New Africa Twin ITS REAL!!!!!!!

[Xpat]

To be honest I do not care how many people really want/need bike like this (well at least how I hope its going to be) - probably not many, but I want one and to my surprise of all manufacturers Honda may be willing to supply one (after KTM moved on to the metrosexual pastures).

And from those specs the power is the least important for me - I'd be perfectly happy with 80 HP, provided it is within the 200kg weight range, has great suspension (ideally out of box or at least easily upgradable), crashes well and ideally has some character (e.g. and engine that isn't smooth like cream, but rather reminding me of a single like 990 did).

But let's see - this may still turn up to be typical boring Honda.

[subie]

Anything between 60 - 70 Hp will be fantastic for me. My XT660R at 48hp is already more bike than I can handle on dirt roads.
But yes another 20hp will be nice to have incase I have to travel tar. I hope it is an unstressed motor (normal compression :-).
Just don't like the roadbike type exhaust it has got. If I have the money I would love one 

[LeonDude]

Fuck, you people leave this thread out in the open where innocent people like me and Cave Girl can fall over it.
Right, time to get my saving account going. I will wait until I've seen the real-deal in the Honda shop before making my final decision though.

[Bensien]

I would not start holding my breath just yet. According to Honda’s press release it is a prototype, which is another way of saying it is a concept model/design study. When the production model appears it will be a much watered down version, aimed at the mass market.

[EtienneKLR]

You guys are dreaming. A 100hp bike with 180kg is a pipe dream or it will be so expensive that they won't sell enough bikes to make a profit.
It will be very close to the figures of the F800GS with probably a few more horses.
What's so exiting about the new Africa Twin?

Wonder why 100hp at 180kg is not achievable? Nothing against your statement. Just wondering why the designers would not be able to come up with something like that? Surely with todays modern tech this should be easily achievable?

[Kaboef]

I would not start holding my breath just yet. According to Honda’s press release it is a prototype, which is another way of saying it is a concept model/design study. When the production model appears it will be a much watered down version, aimed at the mass market.

Which is exactly why I will hang on to my 950S.

Gone are the days when you could buy such a bike off the floor.

[edgy]

You guys are dreaming. A 100hp bike with 180kg is a pipe dream or it will be so expensive that they won't sell enough bikes to make a profit.
It will be very close to the figures of the F800GS with probably a few more horses.
What's so exiting about the new Africa Twin?

Wonder why 100hp at 180kg is not achievable? Nothing against your statement. Just wondering why the designers would not be able to come up with something like that? Surely with todays modern tech this should be easily achievable?

The SE was the closest and that was almost 10 years ago!! No other litre class bike off the floor could perform like that and still capable of clearing a double jump/table top on the MX track.......holding my breath for any maufacturer to duplicate this and Im in!!

[THROTTLE JOCKEY]

You guys are dreaming. A 100hp bike with 180kg is a pipe dream or it will be so expensive that they won't sell enough bikes to make a profit.
It will be very close to the figures of the F800GS with probably a few more horses.
What's so exiting about the new Africa Twin?

Wonder why 100hp at 180kg is not achievable? Nothing against your statement. Just wondering why the designers would not be able to come up with something like that? Surely with todays modern tech this should be easily achievable?

The SE was the closest and that was almost 10 years ago!! No other litre class bike off the floor could perform like that and still capable of clearing a double jump/table top on the MX track.......holding my breath for any maufacturer to duplicate this and Im in!!

Agreed 1 million %


I am glad I am not holding my breath

[EtienneKLR]

I really hope it doesn't - the old AT must be one of the most overestimated bikes in the history. Underpowered, undersprung, overweight boring pig. I'm talking 750 that I had, I've heard 650 was better.

Compare the AT with the bikes of its time. It was a complete contradiction to anything else on the market or what the norm was even though it sailed like a boat and was underpowered for the weight. Make no mistake I am not critising the new AT just saying it is not unlike the gs800 and triumph. At least KTM still comes up with bikes with their own identity.

[EtienneKLR]

You guys are dreaming. A 100hp bike with 180kg is a pipe dream or it will be so expensive that they won't sell enough bikes to make a profit.
It will be very close to the figures of the F800GS with probably a few more horses.
What's so exiting about the new Africa Twin?

Wonder why 100hp at 180kg is not achievable? Nothing against your statement. Just wondering why the designers would not be able to come up with something like that? Surely with todays modern tech this should be easily achievable?

The SE was the closest and that was almost 10 years ago!! No other litre class bike off the floor could perform like that and still capable of clearing a double jump/table top on the MX track.......holding my breath for any maufacturer to duplicate this and Im in!!

Agreed 1 million %


I am glad I am not holding my breath

Yip the SE is still the shizz

[Bubby]

EICMA videos of the new Honda Africa Twin..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVrfwRa0gnY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=6xUewDN9lgY

[Grrrr....]

I would not start holding my breath just yet. According to Honda’s press release it is a prototype, which is another way of saying it is a concept model/design study. When the production model appears it will be a much watered down version, aimed at the mass market.

I am going to lose my shit if that is the case. If it turns into another Crosstourer/GS clone I am going to be @#$%ing disappointed....

[Fuzzy Muzzy]

I would not start holding my breath just yet. According to Honda’s press release it is a prototype, which is another way of saying it is a concept model/design study. When the production model appears it will be a much watered down version, aimed at the mass market.

I am going to lose my shit if that is the case. If it turns into another Crosstourer/GS clone I am going to be @#$%ing disappointed....

Yeah.. I feel the same

Ive had a Twin.. the XR650R, TA650 and the TA700... waiting for the next great bike to come along.. so far nudda.

[Cave Girl]

Well at least you wont' have to spend hours washing it so more time to ride it 

[monkeyboy]

Whatever Honda does, I hope it is LIGHT, so BMW can stop trying to turn the 800 into its porky big brother, and bring out a proper version as competition: 16litre tank, which gives good range anyway, decent suspension, and bearings and seals, no Traction Control (seriously, that throttle is so linear: all it needed in the first place was better engine braking), and the uprated engine that went into the Nuda, which can easily push out 100 horsies. And less lead in the construction process, wherever they put it. The BMW 800 HP2. The only bike I would ever really need.

[Xpat]

Compare the AT with the bikes of its time. It was a complete contradiction to anything else on the market or what the norm was even though it sailed like a boat and was underpowered for the weight. Make no mistake I am not critising the new AT just saying it is not unlike the gs800 and triumph. At least KTM still comes up with bikes with their own identity.

Not sure about the contemporaries either. As far as I can tell the XRV750 AT was a dog compared to : Honda XRV650 AT (lighter, better specs), Yamaha Super Tenere 750, Cagiva Elephant, Suzuki DR BIG (750 and 800 I think), BMW R100GS. Most of these bikes emulated relatively closely the real Dakar bikes - and therefore most of them struggled to sell and went out of production after few years. Honda wised up, build 750 softroader completely unrelated to the Dakar bike, but for marketing purposes still covered it in Dakar clothes - kind of what BMW did later.

Nothing wrong with any of that, except I hope with this new one they will make the same mistake as they did with the original (and KTM with 950/990) and build it with real offroad DNA, which the current 800s IMO do not have - they are road bikes that can go offroad. Kind of like more powerful and better specified Tenere 660 that I ride now. It may go out of production or soften later, but I don't care as I will stock up on few.

That is of course if this isn't just a bubble and the bike (which does not seem to be just design exercise as some alluded, the scratches on the bike and holes for indicators seems to show that this thing was actually ridden - though with that DCT thingy, which I wouldn't want) doesn't turn into another softroader.  

As for SE950 - yes whenever one comes up for sale I have to restrain myself from just buying one, but the truth is it's not a bike for me. I go at least once a year for a solo long distance trip into real sticks unsupported and for that I need reliability (as in the bike does not leave me stranded), very good range (500 km and more in some cases) and strong sub-frame (I have to haul all my stuff on my own). But I'm aware that I'm minority here.

[EtienneKLR]

Xpat, your comments are valid and I fully agree with your statements relating to the AT and the evolution into being a sports tourer rather than a pedigee offroad adventure bike. Also the comment that BMW followed suit at a later stage hence my prior comments regarding the fact that the AT was a contradiction versus the "main" competitors of the.

As for the Tenere, indeed if I could afford a new bike I would lean towards the Tenere but for now I will have to make do with my 640. You are correct in saying that there are reliability issues with certain bikes and I for one would not want to be stuck in the stix with a breakdown.

[Xpat]

May I ask why would you go for Tenere (except maybe reliability and less vibration)? For me 640 Adventure is the ultimate shit - only the reliability concerns keep me from one.

[edgy]

May I ask why would you go for Tenere (except maybe reliability and less vibration)? For me 640 Adventure is the ultimate shit - only the reliability concerns keep me from one.

You just answered your own q!

[Kaboef]

May I ask why would you go for Tenere (except maybe reliability and less vibration)? For me 640 Adventure is the ultimate shit - only the reliability concerns keep me from one.

Jip.
That, and the vibrations.

Fit an XR650R engine in that bike and you will have THE BEST one-up dualsport bike ever made.