What else can you buy for the price of a Honda Africa Twin?

‘The Africa Twin’ is revered by adventure motorcyclists around the world, due to its legacy. The original Africa Twin, the Honda XR750,was based on Honda's hugely successful rally bike - the NXR750, which won the Paris-Dakar Rally four times in the 1980s. The new Africa Twin’s styling has taken many cues from Honda’s popular CRF Rally bikes and the original Africa Twin.

Similar to the Honda CBR650F, the new Honda adventure tourer comes to India via the CKD (completely knocked down) route and is assembled at the bike maker’s Manesar plant to keep the price competitive for the Indian market. Available with DCT option only, the bike has an introductory price of Rs. 12.90 lakh (ex-showroom, New Delhi).

The Africa Twin’s direct rivals are the Triumph Tiger 800 XCx, the Ducati Multistrada 950 and the Kawasaki Versys 1000. However the market space is also shared by other motorcycles across different segments in in the same price range. Here is a list of the other motorcycles you could buy in the Rs 12-14 lakh price range. 

For those looking at adventure touring, this growing segment offers several motorcycles like the Triumph 800XRx and the Aprilia Mana 850 GT ABS retailing at Rs 12.1 lakh (ex-showroom Mumbai) and Rs 13.5 lakh(ex-showroom Mumbai) respectively. There is also the Italian tourer, the Ducati Hyperstrada 939,which retails at Rs 12.37 lakh (ex-showroom Mumbai).  But, because of its alloy wheels, it cannot handle rough-road and off-road duties as well as the Africa Twin, which gets spoke wheels. 

On the other hand, cruisers like the Moto Guzzi V9 Bobber and Moto Guzzi V9 Roamer are complete head-turners, given their distinctive looks and the unique transverse-mounted V-twin engine. Both have  a price tag of Rs 13.60 lakh (ex-showroom Mumbai). Also, let’s not forget the Indian Scout Sixty, with its timeless design element, which is priced at Rs 12.95 lakh (ex-showroom Mumbai)

Speed freaks would do well to consider the Triumph Daytona 675R, priced at Rs 12.29 lakh (ex-showroom Mumbai). It ticks all the right boxes when it comes to a supersport bike - a powerful and peaky engine, racy riding position and a sophisticated Ohlins suspension setup. 

If it’s a streetfighter you’re looking for, then there are the Honda CB1000R and the Suzuki GSX-S1000. The former is priced at Rs 12.74 lakh (ex-showroom Mumbai), while the Suzuki retails at Rs 12.25 lakh (ex-showroom Mumbai). The GSX-S1000 also has a faired version called the GSX-S1000F which costs Rs 12.70 lakh (ex-showroom Mumbai).