More detail on the new Africa Twin

[Scubbo]

I hear you will have to wait a while for ABS / DCT versions -- stock standard version is the only one shipping? if botany honda guy is to be believed

[Night Falcon]

Africa Twin owners, how are they going..... Very likely to be my next bike after I shift the DR.....

give Wade a call or pm....he's test ridden the std jobby, and reported it was way cool! ABS version would be my pref and I will be takin one for a spin hopefully in the not too distant future. They have some in Palmy Honda. Let me know if ya wanna head over for a lookseee

[JimmyC]

Took the base model out a couple of weeks back from Hamilton Honda. Superbly comfortable bike, oodles of easy torque on tap. Handles remarkably well for its weight and front wheel size. The downside was it wasn't as slim through the middle as I was hoping or expecting. Everyone said it was this super slim machine but not my book. A bit surprised there.

Have now arranged to take a DCT model out on Monday and I"m really looking forward to that. That model is my preference. As George Formby says however, there are a few lower mileage 2013 model GS and KTMs starting to come through so I'm not as sure as I was. The WC 1200GS fits me like glove. Excellent wind screen, cruise, rider modes (especially Enduro mode), heated grips, all as standard... Hmm...

[Racing Dave]

[QUOTE=JimmyC;1130954619]Superbly comfortable bike, oodles of easy torque on tap. Handles remarkably well for its weight and front wheel size. The downside was it wasn't as slim through the middle as I was hoping or expecting. Everyone said it was this super slim machine but not my book. A bit surprised there. QUOTE]

I thought that, too.

I took Casbolt's demo mid-spec model (ABS and TCS) out for a spin today, and really enjoyed it. For those that know it, the Rapaki Track (in Chch) up to the Summit Road is now pretty much just a shingle road (in the good old days (I know - yawn) it was a rutted clay test of a big bike) but it has in several places some sticky-up knobbly patches of lava, and the AT glided over them, where my R1200GSA would have clattered.

The set-up wasn't ideal for my preference (I'd have rolled the bars forward, rotated the clutch and front brake lever downwards (and while I'm there, the brake lever is span adjustable but not the clutch - what's that about?), raised the gear lever, and removed the slack from the throttle cables, but maybe that's just me.

That said, in normal riding the gearing feels great, and it'll pick up speed on a gentle throttle from 2000rpm in 6th gear, but on Rapaki a certain amount of clutch slip in 1st gear was necessary when carefully lining up to cross the MTB-bridge gate by-passes, as the throttle response is quite abrupt just off idle, and at nadgery speed.

With the seat in the higher of two positions, at 1.78m tall I could get both feet on the ground, but not flat on the ground. It's a little bit fiddly to adjust, but once the technique is learnt, I think it'd be easier.

The traction control (torque something-or-other in Honda-speak) can be switched off and back on, on the fly, and just as well, as it reverts to maximum intervention if the key or kill switch is used. It's near impossible to do a hill start on a gravel road (Rapaki Track at the top end where it's steepest) on setting 3, you can get moving on setting 2, and there's a bit of wheelspin on setting 1. Turned off is best in these circumstances, and it's really easy to control a reasonable drift when standing. There are no surprises in the torque curve!

To switch off the ABS you must be stopped, and it stays switched off if the kill switch is used, but reverts to 'on' if the key is turned off. As far as I can tell, it only de-activates the rear brake.

The fairing appears to give decent protection from the wind and the mirrors are superb.

In summary, it's a Good Thing.

[thepom]

Would you change your BMW for one Dave ?

[Racing Dave]

Would you change your BMW for one Dave ?

Ah, Kenny, that's the million dollar question. Or, in this case, the $22,000 one. Or the no-frills $20,000 one or the bells and whistles $24,000 one.

The Africa Twin still needs money spent on it straight from the dealer - not much, but some. For me, as a minimum: Proper hand guards of the BarkBuster type, to replace the OK-if-it-rains-but-no-good-if-you-tip-over soft plastic ones; much larger foot pegs to give standing comfort for a long time; heated grips; a real bash plate - the oil filter/underside of the engine looks very vulnerable, even on a gravel road. A centre stand would be desirable, too - I like to lube the chain...

Fuel range is another issue. Honda quotes 'up to' 400km on a tank. I was the 3rd rider of the demo model, and I don't think that the trip computer had been reset by the two previous riders. Even so, this was only over the first 70km of the bike's life, and some (most?) of that was in the city. My ride was up the Rapaki Track, along the Summit Rd to the Kiwi, down to Governor's Bay, around the harbour to Lyttelton, through the tunnel and back to Casbolt's, which is kind of typical of its intended usage. The fuel consumption display showed an average of 6.4 litres/100km, which would only give 300km to bone dry on the 18.8-litre tank (no safety margin). That's well under half what I get on my GSA under similar conditions, and there's still a safety margin on top of that. An occasional glance at the instant usage display showed figures under 5 litres/100km at speeds under the speed limit. A better test would be a decently long ride under 'normal' riding conditions, and I'd be most interested to see what the true range is then. A long distance between being forced to stop for petrol is very important to me, and the Africa twin needs to average 4.7 litres/100km to meet Honda's figures.

[nzspokes]

It would seem not is all good in the world of the Africa Twin

http://www.xrv.org.uk/forums/africa-...take-note.html

[george formby]

It would seem not is all good in the world of the Africa Twin

http://www.xrv.org.uk/forums/africa-...take-note.html

Or perhaps Honda dealers.

Personally I think it's a good thing. I can't wheelie for toffee, sounds like just what I need.

[Tazz]

It would seem not is all good in the world of the Africa Twin

http://www.xrv.org.uk/forums/africa-...take-note.html

I like his picture

[nerrrd]

It would seem not is all good in the world of the Africa Twin

http://www.xrv.org.uk/forums/africa-...take-note.html

One incident does not a recall make. But yeah, I'd never get back on the thing either.

And disturbing that there was no automatic safety override on the bike - this is why I predict self driving cars will never in practice be allowed in numbers on ordinary roads, there's just too many variables that nobody's even thought of yet and the manufacturer will have to take the blame for every single accident - a couple of serious ones and they'll be sued out of business (in the US anyway). But I digress.

Or perhaps Honda dealers.

Dare I suggest they gave it to the apprentice since it was a 'simple' first service? I've had little things accidentally 'adjusted' out of whack in similar circumstances that I've had to put right when I got the bike home. But nothing that was going to kill me.

The DCT has been very reliable in the NC bikes like mine from what I've been reading online for the last few years, but maybe it's a less complicated version?

[george formby]

Dare I suggest they gave it to the apprentice since it was a 'simple' first service? I've had little things accidentally 'adjusted' out of whack in similar circumstances that I've had to put right when I got the bike home. But nothing that was going to kill me.

That crossed my mind, too. I believe that as the technology moves forward with cars mechanics are constantly having to up skill. EV's being the most obvious example, it's proposed that only fully certified technicians work on them. Bikes going the same way.

[AllanB]

My boss recently purchased a all but new BMW (it was a demo car from BMW in Japan - under 3k on the clock). Part of the deal was to have the electronic display changed to English etc.

I have lost count of how many times it has been buggered up. In the end they flew down from Auckland one of two NZ BMW certificated Euro electricians.


Sorted.

[Woodman]

Interesting...Personally I like changing gears.

[Night Falcon]

That crossed my mind, too. I believe that as the technology moves forward with cars mechanics are constantly having to up skill. EV's being the most obvious example, it's proposed that only fully certified technicians work on them. Bikes going the same way.

Back when I bought my 990 the KTM dealer I got it from didn't have any KTM certified twin cyl mechanics so weren't allowed to service it. I had to take it to AFC in Palmy, year latter the local ladz went down the gergla

[JimmyC]

It's one thing to say the electronics might fuck up and dump the clutch on a DCT, but suddenly rev to redline AND dump the clutch?! I fail to understand how that could've happened. The bike has a cable throttle, the clutch is electronic. The bike has no control over throttle input. Weird.