Honda CRF1100L Africa Twin Long-Term Test: Strengths & Weaknesses

The Honda CRF1100L Africa Twin has been around since 2019, an adventure bike with a legendary name and huge popularity. We've had the Honda Africa Twin along for countless tests since its launch, and the many Africa Twin owners out there have explored the world on it too. That's a big advantage for anyone now interested in the CRF1100L and looking to learn about the Africa Twin's long-term experiences. In this report, we've gathered many impressions, suggestions and problems from our tests and from the community.

Seek and you shall find. That also applies to the Africa Twin's technical niggles. But it's worth remembering that forums generally attract people with problems, while riders without any troubles at most just read along. Accordingly, it's hard to estimate the actual proportion of faulty bikes among the whole mass of Africa Twins out there. Monday-morning builds are always possible, and even the new Africa Twin generations weren't spared teething troubles. In our assessment, and according to many voices in the community, the CRF1100L Africa Twin is generally considered robust and long-lasting. Long-term reports show high durability. Some users report over 60,000 km without any problems whatsoever. The machine keeps running flawlessly. Our long-distance rider Varahannes apparently took this to the extreme, having already racked up a whopping 400,000 km on his Africa Twin back in 2022. That was the predecessor model though, the CRF1000L Africa Twin.

Many riders praise the Africa Twin's high build quality, as well as its confident riding performance on the road and off-road. The comfortable handling on long tours is especially appreciated. The engine delivers enough power for relaxed touring, while the optional dual clutch transmission (DCT) makes shifting easier. Another unique selling point of the Africa Twin is the integration of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. While the DCT is described by many users as mature and perfect, the smartphone integration isn't quite optimized yet. It should be mentioned, though, that no other major motorcycle manufacturer besides Honda offers Apple CarPlay and Android Auto in a production vehicle.

One of the Africa Twin's biggest weaknesses is the cost of damage from tip-overs. Without crash bars, hand guards, mirrors and fairing can break quickly, and hefty prices are charged for replacement parts. Even with crash bars, damage is still possible, leading to high repair costs. Riders report paying up to €1,100 for spare parts after minor tip-overs. Our editor-in-chief Poky has also felt the steep prices of genuine Honda spare parts firsthand, when colleague Horvath dropped his Africa Twin while maneuvering it. The damage was minor, since only the exhaust heat shield needed replacing, but unfortunately the price for that one trivial part wasn't - over €600.

Apart from that, the CRF1100L allows itself only a few failures. Some earlier models had issues with the TFT display, or elevated idle speed caused by a faulty idle valve and a defective right-hand switch unit. After replacing these parts, though, the bikes ran without issues, and the frequency of these defects is limited as well.

The dual clutch transmission (DCT) sparks plenty of discussion in the community, and new Honda customers in particular often face the tough decision between a classic gearbox and DCT. After all, it's one of the Africa Twin's unique selling points. The DCT makes long tours easier, boosts comfort and makes stop-and-go traffic more pleasant. However, some riders report problems off-road, especially with quick throttle changes. Error codes like "DCT Error" can appear if the system doesn't respond correctly. Some riders also miss the direct feel of a manual gearbox. In our own tests, even during the Africa Twin's more demanding trials like in Iceland's far north, we haven't experienced any DCT failures whatsoever.

Many riders who had only used manual gearboxes for years were surprised after test rides at how well the DCT works. Some report that their own riding style adjusts automatically, making the DCT feel more harmonious with increasing use. Once you've adjusted to this particular technology, the comfort gain is undeniable.

Despite all its advantages, some riders deliberately do without the DCT. They value the more direct power delivery, the ability to play with the throttle, the ease of parking with a gear engaged without a handbrake, as well as the 10 kg lower weight and lower price of the manual model. Ultimately, the choice between DCT and manual gearbox remains a personal one.

Several users report wobble and flutter at high speeds on German autobahns, especially when side panniers or top cases are fitted. This issue occurs more often with the CRF1100L than with earlier models like the CRF1000L. Riders recommend adjusting the suspension accordingly and optimizing aerodynamic accessories. For us Austrians, with a maximum speed limit of 130 km/h, this was never an issue, even without strict adherence to the highway code.

Anyone interested in the Honda CRF1100L Africa Twin should also keep an eye on the equally interesting competition. Here's a brief overview of related models and which features they share with the Africa Twin or where they differ. Many riders compare the Africa Twin to other adventure bikes, such as:

• BMW R 1250 GS: More comfort and touring capability, but heavier and pricier.
• KTM 890 Adventure: More agile and lighter, ideal for off-road riders, but noticeably less comfortable
• Triumph Tiger 900 GT Pro: Good road manners and modern tech. On par with the Africa Twin in terms of power and weight, but the character of the inline-three engine differs greatly from the Africa Twin's popping twin.
• Honda XL750 Transalp (new generation): The cheaper and lighter Honda alternative to the Africa Twin, though it has to go without important features like DCT and cruise control.

Many owners upgrade their Africa Twin with accessories to improve riding performance and comfort. The most popular upgrades are:

• Suspension upgrades: Öhlins shock: Better responsiveness and increased comfort. Wilbers suspension: Alternative for custom setups.
• Exhaust systems: Akrapovič: Punchy sound, not too loud. SC Project: Cheaper alternative with valve control.
• Protection & off-road accessories: Crash bars (Honda, Touratech, Heed): Mixed opinions on protective effect and quality. Barkbusters hand guards: Praised for their robustness.
• Tire upgrades: Continental TrailAttack 3: Best road performance for the Africa Twin. Metzeler Karoo: For off-road, but not ideal at low temperatures.
• Storage & touring accessories: Taller windscreen (Honda accessory): Better wind protection on long distances. Tank bag: Many users are satisfied with its long-term durability. Side panniers & top cases: Honda OEM panniers are expensive, alternatives from Touratech or Givi are popular.

The Africa Twin is a truly strong adventure bike with many advantages, but also a few rough edges. It offers comfort, modern technology and decent off-road capability, but with pricey spare parts it's not exactly cheap, and its technical quirks mean it's not for everyone. Anyone who chooses the Africa Twin should invest in quality accessories to get the best out of the bike.