Exclusive: Details of Honda Africa Twin Launch at Auto Expo

With all eyes now on the upcoming Auto Expo 2016 and imminent launches, it’s time for adventure bikers to start saving those pennies, especially Honda fans. The Honda CRF 1000L a.k.a. Africa Twin, will make its Indian debut at the Expo next month. Not only this, if sources are to be believed, the company is going to set up a separate section to showcase the 998cc brute at its display in the Expo. Pricing will play a key role in the motorcycle’s launch, as is evident from the response to the company’s previous big launch, the Honda CBR 650F sport tourer.

Speculation suggests the exclusive display at the Expo is being planned so as to have the Africa Twin as a centrepiece of the Honda stall. This will not only showcase its prominence for the company, but also provide maximum exposure to visitors at the country’s largest automotive exhibition. One reason that the company might be working in this direction is that 2016 marks a milestone in the Honda Africa Twin’s history. This year is the 30th anniversary of the adventure bike winning the Paris-Dakar Rally for four consecutive years.

Reports doing the rounds speculate the 2016 Honda Africa Twin will be priced around Rs. 18.5 lakh for its top variant, expected to be an extreme touring model with panniers and touring accessories in tow. With the launch of the CRF 1000L in 2015, Honda had revived the Africa Twin name after a gap of nearly 12 years. With its launch in India, the big adventure bike segment on the down-low so far, will get a much-needed shot in the arm.

The Africa Twin models of yore, featuring 650cc and later 750cc engines, were among the most reliable machines for adventure touring. This comes as no surprise as they were built with one purpose - to compete and win in long-distance endurance races. Since the 1980’s, riders won various such races astride the Africa Twin including the most challenging off-road rally in the world, the Paris-Dakar.

The legacy of this name was so immense that the Africa Twin moniker continued to remain popular even after its previous production run ended in 2003. In 2015, Honda revived the name and introduced the CRF 1000L as its new Africa Twin.



The 2016 model will come in two variants, powered by a 998cc parallel twin engine with single overhead cam (SOHC), producing 94bhp at 7500rpm and peak torque of 98Nm at 6000rpm. Built around a double cradle tensile steel frame with high ground clearance and suspension travel of 9.1 and 8.7 inches at the front and rear respectively, it will be capable of taking on whatever obstacles the roads and off-road trails throw at it.

ABS will come as standard on both variants, one of which will feature a manual gearbox. However, the highlight in the line-up will be the dual-clutch automatic transmission (DCT) gearbox on the top variant, which enables gear shifts via buttons on either side of the handlebar, in addition to the standard foot shifter. The DCT model will also feature switchable on and off-road riding modes, enhancing the bike’s capabilities as per the rider’s needs. With a seat height of 871 mm and its big adventure bike build, the Honda Africa Twin will surely stand tall among the Japanese two-wheeler maker’s other products at the Auto Expo.

Watch this space for more details!