Honda Africa Twin [2017-2018]

Name: Honda Africa Twin [2017-2018]
Brand: Honda
SKU: 1117
Availability: Discontinued
Rating: 4.0 (4 reviews)

Rate & Win

Overview Expert Reviews Similar Bikes Specs News Videos

Key specs

999.11 cc
6 Speed DCT Automatic

Last known Avg. Ex-showroom price

₹ 13,29,843

Honda Africa Twin [2017-2018] is now discontinued in India.

Discontinued

Honda Africa Twin [2017-2018] Summary

Africa Twin [2017-2018] key highlights
Engine Capacity	999.11 cc
Transmission	6 Speed DCT Automatic
Kerb Weight	245 kg
Fuel Tank Capacity	18.8 litres
Seat Height	840 mm
Max Power	86.04 bhp

About Africa Twin [2017-2018]

The 2018 Honda CRF1000L is truly an evolution of the Africa Twin launched in 2017, and the additions are mostly under the skin.

There is a redesigned instrument cluster that is better to read while standing and riding. The engine gets a longer airbox and a lighter balancer shaft, which helps with the 87bhp and 93Nm output. There is also a Li-ion battery that is 2.3 kg lighter than before. The traction control is now a seven-step one, and there are now four riding modes. It will be available only with the automatic gearbox in the Indian market. The rest of the setup remains the same: a 21-inch front wheel coupled with a 18-inch rear one, both steel spoke rims. Suspension is 45mm Showa front inverted forks and a Pro-link rear monoshock. Dual 310mm petal discs and a 256mm single petal disc do braking duty. ABS is present, as is an offroad mode that switches it off only for the rear wheel. Only one colour scheme is available so far.

The Honda CRF1000L2 Africa Twin competes with other off-road capable off-road tourers across segments like the Triumph Tiger 800 and 1200 XC series, the Ducati Multistrada 1200 Enduro, and the BMW R1200 GS Adventure.

Honda Africa Twin [2017-2018] Review

Honda has made improvements to the Africa Twin that you didn’t know it needed.

Introduction

It’s been a year since the Honda CRF1000L Africa Twin was launched, and Honda has updated it for the 2018 model year. It gets a few mechanical and electronic updates, and we went on a ride to see how much of a difference it makes.

What’s new?

The engine has a lighter balancer shaft and a longer airbox. Power and torque figures are marginally higher at 87bhp and 93Nm. A sub-3kg lithium-ion battery cuts weight as well. The final mechanical change is a switch to Bridgestone tyres from the earlier model’s Dunlops. The electronics package now includes four rider modes – Urban, Tour, Gravel and User – and the traction control has seven levels, up from the previous three. The switch to engage the gearbox from neutral has changed. Neutral and Drive/Sport are now an up/down toggle, rather than the unwieldy right/left on the old bike. However, changing to manual mode is more difficult now, as it is a smaller button on the inside of the previous switch.

Finally, the new display is a single rectangle that houses a circular tachometer within it. Other things like the fuel and temperature gauges have had their positions changed as a necessity, because the 2018’s display now crams in a lot more information. The power (three levels), engine braking (three levels, again) and traction control (seven levels) are on display at all times, and each can be individually tailored even in the preset modes. However, they reset once the bike is switched off. There is a full trip computer as well, with everything from twin trip meters, to instant fuel consumption, to average consumption, average speed, and distance to empty all accessible via buttons on the left handlebar.

Incremental improvement

You can’t feel the changes on the 2018 Africa Twin immediately, and this is a testament to how good the original product is. But there is always room for improvement, and Honda has found the places it needed to improve. The 2018 year model has much better throttle response, especially from rest and at walking speeds. The DCT gearbox also has better refinement, with noticeable improvement in the shift from the first to second speed. The seven-step traction control helps fine-tune slides off-road, but what is really useful to the average Joe is the power and engine braking settings. Set it to three, and riding in traffic becomes so much easier. Increase the engine braking setting, and riding up and down mountain roads with pace becomes so much easier. There is nothing wrong with the 2017 model; it is simply that the 2018 model is better.

Is there anything we don’t like?

The display packs in a lot more information and as a consequence, it is a little difficult to understand immediately, despite the company claiming that it is easier to read while standing. The old bar-style tacho was definitely easier to see, and it was simpler, so there were less things to adjust and display. The button that toggles from automatic to manual mode is also more difficult to reach, but with so many options for the gearbox, power and engine braking to choose from, we don’t expect many riders to actually select manual mode often.

Is the price right?

What you see is a heavily accessorised example of the 2018 Africa Twin, but the price tag for a stock one has gone up by ₹ 33,000 ex-showroom over the old model, and that makes it of better value than the 2017 bike, at ₹ 13.2 lakhs, ex-showroom, Delhi.

Images: Kaustubh Gandhi

Full Review

-Hide Review

Africa Twin [2017-2018] Specifications & Features

Specifications

Power & Performance

Displacement Engine displacement is the measure of the cylinder volume swept by the pistons of an internal combustion engine. It indicates the engine size. 999.11 cc

Max Power 86.04 bhp @ 7,500 rpm

Max Torque 93.1 Nm @ 6,000 rpm

Stroke Stroke indicates the number of engine cycles during which a piston travels from top to bottom. 75 mm

Valves Per Cylinder Valves per cylinder indicate the intake (fuel) and outlet (exhaust of combustion gases) of an engine. 8

Compression Ratio A compression ratio suggests the degree to which the fuel mixture is compressed before ignition. --

Mileage - ARAI ARAI certified fuel economy that has been tested under controlled conditions. --

Mileage - Owner Reported This is the fuel economy registered by Bikewale followers. --

Riding Range The total range that a vehicle can travel on a full tank of fuel. --

Top Speed The maximum speed that a vehicle can achieve. 196 Kmph

Transmission 6 Speed DCT Automatic

Transmission Type The transmission type will tell the kind of transmission a two-wheeler has. Chain Drive

Gear Shifting Pattern Gear Shifting Pattern --

Cylinders The number of cylinders that an engine features. Most two-wheelers sold in the Indian market feature a single-cylinder. 2

Bore Bore is the diameter of each cylinder. 92 mm

Ignition Ignition indicates to the type of starting system that a vehicle uses. --

Spark Plugs A spark plug is a device for firing the explosive mixture. --

Cooling System The cooling system suggests the cooling mechanism that a motor uses. The types include air, oil, or liquid. Liquid Cooled

Clutch The clutch disengages or engages the engine from the transmission. --

Fuel Delivery System --

Fuel Tank Capacity The capacity of a vehicle to store fuel. 18.8 litres

Reserve Fuel Capacity Reserve fuel is part of the main tank that is used when a vehicle is running low on petrol/diesel. --

Emission Standard Emission standards indicate the output from the exhaust that is permissible in a country. --

Fuel Type Fuel Type is the type of fuel that an engine uses to operate. The different types include petrol, diesel, electric, and ethanol among others. Petrol

View more specs
Brakes, Wheels & Suspension

Front Suspension Front suspension usually includes telescopic forks. Telescopic

Rear Suspension Rear suspension setup mostly uses a rear mono-shock. Pro-Link

Braking System Braking system is used to reduce the speed of the vehicle or bring it to a standstill. --

Rear Wheel Size Rear wheel size indicates the diameter of the rear wheel. 18 inch

Front Tyre Size Front tyre size indicate the profile of the front tyre. 90/90-R21 tube type

Rear Tyre Size Rear tyre size indicates the profile of the rear tyre. 150/70-R18 tube type

Front Brake Type Most vehicles feature a disc brake at the front although some commuter segment products come with a drum setup. Disc

Front Brake Size Front brake size indicates the size of the disc or drum setup at the front wheel. 310 mm

Rear Brake Type Most vehicles come with a drum brake setup at the back although higher spec models feature a disc brake at the rear. Disc

Rear Brake Size Rear brake size indicates the size of the disc or drum setup at the front wheel. 256 mm

Calliper Type Front-4-Piston , Rear-2 Piston Calliper

Wheel Type Wheel types include two types - Wire-spoke and Alloy wheels. Spoke

Front Wheel Size Front wheel size indicates the diameter of the front wheel. 21 inch

Tyre Type Tyre types are divided into two - Tubeless and Tube Type. Tubed

Radial Tyres Radial tyres use steel belts that run at a 90-degree angle with the tread line. No

Front Tyre Pressure (Rider) --

Rear Tyre Pressure (Rider) --

Front Tyre Pressure (Rider & Pillion) --

Rear Tyre Pressure (Rider & Pillion) --

View more specs
Dimensions & Chassis

Kerb Weight Kerb weight of the motorcycle is the total weight of a vehicle that is ready for operation. It includes all standard equipment and necessary consumables. 245 kg

Seat Height The seat height is the height of the rider's saddle from the ground. 840 mm

Ground Clearance The ground clearance is the distance between the ground and the lowest point of a vehicle. 250 mm

Overall Width Total width of the vehicle. 932 mm

Overall Height Overall height is the tallest point of a motorcycle, usually the mirror or the top of a windscreen. 1,478 mm

Wheelbase The wheelbase is the distance between the front and the rear wheel. 1,574 mm

Overall Length Overall length of the vehicle is the total length of a two-wheeler from the front to the back. 2,334 mm

Chassis Type The chassis type is the primary/main frame of a two-wheeler. Semi Double Cradle

View more specs
Manufacturer Warranty

Standard Warranty --

Standard Warranty --

Features

Odometer Odometer keeps the track of the total kilometres travelled by a vehicle in its lifetime. Digital

Speedometer Speedometer gives an indication of the current speed at which a vehicle is travelling. Digital

Fuel Guage Fuel guage indicates the level of fuel available in the tank of a vehicle. Yes

AHO (Automatic Headlight On)--

Shift LightYes

Headlight Type--

Digital Fuel Guage Digital fuel guage shows the information about the fuel level in a vehicle through a digital display. Yes

Tachometer Tachometer shows the real-time reading of the revs per minute (RPM) at which the engine is operating. Digital

Stand Alarm Stand alarm notifies the rider if the side stand of the vehicle is engaged. Some vehicles comes with a side stand cut-off feature that does not allow the motor to start until the side stand is lifted. --

No. of Tripmeters No of tripmeters indicate the total number of trip meters that a vehicle's instrument cluster features. Usually, premium vehicles come with two trip meters, while budget two-wheelers feature a single trip meter. 2

Tripmeter Type Tripmeters are available in two type - analogue and digital. The analogue unit usually features a single trip meter while a digital display may come with two trip meters. Digital

Low Fuel Indicator Low fuel indicator aims to remind the rider that the vehicle is running low on fuel, and it should be refueled soon. Yes

Low Oil Indicator Low oil indicator is a warning light that indicates that the engine is running lower oil than required to operate. Yes

Low Battery Indicator Low battery indicator suggests that the battery of the vehicle has lost a substantial amount of charge. Yes

Clock Clock is used to display time through the instrument cluster. This feature comes in motorcycles with a digital display. Yes

Battery Battery in a petrol-powered vehicle is used to support the self-start system, power the clock, and the USB charger. 12V 11.2A-h

Front storage box --

Under seat storage --

Mobile App Connectivity Mobile App Connectivity connects the smartphone to the instrument cluster via Bluetooth to offer access to features such as incoming calls, messages, and music. --

DRLs (Daytime running lights) Daytime Running Lights, as the name suggest, are the lights that stay ON when the main headlight is switched off. This feature makes a vehicle easily visible in the rear view mirror of other vehicles. --

Brake/Tail Light--

Turn Signal--

Pass LightYes

GPS & Navigation--

USB charging port--

Start TypeElectric Start

KillswitchYes

Stepped SeatYes

Pillion BackrestNo

Pillion GrabrailYes

Pillion SeatYes

Pillion FootrestYes

Additional features--

View more features

Honda Africa Twin [2017-2018] News

Honda’s future motorcycles could be able to sense our emotions?
14 September 2019
Anuj Mishra

Now, what if the motorcycles in the future are smart enough to sence your mental state and alter its characteristics accordingly?
Honda unveils CR Electric dirt bike concept
27 March 2019
Anuj Mishra

The electric motorcycle shares its design and most of the underpinnings with the Honda CRF250R motocross offering. Although the company didn’t divulge details about its motor and power figures, it utilises high-end components which should make it a capable dirt bike.
Triumph Tiger 800 XCa vs BMW F850 GS vs Honda Africa Twin – Competition Check
12 March 2019
Anuj Mishra

Now, considering the styling and purpose of the Tiger 800 XCa, there are two other motorcycles which come up as its closest rivals – the BMW F850 GS and the Honda Africa Twin.