The Word On The Street is that the full specs for the Honda Africa Twin have been accidentally released, and they aren’t what people were hoping for.
A few minutes ago, Revzilla posted details on the new bike that supposedly came from Honda’s Portugal website. The story is that somebody accidentally posted the details, where they were spotted and quickly saved as a screen grab.
The quick round-up of the details: If the details are correct, the new bike will put out 93 hp, and 72 ft-lb of torque. Weight depends on options; Dry weight is 208 kg and wet weight is 228 kg in standard trim. Add ABS and that weight climes to 212 kg dry/232 kg wet, and add DCT and you’re looking at a 222 kg dry weight/242 g wet weight.
Yes, you read that right. DCT will be optional on the new bike, meaning old-school riders who prefer a clutch and gearbox can have their wish granted.
Fuel capacity on the Africa Twin will be 18.8 litres. Seat height is 870 mm, but there is an optional 850 mm low seat. Ground clearance is a respectable 250 mm, and the bike will roll on a 90/90 R21 tire up front and a 150/70 R18 tire in back.
Now that we have the details (allegedly!), how do they match up to expectations?
The biggest disappointment for those eagerly awaiting the bike will be the 228 kg wet weight (and that’s the lowest possible number). When Honda introduced their last dual sport in developed markets, there was instantly a cry that the bike (the CRF250L) was too porky, and people were certainly hoping the Africa Twin would make more of an effort to shed weight.
Still, competitors in the 900-1250 cc range are mostly heavier, with the Yamaha Super Tenere coming in at 261 kg wet, the Triumph Tiger Explorer XC at 266.5 kg wet and the BMW R1200 GS Adventure at 260 kg wet.
It’s true all those bikes have slightly bigger engines in the 1200 cc range (so they obviously make more power), but there’s no direct competitor to the Honda in the 1000 cc range. Suzuki’s V-Strom 1000 is the closest there is, but it’s not aimed at off-road use. It comes in at 228 kg wet, but that’s with ABS.
For a full look at the new bike’s competitors, check out our Buyers Guide here and compare those numbers with the GS, Tiger and other bikes.
Mike Conway