Having owned one for 6 years now I would say that the thing where it excels is versatility. Road, off road, camping trip, one up, two up, winter, summer whatever. But with such versatility you cant expect it to be the best at any one specific thing.
36K miles on my 2018 AT. This bike is INCREDIBLE. It can do everything, and do it well. I did the valves at 30k, it was a real pain. That is the only bad thing I can say about this bike. The 2nd time around probably wont be as bad. My fork seals also went at 30k miles. This bike hasn't missed a beat. Truly perfect. I'll probably have this bike till the frame rust away to bits. I am IN LOVE with it. I am taking a 6000 mile trip in September. Lots of off road, lots of highway. It can do it all.
@@skydaddy2426 The exhaust valves were just barely out of spec, I can't remember exactly what it was but I think like 0.02. The most note worthy thing to mention since I last made this post a month ago, is that 7000 miles later (back from a cross country trip) the seals in my water pump failed. So now I have to replace the water pump which is 145$ or so. I'll have to take the clutch cover off, drain the coolant and access the water pump there. While I have that side of the bike open, I'll probably install a new clutch pack. Still no regrets. The bike served me incredibly well on this past trip.
I got '21 DCT and love it to bits, long distance trips with gravel roads and camping gear on the back is my type of riding. Had the software recall done on mine for the DCT issues (never actually had any issues) they plugged in a USB cable and uploaded a new file, was fixed in 30 seconds. No other reliability issues and now just over 10,000 kilometers on the clock.
2016/17 was gen 1, 2018/19 was gen 2. Gen 2 received a few updates and sorted allcthe issues. The tank corrosion was on Adventure sport models. I have a 2019 manual standard and will never sell it even if I get a newer 1100. Ride tar only to get to dirt. Spend 90% on the dirt roads, twin track and tend to avoid single track if possible.
Another good and fair review. A lot of the issues/complaints regarding the CRF1000 were put to bed with the CRF1100. Just about everything on the bike was incrementally improved so as a package the 1100 is solid. The power difference isn’t massive but you’ll certainly feel it riding them back to back. Of course the CRF1100 comes with the TFT screens and multiple drive modes. Apple car play/Android auto and cruise control being touring luxuries I’ve enjoyed when heading across borders and through the regions. Not everyone is a fan of the electronics but I can’t imagine a premium adventure bike these days without them. Horses for courses and there are a lot of happy owners of the CRF1000 despite it not having the bells and whistles.
I suspect there are enough buyers who love gadgetry that the electronics will be a feature on most new bikes, Simon... or as you say the premium models. Bikes like the T7 and CB500X are still quite basic.
@@crosstrainingadventure I used to have a V strom 650 and thought all the electronics were overkill, cruise control is a great feature on long rides. Being able to control my music off the left hand switchgear is great. I think the electronic suspension is smart for those of us who don't know how to play around with the clickers. Running a high mileage adv tire and having traction ctrl help me out on cold wet asphalt is another win.
Do a sealmate method mate :) I did that with piece of plastic bottle for free and to my surprise it worked, seals completely stopped leaking even though i didnt pull out any visible dirt from under it lol Definitely worth try ull save lot of time/money replacing good seals
@@Angry-Lynx I tried that method first but unfortunately they continued to leak. I heard a lot of good things about SKF seals so I'm hoping they last longer
I have a 2016 manual. I like the way it puts its power down in the dirt, it’s easy to ride, and easy to pick up when you drop it once you get the knack. I’m a short-arse, but with the low seat I can flat foot it. Riding it on technical single track is a bit above my pay grade - I have a Kato 350 for that - but for long stretches of dirt and gravel road, and general off road riding, it’s pretty darn good.
agreed. I describe my 2017 as a sport touring bike where you don't have to care about the condition of the road, including if the road is a heavily cratered overgrown abandoned log skidding trail in the Canadian back country. And on the same trip, heavily loaded with about 90lbs of gear, peg scraping in the paved twisties keeping up with an ST1100.
I have the 2018 CRF1000L DCT and have done 73k kms. The only issue I faced was that the switchgear became sticky and was replaced under warranty at some 20k kms. Post that I have not faced the issue again. The bike has been an absolute hoot
I bought my 2016 Africa Twin in April 2017. Serial number 57. It does NOT have the red/white/black color scheme - I dislike that gaudiness. It was my first "big bike" - and my second "new off the dealer's floor" purchase since my 1974 Honda XL250 (yes, I am 71). My only complaint is that my 29" inseam legs make me tip-toe at stoplights. That is the time I notice it being heavier and more top heavy especially compared to my XL250. I've spent the past years searching for a way to lower the bike to fit my legs. Last week I bought a 2023 CB500X. It has the same "lightness" feeling I remembered from my XL250. I very much felt at home with it driving home from the dealer. Driving my Africa Twin back from its annual inspection recalled the power and comfort with minimal vibration on the highway. The Africa Twin will never be the off-load motorcycle for me. It will do back dirt roads just fine. Just ordered a lowering kit to extend the unimproved road conditions with my shorter legs (and back problems). The CB500X will go into those unimproved roads and trails much better for me. Yes, no one bike will meet every need of a person. At this point in my life, I can afford to keep both.
I actually owned a CB500X a while back but unfortunately I was way too tall for it and felt too cramped despite modifying the seat, bars and footpegs. But it's a great setup for average height to shorter riders.
Imo dont lower AT. Thatll kinda kill point of this bike. Better just to change bike if u too short for it. Idk bout new one but old transalp have very reasonable seat height. But its transalp 😂👍🏻
@@Angry-Lynx - I already own the Africa Twin, fully paid off. I don't want to sell it for another bike. Lowering the bike is to adapt the bike to me. Other than the height, it suits me just fine for what I want to do with it. With the name "Angry-Lynx", I find your recommendation without merit.
@@crosstrainingadventure I also still have my trusty 2014 100,000km DR650. Used for commuting since new, now “retired” as a fully-kitted-out adventure bike (I couldn’t bring myself to sell her 😆) . The Africa Twin is now my daily commuter bike and I also use it for two-up camping trips with the Missus for which it is absolutely perfect. Comfortable for both rider and pillion, plenty of grunt, good luggage-carrying capacity, perfect on both tar and dirt roads, reasonable range and then there’s that legendary Honda build-quality and finish! Having said that, it IS a BIG bike (after a DR650) and it isn’t as nimble as a 650/700cc bike in town traffic, parking etc, which is where you really notice it’s size and weight in comparison. But overall, a top-bike! Keep up the great work with your videos - I love them!👍
I had a 2018 Adventure Sports model (non-DCT) and it was my favorite bike I ever owned. More than enough power for me and comfortable to ride. I loved the look of the bike. Unfortunately a deer t-boned me and the insurance company totaled it. It was my bucket list bike and I will own another.
@@crosstrainingadventure I didn’t go down. It happened so fast I didn’t realize what happened until I saw the deer in my mirror. The deer hit the fork / right faring. The Alt Rider crash bars took the majority of the hit but it was enough for the the frame to get bent. It was a very sad day as I had spent all winter adding the crash bars, racks, aux lights, etc and I hardly got to ride it afterwards.
I own the DCT and it’s a resale from a friend. With a suspension set-up for my kind of riding the bike behaves like a sports bike in the city and a tourer/off reader off it. I would say a compete package given the Honda reliability.
Confirm mine 16 mod. DCT ..still strong never had an issue went from EU to Kazakhstan lots off bad and no roads ...speciall thx to dct so easy to ride ....
I don't think Canada got too many A-T's. I saw an air-cooled v-twin shaft drive one at a dealer once. Dakar seems to have gone to ADV Trials for marketing or movements. South America has always liked the TA and A-T. We did get the Honda Varadero that no-one really seems to talk about. Once again, good scaling.
I owned a 2017 model (NOT DCT!!) until the high centre of gravity became a problem for my poor old back. I tested the Norden first, not for me, didn't find it comfortable, then after a test ride and a long wait at last, the Ducati desert X arrived at my dealership. Although I absolutely loved the Africa Twin for 4 happy years I think the Duke blows it out of the water. A faultless ADV that becomes an outstanding sports bike at the touch of a button. I've found my "bike for life!!".
Good to hear the Duke has worked out. The Canadians I know are testing one now and will review it soon. I hope I get to ride it next year when I visit.
@crosstrainingadventure It really won't disappoint, it inspires massive confidence in your abilities on and off road and the rider aids work incredibly well to make sure you don't overstep 👍
I find AT mass centralization to be very good. Unfortunately traditional fuel tank causes it to feel top heavy with full tank. But if you jave less than 1/3 it suddenly becomes low center of gravity and almost like dirt bike ; Not sure how Ducati would have better CoG, considering its design but i havent ridden it and im sure its fantastic bike 🦄👍🏻
@Angry-Lynx I found the Norden 901 incredibly light when I took it off the side stand, it made for a very nimble ride but as I said the ergos didn't suit me. The Duke isn't quite as noticeable but very agile for its size. With regard the amount of fuel on board I see your point but if I take a ride out from my home in Suffolk and do a loop around the Norfolk coast roads it takes pretty much all day and a full tank so I tend to fill up every time I'm nearing home to be ready for the next trip. Take a test ride bud, you may be pleasantly surprised 👍
Very surface level review but bottom line checks out - very good on and offroad, reliable and one of the most dirt oriented liter bikes. You could add few words about suspension - factory tune is surprisingly good contrary to most adv bikes . Unfortunately can confirm striction issue. It isnt super bad to the point of killing comfort but stiction on mine is definitely more than should.
Surface level? Shrinking attention spans. The typical viewer can barely hang in for four minutes so you can only give a broad brush strokes summary in that time.
I have the 2023 AT . My first bike since 1985 . Great on the highway , loves tight winding bitumen roads , plenty of power , smooth DCT , suspension smooth , heated grips , economical , sticks to the road , comfortable . Not great in the dirt with "street" tyres , gotta get nobbies . Too higher geared for winding tracks or single steep winding trails . Would need a larger rear sprocket . I've done all that stupid stuff when I was young so just hopping on it and going for a cruise is nice , no racing : )
Absolutely not true about being bad offroad with street tire. Checkout my video at in natural habitat - front keeps traction like mad on 90/10 tire. The key is pressure 1.5-1.8bar seems like magic - no issue on road and on gravel stick like glue. Ofc only dry stuff. On wet u need knobby yes. Jave dct too, Gearing is perfect, can crawl if need. I hear that opinion way too often about many bikes. Never ever was that issue for me on any bike.
I owned a 2016 Africa Twin. Put 27K miles on it. Mostly rode it Offroad in technical terrain. I did also use it as a road bike and road cross country, to Mexico too. I did the suspension. Removed stock exhaust and installed Akropovic header and exhaust and a RapidBike auto tuner. Great bike but liter sized twins is not what I do anymore. I ride 250 and 300 cc KTM and Husqvarnas strictly in the woods now however i recently bought a sport touring bike - 2023 Yamaha FJR1300ES
Bought one in 2018, rode it ever since. Got it for the seating position, looks, and capability for allroad touring. Did put a termignoni slip-on on it from the beginning, and better tires after the factory set. Only complaint is weak factory heated grips. Mine has been very reliable, have been enjoying it quite a lot.
My friend has TWO full auto versions for each continent he has a home on!!! He did fine on our first (easy) ride together but insisted on trying to climb a tree on the next one!!
And all things considered i think currently this bike with dct is the closest we have to adv 🦄 If it was 30kg lighter it would be true unicorn. But still, nothing else on market offer dct, honda reliability and excellent on/off road performance and long travel comfort in one package. In other words, it checks the most 🦄 boxes IMO
Great to hear. It is unusual that no brand seems to be working hard at reducing the weight of the 1000+cc bikes. BMW had a good attempt with the HP2 which was 25kg lighter than the GS1200... but it didn't seem to take off. Cost a fortune too.
Thanks it's between the AT and the R1200GS for me. I thought I'd go the GS to get it out of my blood first then settle on the AT. I think I'm leaning towards the AT.
New or secondhand? There seems to be a fair bit of evidence that BMW has been slowly dropping over the years... not that everyone hits problems of course. But BMW mechanics and long-term owners seem to favour the older models for reliability.
Used, 2013 to 2018 pending on prices, the equivalent (in price) to the AT of 2018'ish, but I may need lucky to extend it to a 2020 with LCD dash and the updates the 2020 version came with. By in Vic, take it to Tassie then ride back to FNQ my home town so to speak. I'll want to do Cooktown, the Cape Weipa, Wujal Wujal creb track etc.. long term ownership. And some HWY work Cairns Port Douglas, the Tablelands too. Some camping maybe even interstate. I like dirt, I want to keep that in the list. I also thought about the T7 and 45L safari fuel tanks about to drop on the market. Ever since the return to the AT is been on my list to own.
Had that dilema too. Ownership cost decided AT. Financially they are in totally different league. Both great bikes but if you want to ride and not worry about costs and repairs tje choice is only one ; 🦄👍🏻
I had a 2019 Africa twin, I liked it and it did everything well, except retain fork oil. When the seal goes, the fork oil went all over the brake pads. Traded it in after getting tired of fixing it
Had fork leak. 10minutes with forkseal method and is good as new. Unfortunately people dont do research and replace good seals which is very costly. And that applies for all offroad bikes, not only AT
Say what you want about the DCT but I don't know anyone who rides a motorcycle because they want to shift gears. I love my dirt bike, but had the DCT on my AT and loved it, even trail riding, and to be honest it improved my throttle control, to where I would rely on a clutch more on a manual.
Seemed fine, Mike. But I would probably have to ride it for an entire day to be sure. I made that mistake riding a CB500X a few years back. It seemed fine, bought one, then realised after an hour it was way too cramped! The Africa Twin was way more roomy though.
@@crosstrainingadventure As a taller guy myself I've been spoiled with the ergos on my 450L. It makes the other bikes I've ridden recently feel cramped. Looking forward to spending some time on a T7 as the fit looks similar.
It's certainly not one of their golden moments in customer support. It seems it can vary from country to country though, some have had them fixed under warranty.
Great review mate I rode one a while back too big wierd electronics hard seat weighs a bazillion kgs did a good wheely drifts like a god though had plenty of grunt ,stick to my xlv 700 I think .goodonya Baz cheers
"too big" 😂😂👍🏻 No mate, maybe youre too small/weak for adv bikes. They are supposed to be big. Im so sick if hearing this idiotic arguments about weight and size from people who don't understand segment and/or can't ride
Unfortunately, there are more issues than that. Right side peg mount of the first gen is cast aluminum and known to break on a drop, water pump seals suck and can leak coolant out the weep hole immediately, if you mount a GPS to the windshield bar, you'll break the mount, engine uses oil if you use the Honda recommended 10W-30 oil and the cast aluminum kickstands will break themselves. Best to get a 2018 and newer. I love my 2017, but it is disappointing to see all the issues.
It's certainly a good argument for not buying the first or even second year of a new model... which is a shame with Honda as you'd think it's the most likely brand to get all problems fixed before releasing a new model.
@@crosstrainingadventure I've met lads with broken switches and a few other parts i think the switch gear on the bike it's just way too big aswell and some of the parts are ridiculous money
I thought my 2010 BMW f650gs twin (800cc) is heavy at 440 pounds wet. Had a friend that bought an AT but soon sold it because it was too heavy. Bike makers need to pay much more attention to weight reduction.
Riders need to understand what adv is and have skills to handle them. AT isnt any heavier than competition. Could it use few kgs less? Sure, but its definitely not bad for class and mass centralization on it is excellent
For me this bike was a disappointment. 3 yrs and 33k Km. Rust on the tram from day one, the fork issue (has nothing to do with weight of the rider) Power was just ok. Even after a power commander it was still ho hum. Foot pegs off a xr50. List goes on. I have a comparison of it to my 1090r which has 30k Km on it now, and that has been a far superior bike.
@@crosstrainingadventure It was a massive design flaw. 90% of AT owners don't give two shits about it, or really explore the bikes potential. When you do push it on, the short comings show.
How can you possibly comment on build quality if you don’t own one? You shouldn’t make assumptions about overall quality based on internet comments alone. I own a 2023 and as far as I can tell, the build quality is outstanding. I live in the tropics, and the climate is tough on machinery… so it will be a good test to see if that lasts… however if it’s anything like the other dozen or so bikes I’ve owned… a rusty bolt here and there is par for the course.
Bummer, what sort of issues? I think it's still being made in Japan, as most if not all of Honda's premium models are... was it the actual quality of materials? Or poor assembly?
And you can search online for reviews about how it rides and what is good about it too. I assume you aren't familiar with this channel? It aims to be more critical and look at the known issues instead of just raving about all the positive aspects as most 'reviews' do.
Having owned one for 6 years now I would say that the thing where it excels is versatility. Road, off road, camping trip, one up, two up, winter, summer whatever. But with such versatility you cant expect it to be the best at any one specific thing.
36K miles on my 2018 AT. This bike is INCREDIBLE. It can do everything, and do it well. I did the valves at 30k, it was a real pain. That is the only bad thing I can say about this bike. The 2nd time around probably wont be as bad. My fork seals also went at 30k miles.
This bike hasn't missed a beat. Truly perfect. I'll probably have this bike till the frame rust away to bits. I am IN LOVE with it. I am taking a 6000 mile trip in September. Lots of off road, lots of highway. It can do it all.
Great to hear!
How far were the valves out of spec?
@@skydaddy2426 The exhaust valves were just barely out of spec, I can't remember exactly what it was but I think like 0.02. The most note worthy thing to mention since I last made this post a month ago, is that 7000 miles later (back from a cross country trip) the seals in my water pump failed. So now I have to replace the water pump which is 145$ or so. I'll have to take the clutch cover off, drain the coolant and access the water pump there. While I have that side of the bike open, I'll probably install a new clutch pack. Still no regrets. The bike served me incredibly well on this past trip.
I got '21 DCT and love it to bits, long distance trips with gravel roads and camping gear on the back is my type of riding. Had the software recall done on mine for the DCT issues (never actually had any issues) they plugged in a USB cable and uploaded a new file, was fixed in 30 seconds. No other reliability issues and now just over 10,000 kilometers on the clock.
Great to hear
2016/17 was gen 1, 2018/19 was gen 2.
Gen 2 received a few updates and sorted allcthe issues.
The tank corrosion was on Adventure sport models.
I have a 2019 manual standard and will never sell it even if I get a newer 1100.
Ride tar only to get to dirt. Spend 90% on the dirt roads, twin track and tend to avoid single track if possible.
Another good and fair review. A lot of the issues/complaints regarding the CRF1000 were put to bed with the CRF1100. Just about everything on the bike was incrementally improved so as a package the 1100 is solid. The power difference isn’t massive but you’ll certainly feel it riding them back to back. Of course the CRF1100 comes with the TFT screens and multiple drive modes. Apple car play/Android auto and cruise control being touring luxuries I’ve enjoyed when heading across borders and through the regions. Not everyone is a fan of the electronics but I can’t imagine a premium adventure bike these days without them. Horses for courses and there are a lot of happy owners of the CRF1000 despite it not having the bells and whistles.
I suspect there are enough buyers who love gadgetry that the electronics will be a feature on most new bikes, Simon... or as you say the premium models. Bikes like the T7 and CB500X are still quite basic.
@@crosstrainingadventure I used to have a V strom 650 and thought all the electronics were overkill, cruise control is a great feature on long rides. Being able to control my music off the left hand switchgear is great. I think the electronic suspension is smart for those of us who don't know how to play around with the clickers. Running a high mileage adv tire and having traction ctrl help me out on cold wet asphalt is another win.
Doing the fork seals on my 2017 manual at the moment. Great bike for tall riders... stiffer springs fitted, taller seat, bar risers... spot on 👍
Do a sealmate method mate :)
I did that with piece of plastic bottle for free and to my surprise it worked, seals completely stopped leaking even though i didnt pull out any visible dirt from under it lol
Definitely worth try ull save lot of time/money replacing good seals
@@Angry-Lynx I tried that method first but unfortunately they continued to leak. I heard a lot of good things about SKF seals so I'm hoping they last longer
I have a 2016 manual. I like the way it puts its power down in the dirt, it’s easy to ride, and easy to pick up when you drop it once you get the knack. I’m a short-arse, but with the low seat I can flat foot it. Riding it on technical single track is a bit above my pay grade - I have a Kato 350 for that - but for long stretches of dirt and gravel road, and general off road riding, it’s pretty darn good.
agreed. I describe my 2017 as a sport touring bike where you don't have to care about the condition of the road, including if the road is a heavily cratered overgrown abandoned log skidding trail in the Canadian back country. And on the same trip, heavily loaded with about 90lbs of gear, peg scraping in the paved twisties keeping up with an ST1100.
I have the 2018 CRF1000L DCT and have done 73k kms. The only issue I faced was that the switchgear became sticky and was replaced under warranty at some 20k kms. Post that I have not faced the issue again. The bike has been an absolute hoot
I bought my 2016 Africa Twin in April 2017. Serial number 57. It does NOT have the red/white/black color scheme - I dislike that gaudiness. It was my first "big bike" - and my second "new off the dealer's floor" purchase since my 1974 Honda XL250 (yes, I am 71).
My only complaint is that my 29" inseam legs make me tip-toe at stoplights. That is the time I notice it being heavier and more top heavy especially compared to my XL250. I've spent the past years searching for a way to lower the bike to fit my legs. Last week I bought a 2023 CB500X. It has the same "lightness" feeling I remembered from my XL250. I very much felt at home with it driving home from the dealer.
Driving my Africa Twin back from its annual inspection recalled the power and comfort with minimal vibration on the highway.
The Africa Twin will never be the off-load motorcycle for me. It will do back dirt roads just fine. Just ordered a lowering kit to extend the unimproved road conditions with my shorter legs (and back problems). The CB500X will go into those unimproved roads and trails much better for me.
Yes, no one bike will meet every need of a person. At this point in my life, I can afford to keep both.
I actually owned a CB500X a while back but unfortunately I was way too tall for it and felt too cramped despite modifying the seat, bars and footpegs. But it's a great setup for average height to shorter riders.
Imo dont lower AT. Thatll kinda kill point of this bike. Better just to change bike if u too short for it. Idk bout new one but old transalp have very reasonable seat height. But its transalp 😂👍🏻
@@Angry-Lynx - I already own the Africa Twin, fully paid off. I don't want to sell it for another bike.
Lowering the bike is to adapt the bike to me. Other than the height, it suits me just fine for what I want to do with it.
With the name "Angry-Lynx", I find your recommendation without merit.
I love my 2017 CRF1000 Manual. 44K miles and counting.
I have a 2020 adv sport, manual. I love the electronics on it. Super comfortable, does everything really well, except for single track
Very impressed with the ride I had, wouldn't mind a chance to try a multi day ride some day...
2019 CRF1000 DCT. Great bike! 👍👍👍
If I eventually get a big bike I reckon this will be at the top of the list
@@crosstrainingadventure I also still have my trusty 2014 100,000km DR650. Used for commuting since new, now “retired” as a fully-kitted-out adventure bike (I couldn’t bring myself to sell her 😆) . The Africa Twin is now my daily commuter bike and I also use it for two-up camping trips with the Missus for which it is absolutely perfect. Comfortable for both rider and pillion, plenty of grunt, good luggage-carrying capacity, perfect on both tar and dirt roads, reasonable range and then there’s that legendary Honda build-quality and finish! Having said that, it IS a BIG bike (after a DR650) and it isn’t as nimble as a 650/700cc bike in town traffic, parking etc, which is where you really notice it’s size and weight in comparison. But overall, a top-bike! Keep up the great work with your videos - I love them!👍
Good two bike stable there, covers all types of adventure riding!
I had a 2018 Adventure Sports model (non-DCT) and it was my favorite bike I ever owned. More than enough power for me and comfortable to ride. I loved the look of the bike. Unfortunately a deer t-boned me and the insurance company totaled it. It was my bucket list bike and I will own another.
Ouch. Hopefully you fared better than the bike?
@@crosstrainingadventure I didn’t go down. It happened so fast I didn’t realize what happened until I saw the deer in my mirror. The deer hit the fork / right faring. The Alt Rider crash bars took the majority of the hit but it was enough for the the frame to get bent. It was a very sad day as I had spent all winter adding the crash bars, racks, aux lights, etc and I hardly got to ride it afterwards.
That sucks dude, sometimes u just have bad luck, feel sorry for ya. Import thing is you in one piece 👍🏻🦄
I own the DCT and it’s a resale from a friend. With a suspension set-up for my kind of riding the bike behaves like a sports bike in the city and a tourer/off reader off it. I would say a compete package given the Honda reliability.
Confirm mine 16 mod. DCT ..still strong never had an issue went from EU to Kazakhstan lots off bad and no roads ...speciall thx to dct so easy to ride ....
Great to hear... sounds like a great trip.
I don't think Canada got too many A-T's. I saw an air-cooled v-twin shaft drive one at a dealer once. Dakar seems to have gone to ADV Trials for marketing or movements. South America has always liked the TA and A-T.
We did get the Honda Varadero that no-one really seems to talk about.
Once again, good scaling.
I owned a 2017 model (NOT DCT!!) until the high centre of gravity became a problem for my poor old back. I tested the Norden first, not for me, didn't find it comfortable, then after a test ride and a long wait at last, the Ducati desert X arrived at my dealership. Although I absolutely loved the Africa Twin for 4 happy years I think the Duke blows it out of the water. A faultless ADV that becomes an outstanding sports bike at the touch of a button. I've found my "bike for life!!".
Good to hear the Duke has worked out. The Canadians I know are testing one now and will review it soon. I hope I get to ride it next year when I visit.
@crosstrainingadventure It really won't disappoint, it inspires massive confidence in your abilities on and off road and the rider aids work incredibly well to make sure you don't overstep 👍
I find AT mass centralization to be very good. Unfortunately traditional fuel tank causes it to feel top heavy with full tank. But if you jave less than 1/3 it suddenly becomes low center of gravity and almost like dirt bike ;
Not sure how Ducati would have better CoG, considering its design but i havent ridden it and im sure its fantastic bike 🦄👍🏻
@Angry-Lynx I found the Norden 901 incredibly light when I took it off the side stand, it made for a very nimble ride but as I said the ergos didn't suit me. The Duke isn't quite as noticeable but very agile for its size. With regard the amount of fuel on board I see your point but if I take a ride out from my home in Suffolk and do a loop around the Norfolk coast roads it takes pretty much all day and a full tank so I tend to fill up every time I'm nearing home to be ready for the next trip. Take a test ride bud, you may be pleasantly surprised 👍
Love my 17 dct, 40k no issues. Looking to rest the TA.
😎👍
Dct ftw 👍🏻🦄
Very surface level review but bottom line checks out - very good on and offroad, reliable and one of the most dirt oriented liter bikes.
You could add few words about suspension - factory tune is surprisingly good contrary to most adv bikes .
Unfortunately can confirm striction issue.
It isnt super bad to the point of killing comfort but stiction on mine is definitely more than should.
Surface level? Shrinking attention spans. The typical viewer can barely hang in for four minutes so you can only give a broad brush strokes summary in that time.
I've been thinking about the new TransAlp - is there going to be an impromptu review of that?
If someone offers me a test ride? Sure. But I've already covered it by doing a summary of various objective reviews a few months back.
I have the 2023 AT . My first bike since 1985 . Great on the highway , loves tight winding bitumen roads , plenty of power , smooth DCT , suspension smooth , heated grips , economical , sticks to the road , comfortable . Not great in the dirt with "street" tyres , gotta get nobbies . Too higher geared for winding tracks or single steep winding trails . Would need a larger rear sprocket .
I've done all that stupid stuff when I was young so just hopping on it and going for a cruise is nice , no racing : )
Absolutely not true about being bad offroad with street tire. Checkout my video at in natural habitat - front keeps traction like mad on 90/10 tire. The key is pressure 1.5-1.8bar seems like magic - no issue on road and on gravel stick like glue. Ofc only dry stuff.
On wet u need knobby yes.
Jave dct too, Gearing is perfect, can crawl if need. I hear that opinion way too often about many bikes. Never ever was that issue for me on any bike.
I owned a 2016 Africa Twin. Put 27K miles on it. Mostly rode it Offroad in technical terrain. I did also use it as a road bike and road cross country, to Mexico too. I did the suspension. Removed stock exhaust and installed Akropovic header and exhaust and a RapidBike auto tuner. Great bike but liter sized twins is not what I do anymore. I ride 250 and 300 cc KTM and Husqvarnas strictly in the woods now however i recently bought a sport touring bike - 2023 Yamaha FJR1300ES
I figure specific bikes for each job is better unless you can live with some very big compromises?
@@crosstrainingadventure you are spot on, B
Bought one in 2018, rode it ever since. Got it for the seating position, looks, and capability for allroad touring. Did put a termignoni slip-on on it from the beginning, and better tires after the factory set. Only complaint is weak factory heated grips. Mine has been very reliable, have been enjoying it quite a lot.
lol true about grips i had them on fully sometimes in july evenings lol 🦄👍🏻
My friend has TWO full auto versions for each continent he has a home on!!!
He did fine on our first (easy) ride together but insisted on trying to climb a tree on the next one!!
Did he have trouble once he climbed into the thinner branches? 🤔😁
And all things considered i think currently this bike with dct is the closest we have to adv 🦄
If it was 30kg lighter it would be true unicorn.
But still, nothing else on market offer dct, honda reliability and excellent on/off road performance and long travel comfort in one package.
In other words, it checks the most 🦄 boxes IMO
Great to hear. It is unusual that no brand seems to be working hard at reducing the weight of the 1000+cc bikes. BMW had a good attempt with the HP2 which was 25kg lighter than the GS1200... but it didn't seem to take off. Cost a fortune too.
I'm in the states and my fork seals were replaced under warranty at 19,000 miles in my 2017.
Thanks it's between the AT and the R1200GS for me. I thought I'd go the GS to get it out of my blood first then settle on the AT. I think I'm leaning towards the AT.
..its all about the type of use you intend or lean too,..off more or on..tour more or Adventure..?..Good luck..
New or secondhand? There seems to be a fair bit of evidence that BMW has been slowly dropping over the years... not that everyone hits problems of course. But BMW mechanics and long-term owners seem to favour the older models for reliability.
Used, 2013 to 2018 pending on prices, the equivalent (in price) to the AT of 2018'ish, but I may need lucky to extend it to a 2020 with LCD dash and the updates the 2020 version came with. By in Vic, take it to Tassie then ride back to FNQ my home town so to speak. I'll want to do Cooktown, the Cape Weipa, Wujal Wujal creb track etc.. long term ownership. And some HWY work Cairns Port Douglas, the Tablelands too. Some camping maybe even interstate.
I like dirt, I want to keep that in the list.
I also thought about the T7 and 45L safari fuel tanks about to drop on the market.
Ever since the return to the AT is been on my list to own.
Sorry for the typos Swype on the phone gets it wrong at times. Need should read might be, and by should be buy.
Had that dilema too. Ownership cost decided AT. Financially they are in totally different league.
Both great bikes but if you want to ride and not worry about costs and repairs tje choice is only one ; 🦄👍🏻
In Australia I wish we got 750 and lower with DCT!! Pls Honda pls ????❤
I had a 2019 Africa twin, I liked it and it did everything well, except retain fork oil. When the seal goes, the fork oil went all over the brake pads. Traded it in after getting tired of fixing it
Fork oil over brake pads. 🤔 It's very bad form for Honda not to properly address this and support customers better.
Had fork leak. 10minutes with forkseal method and is good as new.
Unfortunately people dont do research and replace good seals which is very costly.
And that applies for all offroad bikes, not only AT
@Angry-Lynx yes, I bought a pack of those and they did not help. I am happy that worked for you.
Say what you want about the DCT but I don't know anyone who rides a motorcycle because they want to shift gears. I love my dirt bike, but had the DCT on my AT and loved it, even trail riding, and to be honest it improved my throttle control, to where I would rely on a clutch more on a manual.
Actually I ride a motorcycle to shift gears. I would give up after 46 years of riding motorcycles if DCT was my only choice.
I love shifting gears!!! Wtf kind of rider are you if you dont
I had the 2017 Africa twin should never had sold it and thats why im buying another one 😊
As a taller rider how do you find the rider triangle with the low seat height on this model?
Seemed fine, Mike. But I would probably have to ride it for an entire day to be sure. I made that mistake riding a CB500X a few years back. It seemed fine, bought one, then realised after an hour it was way too cramped! The Africa Twin was way more roomy though.
@@crosstrainingadventure As a taller guy myself I've been spoiled with the ergos on my 450L. It makes the other bikes I've ridden recently feel cramped. Looking forward to spending some time on a T7 as the fit looks similar.
The fork seal issue not being fixed by Honda is ridiculous as far as I’m concerned.
It's certainly not one of their golden moments in customer support. It seems it can vary from country to country though, some have had them fixed under warranty.
Great review mate I rode one a while back too big wierd electronics hard seat weighs a bazillion kgs did a good wheely drifts like a god though had plenty of grunt ,stick to my xlv 700 I think .goodonya Baz cheers
Really enjoyed riding it but I can't help feeling I probably wouldn't go bigger than a T7 if I eventually get something bigger.
@@crosstrainingadventure yeah the t7 is incredible I’ve thought about selling a few bikes and getting one just like the old clunkers too much
"too big" 😂😂👍🏻
No mate, maybe youre too small/weak for adv bikes. They are supposed to be big.
Im so sick if hearing this idiotic arguments about weight and size from people who don't understand segment and/or can't ride
Unfortunately, there are more issues than that. Right side peg mount of the first gen is cast aluminum and known to break on a drop, water pump seals suck and can leak coolant out the weep hole immediately, if you mount a GPS to the windshield bar, you'll break the mount, engine uses oil if you use the Honda recommended 10W-30 oil and the cast aluminum kickstands will break themselves. Best to get a 2018 and newer. I love my 2017, but it is disappointing to see all the issues.
It's certainly a good argument for not buying the first or even second year of a new model... which is a shame with Honda as you'd think it's the most likely brand to get all problems fixed before releasing a new model.
Have 2018 dct, no issues at all, as expected and I'm not babying it lol
The heavy weight so-called 'adv motos'....are great touring motos
Great review i cant believe that honda produced such a good concept with some really bad quality control parts !! Im really shocked
Which poor quality parts? There were some rust issues in the first year or two but I'm not aware of recent bad quality.
@@crosstrainingadventure I've met lads with broken switches and a few other parts i think the switch gear on the bike it's just way too big aswell and some of the parts are ridiculous money
Gotcha, we did mention faulty switches on earlier models in the vid.
I thought my 2010 BMW f650gs twin (800cc) is heavy at 440 pounds wet. Had a friend that bought an AT but soon sold it because it was too heavy. Bike makers need to pay much more attention to weight reduction.
Riders need to understand what adv is and have skills to handle them.
AT isnt any heavier than competition.
Could it use few kgs less? Sure, but its definitely not bad for class and mass centralization on it is excellent
KLR was to big from Telegraph Creek to Atlin BC
no wheelies on your new dirt bike!
? I've still go the the same Sherco SE300 for the past two years...
@@crosstrainingadventure according to Honda
Ah gotcha! Yeah it sounds like a massive copout from Honda.
For me this bike was a disappointment. 3 yrs and 33k Km. Rust on the tram from day one, the fork issue (has nothing to do with weight of the rider)
Power was just ok. Even after a power commander it was still ho hum. Foot pegs off a xr50. List goes on. I have a comparison of it to my 1090r which has 30k Km on it now, and that has been a far superior bike.
That rust on early models was a real shame... as was not fixing the fork seals under warranty when it was clearly a known issue.
@@crosstrainingadventure It was a massive design flaw. 90% of AT owners don't give two shits about it, or really explore the bikes potential. When you do push it on, the short comings show.
honda screwed up new Africa Twin, I have canceled my order twice due the poor build quality.
How can you possibly comment on build quality if you don’t own one? You shouldn’t make assumptions about overall quality based on internet comments alone. I own a 2023 and as far as I can tell, the build quality is outstanding. I live in the tropics, and the climate is tough on machinery… so it will be a good test to see if that lasts… however if it’s anything like the other dozen or so bikes I’ve owned… a rusty bolt here and there is par for the course.
Bummer, what sort of issues? I think it's still being made in Japan, as most if not all of Honda's premium models are... was it the actual quality of materials? Or poor assembly?
@@crosstrainingadventure Deal breaker for me was poor welding quality and frame rust which honda do not cover under warranty.
Hi. Don’t want to bag your review but you didn’t really tell me what is good about it or how it rides etc. I can search online for warranty issues.
And you can search online for reviews about how it rides and what is good about it too. I assume you aren't familiar with this channel? It aims to be more critical and look at the known issues instead of just raving about all the positive aspects as most 'reviews' do.
Hello, is there any social where I can contact you?
No, I'm deliberately avoiding all offers of 'sponsorship', affiliate marketing, ads and dodgy product offers.
@@crosstrainingadventure I was going to pitch you about your shorts, I could provide engaging and high quality shorts for you.