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1989 Honda Africa Twin Has Spent the Past 30 Years in a Museum, Was Never Ridden

My obsession with motorcycles probably started around the time I was six years old, which was around 1995, as I had just gotten a Christmas gift of Batman riding his black bike. My enthusiasm for bikes would later be fueled by movies such as "Torque" and "Biker Boyz," and I spent my childhood dreaming of the day I would be out riding a sports bike with my childhood friends.
1989 Honda Africa Twin Was Never Ridden 8 photos
Photo: Bring a Trailer
1989 Honda Africa Twin Was Never Riddwn1989 Honda Africa Twin Was Never Riddwn1989 Honda Africa Twin Was Never Riddwn1989 Honda Africa Twin Was Never Riddwn1989 Honda Africa Twin Was Never Riddwn1989 Honda Africa Twin Was Never Riddwn1989 Honda Africa Twin Was Never Riddwn
Some 20 years later, I've had the chance of riding a few race bikes, albeit while keeping the revs way under 10,000 rpm, and I've also been on a few long trips on my Suzuki SV650s. And while sports bikes are still deeply rooted in my mind, I'm at an age where an adventure bike makes so much more sense.

If you're a motorcycle enthusiast, you might also be fond of the series that Ewan McGregor and Charlie Bowman have been a part of over the past two decades, including "The Long Way Up," "The Long Way Down," and "The Long Way Round". Every time I even think of those shows, I just want to quit everything I'm doing right now, hop on a bike, and tour around the world.

Most experienced riders will probably tell you that the Honda Africa Twin is the right bike to go on such a wild journey. One of my close friends, who is still racing bikes even though he's 55 years old, has been on a 10,000+ miles (16,093 km) trip on an Africa Twin a few years ago, as he rode to Thailand from Eastern Europe!

1989 Honda Africa Twin Was Never Riddwn
Photo: Bring a Trailer
And this is where the dilemma kicks in. This 1989 Honda XRV650 Africa Twin RD03 only shows less than 2 miles (3 km) on its odometer, as it has spent the better part of its life tucked away in a museum in Japan, in someone's private collection. Those miles were accumulated from pushing the bike to its next showcase spot, all in a climate-controlled environment.

And the dilemma is trying to decide whether someone should buy this and continue to preserve it for future generations to witness the greatness of late '80s Japanese technology, or buy it and go for a quick tour around the globe on it, as that was its original purpose. It might not be as capable as a 2021 model, but that's just the point. Being able to ride something like this will instantly transport you back in time.

The bike was imported in the United States through a Washington State dealer back in 2019 and was showcased in a small facility in Marietta, Georgia. There are no signs of old age on this bike, and they even hand-turned the engine to make sure it spins freely.

Anyone who doesn't know his Africa Twins very well might mistake this for a brand new model. With that in mind, it's no wonder that the highest bid now stands at $15,500, with six more days to go until the auction is over. That is just slightly more expensive than a 2021 Africa Twin.
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About the author: Dragos Chitulescu
Dragos Chitulescu profile photo

The things Dragos enjoys the most in life are, in no particular order: cars, motorcycles, diecast cars, and drifting. He's seen (and driven) many vehicles since he started his writing career back in 2009, but his garage currently houses a 1991 Mazda RX-7 FC3S Turbo II and a 1999 Suzuki SV650-S.
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