This Adventure Motorcycle Trades Dirt Chops For Gold Wing Ambitions
The Honda Gold Wing is a near-perfect touring motorcycle that many rivals strive to be. The balance of luxury, comfort, technology, performance, and pricing is unmatched by any other luxury touring bike. This is what sets the Gold Wing apart.
Adventure motorcycles can seldom replicate this formula, but, interestingly, a Honda ADV takes a bold route, trying to bridge the gap between luxury land tourers and tall trail riders. It does succeed in creating a luxurious Gold Wing ADV alternative, but at the expense of off-road capability. However, this isn’t a drawback, since serious off-roading isn’t something an average rider does frequently; hence, the trade-off works.
The Do-It-All Appeal Of Adventure Motorcycles
Adventure bikes sit on top of the do-it-all chart because of how well they balance on-road comfort and off-roading capabilities. Even more impressive is that this balance is consistent across all shapes and sizes, from the affordable Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 to the celebrated flagship BMW R 1300 GS. ADVs maintain their all-around composure while having minimal compromises in most cases. Powering these bikes are versatile engines that deliver punchy low-end torque and strong high-end power for smooth trail runs and cozy highway sprints.
Then there’s the provision to add side cases and top boxes to enhance its luggage-hauling capabilities. Comfort and convenience are top-notch, with ample wind protection, a relaxed, upright riding stance, and plenty of technology features to make long rides less boring. Flagship ADVs are hands-down the best do-it-all motorcycles, as some have a serious edge with features like automatic transmission and semi-active suspension.
But The Off-Roading Capabilities Are Actually Overkill For Many
However, even with ADVs getting almost everything right, we would argue that its off-roading capabilities are overkill. Unlike what motorcycle makers portray, not every ADV owner is waiting to hit the trails and stir up a sandstorm. Only a few privileged riders have the opportunity to do this, and even then, only as a recreational activity, mostly on weekends.
Hence, from a practical standpoint, the off-road capabilities of ADVs are unnecessary for most riders. Instead of taking up space as a bragging right, motorcycle makers can actually tone down their off-roading chops and fill the void with more usable features. BMW does this with the R 1300 GS Adventure, which is technically a touring-focused version of the do-it-all R 1300 GS.
However, the GSA is actually robbed of its versatility with added weight and size. Honda also does something similar with its Africa Twin series. But it takes a cleverer route by making the road-focused Africa Twin a more comfortable, versatile, and even luxurious alternative, with a strong affinity for a Gold Wing.
The Honda Africa Twin Adventure Sports ES Trades Dirt Chops For Gold Wing Ambitions
Starting Price: $17,799
The standard Africa Twin model is a great off-roader, but this also robs it of on-road comfort and capabilities. Honda addresses this with the road-oriented Africa Twin Adventure Sports ES, which swaps hardcore off-road components for more tarmac-focused capabilities. In this quest, the tall-riding Africa Twin also takes on the Gold Wing’s comfort and even luxury.
It gets a larger 6.6-gallon fuel tank (compared to the standard model’s 5.5-gallon tank), which translates to more riding time between gas stops. The Africa Twin Adventure Sports ES also swaps the standard model’s off-road-biased 21-inch front for a more tarmac-biased 19-inch wheel. This is also coupled with reduced suspension travel to 8.3 inches (down from 9.1 inches). Its extensive wind protection, standard cruise control, electronic suspension, and DCT gearbox strengthen the Adventure Sports ES’s on-road comfort and touring potential over rugged off-roading appeal.
Underpinnings Tuned For More On-Road Comfort
The Africa Twin Adventure Sports ES is underpinned by a semi-double cradle frame, just like the standard model. The steel sub-frame is also shared, which adds strength to handle the added load of an adult pillion, loaded luggage, side boxes, and a top box. Braking duties are handled by 310 mm dual discs coupled to Nissin four-piston calipers up front. The rear gets a 256 mm disc coupled to a single-piston caliper. The road-focused 19-inch front and 18-inch rear wheels are wrapped with dual-purpose tires. However, adding dynamic control and aiding in its luxurious riding experience is its electronic suspension setup.
The Electronic Suspension Is A Game Changer
It features 45 mm Showa inverted front forks with 8.3 inches of travel. The rear gets a Showa rear monoshock with 7.9 inches of travel. Making it an adaptive suspension setup is the Showa EERA (Electronically Equipped Ride Adjustment) technology. This is designed to adapt to various riding conditions.
Honda has also included multiple pre-defined settings (Hard, Medium, Soft, Off-Road, and user-defined). If these controls look too confusing, then the rider can set them to Automatic mode, which adjusts the spring rates in real time. This helps the Adventure Sports ES increase its comfort and luxury appeal, even when on light trail runs.
Technology Also Plays A Vital Role In Offering Gold Wing-Like Experience
Apart from the tech-driven suspension setup, Honda offers a well-stocked suite of technology on the Africa Twin Adventure Sports ES. The cockpit is adorned with two displays. The bigger 6.5-inch TFT touchscreen unit offers Bluetooth connectivity and also includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
The smaller, slim LCD just below it is used to display ride-related data, including speed, range, and fuel level. The riding experience is further enhanced and made safer with six ride modes (Urban, Gravel, Tour, Off-Road, and two user modes), cruise control, seven levels of traction control, three levels of engine brake control, cornering ABS, and even three levels of wheelie control.
A Tractable Twin And Available Automatic Gearbox Seals The Deal
A familiar 1,084 cc parallel-twin engine powers the Africa Twin Adventure Sports ES. This engine is quite popular among Honda motorcycles and is also utilized on the NT1100 sport-tourer, the Rebel 1100 cruiser bike, and even a forbidden café racer. On the Africa Twin, it is tuned for meaty low- and mid-range torque. This mill helps the Africa Twin be an all-rounder.
The low-down grunt makes it peppy on urban roads and packs the extra punch for trails. The mid-range punch helps it stay relaxed on the highway during high-speed runs. The Africa Twin Adventure Sports ES produces 110.5 horsepower at 7,500 RPM and 82 pound-feet of torque at 5,500 RPM. Power is sent to the rear wheel via a six-speed manual gearbox in its standard guise. But spending an additional $800 upgrades the package to a six-speed automatic dual-clutch transmission.
Honda has attained mastery over two-wheeled automatic transmissions. In fact, its six-speed DCT was recently updated to deliver a smoother, more natural riding feel at lower speeds. On the Africa Twin Adventure Sports ES DCT, there are two settings—Automatic and Manual. The automatic setting has two modes (Drive and Sport). The manual setting is more engaging thanks to handlebar-mounted paddle shifters.
Honda Africa Twin Adventure Sports ES’s Compromises Are Worth It
Compared to the standard Africa, the Adventure Sports ES has toned-down off-road capabilities. But it is still brawny with the rugged chassis and ample ground clearance for light trail runs. On the flip side, the gains from this trade-off actually make this Africa Twin a lot more desirable to a wider set of riders who spend most of their time on tarmac. Furthermore, the comfort quotient is improved thanks to electronic suspension, standard cruise control, and enhanced wind protection. These features also help the Africa Twin Adventure Sports ES come closer in ambition to the luxurious Gold Wing tourer.
Source: Honda Powersports
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