The Japanese Adventure Bike That Does It All

Adventure bikes are generally designed to fuse on-road and off-road skills. This is often not a spot-on, balanced ratio, as some are more inclined to be off-roaders while others excel on tarmac for long-distance touring. But for an ADV to “do it all”, the balance should be perfect. And if we isolate the Japanese offerings, top-notch reliability is an added bonus. So is there a Japanese adventure bike that tours well, is not shy about stirring up a lot of dirt, and is also a capable urban runabout? Thanks to Honda, there is.

This adventure motorcycle has an approximately 40-year legacy, is a direct rival to the big guns from BMW and Triumph, and packs a transmission setup that allows this dune-bashing ADV to be ridden like a scooter. Its liter-class parallel-twin engine is highly flexible, and the technology features will make any tech-savvy rider’s eyes sparkle. All of this comes at a justifiable price that greatly undercuts its arch-rivals.

The Honda Africa Twin DCT Is The Japanese Adventure Bike That Can Do It All

Price: $15,599

In the 2025 Africa Twin DCT, Honda combines a versatile parallel-twin engine, an easy-to-ride gearbox setup, an adaptive chassis, off-road-ready suspension, and many ride-enhancing and safety-inducing technology features. The formula has it all. The flexible engine and gearbox combination make it a breezy urban runabout and a relaxed highway machine.

Then there is the chassis and suspension setup that elevates its off-roading capabilities. Plus, the ground clearance and large wheel sizes prove that Honda wants the Africa Twin to be let loose on the less-traveled path. Stitching this Honda’s features for a do-it-all package is an extensive list of electronic features that deeply integrates the engine, transmission, and assistive features. A price tag under $16,000 for all of this is worth it. Let’s dive deeper now.

Slim Enough To Offer Confidence-Inspiring Riding Dynamics

On Both Urban And Off-Roads

The first Africa Twin, the XRV650, was launched in 1988. Over 37 years, it has evolved a lot, but its design still echoes the original. Features like the dual-pot headlamp design, the uniquely designed half-fairing, and the upswept exhaust are design callbacks to the 1980s model. Another visual element that has been consistent across the years is the slim profile. The Africa Twin is impressively slim for a liter-class ADV that locks horns with giants like the BMW R 1300 GS.

This form factor elevates its off-roading capabilities, as standing up and riding become much easier. It is also not shy on the touring front, with a sizable 5-gallon fuel tank handling mile-munching duties. With a claimed fuel economy of 48 MPG, the Africa Twin DCT is a 240-mile ADV. Also, it offers close to 10 inches of ground clearance, allowing the Africa Twin to trace challenging trails without a second thought.

Dimensions

Hardcore Underpinnings To Conquer Dunes And Munch Down Miles

Comes With Long-Travel Showa Suspension And Off-Road-Ready Wheels

The Africa Twin packs a semi-double-cradle main frame that has a balance of rigidity and flex to cater to rough off-roading and cozy mile-munching scenarios. The subframe is a bolt-on aluminum unit that elevates its luggage-carrying capabilities while keeping the weight in check. Heavy-duty Showa springs take care of suspension duties, offering 9.0 inches of front and 8.7 inches of rear travel. Both ends are fully adjustable.

This, coupled with its 21-inch front and 18-inch rear wheel size, helps this Honda ADV excel when off-roading. Honda has also derived the Africa Twin’s rigid yet lightweight aluminum swingarm from the hardcore CRF450R motocross machine. Braking duties on this Honda ADV are courtesy of dual 310 mm discs up front and a 256 mm disc at the rear. The discs flaunt a petal-style design and are coupled to sintered brake pads for optimum braking performance at all times.

Hardware Specs

Technology Plays A Vital Role In Making This Honda A Do-It-All ADV

DCT Gearbox And Its Various Riding Modes Are The Showstoppers Here

Technology is what binds the many cool features of this Honda ADV and truly makes it a one-garage-worthy motorcycle. The highlighting feature of this Africa Twin is its automatic gearbox. Honda has pioneered in this field with its first-ever DCT-equipped motorcycle being the 2010 VFR1200F sports tourer. Things have evolved tenfold ever since, and Honda has the highest number of automatic motorcycles on sale today. This dune-bashing Honda ADV has a subtle and easy side with a scooter-like twist-and-go accelerator, thanks to its DCT six-speed gearbox. And it’s not dull, either.

There are three modes of gear-shifting operations: D (Drive), S (Sport), and MT (Manual). Drive is the default drive mode for those who just want to ride their Africa Twin peacefully, without any fuss. This mode balances comfort and fuel efficiency for a versatile city and highway riding setup. Sport mode is for those who want to grin behind the bars. It increases the rev limit and sharpens various parameters, including the throttle response. However, for those who want the most involvement, ‘Manual’ is the mode to choose. This brings paddle shifters (more like finger shifters) into the picture. These are tiny toggles located on the left side of the handlebars.

The Africa Twin DCT comes with a ride-by-wire which features a Bosch MM7.10 IMU that performs real-time six-axis measurement of the roll, pitch, and yaw rate and angle. In simpler words, a lot of sensors work in unison with features like the Honda Selectable Torque Control (HSTC) to maximize accuracy and provide a seamless transition of modes or parameters. The cockpit is adorned by a 6.5-inch touchscreen TFT display. Everything from its ride modes to entertainment and connectivity features is controlled via this screen, which, for the record, is customizable with three display layouts and background colors.

Notable Technology Features

• Cruise Control
• Throttle-by-wire
• 6.5-inch Touchscreen TFT display
• Honda Selectable Torque Control (HSTC)
• Dual Channel ABS With Switchable Rear ABS
• Apple CarPlay and Android Auto; Includes Voice Commands As Well
• Six Ride Modes (Tour, Urban, Gravel, Off-Road, and Two User-Defined modes)

Powered By A Versatile Parallel-Twin

That Is Also Used In A Cruiser Bike And A Touring Bike

The Africa Twin’s engine is also utilized on the Rebel 1100 and the NT1100, albeit in different states of tune. That tells you all about its versatility. This 1,084cc parallel-twin is extremely compact for a liter-class mill, and Honda has gone to great lengths to make this possible. For instance, the cylinder sleeves are made of aluminum to save weight, the water pump is housed within the clutch casing, and a thermostat is integrated into the cylinder heads.

These clever engineering perks help make the engine compact and short. This translates to weight savings and improved ground clearance, making it suitable for elevated off-roading capabilities. Meanwhile, it also caters to city riding and long-distance touring capabilities, as peak power and torque figures are produced at 7,500 RPM and 5,500 RPM, respectively. This early surge helps Honda give the Africa Twin a meaty low- and mid-range character. For highway cruising, peak power produced at under 8,000 RPM translates to a relaxed engine, even when doing consistent trip-digit runs.

Engine Specs

Accessory Packs Uphold The Africa Twin DCT’s Versatile Nature

Offered With Four Accessory Packs

Honda offers more than 30 accessories for the Africa Twin DCT in America. Now, choosing the right ones from this lot might become tiresome. Honda knows this and has curated the bunch into four packs, each catering to a different purpose. While each of the below-mentioned packs is a bundle, Honda also allows you to mix, match, and even add almost all the accessories available across the packs. The image seen above is one that we have configured using all possible individual add-on accessories.

Rally Pack

This pack is designed to improve the off-road durability of the Africa Twin. It includes wide rally footpegs, engine guards, radiator grill, and even a foot shift lever for the DCT-equipped models. Color-matched knuckle guard extenders and wheel stripes add an extra layer of visual aura.

Adventure Pack

This pack takes care of long-haul duties, with elevated protection and storage space. The Africa Twin gets bodywork protection made from 25 mm stainless steel. These also house dual fog lights for elevated night riding visibility. Honda adds a 4.5-liter tank bag that is spacious yet well-contoured to not hinder both on- and off-road riding experiences. This pack also includes slide tank pads to provide additional off-roading grip and protect the paint job from knee scuffs.

Urban Pack

This pack emphasizes practicality and storage with respect to urban riding conditions. The highlighting component of this pack is a top box, available in either a 58-liter plastic or a 42-liter aluminum version. The prior can easily store two full-faced helmets. Elevating the comfort quotient are heated grip sets. This pack also adds an accessory charging socket and a main stand.

Travel Pack

As the name suggests, this pack includes accessories designed to elevate one’s traveling (a.k.a. touring) potential. The Travel Pack includes hardcase lockable pannier cases (either a 40-liter left and 30-liter right plastic set or a 37-liter left and a 33-liter right aluminum set). A one-size set of inner bags comes included with the cases.

Other accessories in this pack include upper and lower deflectors designed to improve airflow around the arms, shoulders, and legs. The deflector setup reduces wind fatigue and improves highway speed comfort. Honda also adds Comfort Pillion Footpegs to the mix.