Honda Africa Twin CRF1100L launched in India at Rs. 15.35 lakh

Honda 2Wheelers India has been blisteringly quick in bringing its premium range to India. The 2020 Honda Africa Twin CRF1100L is priced at Rs. 15.35 lakh, ex-showroom, for the manual transmission and Rs 16.1 lakh for the DCT.

The Africa Twin CRF1100L which was recently revealed at the EICMA and the Tokyo Motor Show in October 2019, has already made its way into the Indian market via the CKD route. The Japanese giant is locally assembling the new Africa Twin at its plant in Rajasthan, allowing the new motorcycle to maintain a competitive price tag in the booming middleweight adventure motorcycle segment.

As the name suggests, the Africa Twin is now powered by an 1,084cc parallel-twin engine that is good for 102PS of power and 105Nm of torque. The increase in engine capacity comes courtesy of the new Euro V emission norms - but Honda has also chosen this opportunity to give the Africa Twin a new chassis, a six-axis IMU (by Bosch) and a sophisticated digital instrumentation that draws a page from the Goldwing's brochure and integrates Apple CarPlay smartphone interface!

The bigger news that will excite enthusiasts and newcomers alike is that the Africa Twin CRF1100L is now available in two transmission options - the convenient DCT automatic or a 6-speed conventional manual with a foot shifter. Both the variants weigh 236kg and 226kg respectively.

The IMU brings along Wheelie Control, four riding modes (Tour, Urban, Gravel and Off-road) and a more fine-tuned traction control system (still seven-step). There is finally a cruise control system onboard too.

The CRF1100L has a 250mm ground clearance and a lowered 830mm seat height and is suspended from Showa suspension. The front end features 45mm forks with 230mm travel, a gas-charged rear shock absorber with 220mm travel. The 810mm ride-height low-seat option is also available.

The Africa Twin CRF1100L evolves its predecessor's styling but looks sleeker and smaller thanks to the revised bodywork. But as you may have noticed already, it's the bigger Adventure Sport variant which has made its way into the Indian market this time around - meaning you get the larger, 24.8-litre tank, a chunky bash plate, cornering lamps under the headlight unit, tubeless wire-spoke wheels and a taller windscreen.

The Africa Twin CRF1100L will go up against the BMW 850 GS/GSA and the upcoming Triumph Tiger 900 and 2020 Suzuki V-Strom 1050.