Honda have announced major changes to their Africa Twin adventure bike family for 2027, confirming new models, plus a capacity jump from 1084cc to 1131cc across the line-up.
Now known as the CRF1150L, the range will consist of a standard base model, plus the road-focussed Adventure Sports (AS) as before. A new off-road centric Enduro Sports will also join the brigade, with a raised front mudguard and spoked 21in front wheel.
Starting with the Adventure Sports, the base version will be joined by a new top of the line CRF1150L Africa Twin Adventure Sports Honda Sensing Ride – fitted with front and rear radar to compete against the likes of the new Triumph Tiger 1200, and fully-specced BMW R1300GS.
Exclusively available with Honda’s semi-automatic Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT) system, the Sensing Ride is joined by two standard CRF1150L AS variants – one with a conventional manual gearbox and another with DCT in place.
All three are expected in UK dealers from March and put out a claimed 117.3bhp at 7500rpm and 87.8lb.ft of torque at 5750rpm, with the updated parallel-twin motor housed in a revised steel frame which – combined with an aluminium swingarm – cuts a claimed 1.4kg over the outgoing structure.
That’s not to say the bikes are lightweights though – far from it – with kerb weights starting at 245kg for the conventional manual, raising to 255kg for the AS with DCT. The Sensing Ride version tips the scales at 256kg – with all three getting 220mm of ground clearance and an adjustable seat height of between 830-850mm.
All three are fed by a 24.2-litre fuel tank, with Honda promising 55.4mpg for the manual version and 52.3mpg for the semi-automatic flavours. This fuel tank runs under the seat, which Honda says helps contribute to a greater mass centralisation of weight – helping the bikes to feel less top heavy and potentially more composed on the go.
This is combined with a re-positioned battery, ECU, fuel filler cap, and airbox – with Honda also keen to make life easier when manoeuvring at low speeds, especially handy when loaded up with luggage and/or a pillion passenger.
Being the road-biased version, all three roll on a 19in front and 18in rear spoked wheel, shod with a choice of Bridgestone Battlax Adventure A41s, or Michelin Anakee Roads.
Not only this, but the riding position has also been tweaked, with the handlebars now 10mm narrower and 10mm higher and further forward. The footpegs are also 10mm further forward and 20mm narrower, too.
Advanced electronics
Away from the numbers, the Africa Twins are now even cleverer than before, with Honda promising six standard riding modes that can all be personalised to the rider’s preferences. There’s also an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) for lean-sensitive rider modes, and backlit switchgear that’s said to be less complex than the current design.
The Sensing Ride takes this further with front and rear radar guidance – a first for the Africa Twin – unlocking rider support including blind spot detection, adaptive cruise control, and group ride assistance.
Alongside this, you’ll also find front and rearward collision warnings, plus ‘Distance Assist’ (to stop you getting too close to the vehicle in front on a manual throttle), and an ‘Emergency Brake Assist’ that applies some stopping power when there is a collision risk up front.
Being the clutchless DCT variant, it also gets ‘Stop & Go’, which lets the bike follow the vehicle in front during stop start traffic – a similar set-up to the semi-automatic KTM 1390 Super Adventure S Evo, launched for the beginning of 2026.
It doesn’t end there either because the Adventure Sports trio come on Showa electronic suspension as standard, known as Electronically Equipped Ride Adjustment (or EERA for short).
Working through a monoshock and chunky 49mm upside down front forks (up from 45mm), it is combined with Honda Skyhook control that continuously monitors the position of the bike to adjust damping forces in a bid improve handling, stability, and ride quality.
The EERA system itself takes data from sources including the ECU, IMU and fork stroke sensor to adjust damping by the millisecond – with 210mm of travel available at the front end, and 200mm available at the rear.
As is the way with many modern adventure bikes, a ‘Minimum’ mode will also lower the seat height by 5mm for a flatter foot and remains selected even after you’ve switched off the bike.
There’s also a raft of preload settings too, consisting of ‘Solo’, ‘Solo with Luggage’, ‘Pillion’, and ‘Pillion with Full Luggage’. Adjustment can then be further fine-tuned, including 24-steps of preload – with further electronic interventions including hill hold control, and electronically combined ABS that monitors brake pressure in the calipers at both ends for smoother applications.
Honda CRF1150L Africa Twin Adventure Sports explored
- New display Information is split between two displays as before, with a new seven inch touchscreen TFT display with optical bonding allowing for wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality. Screen start up is also said to be 70% faster, now taking five seconds.
- Automatic adjustment The DCT system for the Adventure Sports will adapt its shifting pattern for off-road duties when the ‘OFFROAD’ or ‘OFFROAD+’ rider modes are selected. It can also detect when the bike is tackling an incline, adjusting when to change gear depending on the gradient.
- Distance comforts An electric screen cycles through 130mm of movement, with wind deflectors also coming as standard. Newly shaped headlights also feature cornering lights, with keyless ignition, heated grips, and hand guards coming as standard.
New model: Africa Twin Enduro Sports is ready for the trails
Alongside the Adventure Sports comes a new CRF1150L Africa Twin Enduro Sports model, which shares many of the same creature comforts, but comes based around the updated standard model.
Promising a 9kg weight reduction, it’s distinguish it from its siblings by a pointed front beak, and HRC-style paint – however performance still comes from the same new 1131cc parallel-twin engine, meaning an identical 117.3bhp at 7500rpm and 87.8lb.ft of torque at 5750rpm.
Just like the standard model, it rolls on a 21in front and 18in spoked rim with tubeless Metzeler Karoo Street tyres, and shares the same steel frame, aluminium swingarm, riding position, electronics, and updated seven inch TFT display (with additional 5.7in screen) – with a choice of manual or DCT gearboxes available to order.
Keyless ignition, cruise control, and handguards come as standard – as do six customisable riding modes, plus an adjustable seat height of between 870mm and 890mm plus a kerb weight of 228kg for the manual and 239kg for the DCT.
Like the Adventure Sports, you’ll find CarPlay and Android Auto, with the bike receiving a higher 260mm of ground clearance and fully-adjustable 49mm closed-cartridge forks inspired by the brand’s CRF450 Rally competition bike.
Suspension comes via Showa at both ends, with 240mm of travel up front and 230mm at the rear. This works with sizeable 310mm floating wavey front discs, plus an advanced array of lean-sensitive electronics including seven stage Honda Selectable Torque Control (or traction control) which meters the amount of intervention on the throttle on- or off-road, depending on inputs from the six-axis IMU.
Other features include wheelie control, and traction can be switched off altogether if required. Unlike the Adventure Sports, the fuel capacity drops to 18.8 litres, thanks to an altered dual-tank design – however the same overall adventure bike silhouette remains.
Africa Twin engine updates for 2027
Although still sitting at the lower end of the big adventure bike power figures, Honda’s Africa Twin motor has undergone some significant development for 2027.
For starters, there’s a redesigned intake system, plus larger-diameter 52mm throttle bodies (up from 46mm), and a revised valvetrain and cylinder head – with Honda promising an increased compression ratio from 10.5:1 to now 12.1:1.
The pistons have also changed, as have the con rods, crankshaft and balancer shafts – with options for both a six-speed manual or semi-automatic Dual Clutch Transmission system (that both share the same crankcase design).
The MCN take
Honda have brought the Africa Twin right up-to-date with these changes, however the fresh engine is still lacking the performance figures of some its premium big-capacity rivals. Whether you need all that punch is debatable, but the fresh electronics and revised riding position should make it a strong contender whether you fancy a trip across Europe by road, or by trail.
Source: www.motorcyclenews.com
