HOW TO FIT A USB SOCKET
A change in rubber reveals an Africa Twin speaking with an all-new accent
Riding a bike should be conversation – a constant stream of observations and comments flowing between bike and human so that you know what it’s doing and, in turn, it knows what you want it to do. Ideally, it’s a clear twoway stream of consciousness and mechanical dialogue – hopefully devoid of chatter.
The Babel Fish that turns your mutually incompatible languages into something useful is a cunning blend of carbon and silica (and a few other ingredients) mixed and baked until cooked, and then levered onto your wheel rims. Tyres are a translator par excellence, and the latest set I’ve fitted to the Africa Twin – Dunlop’s new Meridian adventure rubber – are proving particularly talkative.
Revolving rubber
I’m just over 500 miles into the conversation, and it’s proving to be rather a good one. I’ll confess to having been a little nervous of switching from Pirelli’s Rally STR knobbly miracles onto the Dunlops, not least because the front hoop – it’s a 90/90 R21 on the AT – looks like a rubber knife blade. The lack of breadth at the shoulders reminds me of two-stroke trail bikes from the 1980s – but I’m relieved to report that the front-end hasn’t become skittish, in fact it’s the most planted the AT’s 21-incher has felt in 7000 miles and three tyre choices.
The rear is no less impressive. With the traction control on its minimum level I’ve only seen the briefest illumination of the dash warning light – both times on sodden greasy roads when deliberately trying to make it break traction. Wet or dry, the new Meridians (currently £197 per pair at Demon Tweeks) feel structurally soft enough to find grip and deliver feedback, while offering enough rigidity to deliver predictable composure for the AT’s 240kg plus rider.
They inevitably lack some of the soft-terrain off-road prowess of the STRs, but if you’re only riding in shallow muck, or on dry trails and stoney fire tracks, you’re losing nothing. They are surprisingly loud considering their predominantly road-orientated tread pattern. It’s neither intrusive nor aggravating – it was just a surprise that they’re not much quieter than the super-blocky STRs at 50-90mph. So far, I’ve been highly impressed.
Rally lover
Talking of miles – the Rally STRs managed 4350 miles before the swap. They were still legal and working without any real drop-off in performance (beyond getting squarer) and I reckon would have managed another 1000 miles before the rear could take no more. What can I say that I’ve not said numerous times already? They’re one of the best tyres on the market and deliver incredible performance. I’ve used them on numerous bikes and think they’re incredible on road and off it.
Fat-fingered fiddling
Now the nights are closing in again, it’s brought the AT’s fiddly switchgear and USB port back to the forefront of my mind. Trying to plug in a USB cable behind the daftly overfussy rubberised cover is a job for a small child’s fingers, not my sausages, and certainly not in gloves. Surely it should be easier than this? And the lack of backlit buttons on the ridiculously over-buttoned left bar cluster makes all night-time button pressing a lottery you’re less like to win than the Euromillions. I hope Honda have a new version in the wings for a much-needed solution.
Cutting corners
And talking of Honda needing to come up with solutions – where has that legendary build quality gone? I’ve mentioned the header pipe rust and frame rust (where it chips on the front downtube) already, but I noticed the creeping tide on the end-can this week – and feel rather deflated by it. This bike is the best part of £19,000 – and while I’ll concede that it’s been ridden in all weathers and through winter, it shouldn’t look this scabby. The stainless end-can on my 1998 VFR800F is still near-immaculate after numerous winters and four times the mileage. It’s an expensive, highly visible and sour bum-note on an otherwise well-finished bike.