+1, that's what I want to see.
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Haha, yeah dead giveaway right?
Well, it's my favorite bike ever.... but it isn't really an "adventure" bike in the dirt capable sense. And even though people want a bike that can really do EVERYTHING, I don't believe it will ever exist. Unless someone invents a Terminator2 style tire that can go from corner scratching slick to full knobbies.
I think the magic formula for any motorcyclist is actually 3 bikes. We all need our passion motorcycle, what ever our passion is (Dirt, road race, tourer, hog, urban, motard), and then we need two flavors of 'other'.
To me, the Multi is the best compromise I could find to having 3 bikes. But I really want a second rally style dirt/enduro, and a third full on racebike.... come to think of it I also want a proper supermoto bike. 4 is the new 3. 4 bikes is the magic number...
I'd really also love a vintage scrambler... 5?
Really looking forward to seeing this thing.
I have a 1999 Africa twin and I've been trying to figure out how to get it registered over here in USA
Maybe in VT
Bike is in Ireland
It shouldn't be too hard to get that registered here should it? I think they did export them to the states, in limited quantities. If not, I know a guy in Iceland who'd probably be psyched to buy it from ya :)
Being a 99 (more than 15 years old) registering in either vt or NH should be doable in January.
Registering a non-US-spec vehicle in the US is apparently very difficult. Lots of bureaucratic (especially DOT and EPA) hoops to jump through that render the process so expensive that it's not worth it. That's what I've always read anyway, and accounts for why Africa Twins are extremely rare in the US.
--mark
Yes, generally, I'd agree. There may be a bit of a loophole here... VT seems to have taken care of the loophole, I'm not so sure that NH has. Off to do some research...
NH, does, probably have a loophole that would allow it to be registered. The problem is (as usual) customs (and more importantly the EPA and DOT).
Now, EPA does have an exception for vehicles older than 21 years of age (EPA Form), so technically as of 1/1/15 you would be able to import a '94 or older AT... Just to piss you off, however, DOT's exception for vehicle age is 25 years (DOT Form)... Technically as of 1/1/15 you should be able to bring in a 90 AT (reasonably easily).
Holy shit. Honda actually did it right.
http://i1.wp.com/www.asphaltandrubbe...size=635%2C423
--mark
That looks like a big single, like a modern nx650(?).
I like it.
Here's the actual article about it. Top picture shows a 2->1 header.
Honda Africa Twin
I think I would ride that.
Been a while since I've said that about a new Honda.
Sorry, I should have linked the article too. I was in a hurry to get out of the house this morning.
It's definitely a twin. I'm very curious to see how much this will get watered down for production; as is it looks like it would be right up there with the KTM Super Enduro in dirt performance. I'm shocked that Honda actually did this.
Really want to know some specs, especially weight.
--mark
Three things I want to know:
- Displacement
- Weight
- Fuel capacity/range
Notice price isn't on that list.
2015 Honda Africa Twin: Finally An ADV Bike Built For Dirt
This source says 1000cc and dual clutch.
I'm out. Back to drooling over orange bikes.
Yeah, if it's only available with a DCT, Honda will be seriously shooting themselves in the foot. I won't even buy a car without a clutch and a stick shift.
But I can't imagine that Honda wouldn't make a manual-transmission version available, as they did with the VFR and the NC700X.
--mark
I don't know about the bike itself, but they're certainly keeping with the spirit of a serious "True Adventure" bike with the marketing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=114&v=M-gXpyjwGgg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRiK2LZ8n38
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odpOps2bKZA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=11&v=P_Uy2CaH8oA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZaJiaHOvrY
The production bike looks promising -- now we just need to know the specs and price.
http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/...3364183985.jpg
http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/...3455979697.jpg
http://images.mcn.bauercdn.com/PageF...fricaTwin1.jpg
http://images.mcn.bauercdn.com/PageF...fricaTwin2.jpg
We know it's a 1000cc parallel twin; rumor has it it'll make around 110hp. Wet weight is supposedly around 440-450lbs. Gas tank is apparently a little over 5 gallons and extends under the front of the seat, as the airbox is split and on either side, and the battery apparently sits just above the engine case, so mass is well centralized. Wheels are definitely 21" front and possibly 18" rear. It'll be available with DCT or manual transmission.
No word on pricing yet, just a lot of speculation.
--mark
~450lbs is speakin' my language.
I have a friend that just bought a super10. She insists the 450 lbs weight figure is simply unpossible. But then she just spent perfectly good money on a super10 too.
The 450 isn't that hard to believe. The Tiger 800 XC weighs 475 wet; and that's with a fairly beefy steel frame and a good-sized steel tank. The AT has an aluminum frame and probably a plastic tank, and the engine may well be lighter as well.
And it looks like another 20-30lbs could be eliminated after purchase by getting rid of that giant stock muffler.
Also worth remembering that the KTM 950 Super Enduro was 408lbs dry, with steel frame, so figure probably 440ish wet.
I'm as curious (and hopeful) as everyone else whether Honda's going to be able to bring it in at that weight. If this bike lives up to the specs and isn't priced too high, it will probably be my next bike. The Tiger still runs like new but has 70,000 miles on it, so I'd like to move it to lower-impact street riding and keep an AT on hand set up with knobbies for the dirty stuff. My XR650L is pretty rusty at this point so badly needs a complete tear-down; I'd like to put it back together as more of a classic cafe racer/street tracker sort of thing. I'm not too interested in super technical offroading, bashing the bike over big rocks and logs and through mud holes, so for my purposes the AT would work great as a dual sport.
--mark
I doubt the 450 lb claim. My hyper weighs 450 and it is TINY compared to this bike. That thing does look mighty nice though. Kudos to the honda design team. They had a lot of chances to fuck it all up, and didn't. lol
In my view Honda does not have a reputation of building lightweight street bikes.
But then I'm a VFR owner.
Who knows. Will wait to see it in person. Exciting bike, any way you slice it.
What makes you say that? Even a BMW R1200GS weighs less than that (supposedly around 505lbs wet).
Tiger 800 XC: 475
F800GS: 460
KTM 1190 Adventure R: 520
V-Strom 1000: 500
Even the old XRV650 Africa Twin was around 485 wet, and that was in 1988.
450lbs is an ambitious target to hit, but Honda should easily be able to bring this bike in well under 550lbs.
By the way, for what it's worth, apparently the photos make it look bigger than it really is. I read somewhere that it's actually very similar in size to the Tiger 800 XC and F800GS.
--mark