2020 Honda Africa Twin DCT First Ride

[Hugh Janus]

For 2020, the Honda Africa Twin gets more displacement and power. (Jeff Allen /)

When Honda announced the return of the Africa Twin to its lineup in 2015, it promised a go-anywhere adventure motorcycle. And when the bike arrived as a 2016 model, it was mostly true. In the four model years that have passed the Africa Twin has earned a reputation as an easy-to-own and -ride adventure motorcycle—with the capability to go anywhere. Now for 2020, the Africa Twin gets an overhaul. More power, less weight, better suspension performance, and more tech are all promised to match offerings from the competition—and it delivers.

Honda offers up the 2020 Africa Twin in four models: Africa Twin, Africa Twin DCT, Africa Twin Adventure Sports, and Africa Twin Adventure Sports DCT. All four share the same basic engine and frame architecture, previously the Adventure Sports had a different frame to accommodate longer-travel suspension. The differences now lie in a larger 6.5-gallon fuel tank, Showa Electronically Equipped Ride Adjustment suspension, heated grips, tubeless wheels, a larger skid plate, a 12-volt accessory socket, and an aluminum rear rack. Honda says the standard Africa Twin is more suited to off-road usage while the Adventure Sports is more for touring due to the bigger tank and electronic suspension.

The standard 2020 Africa Twin is positioned by Honda to be more off-road ready than the Adventure Sports model. (Jeff Allen /)

Our test unit was a base model with manually adjustable Showa suspension and a 5-gallon fuel tank. It was also a DCT (Dual Clutch Transmission) model—Honda says the manual transmission units are on the way. Look for an upcoming test with a manual Adventure Sports in the future for a review of the electronic suspension and six-speed gearbox. 

As mentioned above, all four models share the same increased displacement parallel twin. Bumped up 86cc to 1,084cc in total, Honda claims a 6-percent increase in power from the original 998cc engine. Once the manual units arrive we will get one on the dyno to compare to the 2018 model that produced 82.4 peak hp and 65.5 pound-feet of torque. Doing the math, we should expect to see just over 87 horses to the rear wheel. 

While 6 percent may not seem like a significant increase, on the road it is. The longer-stroke, 270-degree twin gets a larger throttle body, revised air intake, an updated ECU, and re-angled injectors for more oomph and engine smoothness. Combine the power gains with a 5-pound weight loss for the engine (6 pounds overall) and you get a much livelier engine character. Crack the throttle and the Africa Twin responds with a snap that was missed in the previous model. Both on and off the road that extra torque and stroker character lofts the front wheel on demand (with Wheelie Control deactivated—more on that later) and jumps from corner to corner with a newfound willingness. Just a little extra has totally transformed the Africa Twin powerplant from a ho-hum performer to an entertaining, big ADV-worthy powerplant. It still won’t win any horsepower showdown, but you aren’t left wanting when you twist the wireless throttle. 

The 1,084cc parallel twin of the 2020 Africa Twin puts out a claimed 6-percent more horsepower. (Jeff Allen /)

With that increased performance comes increased confidence in traction and stability. A Bosch MM7.10 six-axis IMU now informs the Africa Twin’s big brain to offer lean-sensitive rider aids. Traction control (Honda calls it Honda Selectable Torque Control or HSTC) can be adjusted through seven levels of intervention, Level 1 being the least and Level 7 being the most. TC can also be switched off completely. On the dry pavement, I preferred Level 2 or 3 as it didn’t seem to hold the bike back at all while rear wheel slip was kept to a minimum. In the dirt, I worked though nearly every level. Off is best for technical off-roading, especially when climbing a hill and you need every bit the engine has even if it means spinning the tire all the way up. Level 1 is excellent for single- and two-track riding, offering the smallest safety net when you give it a little too much of the spurs. Higher levels are great for slippery gravel roads, especially with Honda’s street-biased tire choice. 

Honda’s tire choice for the 2020 Africa Twin leans more toward street than dirt; seven levels of traction control keep the motorcycle moving forward despite the lack of aggressive tires. (Jeff Allen /)

The IMU also manages wheelie control in three levels plus off. Level 1 lets the tire rise from the pavement for a moment before setting it down softly, Level 2 has very little lift before cutting the power, and Level 3? Forget about it, Honda’s system keeps the front wheel glued to the riding surface.  

Power delivery and ABS is tailored to each of the six ride modes (Tour, Urban, Gravel, Off-Road, User 1, and User 2) according to each usage case and how far the bike is leaned over or pitched sideways. Traction control is not linked to these modes. Power in Tour delivers all the engine has to offer with impressive acceleration and torque. Urban is subdued and less immediate and does work well for life in the city. Gravel mellows out the power deliver further for work on slick fire roads and activates off-road ABS. Once again, highly useful with the stock tires. Off-Road has more snap and punch than Gravel and adds off-road ABS. It is spot-on for any type of riding in the dirt beyond gravel roads. 

Thumb the drive mode selection button into Sport on the 2020 Africa Twin and enjoy a DCT shift program that best utilizes the bike’s newfound power. (Jeff Allen /)

ABS settings work well on the street and dirt in their respective modes, with both the dual front 310mm discs and four-piston calipers and 256mm rear disc and single-piston caliper offering excellent feel and power. Only in the most technical off-road situations did I want to turn the rear ABS off to add more bite and control to the rear, mostly on downhills. 

Twin 310mm discs with four-piston calipers provide strong and communicative brake performance on the 2020 Africa Twin DCT. (Jeff Allen /)

Honda’s DCT system is beginning to win me over, but I would still prefer a manual transmission when the going gets difficult. In all other situations the Dual Clutch Transmission is great. For commuting and riding around town, I thumbed the right bar-mounted switch to Sport (AT-S) and would leave it there. This mode allows you to get solid acceleration out of the Africa Twin by holding each gear longer to use all the power available in the higher rpm. The default Drive (AT-D) prioritizes fuel economy, shifting early and keeping engine revs low. Manual is a blast on any twisting mountain road and in the dirt. Snapping up and down through the gears with your thumb and index finger is easy and quick. I still miss the clutch for that fine-tuning of traction and drive at very low speeds in technical off-road situations—the fine engagement of the DCT is just not there. 

In most situations Honda’s Dual Clutch Transmission is magical, but in serious off-road situations you may still want a clutch lever. (Jeff Allen /)

Honda has given the 2020 Africa Twin a new chassis. A slimmer frame with revised stiffness for increased front-end feel, better stability under braking, and better rear-end suspension feel is shared between the Africa Twin and Adventure Sports. The subframe is now an aluminum bolt-on unit.  

Our test unit gets a 45mm manually adjustable Showa cartridge fork with 9.1 inches of travel. At the back a Showa shock and Pro-Link system give 9.4 inches of travel. A new aluminum swingarm is based on Honda's CRF450R motocross bike and is said to be more rigid and lighter. Where it all really matters is the dirt, and it is clear the 2020 outperforms the previous model when presented with the bumps and jolts encountered off road. Small bump compliance is excellent, but it also holds up well to bigger hits such as whoops and jumps. Even when the suspension is bottomed out the chassis stays controlled. 

The 2020 Africa Twin is much more composed off road than the previous model, thanks to longer-travel suspension and a new frame. (Jeff Allen /)

On the street the suspension is very balanced with just the right amount of weight transfer expected from an adventure bike when on the brakes and accelerating. This contributes to excellent street handling. Despite having a 21-inch front wheel, communication from the front tire lets you know just how much load and grip are available. As most ADV riders do spend more time on the street than the dirt, this is a great thing. 

On the street the 2020 Africa Twin DCT is wonderfully balanced with its new chassis. (Jeff Allen /)

Really the only thing not great about the 2020 Africa Twin is the new full-color dash and menu system for navigating the multitude of settings for traction control, engine-braking, and ride modes. As impressive and beautiful as the 6.5-inch TFT dash is, Honda has made using it cumbersome. Inconsistencies in the display of power, engine-braking, and traction control form the first frustration. While just one section of the circle to communicate the power level means the most power and four the least, one bar for engine-braking and TC means the least. All three are next to each other and it causes confusion. Next is the riding mode screens; there is a separate screen for each, with three different looks that give more or less information. Then the two user modes are not as easy as they should be to set up. After some time, an owner will learn the ins and outs, but not until after a frustrating initiation. 

Although the 6.5-inch full-color TFT screen is impressive looking, using the functions is not as easy as it should or could be. (Jeff Allen /)

Ergonomics is a mixed bag for the 2020 Africa Twin. The seat is comfortable, leg room is ample, and the midsection of the bike is thinner. When standing, however, the cockpit feels cramped with the bars sitting too far aft. It’s difficult to get your weight forward while standing, which can become tiring off road. 

Even with a couple of misses, the 2020 Africa Twin DCT is much improved and adventure-touring riders will continue to find a capable partner for their journeys. With better performance off road and excellent on on-road manners there's not much holding the Africa Twin back from continued success in the ADV segment. A slight bump in cost (up $800 to $15,199 for DCT) comes with a nice bump in power, a fair trade I say. 

2020 Africa Twin DCT Specifications

MSRP:	$15,199
Engine:	1,084cc, liquid-cooled, Unicam parallel twin
Bore x Stroke:	93.0 x 81.5mm
Transmission/Final Drive:	6-speed/chain
Fuel System:	PGM-FI electronic fuel injection w/ 46mm throttle bodies
Clutch:	Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT)
Engine Management/Ignition:	Full transistorized ignition
Frame:	Steel semi-double cradle, aluminum subframe
Front Suspension:	Showa inverted 45mm fork adjustable for spring preload, compression, and rebound damping; 9.1-in. travel
Rear Suspension:	Single shock, adjustable for spring preload, compression, and rebound damping; 9.4-in. travel
Front Brake:	Two 4-piston hydraulic calipers, 310mm discs w/ ABS
Rear Brake:	1-piston hydraulic caliper, 256mm disc w/ ABS
Tires, Front/Rear:	90/90-21 / 150/70R-18
Rake/Trail:	27.0°/4.4 in.
Wheelbase:	62.0 in.
Ground Clearance:	9.8 in.
Seat Height:	34.3/33.7 in.
Fuel Capacity:	5.0 gal.
Claimed Wet Weight:	524 lb.
Availability:	Now
Contact:	powersports.honda.com

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