Want a rally-ready version of the Honda Africa Twin? Big Red’s Italian importer has just the thing for you.
Dubbed the CRF1000L Africa Twin Rally, the bike was unveiled at last week’s Motodays Motorcycle Expo. It looks to be built along very similar lines to the CRF1000L Enduro Sports concept bike that Honda was showing at EICMA last November. You can get a very good look at it in the video above, uploaded to YouTube by Moto.it.
Essentially, it’s an Africa Twin with some tricky bits added to reduce weight and make it more race-ready.
The CRF1000L Africa Twin Rally is about 7 kg lighter than the standard version. There’s an upgraded exhaust (Termignoni), carbon fibre bodywork, a redesigned LED headlamp, beefed-up skidplate, handguards, rad guards, etc., a programmable ECU, and a high front fender. The rallyized bike even has space to mount a roadbook, should you want to actually enter a legit event on the bike (like, say, the Baja Rally; this thing wouldn’t be legal at Dakar).
All the bling comes at a cost €21,490 for the bike with the standard gearbox. Cough up €22,640, and you’ll get the DCT version. It’ll be available in Red/White/Blue and Rally Red. It’s also highly unlikely we’ll ever see this bike for sale in Canada (it seems to be a Europe-only option), although we’re sure enterprising motorcyclists with deep pockets could figure out how to duplicate this machine, using a stock showroom model as a base.
While this “truer” off road version of the AT looks very sweet, the price of about $30,000.00 CDN, leaves me feeling dry in the throat. I had the opportunity to ride a standard AT last summer, for about 1.5 hrs, and fell into total instant bike lust. But, my modest budget, dictates that I’ll be making the best of my trusty ’09 DL650 for the next few years, at least. In the meantime, the whole middleweight adv touring/DS class, is looking to finally open up. It seems like bikes have fallen prey to the same old North American “man truck” syndrome, of ever bigger & bigger displacement engines. Pretty nasty stuff where insurance is concerned. In the end, Canada’s limited (biker) population, means that this isn’t the first time our market gets passed over. Now, having just said that, my last bike was a CBF600, which for some reason was never sold south of the 49th. Odd.Personally, I’d love to see Honda bring in the 800X Crossrunner
The AT is a pretty cool bike from Honda, wouldn’t have much use for it since I don’t usually ride in the dirt but I’ll surely try one at the next dealer riding event.
Confirmed this year with the new Fireblade it’s really nice to see Honda back in the «exciting motorcycle» business! No surprise a couple of big dealers in the Montreal area are taking back the brand, more good things coming from Honda I expect!
Why don’t they make a more street orientated version with tubeless tires a decent sized(25 liter) fuel tank and cruise control. Duh
Build your own – they did.
But that takes time, effort and planning. I wanna ride it down to Starbucks NOW.
Joel, be careful tucking your man-bun underneath your helmet.
See you there, I’ll be wearing the red checked lumberjack shirt and skinny jeans.
🙂
Hmmm…..I don’t think the Africa Twin is “authentic” enough for hipsters. There’s no brown leather seat, crappy (sorry I mean distressed) paint job, and wheelbarrow tires. Further, the seat is way to high to swing a leg over when one is wearing tight skinny jeans.
You need to brush up on your moto-cultures, or else you may find that you don’t fit in to a defined group.
Joel – haha, yes indeed. ‘Lone Wolf, No Club…’
When one rides a lime green KLR people tend to walk away. 🙂
Those hipsters keep the industry alive while you guys get hip replacements.
Sorry, I was busy stuffing my man-bun in my gold metal flake open-face helmet.
When I get my hip replacement I’m gonna have the doctor tighten up the skin on my arms so my sleeve tattoo’s still look as cool.
I ride KTM’s and think they look OK. I can’t cast judgement on the esthetics of a KLR.
Sure you can. 🙂