Honda Africa Twin
Bertie has plugged away and done some miles on the DCTAfrica Twin, but has he become 'Auto-Immune' with the gears?
Bertie is learning to appreciate the DCT,but not love it.
Emblazoned on the side of the Honda CRFllOOL Africa Twin are two words, 'Adventure Sports'. To me, they conjure up trekking the trails of Timbuktu on two wheels, but instead (today) I'm tearing around after toilet roll and a tiger bread bloomer ...
Two things I should point out here: 'Adventure Sports' isn't emblazoned on the 2020 bike, but it is on the older bike's tail unit and my base model isn't the AS one, but let's face it, it is that sort of machine. Secondly, this wasn't a post-lockdown panic buy as it took place during the Sunday afternoon prior. But I filled my panni ers with the essentials anyway as I'd heard of shortages on the shelves. Buying by bike stops panic buying and stockpiling ...
ABC OF THE OCT
Time to give you my initial feelings with the Dual Clutch Transmission in general: I like it on some models . I think it suited the Crosstourer I rode, but on the Africa Twin, I want to be in control.
This was brought home to me when I had the 2019 version for a couple of weeks late last year. One day I was out for a ride and
I thought I'd throw in a nadgery little wet roundabout not far from home. The system went down into second gear when I know I wanted first ... then - as the bike was mid-corner - first gear chimed in. Ok, so it wasn't slammed in and it didn't provoke more than a wobble, but it still annoyed.
It has to be said that this new, updated system is better. The same roundabout in similar conditions on the 2020 bike just left me in second gear and through I went. Apparently, this improvement comes courtesy of the new 6-axis Inertial Measurem ent Unit which - put simply - can monitor mor e things at once than the old system. While this means better control with DCT off-road, as well as better performance from the ABS, etc., for most of us road riders, better/more subtle DCT operation is what we're looking for and you've got it.
ENGAGING 'DAVE'
When you snick (well, press) yourself into gear, you've got D for Drive (or Dull/Dave mode); this is like you being in a car
and shifting up quickly, like
Dave the taxi driver does. I only use it for when I'm stuck around roadworks . Then you have three modes of 'Sport' and this is where I spend my time, in the highest power setting of S3 as it gives you the sort of performance you want on a motorcycle.
Of course, you do have those two finger levers for going up and down the gearbox manually . And while this is fun to use, sometimes you're not in the right 'parameters' for the bike to do as it's told. You may be in 'Sport' mode and suddenly come over all 'Dave' so you shift up early and sometimes it doesn't do as it's told. If I want to be Dave or Sporty, I want to decide as-and-when, and I can with a manual.
Ah, manual: yes, if I so desire and have complete control over the gearbox via those finger levers on the left, but it is a bit of a stretch to the manual button and things get a bit 'busy' on the controls: overtakes often need two blips down on the down-shift paddle and then indicators have to be applied. It's the same with roundabouts: you want to choose which gear you're in manually AND you have to indicate direction of travel with the same thumb in quick succession. Your left thumb and right hand are a blur and all the while the four fingers on your left hand and your left foot are thinking: "Doesn't he love me, anymore?"
That's the issue with DCT.
I've spent years learning clutch control on my way to becoming the very average motorcyclist
I am today. I don't think I'm ready to give up on gears, although Honda say 45-50 per cent of Africa Twin owners go DCT, despite the extra
£900 and 10 kilos. Maybe I should get the clutch/gear lever fitted?
There is a positive with DCT, though: slow speed riding is an absolute doddle. When it gets into first - say in a 30mph/ roadworks/roundabout situation with a slow-moving vehicle ahead - it will purr away on a whiff of throttle. All the while you're staying upright and balanced, not dabbing the
Tarmac with your feet, and the people in the car behind you think you've got the sort of immaculate throttle control they've not seen since Jon and Ponch from CHiPs ... It's a good feeling, even if you feel like a cheat.
I love riding this bike - I really do - and I've been told I need to persevere with the whole DCT thing to get fully used to it, so let's see post lockdown eh?