More detail on the new Africa Twin

[Padmei]

DCT has 3 options, auto for maximum fuel efficiency, sport auto which holds each gear longer, and manual which utilises the + and - buttons on back and front of the left grip. It apparently also has a 'G' button (no G spot jokes please) which puts it into some sort of off road special mode, including incline detection... Your guess is as good as mine on that one.

It has no clutch, but I understand a gear lever for the left foot is optional, you can use it in the same fashion as the + and - buttons if you so desire.

Ok thanks for that. It's really a Burgman with knobs then

[Night Falcon]

My guess would be the incline gizmo is traction related. Slip ere n thur. Kinda like the diff lock of the bike world in a way?

it sounds like they've just copied the CVT setup from my 4wd Outlander - wonder if it has the cup holders as well?

[Underground]

We probably shouldn't be dissing Honda too much for offering this auto version, even though it weighs heaps more and costs god knows what extra.
They have cleverly created an adventure bike that absolutely anyone can ride so they will sell shitloads of them.
But most importantly it gives those with a disability an 'off the shelf' option. ....so if you have a gammy leg/arm/wrist etc, here you go!

[Woodman]

To be honest, it leaves me cold. Just another overweight gravel bike.

[Night Falcon]

....so if you have a gammy leg/arm/wrist etc, here you go!

hummm putting it like that, maybe.......meh, nah, still needs to be 50+ kg lighter to suit my brokenness. Even at 210kg I found the 990 was more bike than I could handle on loose ground

[husaberg]

To be honest, it leaves me cold. Just another overweight gravel bike.

Cold? At the weight it should include heated seats, grips and a pie warmer.
mmmm,Scratch that I think the Honda ate all the pies anyway.

[Padmei]

Yeah I don't really mind it, in fact I thought it looked quite off roady. With the automatic electronics etc it just makes me morer paranoid that the world is passing me by & I can't keep up.

Looking at the young fellas on the design team they must cringe at the thought of having to design something that doesn't have a app attached to it.

[george formby]

hummm putting it like that, maybe.......meh, nah, still needs to be 50+ kg lighter to suit my brokenness. Even at 210kg I found the 990 was more bike than I could handle on loose ground

Concur. If a bike is 200kg + it needs 100hp to look respectable, but WTF is a mere mortal going to do with it? Blasting through wide open spaces in a video is one thing. A day on slippery terrain with a chance to break your $20g toy, and yourself, on every corner, yeah, nah. Stick to my overweight and underpowered land crab thanks.

The real reason I grizzle is poverty. I would try to break one if I could afford it.

[Tazz]

I have a question: why are people looking to big thou + bikes..... if they want a light weight one...?

It's like being attracted to fat chicks, but wanting a vegan gf.

[george formby]

I have a question: why are people looking to big thou + bikes..... if they want a light weight one...?

It's like being attracted to fat chicks, but wanting a vegan gf.

Same reason folk like V8's over 4's. Their is more. It's not better or faster, just more.

I know a fat vegan. Not attractive today. Could have been a pin up in India no doubt.

[Night Falcon]

Same reason folk like V8's over 4's. Their is more. It's not better or faster, just more.

I know a fat vegan. Not attractive today. Could have been a pin up in India no doubt.

An AT should be more like a straight 6 Mk1 Zephyr- not too flashy or overpowered, reliable with just a hint indestructability but minus the hockey stick exhaust. Wasn't Mr Spock a vegan?

[JimmyC]

I have a question: why are people looking to big thou + bikes..... if they want a light weight one...?

I don't think many people know exactly what they want 'cos it's always a compromise. The perfect bike would meet the dream of crossing countries or continents during the week in such comfort as if riding a Lazy-Boy, then flick the Red Bull switch, don wings and become Chris Birch on the weekends.

For me, I'd rather be comfortable and safer on the open the road whilst mixing with traffic and weather conditions, and subsequently curb most of those Chris Birch aspirations. The alternative is trailering a WR everywhere, and that doesn't appeal.

[Tazz]

Same reason folk like V8's over 4's. Their is more. It's not better or faster, just more.

I know a fat vegan. Not attractive today. Could have been a pin up in India no doubt.

I don't think the crowd that go buy the latest Camaro do so with the idea it should handle like, and have a comparable weight to a Fiat Panda

As for your fat buddy, a literal white whale?

I don't think many people know exactly what they want 'cos it's always a compromise.

That's my point with that question though. Greater CC = greater weight. There are (available new) 800's (and less) that are sub 200kg I believe.
The old AT's that get a good rep compared to the new big bikes (for some reason the big bikes...?) are 650 and 750 cc...

For me, I'd rather be comfortable and safer on the open the road whilst mixing with traffic and weather conditions, and subsequently curb most of those Chris Birch aspirations. The alternative is trailering a WR everywhere, and that doesn't appeal.

And most are happy to do this looking at how well the 'whales' sell, and you will clock up a heap of trouble free miles and enjoy the shit out of it even though you'll never be able to take it on a trail ride and pop a couple of back flips while 2 up with the missus.

And when they are taken where they 'shouldn't' be, people still have a shitload of fun, which is what life and riding is about, but just like if you take your mums Rav 4 to a winch comp, you can expect a bit more effort and damage than something built for that specific task.

You can put WR's on the road

Also, just note with Birchy, big tyre troubles on those bikes, even offroad, at speed. Riding god by comparison to the rest of us aside, he's not riding 3000k on the slab, doing some single track in the wet then riding home because the tyre that will handle that doesn't exist, yet.

[JimmyC]

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[vegeman]

hummm putting it like that, maybe.......meh, nah, still needs to be 50+ kg lighter to suit my brokenness. Even at 210kg I found the 990 was more bike than I could handle on loose ground

For NZ, we won't really get the value out of the tech/size/form factor. Watching the first photos and videos, I to cringe at the beast it is. Riding to Alaska, across Aussie, copying the long way round boys etc seems their target, and that is probably where the real market and dollars are anyway.

I've just been talking to another mate who rides with NZ riding legends, and they all think now that the 650 platform is the ideal bike/power/weight/reliability for NZ. I was hoping they released the 650R instead of this, but maybe once Honda is back in the game...they might consider that. All it needed was an electric starter, and a few basic creature comforts.