Honda Africa Twin Competition Check

The adventure touring segment has become one of the fastest growing segments in the motorcycle industry. The launch of the Honda Africa Twin also known as the CRF1000L marks the return of the ‘Africa Twin’ moniker to the segment, made famous by the XR750 which was a four-time winner at the Dakar rally. With numerous entries from the segment in the Indian market, we take a look at its direct rivals, the Triumph Tiger 800 XCx and the soon to be launched Ducati Multistrada 950.

Engine 

Africa Twin with its 998cc parallel-twin engine puts out 86bhp at 7,500rpm and 92Nm at 6,000rpm through a six-speed dual clutch transmission which will be available to Indian customers. The Tiger 800 XCx delivers 94bhp at 9,250rpm 78Nm at 7,950rpm through a six-speed transmission.  The Ducati Multistrada 950, with its Testastretta L-twin engine, the 937cc engine puts out a maximum power of 113bhp at 9,000rpm and maximum torque of 96Nm at 7750 rpm which makes it the most powerful engine of the lot.

Features

The Africa Twin offers ABS and traction control, both offering different modes for different conditions. The ABS can also be switched off for the rear wheel. Traction control has four settings, off and levels 1-3. Level 1 is the most aggressive while level 3 is the most forgiving. Triumph, on the other hand, gets four throttle maps to adjust the level of throttle response and electronic aids. The Tiger 800 XCx also comes with switchable ABS, cruise control, an advanced trip computer and traction control as standard and essential features like a main stand, an adjustable windscreen, a 12V power socket, hand guards and an aluminum sump guard to protect the engine.

The Africa Twin's 21-inch front wheel with its inverted cartridge type, fully adjustable, Showa 43mm upside-down front forks provides enormous suspension travel of 230mm - the largest in its class. The rear shock features a fully adjustable Showa with an 18-inch wheel to handle all sorts of terrain with a range of rebound and compression settings, a class-leading 250mm of ground clearance and a seat height of 860mm similar to that of the Tiger with its adjustable seat height ranges from 840-860mm. The Multistrada 950 has a 19-inch front wheel equipped with KYB 49mm inverted forks and a rear Sachs mono-shock and its seat is also placed  at a decent height of 840mm. But it weighs the heaviest with a kerb load of 227kg and a fuel tank of 20litres. The Africa Twin, on the other hand, has a kerb weight of 208kg – 222kg, and has a fuel tank capacity of 23-litres whereas the Tiger 800XCx weighs 221kg with a fuel capacity of 19 litres.

Price

The Triumph Tiger 800 XCx is priced at Rs 13.06 lakh. On the other hand, the Africa twin has been launched at a comparatively affordable Rs 12.90 lakh due to the ‘Make in India’ initiative by HMSI. The Ducati Multistrada 950 will be priced at Rs 11.53 lakhs (all prices ex-showroom Delhi).