What saw as Honda’s grand comeback to the ADV world, the CRF 1000L Africa Twin was one of the perfectly balanced machines from the Honda stable, a trait that is synonymous to a majority of the brand’s line-up. A lot of time had gone to engineer it and making it work better on multiple riding conditions and so it does effortlessly without any compromise.
For 2018, the Japanese Red Winger has updated the Africa Twin and added another model by giving it a more off-road focused equipment list that will include a larger fuel tank, crash cage and more. It is here to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of Honda’s XRV650 Africa Twin debuted in 1988. It’s called the 2018 Honda CRF1000L Africa Twin Adventure Sports or CRF1000L2 Africa Twin.
The Africa Twin is a machine born in the factory but tamed in the wilderness. It inherits the “go anywhere” phenomena and embodies the latest in technology and engine construction to literally do just that without any fuss.
Celebrating the 30th Anniversary of the nameplate, the new ‘Adventure Sports’ is here with multiple updates to go the extra mile. Incidentally, the Adventure Sport gets a 1.5 gallon larger fuel tank which will eventually increase its mileage to around 300 miles from 200 miles provided by the current CRF1000L.
Apart from these, it gets a 22mm higher suspension travel, riding position and ground clearances to let you wade through unforgivable terrains. Thanks to the now wider bash-plate, you can go on bigger rocks than ever before without having to worry about your engine bay getting marked off.
A protective cowl bar or crash cage makes the bike look beefier than before and shows a matured outlook just like the R1200GS Adventure from BMW or the Tiger Explorer->ke1918 from Triumph that the Adventure sport will be taking head on. There is also the 1200 Enduro Pro from Ducati, but the European league has far higher pricing to compare.
Adding comfort, the Adventure Sport gets wider and flatter seats instead of the split ones seen on the original. The fairings too get a larger area to protect the body of the rider, and the wider footpegs give for increased control. The heated grips adds to that satisfaction on those cold adventures one wishes to take.
Mechanically, the Adventure Sports shares updates with the 2018 edition of the Africa Twin. It includes Throttle By Wire engine management with four riding modes, expanded Honda Selectable Torque Control parameters, and revised intake and exhaust for a stronger mid-range response.
Rest of it remains the same including the 998cc parallel-twin engine making 94hp, and 73 lbs-ft of torque. This engine was built from the ground up and has been focused on having the optimum balance between power, torque, mass and physical dimension with mass centralization and low centre of gravity, giving the rider a better handling dynamics.
The 21-inch front and 18-inch rear spoked wheels are now made from stainless steel. A quick shifter is now available as an option. You also get Honda’s exclusive automatic six-speed Dual-Clutch Transmission (DCT).
The 2018 Honda CRF1000L Africa Twin Adventure Sports will be available in the 30th anniversary Tricolore paint scheme. Pricing and availability are sparse for now, and we will update you as soon as we have them. Expect a $2000 premium over the standard Africa Twin.
Triumph Tiger Explorer
BMW R 1200 GS Adventure
Triumph Tiger Explorer
