The Iconic Motorcycle That Made Its EICMA Debut In 2014
Unless you’re a motorcycle enthusiast living under a rock, you’d know about the iconic EICMA (Esposizione Internazionale Ciclo Motociclo e Accessori) show. It is arguably the biggest two-wheeler motor show in the world, and all your favorite bikemakers often use it as a platform to showcase their next big creation. Accordingly, there have been several iconic motorcycles shown at the event. However, only a few go on to set new precedents in the market and become iconic. An example of such a bike comes from the world’s largest bikemaker.
EICMA Often Brings Several Head-Turning Motorcycles
As mentioned, leading bikemakers always try to make headlines at the EICMA show. That has given us some interesting bikes in the past. For instance, BMW showed a ‘LoRider’ boxer-based concept bike that built on the R nineT with scrambler-like elements all over. Similarly, Aprilia had the FV2 around two decades ago. This was a sports bike-like concept from the brand before it finally revealed the RSV4. America’s favorite brand hasn’t been behind, either. Harley famously showed the Bronx V-twin streetfighter in a near-production-ready avatar.
But Only Few Go On To Become Icons Of The Two-Wheeler World
As stunning as these concepts are, they rarely go into production. And even more rarely do they become iconic. That can be due to financial reasons, overall production scope, or shifts in market trends. So finding an EICMA bike that actually went on to become iconic and help the brand grow becomes rather difficult. It’s not impossible, though, and we’re talking about one such example here. This machine made its global concept debut during the 2014 EICMA before taking the world by storm.
Honda’s True Adventure Concept From 2024 Birthed An Iconic Adventure Bike
Case in point is Honda’s new-age Africa Twin bearing the CRF moniker. Its story started at the 2014 EICMA, where the brand showcased the ‘True Adventure’ concept. This was a production-ready machine pitched as a concept to the attendees, covered in mud and camouflaged bodywork to increase anticipation. Besides that was the original Africa Twin (the XRV model) from the 90s, hinting at the inspiration.
Understandably, the concept not only made the right headlines, but it also helped the brand gauge just how much interest there was from enthusiasts for such a machine. Then, just a few months later, Honda officially announced the new CRF1000L Africa Twin, resurrecting its iconic moniker after 16 long years. Since its initial debut at the 2014 EICMA, this has become Honda’s flagship adventure bike and a go-to machine in its ADV segment. Reliability, versatility, and convenience are all its USPs, with the package being better than ever today after recent updates.
The [EICMA] exhibit gave the impression of a well-traveled off-road bike, but specifications such as displacement were not revealed. Despite the lack of details and a muddy prototype on display, expectations for a new adventure model from Honda gained traction. – Honda
A Deep Dive Into What Makes The Honda Africa Twin Iconic
The classic first-gen XRV Africa Twin was built around the idea of rally racing. The CRF model took a different approach. Honda says the idea was to find an intricate balance between off-road and touring performance. That’s precisely what made the CRF Africa Twin so good at the time. It’s also worth noting the brand didn’t have any serious success in the adventure bike segment until the CRF1000’s arrival, which only makes this ADV more iconic. Today’s CRF1100 Africa Twin follows the same theme and keeps attracting buyers worldwide. Here are some noteworthy details.
Ultra-Tractable 1,084cc Engine With Two Transmission Choices
We start with the engine. This is a 1,084cc parallel-twin powerhouse with a 270-degree crank, running an extremely understressed state of tune. Accordingly, power is around the 100 horsepower mark, while the torque is over 80 pound-feet. All of it is concentrated well under 10,000 RPM to allow brilliant tractability. This also makes the engine bulletproof to abuse, and some owners have even done 500,000 miles with just basic maintenance.
What makes matters sweeter is the choice of transmission. You can pick between a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic setup. The latter uses a dual-clutch setup to do the shifting for you, taking physical clutch action out of the equation. Honda has also recently updated the DCT for smoother shifts and a more natural riding feel.
Off-Road-Friendly Long-Travel Showa Suspension And Chassis
The underpinnings bring a handful of off-road-ready components. Fully adjustable Showa 45 mm upside-down forks (9.05 inches travel) and a Showa monoshock (8.66 inches) kick things off, joined by a CRF450R-inspired swingarm and 21/18-inch spoke wheels. These hoops wear two 310 mm front discs and a 256 mm rear disc. Rounding things off is a double-cradle chassis fine-tuned for off-road and highway stability.
Speaking of highway, Honda also has an Africa Twin Adventure Sports version if your riding involves more paved roads than dirt bits. This has less suspension travel, a 19-inch front wheel, a larger fuel tank, and extra creature comforts. The headlining feature, meanwhile, is the Showa EERA suspension. This semi-active system works in tandem with the ECU to fine-tune the suspension electronically, maintaining stability across riding conditions. It can also drop the saddle height at low speeds.
A Large TFT And Necessary Rider Aids Up The Safety
Being a flagship Honda, you get a handful of modern-day tech as well. A massive 6.5-inch touchscreen TFT sits front and center in the cockpit, armed with full-screen navigation via Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. This is joined by a small LCD below, showing you the nitty-gritty details. The TFT also serves as the gateway to the rider aids and creature comforts. Traction control, ride modes (Tour, Urban, Gravel, Off-Road, User 1, and User 2), cruise control, switchable ABS, and wheelie control are all standard inclusions. If you choose the DCT model, you get a few DCT modes as well that change how the transmission shifts gears.
Source: Honda Powerports
Related posts
Latest Post
No Comments