Honda CRF 1000L Africa Twin / DCT 

Dream it. Do it. Ride it…

For some people, a globe or a map isn’t some route-finding device. It’s a menu. Of all the places they can go, the things to see, the adventures to savor. But unless you plan on walking, you need a way to get there. And that’s why we build the Africa Twin®. The perfect travelling companion for the explorer in you, whether it’s a weekend, a month, or a lifetime. Where will it take you? Let’s look at that map.

Developed following a philosophy of True Adventure, the CRF1000L Africa Twin draws on Honda’s Dakar Rally heritage and shares the DNA of its popular namesake, the seminal XRV750 Africa Twin. Prepared for anything from pavement running to full-scale off-road use, the CRF1000L Africa Twin is equipped with a tough aluminum skid plate, long-travel suspension and a potent engine.

Scale the landscape

Mountain, desert, rock, sand – and everything in between. Conquer it all at the throttle of the Africa Twin.

The original Africa Twin was designed to withstand thousands of miles of desert and dirt. Now it’s back to reclaim the Adventure category it defined back in 1988.

Parallel-Twin Engine Layout

The Africa Twin’s parallel-twin engine layout makes the bike shorter front-to-back. That means the front wheel can tuck in closer to the engine, shortening wheelbase and making the bike more nimble off road and on pavement.

Adjustable Seat

The Africa Twin offers an adjustable rider’s seat. This makes reaching the ground easier, and also lets you fine-tune your riding position in respect to the footpeg and handlebar placement.

Long Travel Suspension

The Africa Twin doesn’t just look like an adventure bike – it’s the real deal. Exhibit A: Check out its long-travel suspension. The fork features huge 45mm tubes and 9.0 inches of travel, while the single-shock rear suspension is also fully adjustable, with 8.7 inches of travel and a convenient remote preload adjustment.

Transmission Choice

You pick: The Africa Twin is available with either our standard six-speed manual gearbox, or Honda’s exclusive automatic six-speed Dual-Clutch Transmission (DCT). Both are excellent choices, and both feature stout, strong steel gears inside—the only difference is who does the shifting.

Perfect partners

Go further, faster and harder with Genuine Honda Accessories – built to fit your motorcycle perfectly.

Recommended

A top box for storage, LED fog lamps, or a tough new high screen? Our range of accessories is just as tough as the Africa Twin, and enhances your ride just the way you want.

Built to explore

The Paris-Dakar Rally: 8,500 punishing kilometres of dunes, mud, camel grass and rock. The Africa Twin conquered it all.

In 1981, Honda took its very first steps into the Paris-Dakar Rally – the toughest off-road motorcycle race in the world. Just five years later, the Africa Twin dominated the event with a 1-2-3 finish – then won the next, and the next, and the next.

Powerful Performance

The CRF1000L Africa Twin’s 1,000 cc parallel-twin fuel-injected engine draws heavily from Honda’s winning off-road racing bikes, including the CRF250R and CRF450R.

Engineered to perfection

Four-valve Unicam cylinder head design has numerous performance benefits – including lighter weight and reduced gyro effect – while also contributing to the engine’s compact dimensions. A lightweight camshaft – using the same materials as the CBR1000RR’s camshaft – operates the valve train.

Dual spark

Twin sparkplugs in each cylinder help to produce rapid, thorough combustion.

Distinctive sound and feel

A 270-degree phased crankshaft gives the engine a distinctive sound and feel – almost like a V-twin – while helping to produce strong and linear power and instant response anywhere in the rev range. There’s a deep growl as the RPM rises that will be music to any motorhead’s ears.

Clever design integration

The dry-sump oil system with internal tank reduces engine height. Combined with the Unicam cylinder head and other design elements, this contributes to an extremely low engine height, which in turn results in generous ground clearance.

Lightweight architecture

The water pump is housed within the clutch casing, and the water and oil pumps are driven by a shared balancer shaft, all of which reduces engine size and weight.

Maximized airflow

Forward-mounted air intakes feed a large airbox. Dual air filters can be changed without removing fuel tank, and the system is designed to minimize the risk of dirt or other debris entering the engine when servicing the filters.

Dynamically responsive

The six-speed manual gearbox is both lightweight and robust – it uses the same shift-cam design as found on the CRF250R and CRF450R to ensure positive changes. An assist slipper clutch helps to maintain traction during downshifts or deceleration.

Innovative functionality

The Africa Twin is also available with Honda’s advanced Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT). It features the standard manual mode – allowing the rider to shift gears with triggers on the left handlebar – and two automatic modes. D mode offers the best balance of fuel economy and cruising comfort, while S mode cranks up the performance. S mode even allows you to choose from three different shift patterns to match your riding style or the conditions.

Exceptional versatility

The Africa Twin’s DCT is specially engineered to handle off-road adventures, thanks in part to the G switch positioned on the right side of the instrument panel. Pushing the G switch in any riding mode provides an aggressive shift pattern that’s ideal for breaking the rear wheel loose in a sweeping dirt or gravel corner, or lofting the front wheel over an obstacle.

Breakthrough technology

Another benefit of the Africa Twin’s DCT is incline detection. Algorithms based on vehicle speed, engine speed, throttle input, and more, determine if the bike is ascending or descending a slope, and the system’s ECU selects the appropriate gear for climbing or engine braking.

Torque control

The Africa Twin even allows you to select from various levels of traction control. The Honda Selectable Torque Control (HSTC) system adjusts the allowable rear-wheel slip through 3 levels (or off).

Perfected dual-purpose design

The Africa Twin’s chassis is engineered to handle the most rugged off-road adventures, while also providing the comfort of a touring motorcycle and the everyday competence of a great all-rounder or day-to-day commuter.

Strength and agility

The semi-double-cradle steel frame uses oval-shaped tubing for extra strength without extra weight.

Balanced handling characteristics

Careful attention to mass centralization – with heavy items like the battery packaged at the rear of the cylinder head – contributes to agile handling.

Nimble handling and tight control

The chassis design allows for superior manoeuvrability, with a wide 43-degree steering angle and a tight 2.5-metre turning radius.

Superior suspension dynamics

The long-travel Showa 45 mm inverted fork offers full spring preload, compression damping and rebound damping adjustment, and was designed specifically for a leading-axle wheel and radial-caliper mounting.

Engineered functionality

The Africa Twin’s Pro-link rear suspension design positions the shock lower at the front of the aluminum swingarm, lowering C of G even further and allowing designers to keep the seat/tank area above the shock as slim as possible.

Selectable suspension

The Showa rear shock’s hydraulic dial-style preload adjuster, combined with full adjustment for compression and rebound damping, makes it easy to change suspension performance to suit street or dirt riding.

Adventure ready

Like the CRF450R Rally, the Africa Twin uses 21-inch front and 18-inch rear spoked wheels, wearing 90/90-21 and 150/70-18 tires.

Superb braking system

Dual front radial-mounted Nissin four-piston brake calipers and 310 mm wave-style floating rotors provide strong braking force on pavement or dirt.

Proven Performance

Standard ABS provides confident braking control on all types of surfaces. The Africa Twin’s Adaptive Rear ABS Cancelling allows you to disable the rear-wheel ABS – a benefit in certain types of off-road riding. The system reverts to normal operation when the engine is restarted.

Durable construction

Following its design theme of “unlimited adventure”, the Africa Twin is styled with a minimum of bodywork in a tough, lightweight form that offers both weather protection for the rider and a slim, agile feel.

Distinct styling cues

Dual LED headlights give the Africa Twin an imposing presence while providing excellent nighttime illumination.

Ergonomic seating adjustment

A wide seat at the rear tapers to narrow at the front, which provides extra comfort when sitting plus an easy transition to standing when off-road. The seat can be raised or lowered through a range of 20 mm.

Excellent range capacity

A large 18.8-litre fuel tank, coupled with the engine’s excellent fuel efficiency, provides a range of up to 400 km.

Enhanced comfort and stability

Off-road-style tapered aluminum handlebar is strong yet lightweight, and is rubber mounted for reduced vibration.

True adventure design

An aluminum skid plate helps protect against damage from stones, rocks and other obstacles.

Advanced instrumentation

White-on-black LCD instrument panel is mounted high for easy legibility, even when standing.