I personally hate the way motorcycle makers from around the world name their products. Instead of going for straight-up names like carmakers do, they throw everything into the bike’s name: their class, engine size, model family, and even the segment they play in. And that’s how we end up with motorcycles named something on the line of CRF1150L Africa Twin Enduro Sports.
The name probably does not sound familiar, despite some of its component parts having been around for a while now. That’s understandable, seeing how the Japanese from Honda introduced it for the first time this week at the EICMA motorcycle show in Milan, Italy.
The all-new model, as it’s described, joins the bike maker’s adventure offering as yet another version of the Africa Twin, really. I mean, it borrows everything of importance from that two-wheeler, including the frame, swingarm, and engine. Why, even the riding position is the same.
What the Enduro Sports brings new to the table is a lighter body (20 pounds/nine kg less than the base bike), more ground clearance, a taller seat height, and a dedicated suspension system.
Oh, and it also tampers a bit with the components it borrowed from the two-wheeler it is based on, so that all-new bike with increased off-road performance phrase Yamaha uses to describe the new model makes a lot of sense.
The Enduro Sports uses Africa Twin’s steel semi-double cradle frame and its aluminum swingarm, modified to cut weight a bit, but also to better support the 1,131cc parallel twin-cylinder engine.
More ground clearance for the ride (which would be 260 mm) was achieved by using a purpose-built suspension system. It comprises 49 mm Showa closed-cartridge USD forks at the front and a shock of the same make at the rear.
Compared to the engine deployed on the other Africa Twin models, the one on the Enduro Sports is significantly more powerful, with the numbers reading 117 hp and 119 Nm of torque.
That’s 16 and seven Nm more, which were gained, not in small part, on account of the powerplant being slightly larger than the version that was used until the 2026 model year (1,084cc).
The powerplant works together with a six-speed manual transmission, but there will be the option for riders to select the six-speed Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT). A redesigned intake system is on deck regardless of that choice.
The new Honda bike moves on spoked wheels sized 21 inches at the front and 18 inches at the rear, both of them shod in Metzeler Karoo Street as standard, or Michelin Anakee Wild as an option.
Honda does not say exactly when the new Africa Twin model will become available, or how much it will cost, but I can tell you for a fact that this one is not the only tongue twister in the bike maker’s stable. And I will give you a single example from the refreshed range that was announced at EICMA: CRF1150L Africa Twin Adventure Sports Honda Sensing Ride.
Source: www.autoevolution.com
