One of the most revered adventure motorcycles out there, bookings are now open for the 2019 Honda Africa Twin in India. The bike will be available in a new shade of Glint Wave Blue Metallic with golden handlebar and wheel rims. The 2019 Africa Twin has been priced at Rs. 13.5 lacs (Ex-showroom, Pan India) and Honda will only accept bookings from the first 50 customers, at 22 of their dealerships across India.
Like its predecessor, the 2019 version of the Africa Twin will only be available with the DCT automatic gearbox. When in automatic mode, the rider can choose between D mode for comfortable cruising and 3 dynamic sport settings in S mode. The second generation DCT technology is engineered for off-roading and also comes with a G switch which accelerates aggressive gear shifting while riding through sweeping dirt, gravel corners and even during lofting the front wheel over any obstacle. It detects whether the motorcycle is going up or down a slope and accordingly, the system’s ECU makes appropriate gear selection.
Powering the motorcycle is a parallel twin 999.11cc engine which is rated for a max output of 87.7 Bhp@7500rpm and 93.1Nm of torque@6000rpm. The 2019 Africa Twin’s rider can select from 3 levels of Power and Engine Braking pre-set combinations. Additionally, the Throttle by wire (TBW) system is paired with 4 riding modes – Tour, Urban, Gravel and User. The bike also gets Honda Selectable Torque Control (HSTC) which offers seven settings for a wide range of conditions, from pavement to fast, loose roads to challenging single track. You can also turn it off. The Africa Twin’s Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) comes standard, although it can be switched off for the rear wheel.
Suspension duties are handled by Showa’s cartridge-type inverted front fork, pre-load adjuster on both wheels and the option of adjusting the suspension to a softer or stiffer setting. The adjustable seat height easily accommodates a wide range of riders and efforts were made to enhance Mass centralization by placing components, like the battery, as close to the motorcycle’s centre of gravity as possible. The chassis design provides a wide 43-degree steering angle and a tight 2.5-metre turning radius. Instrumentation is via a rally-style LCD which takes inspiration from Honda’s Dakar winning machines. The negative LCD instrument display includes information such as riding modes, speedometer, tachometer, fuel, gear position, HSTC, odometer, trip meter, clock and ABS Indicator.
Speaking on the new launch, Mr. Yadvinder Singh Guleria, Senior Vice President – Sales and Marketing, Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India Pvt. Ltd, “Since its Indian debut in 2017, the mighty Africa Twin has always seen high demand. The adventure seekers in India experienced the revolutionary DCT for the first time & were highly impressed with its unmatched performance. The 2019 Africa Twin takes the ‘go anywhere’ spirit one step ahead with its fresh new appearance. The proud Africa Twin tribe is growing and we are ready to welcome enthusiasts to the tribe.”