Even though some were maybe expecting Honda to show a commercial or teaser for the Africa Twin, the first video arriving from the Big Red is even better. Instead of carefully directed scenes full of the usual marketing BS, Honda preferred to make a video with the guys who actually engineered and built the bike.
That is, this video is also full of interesting tech-talk, with the people who know more about every nut and bolt in this bike than we'll ever get to learn. Some older riders will maybe be disappointed in HRC talking so much about the DCT, but it looks like this is the future for the Honda bikes.
Is DCT the future solution for all Honda bikes?
Speaking about the Dual Clutch Transmission, the all-new Africa Twin debuts the first DCT focused on off-road riding, and this is a huge step in the motorcycle industry. We still wait to see the full offer for the Africa Twin, as many hope that the DCT will be an optional feature.
Despite the reluctance some riders openly show for the off-road DCT, we are positive that this technology will receive a warm welcome. A discussion whether DCT actually makes for better or less skilled riders is obviously, the next thing in line, but now it's not the right time for it.
What matters the most is that the new Africa Twin seems to be a game-changer in the adventure segment. More comparable to bikes such as the older KTM 990 Adventure, the old generation of Yamaha Super Tenere than to the current KTM or BMW line-up, the Africa Twin could become a bestselling bike if Honda settles for a good price.
Nothing but speculations in this direction, with guesstimations ranging from a very cool €10,000-ish ($11,000) price tag to a not-cool €15K+ ($16,400) one. If anything, we can only hope that Honda will slot the new Africa Twin under the 13,000 Euro ($14,200) bar most big-bore adventure machines sell for these days.
If the new Africa Twin is anything like the hype around it says it is and if it retains the affordable character of the V-powered Africana, then the rivals will have a HUGE competitor. Enjoy this cool video!
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