Love my 1100 Africa Twin, your assessment is pretty spot on. Handles great on road, handles great off road. I've not had any problems with the front abs. The air filters access isnt that bad. I'd buy another one again, its a fantastic bike, its a bit of a sleeper bike. More capable than anyone realizes.
I've had mine since 2018. 100k miles on the bike now, no major issues. Keep an eye on the exhaust valve clearances, and the IACV can give up the ghost. Other than that, a great great bike and yeah it surprises people when it can keep up with smaller enduros.
I purchased a new 2023 ATAS which was leftover. I did so because I wanted a 21" front wheel. With roughly 2000kms ridden to date, I'm pleased with the bike overall for tarmac purposes. I'm very impressed with the suspension and it has enough power scoot me along. Off-road, I haven't been yet. We still have snow on the ground in some places and we have another month to go before conditions are dry enough. Once I install decent tires (Dunlop Trailmax Raids in waiting), I'll get out in the Canadian wilderness and try the ATAS out. I will simply need to adapt to the extra weight due to the larger tank and all the protection equipment added. This is my second Africa Twin and yes, changing the air filters can be a pain if you make it so. However, the air intake system and filters don't let anything by with proper maintenance. Once you get accustomed to changing them out, it's not that big a deal. Just take your time separating the plastics from the grommet openings. As far as the the hand controls are concerned, they are not backlite, but I'm also not paying the extra $8-10K you would for a BMW 1300 or Triumph 1200. It's true, some cheaper bikes have illuminated controls. Thanks for the review.
I own a 2021 ATAS ES DCT bike and absolutely love it!!! It has some small quirks like you mention in your video but bang for the buck to do everything from full road touring to off road escapes I wouldn't own anything else!
I have an 1100 Africa twin for black top and dirt roads and a modified crf 300 for off-road they tick all the boxes being 67 can’t be bothered picking up big bikes in the rough stuff life needs to be easy but challenging good vid
After losing my previous bike to a bad wreck, and Over-Analyzing (& Riding) many Adventure Bikes.... I now own a 2023 AT DCT and considering I use it for Adventure Riding, 65/35 Andean Mountain Rides.... I couldn´t be happier! I respect your issues with the bike (in my case more than acceptable) but would truly enjoy knowing what bike out there can give you more reliability, Comfort, Flexibility for commuting/Adventure/ long Trips and Features. I know of maybe 2 bikes worth mentioning, and the other "flashy" ones..... well they have Issues you´d scoff at considering your choice of dislikes of the AT. There truly is no PERFECT BIKE, but I have found my little piece of heaven.
Hi Curtis ,looked at the AT ,but for the price and what I considered money for value I got the Transalp,what I saved put towards luggage and suspension upgrades ,couldn’t be happier ,ride 2 up ,as they say happy wife happy life😂😂, love watching your content,keep it up,Cheers Daniel👍🍺🇦🇺
Nice review! Africa Twin has always been on my radar as a potential future bike..most of the issues you have I think wouldn't be a problem for me personally if i could afford one right now.
Good review. I had considered an AT, but decided against it. It is a good motorcycle, but like you, I don't have the time to fiddle with some of the maintenance complications.
Hi Curtis had my 2023 for neary a week now has only road tyers front and rear so definitely no bush work till they go especially after your comments about the front abs,not looking forward to that but everything else is spot on. After having the 2017 model honda has exceeded my expectations! Great content and review keep it coming mate 👍
I wonder if the ABS comment is related to the wheelie control not being set to 0? I ride a 2022 manual shift on hard off-road and haven’t had abs issues. I will go ride some rough hills and see if I can cause the front to lock up. The thing has a lot of features you need to turn off to ride off-road. Once you dial it in, it is excellent. And yes it is top heavy for sure. Slow technical takes skill and crash bars are required. I recommend adding barkbusters, skid plate and tires to suit your terrain. I use Anakee wild knobbies. They can do the dirt and are speed rated. The bike is fun to ride fast, so speed rating matters. Note the factory hard panniers are not suitable for off-road. Go soft luggage or you will break the mounting brackets off. I did. Enough watching. I am going riding!
When started researching what adv bike to buy i said no to Africa Twin.But as week passed after many many hours of research i put this bike on first place.It do everything good like 8-8.5/10.
My 2 cents from someone who is a big fan of Honda, but does not believe in “unicorn” motorcycles. If you want to ride dirt, buy a dirt bike. If you want to ride street, buy a great street bike. I spent a ton of time in the mountains taking my 250RX on gnarly trails where one would have to be crazy to take a 500lbs bike. Don’t take me wrong. Africa Twin is an amazing motorcycle for street and some gravel, and that is it. If you insist on riding this bike on hard dirt terrain, you will brake the bike, brake yourself, or both…
Oh I agree, would much rather be on a proper dirt bike in the tough stuff. It is stupidly fun hustling a big bike through moderate dirt sections where a proper dirt bike is boring though
It’s a cool bike, and now that it is tubeless I am thinking on buy one. I Currently own the Tuareg 660, do you think it’s worth it the change to the Africa twin? I do mostly off road tracks, greetings from Colombia!
I like the Tuareg more, still my pick of the ADV bikes so far. I wouldn't change if you're doing mostly off-road. Touring? Yeah the AT is better on the highway because of the extra engine
You know what? It isn't the lightes or the most powerful or the most accessory packed. But it works, and you know it will keep on working forever. Unlike bikes that look better and might actually ride a little bit better on and offroad.
very agile, but a little big for my taste....surprised how well it did in the enduro style riding.....then you have the skills to dance with the big lady. Great review...did they charge you for the hand guard? Garth
Would like to see more tests on budget lighter bikes , ie 450 RL , 300 rally . If I had the cash , yeah a bike like this would be tempting , but the thing is it weighs too much . It’s fine where you won’t likely drop it ie roads , fire trails , gravel roads …but where you personally ride it , how is an older guy or skinny younger guy going to pick this thing up when it goes down? If we think about it …these bikes aren’t trail bikes , they are road gravel bikes , if you crash , a motorist stops and helps you pick it up , or the ambulance is called and a tow truck arrives . The reason we see these Africa Twins , multistradas , Triumph 900 pros ect , sitting on the used bike lots with about 5000kms or less on them …is because new cashed up adventure riders soon figure it out . We need lighter 160 kg or less dual sport bikes , they can still handle the roads at this weight , and can be picked up when dropped on trails or non gravel ect . Did a 160 km loop Saturday on my 300 stock rally , up a double track 800m easy climb with whoops , back road rough bitumen , a meandering forest road, and 30 km of motorway , where the rally cruised at 100kmph at 5000rpm , and was no louder than my Versys 650 at that speed . Average 3L per 100 kms . The bike looks still brand new after almost 3000 kms . $10000 ride away . Go Honda 😊
nice review I bought a switch off Ali Express and wired it into my abs fuse so I can turn the abs off on my CF Moto 800 mt going down big off-road hills made it outright dangerous as the abs kicks in and you can,t turn it goes straight and you end up on the ground.
I have an AT dct 22 model, but..... I might sell it and buy an BMW F900GS. AT seems heavy and i really want tubeless tires...it's a bloody good bike but I prefer something a bit lighter and build quality seems better on GS .. @OnTheBackWheel What do you think about this decision? it is worth it ? ...cheers !
Good question. Since you've got the dct that does weigh a bit more. The new base model AT has tubeless and is lighter so that's an option too. I'm actually riding a 900 today for my commute so I'll see how it feels. Sitting on it, still a big bike but as you said, beautifully put together. Look at the Tuareg too, it will be a very noticeable weight difference and is fantastic
I will never buy a bike that takes half a day to remove and clean your air filter.Much better bikes out there eg:TRiumph 900 RP,GS's etc.(Take note Desert X as well).
I second that 100%. The VStrom DE is just a perfect fit for me, and that filter access .... sigh 💖💞👌👌. Looked looong and hard at the AT base model - they're almost identical in weight, but idiotic switchgear and airbox access that sucks badly really stitched it up.
Just for information... its like 30 minutes and not "a half day". I did it by myself last week. Like 7 screws on both sides and your there. Its not perfect but for this great allrounder-bike i like to take this little "problem". 🤷♂️
I think the 1000cc version from 2015-1019 was a better option for barebone adventure /off road bike. Honda walked away from the core of the Africa Twin with all the electronic wizardry.
Its a no from me. I would be willing to pay for the Honda build quality and reliability- but I would avoid this and many modern adventure bikes because I have an aversion to gizmos. If Honda would reintroduce the basic no frills Dakar I would buy one tomorrow.
Front ABS has almost killed me twice on a previous bike. I ended up pulling the ABS fuse out to shut it down. I will not own a bike unless I can defeat both front and rear ABS. ABS is DANGEROUS and the trend needs to stop, but due to politics it wont.
Buenas, en comparación con v strom 800de tira mucho calentor el motor de la africa? Y la potencia del motor se nota mucho? Tengo una 800 de y la moto va genial pero en el futuro quiero una africa twin,merece la pena el cambio?
The Africa Twin is a better bike all round. Not sure I wouldn't change to one though from the 800DE. Maybe to the upcoming model, the updates like very nice
I have Aprilia Tuareg 660, I'm going to test ride new 2024 AT base model, I only could use a Little more power, but not sure if power alone will justify change
I have a 2023 ATAS ES and I couldn’t be happier, have ridden 23000 km in 10 months. Love mine, each time I park it, I start to stare it, gorgeous and capable bike.
I wouldn't buy one new, but used they are good value for money. My record for swapping the air filters on my 1000 is 12 minutes and thats including manoeuvring the faring panels around crash bars, adding time to the process . Its really not a big deal once you know the procedure. The ABS module or software must be different on the 1100, or the tyres must be effecting the SBS ss the only time the 1000 ABS goes off is when you are trying to do so. Only thing holding me back from the 1100, is I have heard on reviews that the triangle is smaller than the 1000 as the bar to triple clamp mounts are taller, making the bars cloer to the rider. I am 6'2" and already had back pain issues with the 1000 due to the bike not being large enough for me to stand while riding. I had to flip the bar mounts and rotate the bars forward to the point that the barkbusters didn't clear the windscreen and faring at full lock. I had to make custom bars to join the spine to the inner bar mounts on the barkbusters to compensate. The bike does everything I need it to well enough. I will eventually get another bike, and when I do, the 1000 will stay with me. Its too good to let go and I have customised it to suit me too much to let it go. I honestly think if someone handed you the keys to one, with proper offroad tyres and said keep it, you would soon forget about the 800DE! 😂
@@onthebackwheel had the farings off about 15 times for wiring, cleaning and replacing the air filters. Set the record pissing off the pre filters for a last minute organised ride.
Excellent review Curtis, your channel and reviews are far superior than dorks with mainstream channels. I am very interested in seeing the MT450 review. Honda would be wise not to loan you a Transalp, it will get destroyed quickly with your type of adventure riding.
im keen for the mt450 review too, and a transalp and whatever else curtis can get his hands on, its good when reviewers put things through their paces, see if they can handle a bit of abuse.
Thanks guys, very keen to try out that MT450. I should be getting the Transalp in the future, they wanted to give me one without any crash protection or a bash plate!
I think your review is great, but testing this bike on stock tires in the places you rode it isn't realistic for anyone who plans to ride it offroad. The front abs is not an issue if you switch the tires to a Motoz Dual Venturer something similar up front. I can't comment about the fiddly electronics since my AT is a 2017 model. Air filter replacement is also not a big deal. They don't get very dirty and don't need replacment very often where ride.
I'd be super keen to try it with off-road tyres, can only comment on what I had unfortunately. Good to hear about the air filter from an owner, nearly all the owners don't think it's an issue
Well that’s a first… I’ve never seen a reviewer have so much fun on a bike, then say “nah, I wouldn’t buy one” and practically says “and neither should you”… geez you’re hard to please. 😂 As an actual AT owner, none of the issues you had… or perceived you’d have [you didn’t actually change a filter] are an issue against owning one. The only complaint I had is the seemingly backwards power indicator… but it makes sense to me now. 😅 I’m firmly in camp “Africa Twin is phenomenal” and I wouldn’t swap it for anything.
Its a good bike! If it wasn't for the ABS, I'd be in and put up with the stuff I didn't love. No doubt the tyres didn't help either, would love to try it with a good set of hoops
As you know Curtis I am looking at trading the Tenere on something a bit more off-road touring oriented. The AT was in the mix early on. I loved the look and the build quality and the fact it's a Honda (read: uber reliable). What I didn't like was the seat height, the weight and the menu navigation which confused the hell outta me and was in no way intuitive. It got the flick early so now it's just down to the Norden or the Tiger 900 Rally Pro. If I could sum up the AT it would be "It's a looker. But it's a porker"...
Yes, the Toe-rag ticked a lot of boxes. I have thrown a leg over one but didn't like the ergos. Couldn't take one for a test as the dealer did not have a demo available. Compound that with the closest dealer being iver 200km away!
i do plenty offroad and never understood this whole abs complaining thing. Works very well offroad. The only time i turn off rear abs is if i want to goof around and do slides. You never need to disengage abs for normal riding. But thats on pre lift, 2018 ;
Had the 2018 ATAS and took it off road in the Spanish Pyrenese mountains. Now got the base model AT 1100. Love it so much! Even had the CRF300 Rally. Which is fun too and usable. Cheers mate!
Good onya for mentioning fuel economy mate. It's rare for folks to do this, oddly enough. On a bike that has touring credentials I find this surprising. I know you only gave an average, but at least it's ballpark, and it's a question I, for one, will always have ... 👏👏👏 PS, the VStrom BLITZES it, as you'd know!! 😈😈
Yeah, in my experience with my ATAS… I average 3.8 to 4.4 litres per 100k’s… and I’m not gentle on the throttle. Being 24.8ltr capacity [on the Adv Sport] I get a lot of distance on a tank. 😂
Don't want abs or traction control and just a 1000cc bike the buy a crf1000l. No modes, no nothing, no fancy tft, no apple caraway, no android auto; just brake, clutch, throttle, speed, fuel, what more do you need?
Just a warning from factory thay don't lube the throttle twist tube ride by wier throttle James open on a DCT HOLD ON BECOULS YOUR ALONG FOR THE RIDE OVE YOUR LIFE AND A FRESH UNDERWHERE F,N OMG OWNERS BE HAWER
hmm im thinkin you are too used to power if an 1100 isn't exciting enough for you lol.. you should ride a 250cc as a commuter for awhile then jump back on it. i was surprised to hear that coz I've watched a guy who had one of these and it absolutely ripped if he wanted it too. was fun to watch, that's how i knew you still had TC on first ride because it just wasn't performing like I've seen they can. im still in the no camp but thats simply because im too old and too unfit for a big adv bike.
Mate TC was off on all rides and my previous bikes were a KLR650 and KLX250, both slow as hell! It goes well, but in comparison to the competition I thought it would have more
@@4x4junkie86 yeah I had the soft power delivery on the one, my bad (and confusing settings to be fair). That was the first day I had it and I've had it for over a month since. Don't get me wrong, it still goes well, but a Tiger 900 rips and so do some of the others. No doubt this will outlast them all though
Watched all the AT reviews out there...yours here is the best...cheers. Really like this bike and considering going for it. However, I'm concerned about its weight (myself tall, but skinny...average riding skills at best). Unfortunately there's not much around. T7 top-heavy and dated...looks great though. Transalp...just sooo boring. Triumph Tiger 900 Rally, not really light either, looks great, rake not really enough for the dirt imo (correct me if I'm wrong...again, average rider, on the other hand generous suspension travel...does this make sense?), Suzuki V-Strom 800...well quite heavy too...and boring. What's left? KTM 790/890 Adv imo. Weight down low, exciting engine, great electronics, more suitable for the dirt than all the other ones mentioned...but, what's the reliability like? Maybe you can do a review on the Tiger 900 Rally Pro...would be interesting what you think about its off-road capabilities/suitability. Edit: Found a Tiger 900RP video of yours...no mentioning of issues with its rake...hmm...guess your riding skills are maybe compensating for that.
Cheers mate. My recommendation for most people is the Tuareg, light and stupidly capable. Can completely understand peoples hestitation due to it not being Japanese though
@@onthebackwheel, cheers mate. Yeah, the Tuareg seems to be a really good bike. Currently in South America...don't even know where to get it...let alone potential issues when needing support in case of issues...quite exotic bike in the end.
Great vid, great bike, I still have my 2016 base model, the rarest of them all, the non ABS model, yes they exist, approaching 50 000km and still in love, don't need anything else, it's perfect for me but it has been breathed on. No electronics, no ride by wire, no apple bla bla bla
What? 450MT?? You’ll kill that for sure crazy man Curtis 🔥 But… you could buy 2 & still have a shit ton of fun ripping the shit out of ‘em! Damn handguards, you never have fun with those! Cheers legend 🤙
Love my 1100 Africa Twin, your assessment is pretty spot on. Handles great on road, handles great off road. I've not had any problems with the front abs. The air filters access isnt that bad. I'd buy another one again, its a fantastic bike, its a bit of a sleeper bike. More capable than anyone realizes.
For sure mate, stupidly capable for a big bike
I've had mine since 2018. 100k miles on the bike now, no major issues. Keep an eye on the exhaust valve clearances, and the IACV can give up the ghost. Other than that, a great great bike and yeah it surprises people when it can keep up with smaller enduros.
I love that you have done all that work on stock tyres. Credit to your skill.
Thanks mate. Not ideal for my type of riding, but proves how capable it is
I purchased a new 2023 ATAS which was leftover. I did so because I wanted a 21" front wheel. With roughly 2000kms ridden to date, I'm pleased with the bike overall for tarmac purposes. I'm very impressed with the suspension and it has enough power scoot me along. Off-road, I haven't been yet. We still have snow on the ground in some places and we have another month to go before conditions are dry enough. Once I install decent tires (Dunlop Trailmax Raids in waiting), I'll get out in the Canadian wilderness and try the ATAS out. I will simply need to adapt to the extra weight due to the larger tank and all the protection equipment added. This is my second Africa Twin and yes, changing the air filters can be a pain if you make it so. However, the air intake system and filters don't let anything by with proper maintenance. Once you get accustomed to changing them out, it's not that big a deal. Just take your time separating the plastics from the grommet openings. As far as the the hand controls are concerned, they are not backlite, but I'm also not paying the extra $8-10K you would for a BMW 1300 or Triumph 1200. It's true, some cheaper bikes have illuminated controls. Thanks for the review.
Good comment mate and great to hear from a an owner
I own a 2021 ATAS ES DCT bike and absolutely love it!!! It has some small quirks like you mention in your video but bang for the buck to do everything from full road touring to off road escapes I wouldn't own anything else!
Mate they must be pretty good, all the owners love them
I have an 1100 Africa twin for black top and dirt roads and a modified crf 300 for off-road they tick all the boxes being 67 can’t be bothered picking up big bikes in the rough stuff life needs to be easy but challenging good vid
Sounds like a great combo of bikes mate
At 62 I agree. ‘21 ATASESDCT and ‘23 CRF300L Rally is my combo.
After losing my previous bike to a bad wreck, and Over-Analyzing (& Riding) many Adventure Bikes.... I now own a 2023 AT DCT and considering I use it for Adventure Riding, 65/35 Andean Mountain Rides.... I couldn´t be happier! I respect your issues with the bike (in my case more than acceptable) but would truly enjoy knowing what bike out there can give you more reliability, Comfort, Flexibility for commuting/Adventure/ long Trips and Features. I know of maybe 2 bikes worth mentioning, and the other "flashy" ones..... well they have Issues you´d scoff at considering your choice of dislikes of the AT. There truly is no PERFECT BIKE, but I have found my little piece of heaven.
Mate I haven't heard of an owner who didn't love theirs, good to hear
Onthebackwheel content is the best. Looking forward to more reviews.
Thanks mate, I enjoy doing the reviews too
Hi Curtis ,looked at the AT ,but for the price and what I considered money for value I got the Transalp,what I saved put towards luggage and suspension upgrades ,couldn’t be happier ,ride 2 up ,as they say happy wife happy life😂😂, love watching your content,keep it up,Cheers Daniel👍🍺🇦🇺
Thanks Daniel. Mate those Transalps are cracking value
What suspension did you get put on your transalp? Thanks
Great review - very, very informative. No fluff or nonsense, just the facts - you do this so well. Thank you!
Thanks mate
Nice review! Africa Twin has always been on my radar as a potential future bike..most of the issues you have I think wouldn't be a problem for me personally if i could afford one right now.
Cheers bud and that's it, some things work for different people
Buy a 2016-18 crf1000l, it is all you need.
Another honest and insightful review. Good job!
Thanks mate
@@onthebackwheel I dunno how you stay upright ploughing thru the scrub on a beast like that with road tyres...😃
Good review. I had considered an AT, but decided against it. It is a good motorcycle, but like you, I don't have the time to fiddle with some of the maintenance complications.
Absolutely love my 2021 ATAS!
Great review. Packed lots of useful info into a perfect length video.
Thanks mate, I thought it would be good keeping the length down
@@onthebackwheel I also liked your reasoning at the end about whether you would or wouldn't buy the bike. Made sense and very useful.
@@MCGMB cheers!
Hi Curtis had my 2023 for neary a week now has only road tyers front and rear so definitely no bush work till they go especially after your comments about the front abs,not looking forward to that but everything else is spot on. After having the 2017 model honda has exceeded my expectations!
Great content and review keep it coming mate 👍
Thanks mate. What tyres were you thinking of putting on?
@@onthebackwheel I'll stick with the tractionator rall z rear the tkc80 front
I wonder if the ABS comment is related to the wheelie control not being set to 0? I ride a 2022 manual shift on hard off-road and haven’t had abs issues. I will go ride some rough hills and see if I can cause the front to lock up. The thing has a lot of features you need to turn off to ride off-road. Once you dial it in, it is excellent. And yes it is top heavy for sure. Slow technical takes skill and crash bars are required. I recommend adding barkbusters, skid plate and tires to suit your terrain. I use Anakee wild knobbies. They can do the dirt and are speed rated. The bike is fun to ride fast, so speed rating matters. Note the factory hard panniers are not suitable for off-road. Go soft luggage or you will break the mounting brackets off. I did. Enough watching. I am going riding!
Good to hear from an owner mate. Are you enjoying yours?
Nice assessment of the AT Curtis. 👍
Thanks Pinkie
If the Africa Twin came with a KLR 650 as an accessory, it would be in the best buy ever category. I have both and enjoy both. Spot on review!
KLR as an accessory, that's the first time I've heard of that!
I think the CRF300L Rally would be a better accessory. 😁
When started researching what adv bike to buy i said no to Africa Twin.But as week passed after many many hours of research i put this bike on first place.It do everything good like 8-8.5/10.
It's a good all-rounder for sure
really like your videos mate keep it up
Thanks mate
thanks Curtis love your honesty
Thanks mate
You spoiled us. Great video againg. Thank you and all the best!
Thanks mate
My 2 cents from someone who is a big fan of Honda, but does not believe in “unicorn” motorcycles. If you want to ride dirt, buy a dirt bike. If you want to ride street, buy a great street bike. I spent a ton of time in the mountains taking my 250RX on gnarly trails where one would have to be crazy to take a 500lbs bike. Don’t take me wrong. Africa Twin is an amazing motorcycle for street and some gravel, and that is it. If you insist on riding this bike on hard dirt terrain, you will brake the bike, brake yourself, or both…
Oh I agree, would much rather be on a proper dirt bike in the tough stuff. It is stupidly fun hustling a big bike through moderate dirt sections where a proper dirt bike is boring though
It’s a cool bike, and now that it is tubeless I am thinking on buy one. I Currently own the Tuareg 660, do you think it’s worth it the change to the Africa twin? I do mostly off road tracks, greetings from Colombia!
I like the Tuareg more, still my pick of the ADV bikes so far. I wouldn't change if you're doing mostly off-road. Touring? Yeah the AT is better on the highway because of the extra engine
You know what? It isn't the lightes or the most powerful or the most accessory packed. But it works, and you know it will keep on working forever. Unlike bikes that look better and might actually ride a little bit better on and offroad.
It's definitely a good all-rounder
very agile, but a little big for my taste....surprised how well it did in the enduro style riding.....then you have the skills to dance with the big lady. Great review...did they charge you for the hand guard? Garth
She's a big girl. I just ended up buying one, it's my first bike from Honda and I don't want to give the wrong impression
Would like to see more tests on budget lighter bikes , ie 450 RL , 300 rally .
If I had the cash , yeah a bike like this would be tempting , but the thing is it weighs too much .
It’s fine where you won’t likely drop it ie roads , fire trails , gravel roads …but where you personally ride it , how is an older guy or skinny younger guy going to pick this thing up when it goes down?
If we think about it …these bikes aren’t trail bikes , they are road gravel bikes , if you crash , a motorist stops and helps you pick it up , or the ambulance is called and a tow truck arrives .
The reason we see these Africa Twins , multistradas , Triumph 900 pros ect , sitting on the used bike lots with about 5000kms or less on them …is because new cashed up adventure riders soon figure it out .
We need lighter 160 kg or less dual sport bikes , they can still handle the roads at this weight , and can be picked up when dropped on trails or non gravel ect .
Did a 160 km loop Saturday on my 300 stock rally , up a double track 800m easy climb with whoops , back road rough bitumen , a meandering forest road, and 30 km of motorway , where the rally cruised at 100kmph at 5000rpm , and was no louder than my Versys 650 at that speed .
Average 3L per 100 kms .
The bike looks still brand new after almost 3000 kms .
$10000 ride away . Go Honda 😊
I'm going to be testing the lighter bikes soon. And yep, definitely more for touring and basic off-road
Good review’ thanks. Which Adv bike would you buy?
Cheers, Aprilia Tuareg
nice review I bought a switch off Ali Express and wired it into my abs fuse so I can turn the abs off on my CF Moto 800 mt going down big off-road hills made it outright dangerous as the abs kicks in and you can,t turn it goes straight and you end up on the ground.
Good idea mate
Umm...you can deactivate ABS, traction control & wheelie control, all with one button, takes 5.3 seconds to deactivate all 3.
If you know how (besides pulling the fuse), please share!
I’d love the big CRF but out of reach for me. Interested to see how you get on with the 450MT
Very keen for that too. The price is certainly right
It’s a lot easier to send a less expensive bike down a trail than an expensive one 😁👍
I have an AT dct 22 model, but..... I might sell it and buy an BMW F900GS. AT seems heavy and i really want tubeless tires...it's a bloody good bike but I prefer something a bit lighter and build quality seems better on GS .. @OnTheBackWheel What do you think about this decision? it is worth it ? ...cheers !
Good question. Since you've got the dct that does weigh a bit more. The new base model AT has tubeless and is lighter so that's an option too. I'm actually riding a 900 today for my commute so I'll see how it feels. Sitting on it, still a big bike but as you said, beautifully put together. Look at the Tuareg too, it will be a very noticeable weight difference and is fantastic
Love your honesty bud I think I will stick to my pan America
Thanks mate. Mean machine the big HD
bike is ok out of the box, but after you replace springs it turns into a beautiful machine!!! OEM springs are very mushy
Good to know. I knew a couple of owners who changed their shock and updated the forks, they loved it
@@onthebackwheel I chose hyper pro front and rear Cost was minimal. Cause I did it myself
Honda Africa Twin anywhere you can go 🎉
She's a good bike 👊
I will never buy a bike that takes half a day to remove and clean your air filter.Much better bikes out there eg:TRiumph 900 RP,GS's etc.(Take note Desert X as well).
I second that 100%. The VStrom DE is just a perfect fit for me, and that filter access .... sigh 💖💞👌👌. Looked looong and hard at the AT base model - they're almost identical in weight, but idiotic switchgear and airbox access that sucks badly really stitched it up.
I agree
Just for information... its like 30 minutes and not "a half day". I did it by myself last week. Like 7 screws on both sides and your there. Its not perfect but for this great allrounder-bike i like to take this little "problem". 🤷♂️
Triumph to honda lololol. U will drive 3 triumphs or more at the same life time on the honda.
Why don’t you pull the fuse out of the box thus deactivating ABS. Enjoyed the review!
Cheers mate. I thought about it but wanted to test it as is. Probably should have for future videos TBH
Cheers mate. I thought about it but wanted to test it as is. Probably should have for future videos TBH
could you test the 2024 model to tell us the difference??
I'm trying, getting radio silence from them 😭
@@onthebackwheel same all over the world...I am In Greece and although they selling it there is not a test ride!!
With more than 3000 africa sold last year only to Italy and in the top ten in French motorcycle sales I think the answer is yes. Consumers know better
Owners seem to really like them
lol the difference between proper hand-guards and flimsy hand-winddeflectors :)
Lol yep
This isnt the 2024 is it? I noticed the smaller windscreen
It's not the updated model no. Technically a 24, but really it's a 23
I think the 1000cc version from 2015-1019 was a better option for barebone adventure /off road bike. Honda walked away from the core of the Africa Twin with all the electronic wizardry.
I do like how it had the button to turn abs off
I think I still want one, just gonna find a way to disable ABS.
Trust me, it’s wouldn’t be an issue for 98% of riders.
The AT is still hanging around my house, I'll try pulling the fuse if it stays and see what happens
not in the adventure market, at least not yet. but would probably look at the transalp before this 😊
Certainly a boat load cheaper
Its a no from me.
I would be willing to pay for the Honda build quality and reliability- but I would avoid this and many modern adventure bikes because I have an aversion to gizmos.
If Honda would reintroduce the basic no frills Dakar I would buy one tomorrow.
Bizarre that there isn't an option to turn it off
I do buy 😊
Enjoy!
Front ABS has almost killed me twice on a previous bike. I ended up pulling the ABS fuse out to shut it down. I will not own a bike unless I can defeat both front and rear ABS. ABS is DANGEROUS and the trend needs to stop, but due to politics it wont.
Buenas, en comparación con v strom 800de tira mucho calentor el motor de la africa? Y la potencia del motor se nota mucho? Tengo una 800 de y la moto va genial pero en el futuro quiero una africa twin,merece la pena el cambio?
The Africa Twin is a better bike all round. Not sure I wouldn't change to one though from the 800DE. Maybe to the upcoming model, the updates like very nice
It’s a big no! lol 🤣
Let’s see some CFMoto 450 mt action 🏍️💨💨💨🙌 for a 1/3 of the price 🎉
The price is bloody good!
Africa twin
I guess the different color sliders, frame, and sub-frame are a European thing.
Are they different there?
@@onthebackwheel The white ones I've seen here have silver sliders black frames and white sub-frames.
Tenere 700 🗿
Also good!
dude, build quality sucks!
I find its good, not amazing. Why do you say it sucks?
I have Aprilia Tuareg 660, I'm going to test ride new 2024 AT base model, I only could use a Little more power, but not sure if power alone will justify change
The new 24 looks great and I think the motor updates should make it pretty impressive🤞
I have a 2023 ATAS ES and I couldn’t be happier, have ridden 23000 km in 10 months. Love mine, each time I park it, I start to stare it, gorgeous and capable bike.
Such a good looking machine
I wouldn't buy one new, but used they are good value for money.
My record for swapping the air filters on my 1000 is 12 minutes and thats including manoeuvring the faring panels around crash bars, adding time to the process .
Its really not a big deal once you know the procedure.
The ABS module or software must be different on the 1100, or the tyres must be effecting the SBS ss the only time the 1000 ABS goes off is when you are trying to do so.
Only thing holding me back from the 1100, is I have heard on reviews that the triangle is smaller than the 1000 as the bar to triple clamp mounts are taller, making the bars cloer to the rider.
I am 6'2" and already had back pain issues with the 1000 due to the bike not being large enough for me to stand while riding.
I had to flip the bar mounts and rotate the bars forward to the point that the barkbusters didn't clear the windscreen and faring at full lock.
I had to make custom bars to join the spine to the inner bar mounts on the barkbusters to compensate.
The bike does everything I need it to well enough. I will eventually get another bike, and when I do, the 1000 will stay with me.
Its too good to let go and I have customised it to suit me too much to let it go.
I honestly think if someone handed you the keys to one, with proper offroad tyres and said keep it, you would soon forget about the 800DE! 😂
Oh no doubt its a better bike than the 800DE! 12 minutes mate, thats bloody good going
@@onthebackwheel had the farings off about 15 times for wiring, cleaning and replacing the air filters.
Set the record pissing off the pre filters for a last minute organised ride.
Excellent review Curtis, your channel and reviews are far superior than dorks with mainstream channels. I am very interested in seeing the MT450 review. Honda would be wise not to loan you a Transalp, it will get destroyed quickly with your type of adventure riding.
im keen for the mt450 review too, and a transalp and whatever else curtis can get his hands on, its good when reviewers put things through their paces, see if they can handle a bit of abuse.
Could say it better 👏👏
Curtis is a beast on riding & giving HONEST feed back “you hear that Manufacturer’s”?!
Thanks guys, very keen to try out that MT450. I should be getting the Transalp in the future, they wanted to give me one without any crash protection or a bash plate!
@@onthebackwheel hahahahahaha
@@onthebackwheel You should take it without the bash plate to see how long it would take to knock off the sump and flatten the exhaust.
I think your review is great, but testing this bike on stock tires in the places you rode it isn't realistic for anyone who plans to ride it offroad. The front abs is not an issue if you switch the tires to a Motoz Dual Venturer something similar up front. I can't comment about the fiddly electronics since my AT is a 2017 model. Air filter replacement is also not a big deal. They don't get very dirty and don't need replacment very often where ride.
I'd be super keen to try it with off-road tyres, can only comment on what I had unfortunately. Good to hear about the air filter from an owner, nearly all the owners don't think it's an issue
G`day Curtis ya bloody legend. Good review mate, honest appraisal with no BS or fluff.
Thanks mate!
Well that’s a first… I’ve never seen a reviewer have so much fun on a bike, then say “nah, I wouldn’t buy one” and practically says “and neither should you”… geez you’re hard to please. 😂 As an actual AT owner, none of the issues you had… or perceived you’d have [you didn’t actually change a filter] are an issue against owning one. The only complaint I had is the seemingly backwards power indicator… but it makes sense to me now. 😅 I’m firmly in camp “Africa Twin is phenomenal” and I wouldn’t swap it for anything.
Its a good bike! If it wasn't for the ABS, I'd be in and put up with the stuff I didn't love. No doubt the tyres didn't help either, would love to try it with a good set of hoops
As you know Curtis I am looking at trading the Tenere on something a bit more off-road touring oriented. The AT was in the mix early on. I loved the look and the build quality and the fact it's a Honda (read: uber reliable). What I didn't like was the seat height, the weight and the menu navigation which confused the hell outta me and was in no way intuitive. It got the flick early so now it's just down to the Norden or the Tiger 900 Rally Pro. If I could sum up the AT it would be "It's a looker. But it's a porker"...
look at he Tuareg before you buy...20-30kg lighter than those beasts and awesome handling machine.
@@powertrip1050You’ve got good point on weight and the Tuareg is a great handling bike for less money, with nice TFT controls.
It certainly is a looker mate
Yes, the Toe-rag ticked a lot of boxes. I have thrown a leg over one but didn't like the ergos. Couldn't take one for a test as the dealer did not have a demo available. Compound that with the closest dealer being iver 200km away!
@@andrewtreloar7389 yeah that sucks. I will definitely use Toe-rag from now 😂
i do plenty offroad and never understood this whole abs complaining thing. Works very well offroad. The only time i turn off rear abs is if i want to goof around and do slides.
You never need to disengage abs for normal riding. But thats on pre lift, 2018 ;
I've ridden a fair few adv bikes now and this of the only one I've had an issue with. No doubt better tyres would help
Not even a question. It is a bloody fantastic, unique and beautiful bike! AT all day, baby! 🤙🏼
It is a very nice machine 👊
Nice review 👌 It's still on my short-list.. The suspension alone is a massive tick.
Cheers mate. Definitely a good machine
Had the 2018 ATAS and took it off road in the Spanish Pyrenese mountains. Now got the base model AT 1100. Love it so much! Even had the CRF300 Rally. Which is fun too and usable. Cheers mate!
Nice mate, beautiful place to ride by the looks of it
Yes! Defo one to go to one day. I lived in Oz too. Love it so much!
@@Comova79 well there you go. Where did you live?
Good onya for mentioning fuel economy mate. It's rare for folks to do this, oddly enough. On a bike that has touring credentials I find this surprising. I know you only gave an average, but at least it's ballpark, and it's a question I, for one, will always have ... 👏👏👏 PS, the VStrom BLITZES it, as you'd know!! 😈😈
The big v-strommer holds up well! The economy isn't too bad on the highway, but yeah...not great
Yeah, in my experience with my ATAS… I average 3.8 to 4.4 litres per 100k’s… and I’m not gentle on the throttle. Being 24.8ltr capacity [on the Adv Sport] I get a lot of distance on a tank. 😂
@@decoycreativedistractions jeez, that's pretty damned good decoy 😯👌👌
Don't want abs or traction control and just a 1000cc bike the buy a crf1000l. No modes, no nothing, no fancy tft, no apple caraway, no android auto; just brake, clutch, throttle, speed, fuel, what more do you need?
Sounds pretty good to me
Just a warning from factory thay don't lube the throttle twist tube ride by wier throttle James open on a DCT HOLD ON BECOULS YOUR ALONG FOR THE RIDE OVE YOUR LIFE AND A FRESH UNDERWHERE F,N OMG OWNERS BE HAWER
hmm im thinkin you are too used to power if an 1100 isn't exciting enough for you lol.. you should ride a 250cc as a commuter for awhile then jump back on it. i was surprised to hear that coz I've watched a guy who had one of these and it absolutely ripped if he wanted it too. was fun to watch, that's how i knew you still had TC on first ride because it just wasn't performing like I've seen they can. im still in the no camp but thats simply because im too old and too unfit for a big adv bike.
Mate TC was off on all rides and my previous bikes were a KLR650 and KLX250, both slow as hell! It goes well, but in comparison to the competition I thought it would have more
im sure you mentioned you had tc on still with first ride. ill rewatch coz maybe im wrong.
@@4x4junkie86 it was rear abs in the very first part. Changed it after a little. It still rips off road
@@onthebackwheel ah ok, i must've misunderstood when i watched it, i thought it was TC restricting power but maybe it was wrong rider mode.
@@4x4junkie86 yeah I had the soft power delivery on the one, my bad (and confusing settings to be fair). That was the first day I had it and I've had it for over a month since. Don't get me wrong, it still goes well, but a Tiger 900 rips and so do some of the others. No doubt this will outlast them all though
How tall are you?
183cm or 6ft
Thank God lololololol
Watched all the AT reviews out there...yours here is the best...cheers. Really like this bike and considering going for it. However, I'm concerned about its weight (myself tall, but skinny...average riding skills at best). Unfortunately there's not much around. T7 top-heavy and dated...looks great though. Transalp...just sooo boring. Triumph Tiger 900 Rally, not really light either, looks great, rake not really enough for the dirt imo (correct me if I'm wrong...again, average rider, on the other hand generous suspension travel...does this make sense?), Suzuki V-Strom 800...well quite heavy too...and boring. What's left? KTM 790/890 Adv imo. Weight down low, exciting engine, great electronics, more suitable for the dirt than all the other ones mentioned...but, what's the reliability like? Maybe you can do a review on the Tiger 900 Rally Pro...would be interesting what you think about its off-road capabilities/suitability. Edit: Found a Tiger 900RP video of yours...no mentioning of issues with its rake...hmm...guess your riding skills are maybe compensating for that.
Cheers mate. My recommendation for most people is the Tuareg, light and stupidly capable. Can completely understand peoples hestitation due to it not being Japanese though
@@onthebackwheel, cheers mate. Yeah, the Tuareg seems to be a really good bike. Currently in South America...don't even know where to get it...let alone potential issues when needing support in case of issues...quite exotic bike in the end.
I would never buy this bike but as always I’m interested in your opinion.
Cheers Mike 🤘
Great vid, great bike, I still have my 2016 base model, the rarest of them all, the non ABS model, yes they exist, approaching 50 000km and still in love, don't need anything else, it's perfect for me but it has been breathed on. No electronics, no ride by wire, no apple bla bla bla
Hens teeth that one mate
@@onthebackwheel yeah mate, you'd love it, last of the big analogue adv bikes, I also hate ABS
@@Africatwinrider1 hang on to that one bud
What? 450MT?? You’ll kill that for sure crazy man Curtis 🔥 But… you could buy 2 & still have a shit ton of fun ripping the shit out of ‘em!
Damn handguards, you never have fun with those!
Cheers legend 🤙
They sure are cheap mate! And yep, no idea why they bother with the crappy hand guards...
CFMoto 450 mt is a new bike. It looks pretty decent on paper but haven’t seen any reviews yet.