The next-generation Honda CRF1100L Africa Twin made its international debut back in September 2019, and brought a number of updates with it. Honda’s new adventure tourer has finally come to the Indian market and has been at Rs 15.35 lakh or Rs 16.10 lakh with the DCT automatic transmission. The bike is available in two variants internationally, the standard Africa Twin and the Adventure Sports, but we only get the higher-spec Adventure Sports model in India. Deliveries will begin in May 2020.
The 2020 Africa Twin gets an updated parallel-twin engine with an 86cc bump in displacement, taking it up to 1,084cc. Specifications on the Honda UK website mark peak output figures as 102hp at 7,500rpm and 105Nm of torque at 6,250rpm, a notable bump from the previous-gen model’s 89hp/93.1Nm. For the first time in India, the bike will be available with either a 6-speed manual or dual-clutch transmission (DCT).
The new Africa Twin also gets an updated frame has also been updated for “optimised handling characteristics” and the aluminium rear subframe is now detachable. The swingarm, too, is new and Honda claims that it is lighter and more rigid, resulting in a lower kerb weight throughout the range – for instance, the base Africa Twin (that is also the lightest) has gone from weighing 230kg in 2019 to 227kg in its 2020 avatar. More relevant to us, the new Adventure Sport model weighs 248kg (DCT) and 238kg (manual), which is still higher than the competition, but it’s worth bearing in mind that the Adventure Sports gets a large 24.2-litre fuel tank.
Electronic tech includes a six-axis inertial measurement unit (IMU), wheelie control, cornering ABS, rear-lift control, DCT cornering detection and cornering lights; and the new 6.5-inch TFT display is compatible with Apple CarPlay. The Africa Twin will also finally get cruise control as standard. The Adventure Sports model offers additional features like tubeless wheels, a charging socket, a larger skid plate, an aluminium rear rack and a larger fuel tank.
In terms of competition, the Africa Twin will go up against the upcoming Triumph Tiger 900 and the BMW F 850 GS, which starts at Rs 12.95 lakh and goes up to Rs 15.4 lakh for the top F 850 GS Adventure in our market. For reference, the previous gen Africa Twin DCT was priced at 13.5 lakh, but this was a lower-spec model with much less kit compared with the bike that has just been launched.
(All prices, ex-showroom India.)
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