SuperBike Magazine September 2020

74 SuperBike
Pic by Kerry Hughes
LONGTERM RIDE REPORT
THE LIMOUSINE OF THE
ADVENTURE BIKING
WORLD
If you want to do a lot of pillion adventure bike riding, look no
further, this is the most comfortable and smoothest adventure
bike out there, bar none!
Honda SA have very kindly
swopped my base 1100 for
the CRF1100L DCT Adventure
Sport model now with
Electronic Suspension.
At first from a distance at a quick
first glance it does not look that different
to the outgoing 1000 cc model,
rember I rode one for six months, but
look a little closer and every damn
thing has changed. Hop on the bike
and it’s a completely different model.
The dash, the tank, the screen, the
clocks, everything is different and it
gives more space, hell I love advancements,
the old one was not bad
but now seems completely out dated.
Embarrassingly , I’ve only done
120kms on this bike, I actually rode
it today for the first time so I cannot
report on it properly. But these are a
few stand out points for me right now.
Africa Twin was introduced to
us in 2016, remember I went on the
1st Quest event in 2017. Since then
Honda updated the Africa Twin in
2018, offering the more-ADV ready
CRF1000L2 Adventure Sports models
alongside the base models. The bikes
returned in 2019 as a carryover with
new color schemes, but there are
many changes for 2020.
Meet the Honda CRF1100L Africa
Twin. As the name says, the engine
grows to 1100cc. Honda has also
updated the electronics, and once
again offers the Adventure Sports ES
version which this one is now.
These are my 8 stand out features:
The water-cooled, overhead-cam,
parallel-twin engine receives an 86cc
displacement increase, growing from
998cc to 1084cc.
The 2020 Honda CRF1100L Africa
Twin’s frame is updated for optimized
for handling.
Due to the use of a six-axis IMU,
the new CRF1100L Africa Twin has
more advanced electronic aids.
Functions include wheelie control,
cornering ABS, rear-lift control, DCT
cornering detection, and cornering
lights.
The new Adventure Sports ES
model now features electronic rideheight
suspension. The Adventure
Sports ES model is also updated
with tubeless wheels, heated grips,
accessory socket, larger skid plate,
aluminum rear rack, and a larger 25
litre ank over the base model’s 19 lite
tank.
The seat also got lower—from
871mm to 848mm.
The 2020 versions have a new 6.5-
inch TFT color touchscreen display
that is compatible with Apple Car-
Play.
Wheel sizes are still dirt-oriented.
The 2020 Africa Twin has a
21-inch front and 18-inch rear, both
wire-spoked wheels. The Adventure
Sports ES uses tubeless tires.
Cruise control is now standard on
all Africa Twin versions.
I’m so looking ford to taking my
wife for a ride, bet you she will be impressed
on how smooth I can change
gears with the DCT.