2022 Honda Africa Twin Adventure Sports ES Guide

2022 Honda Africa Twin Adventure Sports ES: ESCAPISM AT ITS PEAK.

Introducing the 2022 Honda Africa Twin Adventure Sports ES…

For 2022 we’re offering four different Africa Twin models. Our standard Africa Twin is a great choice for serious off-road enthusiasts, with either a six-speed manual transmission or our optional DCT. For long-distance adventure touring, check out our two Africa Twin Adventure Sports ES models: They offer special features like electronically controlled suspension, an adjustable windscreen, larger fuel tank, heated grips, tubeless tires, and more. They too are available with either manual transmission or DCT. And every Africa Twin in our line features Android Auto this year, along with new control settings and a tasty new color choice.

Adventure bikes are super-popular these days, and it’s easy to see why. They let you ride just about anywhere. Plus, their upright seating and sensible riding position let you rack up the miles in comfort. But they face a challenge, too: they need to combine state-of-the-art touring and riding technology with total reliability.

And that’s why Honda Africa Twin models are so far out in front of all the rest. Technology? Check out things like Apple CarPlay™, Android Auto™, and of course our available automatic DCT transmission. Reliability? Nobody even comes close to Honda there. Comfort? Hey, you’re talking about the people who build the Gold Wing. Off-road performance? Ever heard of the Baja 1000 or the Dakar Rally? All that expertise goes into every Africa Twin we build.

2022 Honda Africa Twin Adventure Sports ES Totalmotorcycle.com Key Features

Since its 2016 reintroduction, the legendary Africa Twin adventure-touring platform has undergone steady improvements aimed at carrying out its “True Adventure” ethos, and that is once again the case for the 2022 model year. The sporting- and off-road performance-oriented standard CRF1100L now comes with the same rear carrier as its more distance riding-oriented Adventure Sports ES sibling. Meanwhile, that version gets a shorter windscreen for improved visibility. Both Africa Twin versions are compatible with Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™, and both are available with either a manual gearbox or Honda’s advanced automatic Dual Clutch Transmission, which has a program change for 2022, delivering smoother shifting in the lower gears.

HISTORY

Since the 1988 introduction of the XRV650 in Europe, Honda’s Africa Twin concept has come to represent the “True Adventure” ethos of ADV riding. That original version, based on the NXR750 and NXR800 factory racers that swept the Dakar Rally between 1986 and 1989, created a new market, grew into the XRV750 in 1990 and sold over 73,000 units before it was discontinued in 2001. The Africa Twin was reborn in 2016 with the CRF1000L, also offered in extra-European markets including the U.S. In 2019 the standard Africa Twin was joined by the more touring-focused Adventure Sports version, with improved wind protection, greater fuel capacity and longer-travel suspension. As was the case with the original, the modern Africa Twin has been a global hit with a wide array of adventure-riding enthusiasts.

POWER

1084cc TWIN-CYLINDER ENGINE

The CRF1100L Africa Twin sports one of the best engines ever in an adventure bike. The parallel-twin design is narrow, and delivers torque everywhere from idle to redline. You’ll have more grunt down low, and cruise easy on the open road.

PARALLEL-TWIN ENGINE LAYOUT

The Africa Twin’s parallel-twin engine layout makes the bike shorter front-to-back. That means the front wheel can tuck in closer to the engine, shortening wheelbase and making the bike more nimble off road and on pavement.

TWIN INTAKES

The Africa Twin uses a unique twin air-intake design with two vertical filtration elements. All that clean air helps the engine deliver excellent performance, even under prolonged operation in dusty conditions.

UNICAM ENGINE DESIGN

Honda exclusive Unicam^® engine design helps us give the Africa Twin a compact cylinder head for optimal engine placement. But the engine also benefits from superior performance, thanks to the entire cylinder-head layout. It’s the best of both worlds!

COMPACT DUAL-CATALYZER EXHAUST

Using the same muffler-valve technology as our CBR1000RR Superbike, the Africa Twins’ exhaust silencer helps lower emissions while highlighting ridability and power output.

ENGINEERING

CRUISE CONTROL

Here’s one of the worst-kept secrets in the motorcycling world—Honda Africa Twins make great long-distance touring bikes. To that end, we’ve equipped our Africa Twin models with cruise control, just like our Gold Wings. Your next adventure really starts a couple of hundred miles away? No problem!

SIX-SPEED AUTOMATIC DCT TRANSMISSION

Available on the Africa Twin DCT and Africa Twin Adventure Sports ES DCT, this is the transmission of the future. Inside, it’s as tough as a conventional manual, with steel gears throughout. You can let it shift for you, or paddle shifters in the manual mode give you full control. Four settings (Drive, Sport 1, 2, and 3) let you pick what’s right for your riding conditions.

THROTTLE BY WIRE

Our throttle-by-wire system greatly expands the Africa Twin’s versatility. First, you get seven levels of Honda Selectable Torque Control. Second, you can choose from four power delivery modes: Tour, Urban, Gravel, and a fourth that’s user-programmable. First used on our RC213V-S, throttle-by-wire is an excellent example of how Honda’s technology works for you.

270-DEGREE-PHASE CRANK

Most twins use a 180-degree crank. By phasing the Africa Twin’s at 270 degrees, you get a unique power delivery that’s easy to modulate, especially in terrain where traction is challenging.

SELECTABLE ABS

Our Africa Twin models offer two ABS modes: on-road and off-road. A third setting lets you turn the rear ABS off altogether for riding in the dirt.

CORNERING ANTI-LOCK BRAKES

The Africa Twin’s Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) comes standard integrated with a 6-axis IMU, it knows when you’re leaned over, and compensates accordingly.

DRY-SUMP ENGINE

For a big adventure bike like the Africa Twin, a dry-sump engine design is the only way to go. The more compact sump increases ground clearance and eliminates the vulnerability of a conventional wet sump.

LOW CENTER OF GRAVITY, COMPACT MASS

By locating heavy components like the battery as close to the bike’s center of gravity as possible, and using a compact engine, the Africa Twin provides a superior platform for excellent handling.

WATER PUMP

Can you see the Africa Twin’s water pump? Trick question! It’s tucked behind the right side cover, out of harm’s way. There are no vulnerable hoses leading to it either, a weakness on some bikes. Driven by the balancer shaft, in case of a tip-over or in rocky sections, it’s one less thing to worry about.

LIGHTWEIGHT LITHIUM-ION BATTERY

Conventional batteries are notoriously heavy—that’s why we gave the Africa Twin a high-tech, lightweight lithium-ion battery. Compared with a similar lead-acid battery, it holds a charge approximately four times longer, and its shelf life is 1.6 times longer. Plus, it’s way lighter.

HANDLING

LONG-TRAVEL FRONT SUSPENSION

The Africa Twin doesn’t just look like an adventure bike—it’s the real deal. Exhibit A: Check out its long-travel front suspension. The inverted Showa fork is fully adjustable with huge 45mm tubes and 9.1 inches of travel—the most front-end travel in the 1000cc off-road class.

ELECTRONICALLY CONTROLLED SUSPENSION

The Africa Twin Adventure Sports ES and Adventure Sports ES DCT are equipped with SHOWA EERA® (Electronically Equipped Ride Adjustment) electronically controlled suspension. You can choose between five suspension damper settings: hard, medium, soft, and off-road, as well as a customizable “user” setting. It’s easy to switch between them, too, so you can choose one for the highway and another when the going gets rougher.

STEEL FRAME

This second generation of Africa Twin features a frame that is almost four pounds lighter than our earlier bikes. And while it may be lighter, we fine-tuned it by making the steering head more resistant to twist.

SEMI-DOUBLE-CRADLE-FRAME

The Africa Twin’s semi-double-cradle frame layout has been proven in countless Honda dirtbikes. In principle it’s similar to the design we use on our CRF450R Rally factory Dakar racebike—a machine that’s designed to perform in the challenging Dakar rally and similar events.

ELECTRIC PRELOAD ADJUSTER

Changing your shock’s preload is a snap. Choose from one of four settings: solo, solo with luggage, two-up, and two-up with luggage. It’s all done electrically, so forget about wrenching on some hard-to-access shock collar.

FOUR-PISTON CALIPERS

Up front, the Africa Twin features twin four-piston brake calipers for powerful braking performance. The radial-mount design also helps make them stiffer, increasing brake feel and control.

43-DEGREE STEERING LOCK

With 43 degrees of steering lock both left and right, the Africa Twin provides excellent maneuverability on tight trails. This is one of the reasons the Africa Twin feels so much more nimble than many of the other bigger adventure bikes out there.

REFINED SWINGARM

The Africa Twin’s swingarm is light and strong, because it uses technology developed on our CRF450R motocrosser.

HOLLOW AXLE SHAFTS

The Africa Twin uses large-diameter hollow steel axles front and rear. They’re super strong, durable, but also light: a combination which describes just about everything associated with this bike.

Honda SELECTABLE TORQUE CONTROL

The Africa Twin’s throttle-by-wire system lets us offer Honda Selectable Torque Control (HSTC). You can dial in exactly the kind of power delivery you want for the conditions at hand. Honda Selectable Torque Control features seven settings for a wide range of conditions, from pavement to fast, loose fire roads to challenging singletrack. You can also turn it off. New engine settings for 2022 make a great feature even better.

WHEELIE CONTROL

Front and rear wheel-speed sensors working with the Honda Selectable Torque Control (HSTC) let you dial in three levels of wheelie control. There’s also an “off” position—you’re the wheelie control here.

RIDING MODES

Both manual-transmission and DCT models offer six riding modes: Tour, Urban, Gravel, Off-Road, User 1 and User 2. The last two let you customize the system to your individual preference.

REAR SUSPENSION

Not only is the Africa Twin’s rising-rate Pro-Link^® rear suspension fully adjustable, it offers a 220mm stroke for 8.7 inches of rear-wheel travel. Even better, there’s a special remote preload adjuster—you just turn a convenient knob, and you can compensate for varying loads like a passenger or full panniers.

TIRES AND WHEELS

Real adventure bikes use spoked wheels because they better survive the dings and hits of off-road riding. All Africa Twin models feature a 21-inch front and an 18-inch rear for superior performance, especially when it comes to off-road riding.

TUBELESS TIRES

Standard on our Adventure Sports ES models. Tubeless tires run cooler, and there’s a great selection of adventure-bike rubber available today. Get a flat? Flat tire repairs are a lot easier too.

CONVENIENCE

Apple CarPlay™ AND ANDROID AUTO™

Apple CarPlay™* seamlessly integrates your compatible iPhone®* into your new Africa Twin, and Android Auto™ does the same for your Android phone. That means you can use your devices to access maps, music, and other services easily. You’ll have access to weather, playlists and telephone numbers while aboard. Available Bluetooth®**-enabled wireless headsets let you communicate more easily than ever. And best of all, with more apps available every day, your bike’s technology and convenience remain on the cutting edge.

*Apple CarPlay and iPhone are trademarks of Apple Inc.
**For using Apple CarPlay, connection to a commercially available Bluetooth headset is necessary. See owner’s manual for Bluetooth headset requirements.

TFT TOUCHSCREEN DISPLAY

The Africa Twins feature a 6.5-inch touch-panel LCD multi-information dash display. You can choose between three displays, too, depending on how much information you want to see at once. New for 2022, we’ve made the screen easier to read under a wide variety of riding conditions.

SIX-SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION

The Africa Twin features a conventional six-speed manual gearbox with a handlebar-mounted clutch lever. It’s a proven, tough design that’s a little bit lighter, too. Available on Africa Twin and Africa Twin ES models

OPTIONAL ALUMINUM LUGGAGE

Our optional three-piece hard luggage is sure to be one of your favorite accessories. All three bags feature weather-resistant liners, and the top box is big enough to hold a full-face helmet. And all three boxes use the same locking key, too.

LARGE FUEL TANKS

Our Africa Twin and Africa Twin DCT feature 18.8-liter (5.0-gallon) fuel tanks, while our two Adventure Sports ES models increase that capacity to 24-liters (6.3 gallons), enough for super-sized adventures.

COMFORT

TALL HANDLEBAR

Fitting a tall handlebar helps open up the cockpit, and works in concert with the seat and windscreen to give you a more comfortable rider’s triangle for those long days in the saddle.

TAPERED ALUMINUM HANDLEBAR

Another example of fitting premium equipment to the Africa Twin wherever we can, the aluminum handlebar is lighter than a steel unit. The design tapers from a thinner diameter under your grips to a thicker section at the top clamp, and is fine-tuned for optimal flex and rigidity.

NARROW SEAT

We made special efforts to keep the Africa Twin’s seat narrow. That makes it easier to move around on the bike, and also makes it easier to get a foot on the ground at stoplights or in parking lots.

NARROW REAR SUBFRAME

Two things here: First, the aluminum subframe is removable, to aid in servicing and repairs. Second, we narrowed it by 40mm over our original design. That helps the whole bike feel narrower and more nimble—a big plus in challenging terrain.

RALLY-TYPE FAIRING

Long-distance riders know there’s no substitute for a real fairing, which is why we spent so many hours getting the Africa Twin’s just right. It gives you a great balance between wind- and weather protection, without being too bulky or top-heavy for serious off-road riding.

BIAXIAL COUNTERBALANCE

By using counterbalancing elements on two axes, Honda’s engineers can cancel out both primary and coupling vibrations from the engine. The result is that we can mount the engine solidly for superior strength and handling, yet you still get an extraordinarily smooth, vibration-free ride.

ATHLETIC RIDING POSITION

Adventure riding is an active sport, and that means you need to be able to move around on your bike naturally and athletically. The Africa Twin is extremely narrow where you sit, and the peg-bar-seat triangle lets you move up and forward and far back as well, to enhance handling, especially under demanding trail conditions.

FULL ACCESSORY LINEUP

Right from the start, you can outfit your new CRF1100L Africa Twin with a full range of Honda accessories, items like a centerstand, quick shifter, top and side boxes, a rally seat, rally footpegs, and much more.

2022 Honda Africa Twin Adventure Sports ES Totalmotorcycle.com Features and Benefits

DESIGN / STYLING

Staying true to the “True Adventure” concept, both Africa Twin types feature a high-mount front fairing, upright body position and 21- and 18-inch front and rear wheels, respectively, capably expressing the model’s heritage.

The standard version features a slim, lightweight look, with compact lines that befit its off-road focus. Its minimalist, fixed windscreen eases front-rear bodyweight transfers during aggressive riding in rough terrain, while still minimizing wind buffeting on the chest at high speeds(An accessory high screen is available.) The fuel tank still holds 5.0 gallons, the tires and spoke wheels are tube-type, and there’s a new aluminum rear rack for 2022. The standard Africa Twin is offered in a new Grand Prix Red color for 2022.

The appearance of the Adventure Sports ES version can be described as dignified but tough, with a 6.5 gallon tank for maximum range, an expanded front fairing that offers ample wind and weather protection, a substantial aluminum skid plate and an aluminum rear rack. To adapt to varying body types and riding conditions, the Adventure Sports ES version has a screen that is adjustable with no tools, between five positions. While the screen is higher than that of the standard type, it’s lower than last year (by 75 mm when measured vertically, 97 mm when measured diagonally); the result is improved visibility, although the screen’s revised shape means wind protection is actually improved. The Adventure Sports ES has tubeless tires, and its seat height is the same as on the standard version. Heated grips and an accessory charger are standard. The Adventure Sports ES comes in a new Pearl White color.

Both iterations of the Africa Twin share the same handlebar height, and the handlebar bend delivers a comfortable riding stance whether seated or standing. The seat height is adjustable between two positions: 34.3 inches and 33.6 inches. (To allow even more adjustment, higher and lower seats are available as accessories.) Ground clearance is 9.8 inches.

Curb weight for the Adventure Sports ES is 529 pounds with a full tank of fuel, while the standard version weighs 505 pounds. DCT adds 22 and 24 pounds, respectively.

ELECTRONIC TECHNOLOGY

Throttle-by-wire is used on the Africa Twin, featuring a Bosch MM7.10 IMU that performs real-time six-axis measurement (angle and rate for roll, pitch and yaw) to identify the motorcycle’s position and movement. This maximizes the accuracy of various controls and systems, including shifting, Honda Selectable Torque Control (HSTC), suspension, braking and lighting.

A bright 6.5 inch thin film transistor (TFT) LCD touch panel simplifies viewing, understanding and managing a plethora of data while concentrating on riding. Users can select from three screen-display arrangements and background colors, depending on personal preference.

The meter is compatible with Apple CarPlay and – new for 2022 – Android Auto, and it can be connected to smartphones or headsets via Bluetooth (check state laws for legality). By connecting an Apple or Android smart phone via a USB cable, riders and passengers can issue voice-control commands via a headset microphone in order to use the phone or some apps.

The Adventure Sports ES version also has three-stage cornering lighting for optimal illumination depending on the corner type. Interpreting information from the IMU to determine the motorcycle’s lean angle, the system provides auxiliary illumination from a pair of lights below the headlights; the greater the lean angle, the more light is spread toward the inside of the corner. Cruise control is standard on both versions.

ENGINE / DRIVETRAIN

The Africa Twin has a water-cooled, single-overhead cam, eight-valve, parallel-twin engine configuration, and for good touring capability, displacement is 1,084cc, achieved via 92.0 and 81.5 mm bore and stroke figures. The cylinder sleeves are aluminum, helping to minimize weight. The 270° phased crankshaft and uneven firing interval create the engine’s distinctive throb and feel for rear-wheel traction. The 46 mm throttle body’s injector angle delivers a direct spray into the twin-spark combustion chambers.

The crankcases are split vertically, and the water pump is housed within the clutch casing, with a thermostat integrated into the cylinder head. The water and oil pumps are driven by the engine’s balancer shafts. These features contribute to the engine being compact and short, and to optimize ground clearance, a crucial element for off-road performance.

Honda’s SOHC Unicam® valve train is a feature of the CRF450R motocrosser, and the low-set position of the cast camshaft contributes to the compact nature of the cylinder head. The engine uses a semi-dry sump and in-tank lower-crankcase oil storage, allowing a shallow pan depth and reducing overall engine height. As the pressure-fed pump is located within the oil tank, there is no need for a pressure-feed passage, again saving weight and space.

Exhaust System

The muffler features a single inlet and dual outlets, with an Exhaust Control Valve (ECV)—similar to that on the CBR1000RR sport bike—located just downstream of the split, in the main pipe. The exhaust valve closes off the larger pipe at low rpm for a pulsating feel but opens at high rpm so that gases exit through both pipes for improved output.

The dual catalytic converters are compact, which is possible because generation of a swirl-flow enables the exhaust gases to be evenly applied to those catalyzers’ surfaces. The result is not only minimal power loss, but efficient exhaust-gas purification. The catalytic converters are positioned close to the center of gravity, contributing to good handling feel through the centralization of mass.

Lean-air/fuel sensors (LAFs) positioned in the single muffler, at the upstream end of both exhaust pipes, constantly monitor the combustion status of each cylinder and apply appropriate fine-combustion control, thereby achieving excellent emission performance.

Transmission

A G-Switch enables the rider to select the riding feel, depending on factors like surface conditions. With the G-Switch turned off, the clutches are allowed to “slip” against engine torque, for a smooth reaction to throttle operation; benefits include increased assurance during situations like low-speed U-turns, for example, and mitigated fatigue during long-distance riding. On the other hand, turning on the G-Switch results in reduced clutch “slip,” allowing the rider to more readily slide the rear tire via throttle input, in order to maneuver the bike.

Manual-transmission versions of the Africa Twin are offered for customers who still enjoy making gear selections themselves. The six-speed manual gearbox uses the same shift-cam design as found on the CRF450R to ensure positive gear changes. The aluminum clutch center and pressure plate use “assist” cams to ease shifting (with light lever feel) and “slipper” cams for deceleration and downshifting.

An accessory quick shifter is available to eliminate the need to use the clutch or close the throttle during gear changes. When the shift pedal is operated, the shift rod’s stroke sensor converts that movement into electronic signals, and the system considers ECU information such as vehicle speed, engine acceleration, deceleration condition and gear position in order to determine timing of the fuel-injection interruption, the throttle-valve opening and the ignition timing, thereby lowering the drive load on the transmission gear for shifting.

HSTC

The Africa Twin’s Honda Selectable Torque Control utilizes the IMU, enabling smooth slide control and wheelie control, assisting riders of widely ranging skill levels by maximizing acceleration performance.

With HSTC, the ECU uses data from sensors on the front and rear wheels to identify different situations. When the rear wheel accelerates suddenly but the front wheel doesn’t, the system concludes that rear-tire spin is occurring. To rectify the situation, engine torque is reduced based on the amount of slip, the slip change rate, and the motorcycle’s rolling and yawing behavior, helping to correct the slide. Riders can select from seven levels of slip control that cover a broad range, with Level 1 intervening less and Level 7 intervening more. Slip-control intervention can be switched off, and three levels of engine braking are available.

When the system detects the rear wheel accelerating while the front wheel decelerates, a wheelie is the diagnosis, so engine torque is reduced based on the motorcycle’s pitch angle, helping to bring the front wheel back down. There are three levels of wheelie control, with Level 1 allowing intentional front-wheel lift and Level 3 making it much harder to wheelie. As with slide control, wheelie control can be switched off.

Note that HSTC does not eliminate the possibility of slides or wheelies; rather, it is an auxiliary system to assist the rider during acceleration operations. As is the case with models without HSTC, the Africa Twin will not handle unreasonable operations.

Riding Modes

Riders can change between six riding modes, each of which respond to a wide variety of situations, providing a sense of assurance and enhancing enjoyment.

The modes are:

• TOUR: A preset mode assuming long-distance riding with luggage, giving powerful acceleration.
• URBAN: A preset mode dealing with a wide variety of riding needs.
• GRAVEL: A preset mode for comfortable riding on poor surface conditions, suitable for riding on flat dirt roads.
• OFF-ROAD: A preset mode for riding on unpaved surfaces.
• USER 1: A customize-able mode that a rider can set to his or her preference.
• USER 2: An alternative customize-able mode that the rider can set.

Each riding mode adjusts power output; level of engine braking; suspension damping (hard/standard/soft); front ABS (on-road/off-road); and rear ABS (active/inactive). In the two USER modes, the owner can fine-tune the settings within each of those areas; many may choose to set up USER 1 mode with their favorite on-road settings and USER 2 with their preferred off-road settings. Screen color can also be customized for each of the six modes.

HSTC is not linked to riding modes.

Battery

A lightweight, compact Eliiy Power lithium-ion battery helps minimize weight and centralize mass. This battery has minimal self-discharge, and Honda tests showed it to offer greater longevity than a comparable lead-acid unit, both in terms of life and the ability to retain a charge.

CHASSIS

Frame

The Africa Twin uses a steel semi-double-cradle frame, with optimized rigidity/flex characteristics for challenging situations like riding with luggage, riding two-up, or off-road riding. For example, rigidity around the steering head has been optimized to enhance front-end feel and grip, and the main spars are optimized to enhance longitudinal rigidity for good handling under braking. The frame’s pivot plates are 600MPa high-strength steel. The rear cross pipe, which connects the left and right pivot plates in the upper area, is located in line with the shock stroke, resulting in a direct transmittal of surface information to the frame for good rear-wheel feel.

In addition, the rear subframe is separate and constructed of aluminum, minimizing weight while retaining the ability to carry luggage. The seat rails are narrow at the front, maximizing ease of movement during stand-up riding and allowing the rider’s legs to reach the ground more easily when stopped.

Suspension

Intelligent, electronic suspension is offered on the Adventure Sports ES version of the Africa twin, in the form of Showa’s EERA. The system provides excellent response to immediately optimize damping force based on the suspension stroke speed at riding and the vehicle’s running condition, and aims to achieve high-level suspension characteristics required for disparate situations often encountered on adventure rides.

With EERA, five suspension modes are available, each with different preload and damping settings:

• HARD: A preset mode with high damping forces for both high and low suspension-stroke speeds—achieving ride stability suitable even for riding two-up with luggage.
• MID: A preset mode with intermediate damping forces, between HARD and SOFT—suitable in a wide variety of circumstances.
• SOFT: A preset mode with soft damping characteristics for both high and low suspension-stroke speeds—achieving ride comfort and stability even on rough terrain.
• OFF-ROAD: A preset mode with progressive front-suspension characteristics, with damping force rising gradually between low and high stroke speed; rear-suspension characteristics with damping force that is between SOFT and MID.
• USER: A customize-able mode that allows fine damping adjustments front and rear, along with 24 points of rear-spring preload, to meet rider preference.

The first four suspension modes are linked to the various riding modes, whereas USER riding mode allows custom adjustment of the USER suspension mode.

Front and rear suspension on the standard version of the Africa Twin are also fully adjustable including preload, compression damping and rebound damping, with tuning changes accomplished via traditional dials and knobs.

Regarding suspension hardware, both Africa Twin versions feature a 45mm cartridge-type inverted Showa fork with a most-in-class 9.1 inches of travel, and settings deliver on-road comfort and off-road performance. The top triple clamp is cast aluminum, while the bottom is forged.

The Pro-Link® rear-suspension system offers 8.7 inches of travel, and the shock is centered. A spherical, solid pillow ball mount is used at the top of the shock to minimize deflection and help achieve a precise feel in varying conditions. The aluminum swingarm, based on that of the CRF450R motocrosser, is extremely rigid despite being quite light. The Africa Twin has 9.8 inches of ground clearance, enhancing off-road performance.

Brakes

The Africa Twin has ABS, and advanced technologies enhance braking performance and rider confidence in varying conditions. Separate modes for on-road and off-road work together with the riding modes, allowing application-specific braking performance.

In addition, the system can adapt during trail braking: When the IMU detects a lean angle (indicating that a cornering maneuver is being executed), and the wheel sensors detect deceleration (indicating that the rider is braking), the system closely monitors both wheels’ slip rates and makes necessary adjustments in braking pressure. During sudden braking, ABS reads IMU information to detect rear-wheel lift and precisely controls braking pressure to suppress that trend for improved control and confidence.

Note that ABS is an auxiliary system to assist the rider for braking operations. As is the case with standard braking systems, ABS requires adequate deceleration before corners, for example.

The Africa Twin’s rear ABS can be switched off when the rider prefers separate front and rear braking performance, for example in order to brake-slide the rear wheel for off-road cornering.

As for braking hardware, compact two-piece, radial-mount, four-piston calipers work dual 310 mm petal-style floating rotors through sintered pads and serve up consistent stopping power and feel on-road or off. The rear rotor has a diameter of 256 mm and also features a petal design.

ACCESSORIES

A full range of genuine Honda accessories is available for both versions of the Africa Twin, including aluminum luggage, higher and lower seats, a DCT foot-shift pedal, a center stand, a tank bag and more.

2022 Honda Africa Twin Adventure Sports ES – Totalmotorcycle.com USA Specifications/Technical Details
US MSRP Price: from $17299 USD
Canada MSRP Price: $20799 CDN
Europe/UK MSRP Price: £  NA GBP (On The Road inc 20% Vat)

2022 Honda Africa Twin Adventure Sports ES – Totalmotorcycle.com Canada Specifications/Technical Details

Engine & Drivetrain

Engine Type

Liquid-cooled parallel twin with 270° phased crankshaft

Displacement

1,084 cc

Bore & Stroke

92 mm x 81.5 mm

Compression Ratio

10.1:1

Valve Train

SOHC, Unicam, four valves per cylinder

Fuel Delivery

PGM-FI electronic fuel injection with 46 mm throttle bodies

Transmission

Standard model: Six-speed manual
DCT model: Six-speed Dual Clutch Transmission with four automatic shift modes and a manual mode

Final Drive

#525 O-ring-sealed chain (16/42T)

Chasis & Suspension

Front Suspension

Showa Telescopic inverted fork with an inner tube diameter of 45 mm, and Showa EERA™ with compression and rebound damping adjustments, 230 mm (9.1 in.) travel

Rear Suspension

Monoblock aluminum swing arm with Pro-Link® with Showa gas-charged damper, hydraulic remote control preload adjuster and electric control unit with compression and rebound damping adjustments, 220 mm (8.7 in.) rear wheel travel

Dimensions & Additional Information

Tires

Front: 90/90-R21 tubeless type
Rear: 150/70-R18 tubeless type

Brakes

Front: 310 mm dual wave floating discs with aluminum hub and radial mount four-piston calipers and sintered metal pads
Rear: 256 mm wave disc with single-piston caliper and sintered metal pads. Lever-Lock Type Parking Brake System on DCT model with additional slide type single-piston caliper

ABS

2 channel with IMU. Selectable ABS MODE with on-road and off-road setting. Rear ABS on/off switch

Ground Clearance

250 mm (9.8 in.)

Seat Height

850 mm (33.5 in.) / 870 mm (34.3 in.)

Wheelbase

1,575 mm (62 in.)

Curb Weight

Standard model: 240 kg (529.1 lb.)
DCT model: 250 kg (551.2 lb.)
including required fluids and full tank of gas—ready to ride

Fuel Capacity

24.8 litres

Colour

Standard model: Darkness Black Metallic
DCT model: Tricolour

Warranty

12 months, unlimited mileage, freely transferable warranty; extended coverage available with Honda Plus

2022 Honda Africa Twin Adventure Sports ES – Totalmotorcycle.com European Specifications/Technical Details

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Manufacturer Specifications and appearance are subject to change without prior notice on Total Motorcycle (TMW).