Africa Twin test ride

Yes ... I buy most of that. Certainly the experiences you share and the adventures you take on a bike will help make that bond. :thumb2

Take Bilco's bike, normally I'd say a 1200GS has no soul but I bet he disagrees :beerjug:

Just had a call from the dealer, I'm going to try one Tuesday weather permitting :blast
 
I thought I would give you my view following my test ride on Thursday. For those of you who know a little about me my current bike is a 2002 GS 1150 adventure with 132,000 Miles on the clock. Although the bike has been very reliable over that time a servo failure in 2009 set me back a fair few pounds and a fuel pump failure left me stranded in France in 2010. I've been looking for a new bike for sometime and having tested the triumph 1200 Explorer and A Yamaha super 10 I took out the Africa Twin in a surprisingly good spell of weather yesterday.

The bike I had was a red non-DCT Version with 43 miles on the clock yesterday was cold but dry so I took it easy on the new Dunlops. Ergonomically the bike suits me well I'm 5 foot 11 with a 31 inch inside leg and found that with the standard Seat both feet were flat on the floor and standing on the pegs on the little lane do the dealer was comfortable. I had a taller screen and that helped eliminate any buffeting and my Arai X4 did not catch the wind at all.

Acceleration was brisk although at times I did find myself try to change up from sixth gear, I did notice some clatter from the rear suspension like some other riders but that was a setup issue not a design issue. The bike seemed perfectly balanced to me and moving around at slow speed balancing the rear brake and throttle was a joy. Despite yesterday's very low sun the dash was readable at all times and personally I found it easy to navigate through the rider modes and when I did turn off the rear abs the slide I managed to induce was predictable and controllable.

The engine was willing and to be honest the exhaust note it was excellent it's sort of sounds like a V Twin but the power and acceleration suit the frame and tire combination. I liked the way the additional riding lights stay illuminated and the standard sump guard and radiator guards seem adequate but I will be looking for some enhanced radiator protection when my bike arrives.

So ignoring hype, the Honda marketing strategy and any preconceptions at the end of the a few hours on the bike yesterday I went back to my dealer paid a further £5000 on top of the deposit I have already paid and are now just waiting for a delivery date. I did take out the option of extending the warranty for a further three years but seeing as that came with EU breakdown cover I can dispense with my AA Cover so it was cost neutral.
 

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I forgot to post the vid of my test ride today :


<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/j3GqtAwVlV8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
 
Ok, the top box is practical, but it's really ugly and takes away from an otherwise great looking bike. Over here in the colonies we won't see an AT until June and as for a real delivery date late summer.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
I ordered the Tri colour with DCT a few weeks ago after seeing it at the Bike Show, good to read about you guys who've ridden one though, thanks.

Pleased to hear Honda have some larger footpegs in the pipeline, I'll have a word with my dealer, I did order the centre stand and heated grips, I have heard the heated grips take hours to fit ( could be very costly)

When should you get yours Arsey, looking forward to what you have to say, :)

Read in one publication it has tubeless tyres, which it hasn't , how do they get things like that so wrong
 
I ordered the Tri colour with DCT a few weeks ago after seeing it at the Bike Show, good to read about you guys who've ridden one though, thanks.

Pleased to hear Honda have some larger footpegs in the pipeline, I'll have a word with my dealer, I did order the centre stand and heated grips, I have heard the heated grips take hours to fit ( could be very costly)

When should you get yours Arsey, looking forward to what you have to say, :)

Read in one publication it has tubeless tyres, which it hasn't , how do they get things like that so wrong

Supposedly early Feb but I hear orders are coming forward so possibly sooner.
Good choice on bike !!! Tricolor and DCT is the way to go !!!
 
TaDaaaaaaa !!!!!!
 

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I also took out the demo bike this morning, this miserable, wet, dank morning.

Demo bike is DCT and fully loaded with every Honda extra. And I'm happy to say I'm very very happy with how it performs. There was only 11 miles on it and I was the first customer to ride it, so the red stripes were still on the tyres and obviously everything is tight and needs bedding in. However, this is a cracking bike. I've ridden about 500 miles on a CrossTourer DCT and the Gen3 setup on the AT is even better. I do doubt sometimes have I made the right choice not spending the extra on the DCT equipped bike, it's just sooooo easy to ride.

The bike is really comfortable and despite the horrible wet roads, I had loads of confidence in swinging her through the bends on the coastal route I rode on, kudos to the Dunlops. Brakes are terrific, the engine is so smooth and as for the much discussed (lack off) power.......nothing to worry about at all. In fact, it reminds me of how well my 12GS rode..powering from corner to corner and just sweeping left to right with so much ease with a solid dollop of torque to use.

The only minus point was the touring screen which generated a slight buzz on the peak of my Shoei Hornet Adv lid. I didn't go back to have the short (oe) screen fitted, but presume by my lifting myself up and down off the seat, the oe screen will be fine. The actual aerodynamics are very good and I found that I was sat in a very still area of calm behind the fairing/screen. I'd say that this will be a lot less tiring to ride compared to my 1190.

So all in all, I'm delighted with my decision to jump in with both feet.
This bike is exactly what I need right now. :thumb2
 

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I also took out the demo bike this morning, this miserable, wet, dank morning.

Demo bike is DCT and fully loaded with every Honda extra. And I'm happy to say I'm very very happy with how it performs. There was only 11 miles on it and I was the first customer to ride it, so the red stripes were still on the tyres and obviously everything is tight and needs bedding in. However, this is a cracking bike. I've ridden about 500 miles on a CrossTourer DCT and the Gen3 setup on the AT is even better. I do doubt sometimes have I made the right choice and not spending the extra on the DCT equipped bike, it's just sooooo easy to ride.

The bike is really comfortable and despite the horrible wet roads, I had loads of confidence in swinging her through the bends on the coastal route I rode on, kudos to the Dunlops. Brakes are terrific, the engine is so smooth and as for the much discussed (lack off) power.......nothing to worry about at all. In fact, it reminds me of how well my 12GS rode..powering from corner to corner and just sweeping left to right with so much ease with a solid dollop of torque to use.

The only minus point was the touring screen which generated a slight buzz on the peak of my Shoei Hornet Adv lid. I didn't go back to have the short (oe) screen fitted, but presume by my lifting myself up and down off the seat, the oe screen will be fine. The actual aerodynamics are very good and I found that I was sat in a very still area of calm behind the fairing/scree. I'd say that this will be a lot less tiring to ride compared to my 1190.

So all in all, I'm delighted with my decision to jump in with both feet.
This bike is exactly what I need right now. :thumb2

Shouldn't you tie the dog down to the rear rack ?

DCT is the way forward !!!!

 
Serious ?? I know I normally take the P but in this case I'm not...

The DCT option, does it not have a Gear and Clutch Lever? I notice from the blurb that manual changes are down through flappy paddle buttons on the RH Switch??

So, DCT is in fact "twist and go"??/
 
Serious ?? I know I normally take the P but in this case I'm not...

The DCT option, does it not have a Gear and Clutch Lever? I notice from the blurb that manual changes are down through flappy paddle buttons on the RH Switch??

So, DCT is in fact "twist and go"??/

Pretty much,yes !!

In place of the clutch it has a parking brake lever.
The DCT is basically twist and go with a sport mode to hang on to gears longer.It also have + and - buttons on the left bar for manual changes and you can specify an optional traditional gear lever as an option but I've not bothered with the latter as the button shift works very well apparently.
 
Pretty much,yes !!

In place of the clutch it has a parking brake lever.
.

After 36 years of riding I could see me pulling that parking lever in a down change on the approach to a bend!!! - Hopefully Honda have worked out how to disengage it whist moving :)

Is the DCT version much more?
 


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