BMW F 900 GS Vs. Honda Africa Twin 

The adventure bike segment has exploded in recent years, with plenty of good options across different price ranges. On the cheaper end of things, you have starter ADVs surprisingly good at off-roading but don’t do so well on the highway. At the upper end, you can get luxury full-size ADVs with power figures that rival those of last decade’s superbikes. But not everyone wants to spend $25,000+ on such flagship machines, which is why, for many bikers, it makes sense to pick something around the $15,000 mark.

This is the sweet spot where you unlock the lower end of the full-size ADV segment and the upper end of the midweight category. You have many options here, too, like the Aprilia Tuareg Rally, Suzuki V-Strom 1050, or the KTM 890 Adventure R. Still, two bikes that make the most sense are the BMW F 900 GS and Honda Africa Twin. Here’s how both these bikes fare against each other and who they are right for.

Closely Priced But Very Different Riding Experience

A budget of $15,000 is the sweet spot when it comes to adventure bikes. At this price range, you unlock plenty of performance for the road, usually over 100 horsepower, along with focused underpinnings and near-premium features. In this price range, two adventure bikes quickly pop up: the BMW F 900 GS and the Honda Africa Twin. Both motorcycles are priced $800 apart, and while pricing may be very similar, they offer completely different riding experiences.

The F 900 GS Is A Top-Tier Middleweight ADV

The BMW F 900 GS is BMW’s midship adventure bike, sitting between the older F 800 GS and the top-tier R 1300 GS. This thoroughbred German adventure bike is backed by the legacy of older GS motorcycles, and it’s off-road ready from the factory. It offers punchy performance with long-travel suspension and plenty of near-premium tech features that you’d otherwise find on flagship models, though most of them remain optional.

The Africa Twin Is Honda’s Full-Size Adventure Bike

On the other hand, the Honda Africa Twin is among the cheapest full-size adventure bikes you can buy. It’s powered by a liter-class engine, long-travel suspension, and neutral ergonomics. It can go off-road, too, but it’s more focused on adventure touring. Plus, it’s backed by Honda’s engineering, so it is pretty reliable in the long run. Honda also offers a DCT version of the same for those looking for scooter-like simplicity.

Comparing A Middleweight With A Full-Size ADV Makes Sense Here

You might wonder why we are comparing BMW’s midship ADV with Honda’s flagship ADV? It may seem unfair, but it actually makes a lot of sense. Despite the slight differentiation in their enduro and touring abilities, both bikes are priced very close to each other. Plus, they are alike enough to cause plenty of confusion for those looking for a capable ADV around the $15k mark.

Performance: The BMW F 900 GS Has A Clear Edge Here

Both the F 900 GS and Africa Twin are powered by a 270-degree parallel-twin engine, but they offer a completely different character. One is more focused on off-road performance, whereas the other is tuned for versatility and real-world performance. Add to that their underpinnings, and the German ADV emerges as a package with a better power-to-weight ratio than the Africa Twin.

The GS Is Ready For Enduro Adventure Rides

The BMW F 900 GS packs a tried-and-tested parallel-twin engine derived from the 2018 BMW F 850 GS. Here, the engine is rebored to displace 895cc. Enthusiasts often praise this engine for being full of character, too. BMW says the engine is designed to offer maximum riding pleasure, thanks to 105 horsepower coming in at 8,500 RPM and a broader torque curve that peaks at 6,500 RPM with 68.6 pound-feet of torque. BMW also claims a top speed of 120 miles per hour.

The engine hangs in a bridge-type steel frame, which sits on adjustable Showa suspension. The front Showa fork gets full adjustability, whereas the rear is adjustable for preload and rebound damping. With around 9 inches of travel on both ends and a 21/17-inch cross-spoke wheel setup as standard, the F 900 is ready to get gnarly. The bike also weighs just 482 pounds, which is light for the segment.

The Africa Twin Focuses On Real-World Performance

The Honda Africa Twin isn’t as focused as the Beemer. It features a narrow 1,084cc Unicam parallel-twin engine that pumps out 102 horsepower and 82.6 pound-feet of torque. This may be pale in comparison to its rivals, but that would be missing the point. The engine uses a 10.5:1 compression ratio and mid-range-tuned valve timing that is said to deliver a smooth, strong torque curve across the rev range with a linear power delivery. Plus, being a Honda, it’s also reliable. Honda also offers a DCT with it.

The Africa Twin is underpinned by an old-school, lightweight semi-double cradle engine inspired by Honda’s HRC Rally bikes, paired with a lightweight swingarm. The frame sits on fully-adjustable Showa suspension, with a beefy 45mm fork and a Pro-Link monoshock, both with around 9 inches of travel. With its 21/18-inch tubeless wire-spoke wheel setup, this Honda should be good for off-roading, too. However, its 510-pound heft makes it better suited for adventure touring, not proper enduro stuff.

Comfort And Features: Neither Is Better Than The Other

When it comes to comfort and features, a similar story follows. Both bikes take a different approach, but neither has a clear edge here. The Beemer, in true BMW fashion, offers plenty of optional extras that should make your ride better and your wallet lighter. Meanwhile, the Africa Twin keeps things simple, but that simplicity works in its favor by making for a distraction-free riding experience and fewer things to go wrong.

BMW F 900 GS Has An Off-Road-Ready Ergonomic And Features Setup

BMW describes the F 900 GS as an enduro adventure, and it’s best visible in its ergonomic setup. The manufacturer says the ergonomic triangle is designed for hard enduro, with high-set handlebars and lower pegs. The footbrake lever sits high, and the gearshift lever is adjustable; the frame is said to offer good contact with the bike when standing up. Even the stout windscreen is designed not to give you an upper-cut punch while off-roading. Seat height is a tad high, at 34.2 inches, but with the OE lowering seat, it can go as low as 32 inches.

On the features front, BMW likes to keep things simple as standard, but offers plenty of premium features for extra money. Standard features include a 6.5-inch TFT display, BMW Motorrad ABS Pro, traction control, two riding modes, and heated grips. You can option the bike with the Enduro Package Pro, which adds sport suspension and handlebar risers, along with Ride Modes Pro, Shift Assistant Pro, Keyless Ride, and much more.

Honda Africa Twin Yet Again Focuses On Things That Matter On The Road

The Africa Twin’s rally-inspired design is said to offer genuine touring comfort for the road. The standard model gets a narrow seat that can be adjusted between 33.5 and 34.3 inches. Along with the seat, the neutral ergonomics with tapered, tall handlebars should offer plenty of comfort for long-distance touring as well as good control for off-roading. Still, it’s a full-size ADV, so it won’t be as comfortable off the road as the F 900 GS.

On the features front, the Africa Twin doesn’t offer as much as the Beemer, standard or optional. Standard features include a 6.5-inch TFT display with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, switchable cornering ABS, Honda Selectable Torque Control (HSTC), ride modes, and wheelie control. The bike also gets cruise control, which is not present on the F 900 GS. Unlike the Beemer, you won’t unlock much more with optional accessories, save for a quickshifter, heated grips, and other comfort-oriented bits.

Both Come In Globe-Trotting Ready Avatars, Too

As good as these bikes are in their standard version, if you still want a genuine globe-trotter experience, they have you covered. The BMW F 900 GS comes in a GS Adventure avatar, and the Africa Twin comes in the Adventure Sports ES version. While these versions make some compromises in weight, they more than make up for it with all the extra comfort and convenience they offer.

BMW F 900 GS Adventure

The BMW F 900 GS Adventure is a more adventure touring version of the F 900 GS. As such, it gets a massive 6.1-gallon fuel tank compared to the standard model’s 3.8-gallon tank. BMW says the GS Adventure also offers better wind protection, thanks to the larger fairing and windscreen. BMW also offers Dynamic ESA electronic suspension as an option, which adapts to different road surfaces on the fly. These changes come with a weight penalty of a whopping 60 pounds over the standard model, though.

Honda Africa Twin Adventure Sports ES

The Honda Africa Twin Adventure Sports ES takes a similar long-distance approach but leans heavily toward on-road comfort, not off-roading. It ditches the 21-inch front wheel for a 19-inch unit, which should make the bike more flickable on the road. The fuel tank is larger at 6.5 gallons compared to the 5-gallon one on the base model. Unlike the GS, though, the Africa Twin gets Showa EERA electronic suspension as standard. The weight penalty is also much lower at just 25 pounds over the base model.

The Choice Comes Down To What You Prioritize In Your ADV

The BMW F 900 GS and the Honda Africa Twin are very closely priced. BMW sells the F 900 GS for a starting MSRP of $14,275, but since it’s a BMW, expect to pay a bit more for all the good optional extras it offers. On the other hand, the Honda Africa Twin sits at $15,199 for the base model and $15,999 for the DCT model. For this price, both adventure bikes offer tremendous value, but in different ways.

So, Which One Should You Buy?

That brings us to the meat of the matter, which is the better bike of the two? That’s hard to pick. The choice comes down to what you prioritize in your adventure bike. The BMW F 900 GS is slightly more powerful and lighter, so it can go off-road much more easily than the Africa Twin. It also offers a better tech package. In the styling department, the Beemer looks sharp and premium, with classic GS touches all around.

On the other hand, the Africa Twin is a full-size adventure tourer that can handle everything you throw at it. It offers a better real-world ownership experience, thanks to its broad torque curve, Honda reliability, and lower-than-BMW maintenance costs. At the same time, it should feel more relaxed for touring. Plus, the rally-inspired design looks the part. Put simply, the Africa Twin is the more sensible pick for those who want to explore the world, and the F 900 GS is the right pick for those who want to have fun off-road while exploring the world.

Source: BMW Motorrad, Honda