Who has purchased a new Africa Twin?

[idlewillo]

BobSaunders said:

Are people actually planning on 'offroading' this more than just a gravel track or dust road, and an inch of water?

not me, but the bike is capable!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4q7KXMTmws&t=...

Mitas E09 tyres have arrived which hopefully i'll get fitted soon, its only the standard tyres that's kept me from going really off road!

[Prof Prolapse]

BobSaunders said:

Are people actually planning on 'offroading' this more than just a gravel track or dust road, and an inch of water?

The whole setup with automatic gearing just makes me think this is nothing more than a commuting bike, or the answer to a upright tourer, for munching the miles and carrying a load of kit.. best used for the likes of a tour to the Alps or the NW500 when it rains.

I was surprised that cruise control was not added.

New deal at Lings Honda - OTR £11,679.00, deposit £3,870.89, credit £7,808.11, 36 monthly payments £39.27, 0%, purchase fee £6,394.39.

http://www.lingshondabikes.co.uk/new-bikes/adventu...

I don't understand your point... The bike is an adventure bike not a crosser. It's been repeatedly demonstrated as capable off road for an adventure bike (yes, even with the auto) but the laws of physics still apply. If the phrase "off road" is used, it's entirely within context.

You've just described about 90% of adventure bike use... So yes, that is what it's for.

It's a cabled throttle (isn't it?) so no cruise. Some bits are quite simple, chain, and clearances can be adjusted with a couple of spanners and a feeler gauge. That has a certain appeal for some.

That deal is about £3,000 more expensive that what the collective paid.

[BobSaunders]

Prof Prolapse said:

BobSaunders said:

Are people actually planning on 'offroading' this more than just a gravel track or dust road, and an inch of water?

The whole setup with automatic gearing just makes me think this is nothing more than a commuting bike, or the answer to a upright tourer, for munching the miles and carrying a load of kit.. best used for the likes of a tour to the Alps or the NW500 when it rains.

I was surprised that cruise control was not added.

New deal at Lings Honda - OTR £11,679.00, deposit £3,870.89, credit £7,808.11, 36 monthly payments £39.27, 0%, purchase fee £6,394.39.

http://www.lingshondabikes.co.uk/new-bikes/adventu...

I don't understand your point... The bike is an adventure bike not a crosser. It's been repeatedly demonstrated as capable off road for an adventure bike (yes, even with the auto) but the laws of physics still apply. If the phrase "off road" is used, it's entirely within context.

You've just described about 90% of adventure bike use... So yes, that is what it's for.

It's a cabled throttle (isn't it?) so no cruise. Some bits are quite simple, chain, and clearances can be adjusted with a couple of spanners and a feeler gauge. That has a certain appeal for some.

That deal is about £3,000 more expensive that what the collective paid.

Regarding my point. It was not a point. It was a question.. "Are people actually planning on 'offroading' this more than just a gravel track or dust road, and an inch of water?" to further add to this.. e.g. anything more than an unpaved road?

The next sentence in the post was a statement based on my opinion and thoughts about the bike. And sought to support my question, and why i was asking it.

The deal was a new deal released from another retailer, based on the old deal and terms no longer existing. It was an FYI.

[hellsbuddha]

I have been quite enjoying this thread. One of the things I quite like doing on a bike, is just giving a little rev before down changing - obviously you cant do this on the dct - but does anyone who has a dct miss doing it, if you did it before?

Also how do you balance the bike on an uphill start?

thanks

[graeme4130]

rat840771 said:

riser and forkshield

Where did you get your fork shield from ?
I made my own around a year ago from a sheet of rubber, but it doesn't look anything like as neat as that

[Renn Sport]

supercommuter said:

BIST0 said:

Chicken Chaser said:

I think around half of those sales must have come from this thread alone! Good effort.

At least! OP should be on commission.

I wish, looks like about 25 bikes from the posts in here. Serious Honda bulk buy

Glad most of you managed to get one!

1. Supercommuter
2. Alex@POD
3. Rat840771
4. The_GZA
5. Pro Prolapse
6. Tedders
7. Renn Sport x 4 bikes
8. Rawwr x 2 bikes
9. idlwillo
10. jimmyslr
11. pazuzu
12. bladerrw
13. squirdan
14. andysc
15. tonker
16. swerni
17. 200m
18. andybow
19. gee68

1. Supercommuter
2. Alex@POD
3. Rat840771
4. The_GZA
5. Pro Prolapse
6. Tedders
7. Renn Sport x 4 bikes
8. Rawwr x 2 bikes
9. idlwillo
10. jimmyslr
11. pazuzu
12. bladerrw
13. squirdan
14. andysc
15. tonker
16. swerni
17. 200m
18. andybow
19. gee68
20. Renn Sport
21. Renn Sport's bro
22. Renn Sport's best mate
23. Renn Sport's other mate
24. Renn Sport's mates mate
25. Renn Sport's mates mates bro

[rat840771]

I got it from a AT forum on FB second hand for £40

I couldn't bring myself to spend £80 for a bit of plastic.

To honest it still looks pretty naff IMO compared to the Honda plastics it is bolted to

Here is the link to it on ebay

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Forkshield-updraft-defle...

[Gee68]

Picked up my bike today after a two hour train ride.
Got to Bury and noticed another bloke outside the train station with bike gear and sure enough we're both off to pick a up new bikes.
All good so we taxi share to the dealership.
Hand over was great,really good salesman,(Tim) can't fault the dealership.
African twins everywhere,I think he said they have shifted 115 in the month the offer had been on.

I'll start with the good points.
The bike looks great even if not in my preferred colours,I had the choice of Matt black,my own fault being late to the party.
The DCT which I was worried about seems to work seamlessly unless your in drive.
Unfortunately on first impressions that's where it ends.

I know I'm probably going to be slated for this but here goes,130 mile trip home mostly on motorway and A roads.
WTH were Honda thinking of with the screen.I know it's been mentioned already on here but I got home feeling like I had a good kicking,my heads pounding and ears ringing even with ear protectors in.If you bob your head down thirty mill all's good so I need to look into the fixes mentioned earlier in this thread.

Comfort of ride pee poor.Now this may be down to my dodgy back but myself and the chap I met earlier at the train station were travelling back together and he was shuffling about and standing up on the pegs so i don't think it was just me.

DCT in drive putting me into sixth at 30mph, no big deal so I changed to sport mode 2 and all good ,so trivial grumble I guess.

I was looking forward to doing a bit of touring on this bike but really not sure now.
I'm knackered,it's been a really long day with an early start and it's probably effecting my judgement, but I can't help feeling disappointed.

Tomorrow's a new day and I'll probably be back on tomorrow gushing about it after another ride.Fingers crossed.

Edited by Gee68 on Saturday 30th September 16:37

[Gee68]

I should of added that I realise that this is an adventure bike and not a tourer but I was expecting it to be a little bit more comfortable than my street triple.

On the plus side it did seem to handle the twisties on the last 5 miles home very well,no complaints.

[Andybow]

After having quite a few bikes with screens and having changed numerous screens on different bikes, I find going smaller the best option, so I'm gonna put on either the small touratech or givi screen, I've ordered the fork updraft thing from USA so looking forward to getting mine

[Speckled Jim]

Gee68 glad to see you made it back OK, thanks for paying for taxi.

Can only agree with your comments re getting comfortable and the buffeting. I have had bikes that take a while to get comfortable on so will hopefully find a sweet spot on it next couple of days. Also after stopping in Newark for some juice I stopped again nr Donny for a bottle of water and readjustment to my ear plugs which made a big difference. Cracked on in the rain all the way back to Boroughbridge, approximate 185 miles from Bury St Edmunds.

Love the bike, looks, tech, handling.... incredible value as well. Great service from Honda in BSE.

First post on this site, hope it makes it!

[Gee68]

Speckled Jim said:

Gee68 glad to see you made it back OK, thanks for paying for taxi.

Can only agree with your comments re getting comfortable and the buffeting. I have had bikes that take a while to get comfortable on so will hopefully find a sweet spot on it next couple of days. Also after stopping in Newark for some juice I stopped again nr Donny for a bottle of water and readjustment to my ear plugs which made a big difference. Cracked on in the rain all the way back to Boroughbridge, approximate 185 miles from Bury St Edmunds.

Love the bike, looks, tech, handling.... incredible value as well. Great service from Honda in BSE.

First post on this site, hope it makes it!

Hello Jim and glad to see you made it home ok.
I was waving and indicating to let you know I was leaving the A1 but you didn't see me till the last minute.

185 miles,wow,I'd seriously had enough by the time I got in,I was really struggling to concentrate.
Having slept on it perhaps my first impressions were to harsh,if it hadn't of been for the screen it would have been a different story.
Also regarding the comfort side of things I vary rarely ride for more than an hour at a time due to my back so maybe I was overly harsh there to.
I was looking forward to giving it a second try today but it's peeing it down. 😟

[jimmyslr]

Interesting. I rode home 120 miles or so and whilst I had wind and buffeting, it was what I regarded as normal. My ears were ringing a bit and I was wearing ear plugs, but that's also normal for me. I have had two nakeds though so have never experienced anything less than the wind trying to rip me off the bike. I also has a Street Triple and the Africa Twin felt more comfortable than that to me. I found it more relaxed and upright, less pressure on the wrists.

The thing I'm struggling with is the low speed manoeuvrability. Since bringing the bike home it's been on commuting duty to the station. The first and last few metres of the journey are a struggle! It's a tall and heavy bike and I'm not used to parking one of those in tight spots and turning corners at less than walking pace or paddling with my legs; I use my other bike for Sunday ride outs so never think about parking anywhere tight or moving slowly. I used to use a scooter for the station commute and that's so small you can walk it or lean it into any gap - having done that for 17 years I need to rethink my technique! This issue never even crossed my mind when I bought it. Everything else is good about the ride and use on the road, it's just parking the thing in tight spots.

[Rawwr]

Drop the seat height. I did and it makes a huge difference to the low speed stuff.

[Gee68]

Rawwr said:

Drop the seat height. I did and it makes a huge difference to the low speed stuff.

I presume it also effects the buffeting.At six foot I was going to leave where it was but also found myself paddling in traffic.

[Rawwr]

I took mine through some open byways on Saturday and although the bike was great, the tyres were terrible. Dual sport my arse. Now getting them switched over for Continental TKC80s, which appear to be somewhat more substantial.

[trialsta]

Tedders said:

Are there any issues running these tubeless tyres with inner tubes...?

None reported so far. Unless you're on a track I would guess none of us will ever put sufficient heat into the tyres for it to be a problem.

[trialsta]

Rawwr said:

That seems a little hysterical.

There seems to be differing reports depending on which side of the Atlantic you're on, so it may have been different different production batches, but wait till you've ridden on them in slippery conditions and see what you think.

I did about 6k miles on them until having had enough with another winter approaching. I can only give my personal experience but in the wet it was bizarrely easy to spin the rear wheel, even in a straight line and with only partial throttle openings. There were also numerous front end moments and I'm not talking about really pushing on or hard braking, this is normal commuting round town on mixed roads. They were honestly like riding on solid blocks of wood whenever it was wet and slippery, no feel and no grip. /hysteria

[supercommuter]

Well, that did not take long. Struggled to get on the Cb500x in the morning and leave the Africa twin sat there.

So I sold the CB500x..

[jamiebae]

supercommuter said:

Well, that did not take long. Struggled to get on the Cb500x in the morning and leave the Africa twin sat there.

So I sold the CB500x..

For any reasonable sum of money? I guess you're going to smash the AT mileage allowance out of the park now