Scottoiler, Oxford heated grips an SW Motech aux light kit, Motohaus SW Motech crash bars and an auxiliary power socket. Saddle-up the XRV and you’ll be instantly at home, whatever your shape or size. Okay, so the relatively lofty seat perch of 870mm will not be to all tastes, but once you’ve round-housed your right leg over the plank of a seat, the suspension soon lowers itself and you find yourself in a very commanding office. You’ve got plenty of leverage on those wide bars, the cockpit itself is pleasing on the eye, mixing typically 1990s Honda clocks, with a racy foam-surround. Of course, this being the Africa Twin, the cockpit is dominated by the ‘Tripmaster’ digital dash display. Yeah, it adds a bit of Dakar kudos to the cockpit but it’s really nothing more than a fancy set of trip meters with a clock, although some owners enjoy using some of the various extra functions such as the countdown timer, when it all works, of course. Even as I hit the starter and a pleasing throb comes from the non-standard GPR carbon silencer. I know I’m on a bike that can do the miles: I’m comfy, I can see that the fairing should give me plenty of protection from the elements, along with the aftermarket screen and hand guards. I plonk her into first and we’re off. One thing you’re not going to have on an Africa Twin of old, is your arms ripped off with sheer acceleration. Honda’s claimed 60bhp at 70007500rpm wasn’t awe-inducing even in the 1990s. The sound is there though, a nice bass-laden ‘doff-doff’ through the full GPR system (the original
had rotted, even with so few miles…). You’d want a bit more drive, if you’re honest, but there’s still plenty of pull there, from between 3000-6000rpm, but when you head towards the redline, (which you have to do if you want to go for it, in all of the five gears) you really feel like you’re flogging the Twinkie for all it is worth. Thankfully, these old mills are tough and flexible, so for most purposes any gear will do: just use the torque. What you will find in the taller gears is the merest smidge of vibration which gives a hint that you really shouldn’t be so lazy, so nudge her down a ratio. Either way, you can expect a solid 180-250 miles to a tank depending on set-up and riding style, which is pretty impressive. That almost soft power delivery isn’t a negative, as it fair pings you out of corners. And don’t forget, that same non-threatening power delivery makes the can nooonrougrs us your bag, according to those in the know. That’s really not my thing, I hasten to say, and with this machine being fitted with Continental Trailattacks, probably the most ‘off-road’ you’re going to go is a gravel-strewn pub car park. This move to more Tarmac-oriented rubber is a wise move because – like most 4x4s you see on the road – that’s where most stay: the road. The combination of a 21in front hoop and a 17 rear and knobblier tyres often gives you a slight feeling of vagueness at the front-end, but more road-biased tyres like these Contis helps lose a little of that remoteness. Not that you’re on a road-scalpel, of course: that’s not what the XRV is about, instead it has a real dual nature and the handling, like the power delivery, is more about poise and politeness than it is about outright performance. The suspension on this almost 20 year old bike is rather impressive. On one particular rough piece of road – a single lane in places – a dozen or so pot-holes were waiting to catch me and the Twinkie out. Now, these were deep enough to hammer any car alloy wheels, but the Africa Twin fairly glided over the ripples and bumps. It was neither too harsh for the bumpy stuff, nor too soft for the smooth road surfaces. The brakes on this machine also had a good balance. They were a mix of standard hoses, with a fresh change of brake fluid with Galfer brake pads. The bite and feel matched the motive muscle from the V-twin lump, but doubtless could be improved with a set of braided ses, no complaints here. On any road surface comfort is important on a machine that’s supposed to do big miles and here’s where I’m confused. My intimate knowledge of this very machine (more later) means sometimes I feel the bike is very comfortable and other times less so. It’s probably more about what I’m wearing at the time – although many owners do complain about the firm foam in the standard seat. My capacious gluteus maximus never normally complains unless I’m wearing particular textiles. It must be the seams! It’s time to talk about the issues you get with an Africa Twin – and for a Honda there are surprisingly many, but I have to stress the basics of the bike are bulletproof.
So, on the import 650 versions the CDI can be squashed by the seat and often it gets re-situated. On later 750s, worn speedo drives can be an issue, as can regulator-rectifiers (the old 1990s Honda complaint) and fuel pumps often fail – replace with a Facet, solid-state oil pump. The finish also isn’t quite what you’d expect from Honda in certain areas. Yes, the bodywork often belies its age, but the frame on the later machines (Rd07-on) suffers big time from corrosion. Many owners strip and powder-coat the frames, before the worst tin-rot sets in, a big job but then it’s sorted. Often it’s surface only rust and silver Hammerite is a good match. Wheels too can suffer. Even if the rims look good, rot can be on the inside, so check when changing tyres. A big issue to discuss is chain tensioning. You want a minimum of 40mm slack but with you sat on the bike, not off it. Only use the original Honda front sprocket as aftermarket ones along with an overtight chain can overstress the shaft and strip the splines on that shaft. XRV experts Silverex Motorcycles can split the casings and replace shaft, bearings, cam-chains etc. for around £500. So do keep the chain perfectly adjusted. This bike had standard fork oil in the legs, but many owners change to 7.5W or 10W (standard is 5W.) The original Honda fork springs are good quality, so stick to those if you can. Other little niggles include the choke jamming on the front cylinder (replace with a metal item or blank it off) and the subframe on later bikes rots too! So let’s talk turkey: the Twinkie is a much-loved model and the prices currently reflect this. Even since the introduction of the new model, the price of the bikes has rocketed skyward. I know this, as the bike you see was mine. Bought for a lowly £1500 and with less than 7000 miles on the clocks in 2010, it was brought back up to a rideable standard after years under a tarpaulin had taken their toll on the general finish. I sold it reluctantly for £3700 many years later, but today? Well. You won’t find even the roughest Africa Twin for much less than £2000 and the best with 15,000 miles plus go for up to £6500, crazy when you think the final ones in 2003 were sold off for as little as £5500 – less than the £6149 RRP of the final 2002 model. So, yes, I should have kept mine… It’s all to do with the beloved nature of the bike and the image: the Varadero came along in 1999 and had the big-bike feel of the Africa Twin, but with a more road-based image and the thirsty Firestorm motor. The result is a less attractive package overall and Varaderos start at least £500 cheaper than even the oldest Twinkies.
Verdict
It’s not often that you get to ride a machine which just seems to have that bit of character that helps it rise above what could be a bland specs sheet, but the Africa Twin is one of those rare machines. Sure, it has its foibles and issues, but these are well documented by the many owners groups and forums out there and this alone shows that the Africa Twin is a much-loved machine. The current price of decent used examples also shows that fact. So, the days of picking up a cheap XRV750 are now long gone, which is a shame, but it does show how highly-rated these plodding V-twin big trailies are. For this very reason the Honda Africa Twin deserves and gets a place in the pantheon of modern classic motorcycles from the late 1980s and 1990s, yup, it’s up there in my mind with the Honda Fireblade, Suzuki GSX-R750, Kawasaki ZZ-R1100 et al. It’s a brilliant, useful motorcycle which really stirs the soul.