RUST magazine: RUST#37

2018 Honda CRF1000L/L2
I love the addition of the Adventure
Sports model, it is probably the most
handsome adventure bike on the
market today, it is one serious glamour
puss. I like, too, that Honda have taken
their own interpretation on adventure.
They’ve stuck with the near-100
horsepower and 1000cc parameters.
And we don’t need more power if we’re
honest. This bike answers to those who
like dirt capability above the big tour
option.
But do Honda have a market leader
in the Africa Twin? On sales that’s
looking very close to being the case,
only BMW’s imperious GS stands
above it. But I can’t help the feeling
there’s a ways to go yet, Honda still
needs to come up to speed on a few
things before we can call them outright
champs.
Particularly there’s still a little work
to do on the electronics – the base
package (the motorcycle) is gold, it’s
the add-ons that for me are letting the
side down. Having recently stepped
off Triumph’s Tiger 800XCa I’ve got
experience of a well-optimised set
of rider aids. In many ways I prefer
the Africa Twin’s gutsy twin-cylinder
motor, but it needs (deserves!) the
smoothing and assured direction of the
Tiger’s tech pack. This, I don’t doubt,
will come.
In the meantime would I advise
buying? Yes I would, absolutely, both
variants are still great bikes that really
engage the rider and while being
strong off-road propositions are super
comfortable on-road too – real allrounders.
I’d be strung between two posts on
which model to buy, though. I’m a
manual gearbox man for sure, but
standard or Adventure Sports? I love
the dynamic of the former and the
dash and sheer presence of the latter.
Aww, decisions, decisions…
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