HONDA CRF1100L AFRICA TWIN (2020 - on) Review

Version: L

Year: 2020

Overall I cannot point at anything that I can really say is a large negative about my bike!!

Buying experience: I purchased this from a dealership in Kent, the experience was fantastic, again! Unfortunately the franchise has changed hands and I’m trying to be positive and ‘Change is good’ from my time in management!!! I’m going to try very hard to accept the change and communicate with the new franchise managers!! I really hope that the plans become reality and everybody gains from what could go either way!? I hope they continue with what I believe was great, customer facing, knowledgeable, helpful, welcoming etc.!!!??

Year: 2020

I have been looking for a bike that could do a lot of things I want to do, on a bike, without being average or worse for everything!! This, of course must be relevant on the cost!?!?! I have, mainly rode 4 straight cylinder, large capacity (1000 cc plus) motorbikes. Therefore was reticent to go to a twin! But, a a big but as well, after a small amount of time, I realised that the engine, frame and engine management system of the Africa Twin CRF1100 was more than the sum of its parts!! It seems to do most things really well, some things well and nothing other than! You can say it can’t do what a mid/large sports bike can do anywhere near? Although I’m 58 and it goes as quick and is not slower than I want it to be off the mark!? I’m sure I can actually get it around most corners as quick if not quicker than most corners (other than the small, narrow country lanes which seem to get hard work to punch/move a large bike around? Comfortable mile eater with a great engine that’s not £20k plus to buy and looks great!?!?

Buying experience: No comment

Year: 2020

I’m really struggling to think of bad things to bring up? No.1 - Screen is not great, came with a really small screen and have replaced this with a taller (what I call my ‘winter screen’). Not adjustable and I still have not got the exact one, or two - summer/winter!? No. 2 - Tyres with tubes! I’m just not sure!!

Buying experience: I purchased new from an excellent dealership in the SE! It was more than £7,000 less than a BMW GS1250 and I have always driven a BMW car!!

Version: Base model

Year: 2020

Annual servicing cost: £100

DCT is touchy especially in city driving. Drive by wire throttle control has no slack so you may launch yourself unexpectedly, there are accounts of this actually happening. Seat is painful for touring. Apple CarPlay will connect once each time it's set up, but that doesn't matter, using a QuadLock induction charging mount the map / music app won't turn off while it's getting power and you don't have to choose between your tach/fuel and map displays. At 12k miles I've had no problems just regular service like oil and tires. Stay out of "D", use S2 or 3. Manual shifting works wonderfully.

Buying experience: Bought from a dealer. $17,000 after taxes and fees. Salespeople had no idea how anything on the bike worked so them walking me through the features was equal parts funny and awkward.

Version: CFR1100L Icelandic Edition

Year: 2021

I’m not a seasoned rider, I’m fairly new to riding, I’ve come from a VStrom 650XT to this. It’s a bigger bike, more cumbersome to move around the drive and garage but once on the bike, it rides so nicely, it’s economical and has the power and torque on tap.. Apple CarPlay is excellent too once all up and running.

Buying experience: I bought from a local Edinburgh dealer after just wanting a demo, to falling for it and trading my VStrom and Katana for it. It’s a cracker and love going out on it.

Version: Adventure Sport DCT ES

Year: 2020

Annual servicing cost: £200

Great bike but seems to be cursed with all sorts of technical faults

Buying experience: The dealership & Honda don't want to know about electrical issues or problems as they cannot always replicate or seem to worry. Happy to supply video of malfunction whilst operating. Honda didn't see it as a problem!

Version: Africa Twin adventure sports

Year: 2020

Screen could be wider and adjust with one hand not a deal breaker though. I’ve had a lot of bmw all of which had problems. Honda zilch as you would expect. Comfort tech and long distance hard to beat and the best looking adventure bike on the road .

Buying experience: Dealer got a great deal.

Version: DCT version

Year: 2020

I have always liked a upright riding position, had numerous bikes then bought a new 2016 versys 1000 After 2 trips to Spain in 2 years, I fancied something different, so I traded in for a 2016 kawasaki GTR1400. Again it went abroad twice, then covid hit last year & cancelled the trips. This year wasn't sure if I could go again ? As GTR is a big touring bike, I found it heavy for using to work & Sunday trips out. I started using brothers Honda CrossTourer 1200. It was light agile compared to GTR so I decided time for a change. I had always fancied a go on a DCT bike. The dealer had a demo 6 months old, Honda Africa Twin CRF1100L. I had hour test ride & when came back, I arranged there & then to trade GTR in for it.

Buying experience: Bought from dealer. Said I'd never buy a demo, as there thrashed & ridden like there stolen. But got great deal on trade in & wrangled a discount off listed price. 👍🏻

Version: DCT Adventure

Year: 2021

Spectacular in all respects, the DCT is brilliant, with the manual flappy paddle option when off road gives you all the control, I have lower leg/ankle problems with conventional gear change, so this is a boon! Build quailty, is all Honda superbly finished, and durable. I live in portugal and spend much of my time on unmetaled roads, so the ease of swapping from road to gravel, to off road is a dream. On tarmac is nimble and you can really push on or coversly engage cruise control and sit back and watch the world go by.. All day comfy. Seems to sip fuel. And it sounds superb with the stock exhaust, I opted for the full honda protection pack, it's, robust, and does the job, the switch gear and electronic wizardry are brilliant, the traction control etc. Just does it's job, and isn't noticeably intrusive. The ride is sublime, fast becoming my favourite of the many bikes I've owned..

Buying experience: Purchased from Honda dealership in Portemão, Angel Honda, great people and sourced 2021 bike for me even with all the current Pandemic restrictions..

Version: L

Year: 2020

Annual servicing cost: £120

Superbly balanced , feels quicker than the numbers suggest, everyone likes an underdog in that respect, you really need to ride it not just be a passenger so it’s really rewarding in that respect , mine is the manual with a quick shifter and it is not the smoothest but works ok, the bike sounds really good with the stock exhaust , it feels really premium and so far no rust anywhere (unlike my other well known German equivalent I had..) I have acf’d it. The steering lock is amazing, the bike does 230 miles to a tank, the lights are great, the gearbox smooth , neutral is easy to find, the technology is amazing , apple don’t believe the hype over the “overcomplicated switchgear” once you are used to it it’s amazing connectivity is amazing , apple maps , google maps, Waze , Spotify , bbc sounds it’s all there , phone, message I can’t speak highly enough it has been faultless , simply pair your headset plug in your phone job done ... heated grips are thermonuclear... in my opinion apple CarPlay is the cherry on the top it is simply sublime , once you switch your intercom on (you need this to be able to work Siri) the rest is all done via the switchgear , so you can use Waze to navigate, change song, and a just the volume all at once .. no menus no fuss all separate buttons, same with making a call , you can leave in a hurry speak to Siri ask it to message the wife “leaving now be about 15 mins” job done message sent .. it opens up a whole world whilst riding.. if and hopefully when android allow Honda to apply their version of CarPlay it may come with an update?? It will be even better as I think google assistant is way better than Siri. One thing worth mentioning .. yes the screen is touchscreen but it only works when stationary (for safety reasons). With the technology catering for so many options by the means of what application you use to navigate for example it must appeal to so many out there ... no more syncing this ,Pairing that , this does not talk to that , it’s just so frustrating.. the phone needs to be connected to the bike by cable and I zip mine in a handlebar bag. The bike handles all communication not the phone to the intercom.

Buying experience: I bought mine from doble , usual amazing service , polite efficient and keen to do business with healthy part exchange values no other main dealer like it if you ask me

Version: Adventure

Year: 2020

Annual servicing cost: £120

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