Africa Twin CRF1100 DCT

[Mawsley]

 

First lockdown, decided that it was only fair I treated myself to Tiger 1200. It didn't go well. While most bike have a centre of gravity somewhere between the floor and the petrol tank, the Triumph's COG was approximately two miles south of Alpha Centauri. I decided big bikes weren't for me anymore and got a Vespa instead. Then I decided I missed bikes and bought a pair of Enfields instead - but the Himalayan was gash to ride and I couldn't bring myself to ride the shiny chrome Interceptor out in anything other than glorious weather.

 

And then I had a rough weekend, woke on a morning, and decided I'd chop the Enfields in for an Africa Twin I found online. I'd never sat on one. The wife gave me one of those looks.

 

A '22 base model with DCT loaded with a stack of stuff at a good grand and a half cheaper than anything else I could find. Good price agreed for my pair in exchange. Game on.

 

 

True to form, Day 1 was nothing but rain - so a reasonable opportunity to find out how the weather protection fares. The short screen may be decent for summer, heavy rain splattered onto the helmet, reinforcing that my Neotek II allows water to dribble down the inside of the visor. But, apart from that, my knees and toes were the only other areas getting damp. Plus one for the Honda.

 

 

I love Apple CarPlay in the car: "Hey Siri, play me the kind of music that immature middle aged men think is really cool and shows that they are in denial about the ageing process." It's brilliant.

 

This doesn't work as well on the Africa Twin. Luckily, we don't have pet hamsters because I'd have had to replace them three times due to old age related death while trying to pair the helmet to the bike. Reviews knock the bike for the controls, and they're correct, the switchgear isn't intuitive and is far too clustered, but the problem lay with the Sena SRL 2. 

 

Every trip after initial pairing required me to re-pair the lid with the bike as it would forget the connection or attribute it to a pillion - so minus one to the Honda.

 

New lid, new comms system. Can't pair the Schuberth for the life of me. I'm putting this down to Sena though as the bike just can't find the SC1 Advanced. Time for Google.

 

But, when it works, which was all the time with the Shoeii, the confusing switchgear became more intuitive - as long as I wear summer gloves. The frequent hooting demonstrates that winter gloves can hit more than one button. Plus one again to the Honda, minus one for the chonky gloves.

 

 

What? You don't take a picture to memorialise the first time you succeeded in taking off your seat? You bloody will if you get an Africa Twin.

 

Nothing, absolutely nothing worked. I was convinced that something was fouling the release mechanism under the seat and was beginning to resign myself that I'd have to disassemble the bike from the subframe to sort it.

 

"Hit the front seat," said a guy on the Facebooks. "Hit it and push it as far forward as you can."

 

Bugger me if he wasn't right.

 

It's not been an issue since.

 

 

Probably done at most 400 dry miles on the Enfields in 2023. I've clocked up over 1000 over the last few cold, wet and windy weeks on the AT, a testament to how much I'm loving riding it and finding any excuse to go out for another blat.

 

I got cheapo Cool Covers knockoffs from China and they fit in a fashion. My bum is rating the seat/cover combination a full on 10/10 having ridden from full to empty a number of times with zero issues.

 

I'm 5'11'', but a laughable 28"inside leg. Even with the seat on the high setting I've no problem with putting feet down - the COG being far, far lower than the Triumph.

 

 

Which leaves the DCT.

 

The Triumph decided to try to squish me near the Super Sausage (a blindingly great cafe near Towcester that every fan of fried breakfasts should visit). It did a great job and my left ankle has been pretty buggered ever since; changing gear causes a pain on the inside of the ankle. 

 

My hands are feeling the effect of many years riding too. Either white finger syndrome or knuckle pains from clutch levers (no matter how light) turns a long ride into a torture fest.

 

I can't speak more highly about the DCT. Combined with the easy to use on the fly heated grips and cruise control, I've had zero issues from my ankle, knuckles or fingers. Zero. This is so many plus points for the Honda that it places the bike exceptionally firmly in the No.1 spot of Best Bikes I've Ever Owned - and I've owned a lot. This isn't me justifying the purchase to myself, this is the very best bike I've owned.

 

Comfort, enough power to make progress, some very useful features, and an engine/exhaust noise that gives it soul but doesn't offend children, old women, and other bikers who really should mind their own business. It scrubs up well after a mucky ride, it looks (imo) sex on wheels, and the top box/Givi panniers have acquitted themselves well at Tesco.

 

I'd like to swap the wheels for tubeless rims, I'd like metal panniers instead of the Monokeys, I'd like a Zumo XT2...but with the lad needing to come home and me having to cover his debts and rent for the next 11 months, they ain't happening now.

 

As it stands, there's enough about the bike to take me on my planned European tour in June (maybe down to the Sahara), providing I can scrape together the funds after the son's return rapes my wallet.

 

All told, what a bloody brilliant machine.

[Gerontious]

Its easy to become infatuated with the XT2 as being the latest and greatest. But, it hasn't rendered the original XT obsolete. Far from it. What do you get extra? A screen that is 1/2" larger. (5.5" becomes 6") and new software. I'm definitely not the type that ignores new tech if I think its going to make a tangible improvement. Im not exactly broke, so buying the XT2 wouldn't crush me. But.. I just don't think its enough of an upgrade to warrant going for.  The XT will be supported by Garmin for donkeys years. They still support the Zumo 660 from 2009!! so that's not an issue.

Prices have really come down.. as per usual with a new device being launched. And obviously if you go for second hand the price will be even lower. there are a lot of people who don't have my restraint and will sell their XT and buy the XT2. just because its new and they can.

 

I enjoyed your review. (aside from the funny seat) I can relate to everything you say. I bought mine without a test ride. zero regrets. Its the best bike I have ever owned. There is nothing on sale at the moment that I find even remotely tempting. Mostly due to the unlikely seat height (on mine). Its tank range... I did. Ashford to the last petrol station before Germany - in Luxembourg on a single tank, with miles to spare. And.. the DCT transmission.

Edited November 23, 2023 by Gerontious
spolling mesteaks

[Six30]

On 23/11/2023 at 18:46, Mawsley said:

 

First lockdown, decided that it was only fair I treated myself to Tiger 1200. It didn't go well. While most bike have a centre of gravity somewhere between the floor and the petrol tank, the Triumph's COG was approximately two miles south of Alpha Centauri. I decided big bikes weren't for me anymore and got a Vespa instead. Then I decided I missed bikes and bought a pair of Enfields instead - but the Himalayan was gash to ride and I couldn't bring myself to ride the shiny chrome Interceptor out in anything other than glorious weather.

 

And then I had a rough weekend, woke on a morning, and decided I'd chop the Enfields in for an Africa Twin I found online. I'd never sat on one. The wife gave me one of those looks.

 

A '22 base model with DCT loaded with a stack of stuff at a good grand and a half cheaper than anything else I could find. Good price agreed for my pair in exchange. Game on.

 

 

True to form, Day 1 was nothing but rain - so a reasonable opportunity to find out how the weather protection fares. The short screen may be decent for summer, heavy rain splattered onto the helmet, reinforcing that my Neotek II allows water to dribble down the inside of the visor. But, apart from that, my knees and toes were the only other areas getting damp. Plus one for the Honda.

 

 

I love Apple CarPlay in the car: "Hey Siri, play me the kind of music that immature middle aged men think is really cool and shows that they are in denial about the ageing process." It's brilliant.

 

This doesn't work as well on the Africa Twin. Luckily, we don't have pet hamsters because I'd have had to replace them three times due to old age related death while trying to pair the helmet to the bike. Reviews knock the bike for the controls, and they're correct, the switchgear isn't intuitive and is far too clustered, but the problem lay with the Sena SRL 2. 

 

Every trip after initial pairing required me to re-pair the lid with the bike as it would forget the connection or attribute it to a pillion - so minus one to the Honda.

 

New lid, new comms system. Can't pair the Schuberth for the life of me. I'm putting this down to Sena though as the bike just can't find the SC1 Advanced. Time for Google.

 

But, when it works, which was all the time with the Shoeii, the confusing switchgear became more intuitive - as long as I wear summer gloves. The frequent hooting demonstrates that winter gloves can hit more than one button. Plus one again to the Honda, minus one for the chonky gloves.

 

 

What? You don't take a picture to memorialise the first time you succeeded in taking off your seat? You bloody will if you get an Africa Twin.

 

Nothing, absolutely nothing worked. I was convinced that something was fouling the release mechanism under the seat and was beginning to resign myself that I'd have to disassemble the bike from the subframe to sort it.

 

"Hit the front seat," said a guy on the Facebooks. "Hit it and push it as far forward as you can."

 

Bugger me if he wasn't right.

 

It's not been an issue since.

 

 

Probably done at most 400 dry miles on the Enfields in 2023. I've clocked up over 1000 over the last few cold, wet and windy weeks on the AT, a testament to how much I'm loving riding it and finding any excuse to go out for another blat.

 

I got cheapo Cool Covers knockoffs from China and they fit in a fashion. My bum is rating the seat/cover combination a full on 10/10 having ridden from full to empty a number of times with zero issues.

 

I'm 5'11'', but a laughable 28"inside leg. Even with the seat on the high setting I've no problem with putting feet down - the COG being far, far lower than the Triumph.

 

 

Which leaves the DCT.

 

The Triumph decided to try to squish me near the Super Sausage (a blindingly great cafe near Towcester that every fan of fried breakfasts should visit). It did a great job and my left ankle has been pretty buggered ever since; changing gear causes a pain on the inside of the ankle. 

 

My hands are feeling the effect of many years riding too. Either white finger syndrome or knuckle pains from clutch levers (no matter how light) turns a long ride into a torture fest.

 

I can't speak more highly about the DCT. Combined with the easy to use on the fly heated grips and cruise control, I've had zero issues from my ankle, knuckles or fingers. Zero. This is so many plus points for the Honda that it places the bike exceptionally firmly in the No.1 spot of Best Bikes I've Ever Owned - and I've owned a lot. This isn't me justifying the purchase to myself, this is the very best bike I've owned.

 

Comfort, enough power to make progress, some very useful features, and an engine/exhaust noise that gives it soul but doesn't offend children, old women, and other bikers who really should mind their own business. It scrubs up well after a mucky ride, it looks (imo) sex on wheels, and the top box/Givi panniers have acquitted themselves well at Tesco.

 

I'd like to swap the wheels for tubeless rims, I'd like metal panniers instead of the Monokeys, I'd like a Zumo XT2...but with the lad needing to come home and me having to cover his debts and rent for the next 11 months, they ain't happening now.

 

As it stands, there's enough about the bike to take me on my planned European tour in June (maybe down to the Sahara), providing I can scrape together the funds after the son's return rapes my wallet.

 

All told, what a bloody brilliant machine.

Gay

[Bender]

8 minutes ago, Six30 said:

Gay

Who are you again

[onesea]

13 hours ago, Bender said:

Who are you again

From what I can tell he lives in women’s clothes in men’s wardrobes

[Mawsley]

And so, one year later: goodbye.

 

It’s a great machine but there was never a call to my soul. Plus, having spent almost all of the last year either injured, ill or operated on, we never shared any bonding moments. We never did any memorable journeys.

 

Unlike a lot of bikes (especially you, Moto Guzzis), we aren’t parting on bad terms…but we won’t be keeping in touch and there’s no way we’ll be getting back together.

[bonio]

That's how I felt about my Tiger. Great bike. For someone else.

In the end fate had its way and someone else nicked it.

[RideWithStyles]

Yeah got to agree.
even if you find what people think is a good bike doesnt always make it true right bike for all the time or as a forever bike.

 

ive liked and appreciated all the bikes ive owned or ridden for their own appeals:

Yam TC (1yr) & kawa zxr (3/4yrs?), viewed as time 600s were but different characters to each other, quick, cheap, quite engaging.

Tri Daytona (3/4yrs?),what an engine.

hon cbf125 (7+yrs) not strictly mine but I rode it enough to claim, its viewed so lowly (slow) that getting the most out of it in any situation is brilliant/surprise, fuel economy and cheap running and most parts (especially not Honda ones).

Benelli (4yrs), fun, very accessible and very cheap to run.

suz gsfs (2yrs on going) , does pretty much everything what I need in a manner required, last of the carbs, lovely colour of metallic blue paint.

which one have I least bonded with/ wouldnt do again? Ignore my medical reasons for the Ben would Probably between the yam and gsfs (bonding) as they not bad bikes nor do nothing terrible but any of those or other bikes as a forever bike? Nope as people change and so do bikes.

 

[Gerontious]

My 1000 isn’t going anywhere. Oh wait, yes it is (twice)

 

Frogs and Sausages. Do your wurst!

 

[RideWithStyles]

 

Edited December 11, 2024 by RideWithStyles

[Simon Davey]

1 hour ago, RideWithStyles said:

 

 

You have a day off work today RWS?

 

[RideWithStyles]

Slow day .