Honda Africa Twin
Celebrating the ADV’s first anniversary
Honda knows how to celebrate in style. I'm not stating this because we were invited for the Africa Twin's first anniversary gala but only because I also had an absolute ball riding the motorcycle for three days. It's exactly what a motojourno would want to experience when invited to a motorcycle's birthday bash. The Africa Twin is a legendary name that dates back to XRV750 which itself was based on the NXR750 that won the erstwhile Paris-Dakar rally, four times in the late 80s. Its production run went on till 2003 before the plug was pulled on the motorcycle as the genre died. The revival then came 13 years later in 2016 when the world rediscovered cross-country motorcycling as a leisure activity. The Africa Twin brand was thereby launched. From a V-twin engine in the 80s to now sporting a parallel-twin, 999cc thumper developing 88bhp and 93Nm but more importantly, instead of the manual gearbox, a 6-speed dual-clutch unit handles gear shifting duties. Yes, you read that
right and as I was cringing at the idea just as much as you are right now. The latest Africa Twin debuted Honda's Dual Clutch Technology (DCT) that uses a clutch each for even and odd set of gears. It goes without saying that the thought of an automatic transmission on a motorcycle isn't the most appealing to many riders. I was no different but how wrong was I? You see, the problem with big ADVs is their sheer size and weight. Combine that with the reduced tractability of a big engine operating at minimal revs and the following set of events shall unfold. Rider meets big bike. Big bike meets gnarly terrain. Gnarly terrain throws a curve ball with a tight corner. Rider and big bike kiss mother earth. And that is the making of an epic #failfriday video
for Instagram. Even a moderately skilled rider would find themselves out of their depth having to negotiate a tight, slow-speed hairpin or a U-turn with a big ADV. The dropping revs result in the engine stalling and the front-end tucks in due to the sheer weight and size of the motorcycle. This fundamental problem can be addressed with an automatic operation of the clutch. The DCT with the help of its complex electronics prevents the engine from stalling thus helping the rider concentrate on turning the motorcycle and not managing the clutch. Besides, there are other benefits of an automatic transmission and specifically a DCT. Touring, for instance is one. Our ride took us from the bustling city of Bangalore that sees rapidly increasing traf-
AS THE ROAD OPENED UP TO THE WIDE NH275 TOWARDS MADIKERI, A QUICK FLICK OF THE RIGHT SWITCHGEAR TO S (SPORT) MODE, LIVENS THINGS UP AGAIN AND FOR ADDED PRECISENESS TO THE SHIFTS
fic as the morning hours pass by. The low seat height makes tip-toeing in traffic easy while the gentle D mode (or drive) manages the shifts. The resultant ease of negotiating heavy traffic is unparalleled to a heavy clutch and manual gearbox equipped motorcycle. As the road opened up to the wide NH275 towards Madikeri, the D mode soon became a tad lacking. The gearbox's quick shifts to a higher gear in search for better fuel efficiency drowns the torquey engine's enthusiasm. A quick flick of the right switchgear to S (Sport) mode, livens
WE HIT THE TWISTIES ON THE SECOND DAY. A WET START MEANT TRICKY CONDITIONS FOR THE AFRICA TWIN BUT THE ELECTRONICS KEPT THE GRIP IN CHECK, NEVER THREATENING A LOSS OF IT
things up again and for added preciseness to the shifts, there are three sub modes to choose from. S2 and S3 are the modes to be in where the shifts are quicker, more precise while holding revs and more intuitive to detect the need for downshifts. In fact, more often than not, my preferred automatic mode was S2. The beauty of this excellent gearbox is that there is, of course, the manual mode. Shifter tabs on the switchgear and an accessory toe shifter make up a setup that's just like a manual gearbox. We hit the twisties on the second day. A wet start meant tricky conditions for the Africa Twin but the electronics kept the grip in check, never threatening a loss of it. Although, the Africa Twin's cornering capabilities are neutral and friendly, I didn't quite have the confidence to push it given the low traction conditions. The tall 21-inch front wheel and 90/90 profile didn't pack enough affirmations on paper at least, for me to try my luck while the same characteristics also rob a bit of feel from the front end to know the exact grip being offered from the surface underneath. The 27.5 degrees of rake also meant that the turn-in is slower than a sport naked and the likes so squaring off a corner with a late and quick countersteer turn-in seemed like the best technique for narrow, twisty state highways. The final test lay in the form of the 36 hairpins that lead you from the Mudumalai National Park to Ooty. Great tarmac but the tightest of hairpins one can encounter on a big ADV. With the clumsiest of throttle work, the Twin never threatened to stall while instilling a little confidence in the motorcycle's handling ability, infused with a smooth, flowing riding style rewarded me with an immensely enjoyable riding experience. The 2018 Africa Twin comes across as a very, very likable package that quickly befriends its rider despite the dimensions and 1,000cc of power. While it packs all the requisite equipments for off-roading, I'd much like to see a more road focused version with a 17-inch front to further heighten its friendliness.