Rode an Africa Twin today

[greg the pole]

That sounds like something my father would say about power windows and air conditioning.

you forgot cruise control! evil stuff that is ::015::

 

[RonH]

I can actually live real easily without air conditioning and power windows. I never use air conditioning so if it breaks down it costs me zero to repair. A transmission is a different story, kind of need a transmission to ride.
I have however come up with one good reason for a DCT. I wear out a pair of gloves every couple years from pulling in the clutch lever, and I don't buy gloves at Harbor Freight. About $150 every two years. DCT saves big money in gloves. :-[

 

[True Grip]

Honda went both ways on the AT

DCT weak point would be cheap switch gear

Manual would be the cable which can wear over time

Cable would be an easier fix in the boonies or foreign country.

For travel bike I'll take reliable but don't know why an off-road bike doesn't have a juice clutch. That lever could get mighty tiring in a half day of sand or big rock.

When fuel injection first came out my dad bought a left over carb truck. Way to go dad! Carbs were what he knew and was comfortable with them. I am my father son which is not entirely a bad thing!

 

[Checkswrecks]

Honda went both ways on the AT

DCT weak point would be cheap switch gear

Manual would be the cable which can wear over time

Cable would be an easier fix in the boonies or foreign country.

For travel bike I'll take reliable but don't know why an off-road bike doesn't have a juice clutch. That lever could get mighty tiring in a half day of sand or big rock.

When fuel injection first came out my dad bought a left over carb truck. Way to go dad! Carbs were what he knew and was comfortable with them. I am my father son which is not entirely a bad thing!

To me, the DCT is now well-proven and about as reliable as anything else inside of a sealed Honda engine/transmission/electronics. Bullet-proof. And while I agree about the switches being the exposed vulnerable points of the system, you can usually even fix or cheaply replace those without much hassle.


Like I wrote, there are a couple of things that scream "cost cutting" and the clutch cable caught my eye, as did the cheap basic wheels.


On balance though, it's a really nice bike!

 

[Dogdaze]

FWIW, I had the privilege to run BMW M3's and later M5's for many years ::012::, M3 were available in manual and SMG (sequential manual gearbox) which was a manual gearbox with paddle and lever shift clutchlessly (no clutch pedal) same as a DCT on Honda, it also allowed me to run 'fully auto' which would change gear when I released the gas a little and allowed a shift up. I loved the SMG, would never ever consider a car like the M3 with manual gearbox. It allowed my to shift in 1/10th of the time a fast manual shift, on a track this was awesome, on the road, even better. There is nothing wrong with the DCT, and only one incident that I read about and Honda Japan stepped in and took over and shipped the bike back to Japan, giving the owner a new one. I suspect the switchgear was at fault. Would I drive a manual car ever again? Never out of choice, why make life harder than it needs to be? Each to his own and enjoy what you like, but to dismiss technology and advancement in a Neanderthal manner is just obnoxious, and if wanting an auto box makes me less of a 'man' then so be it. I see the the benefits of auto far outweigh manual gears. But as pointed out, Honda make both options, give them credit for that at least, rather than 'here's your black bike with four speed transmission'!!

 

[Checkswrecks]

Knew these would come. Interesting accessories from Altrider.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ECIR71u6nY

 

[True Grip]

Dog I've been called worse

Right now knowing how I like to ride I would chose the AT over a Tenere but I pretty much ride my Tenere sliding the rear and roosting and as rough a road as I can find. The AT is not that much more svelte than the Tenere but I could put the added suspension to work. Now we have word of middleweights coming from Yamaha and KTM so the AT envy is on hold.

Had I bought an AT it would have been a tough decision I can see where the DCT would be great for not missing a shift on a steep climb.
Technology never makes anybody less a man (got a phone computer in my hand) just brings a different set of problems to sort out. Kinda like new washing machines

Alt Rider stuff for the AT looks good!

 

[Dogdaze]

Dog I've been called worse

TG, I'm sure you were,but........................ that was not actually directed towards you or anyone in general.

 

[True Grip]

Just funning you dogdaze! Honda does have a hit on its hands and has shook it up. It's making other manufacturers move in the direction some will like. Especially for an aging man nearing retirement like me.

 

[shrekonwheels]

FWIW, I had the privilege to run BMW M3's and later M5's for many years ::012::, M3 were available in manual and SMG (sequential manual gearbox) which was a manual gearbox with paddle and lever shift clutchlessly (no clutch pedal) same as a DCT on Honda, it also allowed me to run 'fully auto' which would change gear when I released the gas a little and allowed a shift up. I loved the SMG, would never ever consider a car like the M3 with manual gearbox. It allowed my to shift in 1/10th of the time a fast manual shift, on a track this was awesome, on the road, even better. There is nothing wrong with the DCT, and only one incident that I read about and Honda Japan stepped in and took over and shipped the bike back to Japan, giving the owner a new one. I suspect the switchgear was at fault. Would I drive a manual car ever again? Never out of choice, why make life harder than it needs to be? Each to his own and enjoy what you like, but to dismiss technology and advancement in a Neanderthal manner is just obnoxious, and if wanting an auto box makes me less of a 'man' then so be it. I see the the benefits of auto far outweigh manual gears. But as pointed out, Honda make both options, give them credit for that at least, rather than 'here's your black bike with four speed transmission'!!

Great post ::008::

My father was one of the last people in this area who could adjust the points on a Pierce Arrow. (Hint, it has to be done with the lights off) He did not look back once Fuel Injection came back.
Lets face it, Carbs suck, why on earth they are still on adventure bikes when FI is tried and proven over and over again is beyond me, I embrace most technology except anything form Microsoft, I dono what their deal is

 

[eemsreno]

Dog I've been called worse

Right now knowing how I like to ride I would chose the AT over a Tenere but I pretty much ride my Tenere sliding the rear and roosting and as rough a road as I can find. The AT is not that much more svelte than the Tenere but I could put the added suspension to work. Now we have word of middleweights coming from Yamaha and KTM so the AT envy is on hold.

Had I bought an AT it would have been a tough decision I can see where the DCT would be great for not missing a shift on a steep climb.
Technology never makes anybody less a man (got a phone computer in my hand) just brings a different set of problems to sort out. Kinda like new washing machines

Alt Rider stuff for the AT looks good!

No

And no thank you Honda, I'll ride a real bike with a real clutch.

 

[Chuck B]

I owned a couple early M3's with SMG....they sux big time. Horrible transmission. Similar trans on the M4 is good. I'll still take a manual...

 

[Dogdaze]

I owned a couple early M3's with SMG....they sux big time. Horrible transmission. Similar trans on the M4 is good. I'll still take a manual...

Perhaps you had the E36 version from the early 90's, not the better E46 version? I get the impression change is hard to accept, perhaps user error? I did have quite a few owners not get the concept, almost like a synapse not allowing a connection in the brain and so became frustrated! I found them to be fantastic, square cut gears, hard shifts, just like DTM, Touring cars, F1, WRC and a few more.... but not NASCAR, they still use truck transmissions from the 70's.
All Honda are doing is giving you (as in everyone) a choice, something I thought people of the free world would embrace, not shun away from and view it as 'witchcraft'........

 

[Chuck B]

Perhaps you had the E36 version from the early 90's, not the better E46 version? I get the impression change is hard to accept, perhaps user error? I did have quite a few owners not get the concept, almost like a synapse not allowing a connection in the brain and so became frustrated! I found them to be fantastic, square cut gears, hard shifts, just like DTM, Touring cars, F1, WRC and a few more.... but not NASCAR, they still use truck transmissions from the 70's.
All Honda are doing is giving you (as in everyone) a choice, something I thought people of the free world would embrace, not shun away from and view it as 'witchcraft'........

I did say I had a couple early versions of the SMG and I did say I have the new version in the new M4. The first sucked the latest does not. My wife liked the SMG II in her E46. I found it much improved but nothing to post up about on a forum. I prefer manual. Nothing to do with 'witchcraft' or 'user error'. It's called preferences....I prefer a manual transmission. Far more pleasant to drive to/for me.

 

[shrekonwheels]

There is a couple riding around on an AT here in town now. WOw I am surprised how small that bike really is.

I bought the Super T specifically for two up Adventure touring, I cannot see myself on that small of a bike.

Still happy it is out there to fit a Niche for someone else though

 

[ADKsuper10]

There is a couple riding around on an AT here in town now. WOw I am surprised how small that bike really is.

I bought the Super T specifically for two up Adventure touring, I cannot see myself on that small of a bike.

Still happy it is out there to fit a Niche for someone else though

I looked at one again recently. I agree it doesn't look much bigger than my KLR that I had. Hard to beieve it is a 500lb bike.

The red ones do look bad ass though. Love the color.

 

[cosmic]

Oops I did it again...

 

[greg the pole]

Oops I did it again...

and what did you think of it compared to the ST?

 

[cosmic]

Well, the first impression, after jumping on it from the S10, is the narrow seat and the narrow gas tank. Pegs are more forward and bit higher than on S10. It's quite strange ant first. The seating position feels cramped compared to my bike. Let's not forget that I have shorter dog bones and custom seat (+4cm), l enduro bars and pivot rox. I was hoping to have my leg completely stretched out when reaching for the ground, but instead I feel almost like on a street bike.
Definitely something I would need to address.
Hate the tube tires. What they where thinking.
When you fire it up, you have to appreciate the sound from the stock can. Waaay beter then S10, even with the Akra. Engine noise is also more pleasant to the ear. It's a brand new bike though.
Once on the move first thing you notice is the perfect fueling and the quick revving nature of this parallel twin. To be honest, it feels faster then my S10, at least in this test I did in the city with moderate traffic. Of the line is definitely more snappier. Suspension wise, it feels closer to my exc then the Tenere. Under hard braking it dives just like an Enduro or DS bike, thanks to the long travel suspension. I'm use to it, so I don't mind.
Brakes are just fine. Not to sensitive and powerful enough. Shifter and the clutch are spot on, but I would prefer a Brembo or Magura hydraulic unit. Dashboard it's not my cup of tea, but I definitely need a longer ride to really say anything more clever about it.
What I do like is on the fly TC settings. I think it's 1,2,3 & Off. 3 is similar to our 2, and it's action is also Yamaha smooth.
Abs off button is a plus too.

I was at the Albanian Rally this June, as a support for a friend of mine who raced for the first time in big bikes class. The was a brand new Africa Twin ridden by Italian Ugo Filosa. The bike was almost completely stock. This guy arrived first in class, second overall with meters behind another Italian guy on rally replica 450 bike. Amazing. As for the bike, in this 5 days he had no technical issues at all, except one slow speed crash when he damaged one foot peg.

I could see my self on one of these, but the price here makes no sense at all. When you pay for the center stand, it's only 1800$ shy of 1190R and 400$ more then the S10 with Travel kit, and the travel kit includes panniers, led fog lamps, skid plate, touring screen, etc.

In My book, there's no comparison between the two, as a whole package. Offroad abilities are probably far off, but I'm holding myself pretty good against my buddies with 950/990's , so I suppose I will wait a bit longer to find the right replacement for the mighty S10.
Maybe the new baby Tenere...Who knows.

 

[fredz43]

On the subject of tubed tires, I haven't looked around, but I wonder what is available in a front tubeless 21 inch tire? Do any other adv type bikes with 21 inch tires have tubeless?