The original Africa Twin production machine was built to celebrate Honda’s success in the arduous Dakar Rally. Derived from the factory-backed NXR750 race machines which won the event four times, the high-spec 57bhp, 647cc, 52°V-twin powered HRC-built XRV650 Africa Twin road bike was introduced in 1988. Two years later, the better known mass-produced 750 went on sale. Making 60bhp, the 742cc, 52°V-twin engined adventure bike proved to be a great all-rounder. But as we were still sports bike mad back then, few were ever sold here in the UK. In 1993 it was given a makeover, benefiting from a new frame, bodywork, bigger fuel tank and engine modifications. The Africa Twin wasn’t altered substantially again before it was discontinued in 2003. Running alongside it for a while, the XL1000V Varadero, launched in 1999, never proved quite as popular. Even an update in 2003 couldn’t save the Varadero, and sales remained poor until it went out of production in 2010.
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Esta historia es de la edición October 2019 de Motorcycle Sport & Leisure.
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Honda CRF1100L ES Africa Twin
Without panniers he was adventuring nowhere - so at least Bertie's got something sorted now
BMW R 12 nineT
Chad gets a track day surprise when BMW's R 12 nineT turns out to be surprisingly fun on track
Test fleet: VOGE 525 DSX
After testing the Voge's abilities on a long ride, it was time to take it to the Cotswolds and see how it would manage on the rougher stuff
Portuguese Perambulations
Nearly over before it had begun, a brief workshop stint allows Spain and Portugal to be explored
Highway to Heaven
Three friends take on the challenge of riding the length of Canada, from Vancouver in the southwest to Inuvik in the north. The road is long, the conditions merciless, and wildfires are tearing through the country. To top it all off, the final leg of the journey is the ultimate test of gravel riding skills, nerves, and courage - it's the legendary Dempster Highway...
Battlaxes at the ready!
We tend to take tyres for granted, never really looking at them in any detail, or at how they work, just hoping that they keep us shiny side up at all times. Even in the wet
Ducati Riding Experience
When I rode the Ducati DesertX to France last year, I did have a bit of an explore on some easy fire roads and gentle green lanes in the wilds of the Médoc area, but was left with the feeling that, had I the experience, the DesertX would have been capable of taking me along some more extreme trails to some even more exciting places. If only there was a way of finding out just how well the Italian adventure bike could cope with some more extreme terrain...
Four pot flyer
Many said that sports bikes, and particularly bikes in the traditional Supersports class that was populated by 600cc inline fours, were dead. Maybe they spoke too soon?...
Eastern adventurer
With an increasing interest in smaller capacity adventure bikes, the market expands with a new entry
First Time Lucky?
It's ironic that the first all-new MV Agusta model to hit the marketplace right after Italy's No.1 trophy brand was acquired by Austrian giant Pierer Mobility, owner of off-road titans KTM, should be the company's first dual-purpose model of the modern era, powered by MV's all-new 931cc three-cylinder engine that's destined to form the basis of a whole series of new models in coming months and years.
