Middleweight Honda Africa Twin May Be Launched: Report

Honda may be working on a smaller capacity Honda Africa Twin, according to latest reports. The idea is that Honda currently has the 1100 cc Africa Twin, but a smaller, and more accessible adventure bike may be a lucrative option, and will likely find a few takers in the adventure bike market. And, Honda currently doesn't have any adventure or off-road biased model in the middleweight segment, between the CRF 250/400 models and the much bigger Africa Twin in global markets.

The new Honda Africa Twin with a bigger 1100 cc engine sounds promising, and the Africa Twin always has been a capable off-road machine since the name was revived and the new model launched in 2016. Now, in 2020, Honda has introduced the bigger CRF1100L Africa Twin, along with the Adventure Sports variant, which is now available in India. The parallel-twin engine now displaces 1,084 cc, and puts out 101 bhp at 7,500 rpm and 105 Nm of peak torque at 6,250 rpm. But the big Africa Twin is bulky and heavy, and that is what Honda will try to address with the smaller model, hoping to bring in newer and less experienced riders into the 'True Adventure" concept, that is the punchline of the Honda Africa Twin.

According to one report, the new middleweight Africa Twin will have an engine which is an evolution of the Honda NC750X, with the engine enlarged to 790 cc. And like the bigger CRF1100L, the smaller machine will also be offered in options of a DCT gearbox, as well as manual transmission. And with an engine of that size, Honda can take the fight to the likes of the KTM 790 Adventure, BMW F 850 GS, Yamaha Tenere 700, as well as the new Triumph Tiger 900, offering an alternative which will likely be affordable and with not very daunting performance for riders, and will likely make less power, making it easy for new and inexperienced riders to get into adventure motorcycling.

Also Read: Honda Africa Twin May Be Introduced With 850 cc Engine

However, this is not the first time rumours of a smaller Africa Twin have surfaced. Last year, a Japanese magazine had also reported that Honda my be looking to introduce a smaller version of its popular adventure tourer. But instead of a 790 cc engine, that report had hinted at the possibility of a 850 cc engine, and the bike to be called the Honda CRF850L Africa Twin. Either ways, if these reports are to be believed, it will only be a matter of time we get some concrete proof that Honda is indeed working on a smaller Africa Twin. More indications are likely to surface in the next few months, before the global motorcycle shows towards the end of the year.

(Source: MCN)



from CarandBike - Latest News

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Harley-Davidson Streetfighter Spotted In Flesh For The First Time

Image
Harley-Davidson unveiled a range of new motorcycles last year that included an adventure tourer, streetfighter and Custom range. This, along with the LiveWire electric motorcycle defines the new-age 21st century offerings from the manufacturer as it taps into newer markets and caters to an evolving customer base. Now, giving a glimpse of the new models out in the open, the new Harley-Davidson Streetfighter was spotted in the prototype version at what seems to be a trade show in the US, giving a good glimpse at motorcycle looks like in flesh. While board says 'Styling Prototype', the production-spec version of the Streetfighter is likely to stay identical to the model showcased here. In addition to the Streetfighter, the Pan America was also showcased at the same event. The production spec versions of both bikes could be unveiled at EICMA this year. Also Read: Harley-Davidson Livewire To Be Unveiled In India In August The Harley-Davidson Streetfighter is a completely new mot
Read more

Zongshen Cyclone RX6 Based On Norton 650 Nearing Completion

Image
While there still doesn't seem to be a buyer for iconic British brand Norton Motorcycles which went into administration in January this year, the firm's 650 cc parallel-twin seems to be finding life in China. While Norton apparently sold off the engine rights of its 961 engine to China's Jinglang just before the brand went into administration, the deal for the 650 cc engine was finalized way back in 2017 with Chinese giant Zongshen. The 650 cc parallel-twin engine was due to be used in Norton's Atlas and Superlight models, but now it looks like that engine platform will make its debut in a Zongshen motorcycle, called the Cyclone R6. Also Read: How Much Is Norton Motorcycles Worth Now? One of the patent designs shows the Cyclone RX6 with full touring accessories and luggage Two prototypes fitted with the 650 cc parallel-twin engine were shown in China late last year, on the Zongshen Cyclone RX6 adventure bike and the RX6 sport tourer. Both bikes used Zongshen-made
Read more

Brixton 1200 To Rival Triumph Bonneville T120

Image
A 1200 cc modern classic with similar design lines as Triumph's iconic Bonneville series, has reportedly been cleared for production. The bike was showcased as a concept at last year's EICMA motorcycle show, and from the looks of it, this is a model developed in China with the Triumph Bonneville T120 in its sights. The Brixton brand though is part of Austria's KSR Group, which imports bikes from several Chinese manufacturers, including CF Moto. And while the new Bonneville rival will be manufactured in China, the design and engineering has been created at KSR's design centre in Krups, Austria. Also Read: Triumph Bonnville T120 First Ride Review The Brixton 1200 cc motorcycle has not been named yet, or a launch timeline announced So far, the company has not committed to a launch date yet, but says that it will eventually make it to production. And from the looks of it, that may well be sometime later this year, maybe even at the EICMA 2020 show in Milan, Italy, in
Read more