Long-term tests: Africa Twin’s hits and misses are a real Plus
A whole package of extras and some transformative rubber
I’ve not turned a wheel in three weeks (other than doing a few laps of the garden before being told off by ‘the boss’). It’s the longest I’ve gone without a road ride in 23 years. This lockdown is driving me crazy, but I won’t break. So, confined to the garage it dawned on me that a few readers have asked what makes my AT AS ES a ‘Plus’ edition, and whether the extras are worth it. Well, deep breath - this is what you get: heated grips, topbox and panniers (with inner bags), tank bag, air deflectors and visors, 12v socket, high windscreen, front/side crash bars, engine bars, fog lights and a centrestand. I’ve covered the hard luggage recently (April 1, no joke), so let’s only dwell on the rest here. The heated grips are good, with five-stage adjustment and lots of punch and offer a massive improvement over the previous Honda offering. The 12v socket is useful, but there is already a USB if all you need is phone power. The centrestand is crucial. Without it you can’t look after your chain and Honda have cunningly not fitted stand bobbin mounts, meaning you can’t even use a secure paddock stand. Cheeky. For the rest of the hits and misses, see right.
The other big mention I want to make is for the Pirelli Rally STR tyres I fitted at 2576 miles. They’ve been a serious step-up over the OE fitment Metzeler Karoo Streets. They warm faster, handle better and are oddly good in the wet (the blocky pattern would suggest otherwise). Grip isn’t a problem and if the TC does kick in, it’s thanks to aggressive throttle inputs at lean. The only negative so far is visible rear tyre wear after sub-2000 miles. Can’t wait to see if they do another 2000 (they did on the R1250GS, with ease – and that’s a heavier bike). Is the Plus worth another £2800? Well, the answer is yes, but only if you do more than just potter around the lanes on sunny Sundays.