DAWN OF ADVENTURE
There’s a sense of frustration as I reach a crossroads where the sandy dirt track I’ve been riding meets a tarmac road. The track continues invitingly on the other side, through more spectacular Spanish scenery… but if I don’t turn the Africa Twin Adventure Sports round and head back right now, I’ll miss my slot for launch photos.
This isn’t part of the official route; just a few extra solo miles grabbed amid the inevitable down-time of a modern media event. But already the Adventure Sports has impressed enough to make me wish I could cross that tarmac and keep going.
The new-generation Africa Twin has been a hit since its introduction two years ago. It updated one of Honda’s most iconic models in suitably distinctive fashion, belatedly gave the firm a serious adventure-class contender, and has sold over 50,000 units worldwide, roughly half of them in Europe.
But while Honda’s bold decision to attack the dominant litre-plus beasts with a lighter, less powerful 998cc parallel twin has been vindicated, the reborn Africa Twin has struggled in a few areas. In particular, its wind protection, fuel range, suspension travel and ground clearance have limited its suitability for long-distance travel, especially when the going gets tough. So Honda
