You go through, how the steering feels, how the engine characteristics are, how it feels to sit on it and how its weight feels, also going through small issue and knacks. Basically everything I want to know from a review (because I can´t try it myself). Great job man, keep it up in your future reviews!!
Best bike I ever rode. Effortless ride ,feels like a 500 cc , nimble and fast.Awesome machine.I have a 2001 twin - feels like a dinosaur compared to the new one Still love it though and wont part with it.
If it was mine I'd just put a decent set of road tyres on it. Use it for round town, weekend short country trips. Nice power output for someone who's hooning days are well behind him.
Andrew Hoffman just get a 650. 1000cc is too excessive for your purposes. Id never go over 650cc singles in my life. Anything over that is just excessive
Nice review, and I agree with most of it. The new AT is a superb machine. To my great surprise I also loved the DCT version when I rode it - it's a lot of fun! Maybe too many buttons on the handlebars, my only slight gripe. One small error - heated grips are not standard. But they are, as mentioned in the review, only JUST hot enough. Which means not really hot enough. Also, the high screen does indeed cause buffeting - I'd be keen to try the standard screen too. Fab bike though, well done Honda. When they become available used, I'll be lining up...
Great review. First bike in a while I've taken out for a test ride and wanted to buy there and then. Just hesitated to trade in the GS... which has more poke, better screen, cruise etc but I preferred the Honda dashboard and the engine is sublime - like a super single with smooth torque all the way up. In an ideal world I'd have both ;-)
Can't wait for the offroad review. Thank you making an honest reviews on pros and cons of this bike. I suk offroad too and would love t see you and Suzy test this bike on the trails!
test rode one today.. been a sports bike lover for years very very unshure..but.. then i sat on it took it out.. LOVED IT!!! now selling my cbr. yes screen gives helmet buffer and yes grips where not super hot but... its an awsome bike tracking controle was easy to use.. very well display on screen was fantastic i took it of complitly at one point and wow for 90 odd bhp wheeliessss. works fantastic. gives you mpg on display av speed ect ect. very nice bike sounds awsome from stock. i like.it just the way its is... i would buy the crash bar and the fog lights for the crash bars. every thing els id leave. as its a grate bike.
In my opinion, the lack of cruise control would go in spirit of the Africa Twin. A no nonsense, reliable machine that's get you there regardless of the terrain. Cruise control would be a feature that would only com in handy rarely and be prone to break.
Luke, I'd say you got a little bit of Wild Boy in you, as seen from the get-go @ 0:10 ! haha But I like that kind of fun-loving character in a person...and a bit of Wild Boy is just what one needs to tame some of these new 2 Wheeled Beasts they're coming out with these days! Great Review!
No CC is a standard for lots of honda bikes, even the ones intended for commuting/touring (except the goldwing). There is a company in australia who makes an aftermarket electronic CC specifically for the AT and some other honda models.
I am looking to sell my 2006 KLR with many upgrades that I have become used to having.Crash bars,highway pegs,cruise control,12v socket, lowered UFO front fender , centerstand, ect, ect. So I love the looks of the AFRICA TWIN and felt good sitting on it in the show room (im 6'4") Here is my question why buy the A.T. for basically the same money the Triumph tiger XCx comes standard with all the things I need and more without having to put it all on aftermarket which drives the cost of the A.T. above the Tiger XCx? Gotta have a quality skid plate,center stand, cruise control, engine guards, highway pegs(doesn't come with either but can attach to Tigers engine guards easy) Let me know what I am missing here , I would rather buy the Honda but I don't think I can. (rusty spokes and sticky buttons included on the honda) What is your opinion?????????????
Why are you comparing The Africa Twin which is a 1000 cc bike to 800 cc bikes? Is it not good enough to compare to another 1000 cc or a 1200 cc bike? Is is really that bad?
I think that the main competitor of this new AT is the KTM1050, same engine size, same power.... the KTM has more electronics and more functions ... both of them very interesting
+Riding TusCanY I've test rode both, KTM 1050 vibrates real bad, surprised they sell any at all. 1190 is smoother but nowhere near as smooth as the Honda
I'm 50..used to ride dirt offroad..some basic#..im offroad bias..but fear of droping..so can the AT be the first Adventure or go for 650's..?! as beginner..
+Pacemaker Transalp no its not, the throttle cable is connected to a controller not the throttle body. To meet Euro 4 there's no choice but to use ride by wire. Technically it would be easy to fit cruise control but for some reason no bike in the Honda range has it.
DervMan that's interesting to know. It may not seem important but when you are doing 8 hour plus days, long distance touring, cruise control is such a blessing
honda missed it here. nowadays, a 1000 cc. modern engine with 94 hp. , will not be a great success i think. OK. the KTM 1190 is 15000 euro, but it's 150 ! ps. And you don't have to use them, ....but if necessary, you CAN use them. ( sorry for the english, i am belgian). My 2011 GS has 110 ps. and on highway situations, when i pass a car, i need them all . So honda, make a fresh one with 125 ps., and you've made the new GS-killer !
+stoofbuis but you have to remember the Honda will be bulletproof like the gs and light as the ktm. and much cheaper pricing. I'm sure once they really hit the market they will have loads of aftermarket parts to pump up the horse power. and anyone whos ever reviewed this bike they never complain about the power. people that ride adventure bikes are more worried about how the bike handles and how reliable the bike is. well that's what most look for including myself. and I think they hit the nail right on the head.
stoofbuis don't concentrate only on hp ; ) there are so many other things like aerodynamics, the steering etc.that is true that KTM is powerful fellow but there are other bikes competing in this segment like tiger and gs which are more powerful but much heavier and had more power lost because of shaft. If you take all things together honda will get the space on the market for sure. I guess KTM is priced competitively on you market if the price is yhe se. e.g in Finland africa twin is the cheapest 1000cc adventure bike. bmw, ktm and triumph are all more expensive. I think gs from bmw is about 7k euros more expensive
Fair enough. Tough I would never adventure on taking a ktm to a long remote trip. With Honda usually every problem can be fixed with a basic tools kit, found in any shack, and they have the biggest network of distributors, around the world. Meaning you won't have to wait two weeks for some sprocket made out of gold to be shipped from Austria
+soulfresh10 It's not made of cheese. I've seen so many reports of problems on the v-strom 1k. Things like cutting out in traffic if you blip the throttle, really big corrosion problems. The V-Strom isn't a £10k bike, it's a £7k bike, priced at £10k
+Orange Crush The V-Strom forums. I was ready to buy, joined the UK forum which was full of issues. From , stalling in traffic to severe rusting issues. K2 is an old bike anyway, it's the new 1k that has the issues.
I dont see why one would buy the Honda if one does not like the idea of a DCT. The KTM 1190 might be more expensive but it has all the power that you could ever want on a motorbike. With the Honda you're a sitting duck on the highway + the KTM looks much better (imho) - the only big plus I see for the Honda is the DCT.
Fair enough. Tough I would never adventure on taking a ktm to a long remote trip. With Honda usually every problem can be fixed with a basic tools kit, found in any shack, and they have the biggest network of distributors, around the world. Meaning you won't have to wait two weeks for some sprocket made out of gold to be shipped from Austria
Not "every" way, ST is heavier, less ground clearance, less suspension travel, it's more of a touring bike than off road... it has a little bit more power and torque though, but in relation to its weight, there is not much difference.
+Pacemaker Transalp I know every builder wants to show more settings and new options, but the joy of riding has nothing to do with all that nonsense. I only need 2 wheels, a running engine and gas
+gapadry If you go back to 0:11 you will understand wtf is wrong. Just into the first minute of the video you know the review is a sack of shit for what he says.
+gapadry I used to think like that when I rode on weekends but now I ride a motorbike every single day and I do appreciate the heated grips in the winter, the onboard computer on long trips, the ABS, the alarm when I leave it alone in the streets... and I would love a stereo - that's the main thing I miss from my car on a daily basis.
+gapadry Riding in 10f I need heated grips. I won't be getting hondas grips though. Oxford makes amazing ones. Might just pull them off my KLR and put them on the CRF :D
I was pretty much sold on buying one of these. But 230 kg? Really? It needs to weigh as much as 2 XR600s? Then I see a shitty little non tapered handlebar. Yeah, if it was a 2005 Hyosung, I could see that, but a Honda? In 2016?
+gasdive yes in 2016 because between 2005 and 2016 a lot of regulations change. To meet global emission standards, manufacturers add a lot of components to the engine and the exhaust and the air boxes keep getting bigger and bulkier. There's no magic pill to reduce weight of any motorvehicle that has to be certified by various authorities aka homologation to be ready for the streets.
cagednm69 I meant the handlebars seemed more in keeping with a very cheap Korean bike from a decade ago than a modern Japanese motorcycle. Modern bikes have tapered bars. They're lighter, stronger and safer. As for weight, I was comparing Honda with Honda. If we want to talk about 2016 bikes with full road homologation, this bike weighs more than 2 KTM500EXC. Really? a 1000 twin weighs more than two complete 500 singles?
Does your KTM 500EXC carry 2 people, with a top box and a set of panniers on each side? Does it come with an integrated rack to mount them? Does your 500EXC come with an 18.8 litre gas tank? Does your 500EXC run 360kms without a fuel stop? Is your 500EXC going to tackle the windblast and bad weather? Is it equipped with ABS and TC? Will it switch between offroad/onroad as effortlessly as the AT? Will it be able to match the outright performance of the AT on the roads? Most importantly, can you tour around the world in all kinds of weather and terrain conditions with your 500EXC? So you see, there's a lot more to a motorcycle than just spec sheet numbers. Only kids fight about on paper hp/weight numbers. Most people know and appreciate a big bike that hides its mass well with mass centralization. Basic engineering should tell you that as the displacement increases, the weight of the engine along with its components also increases. Also, a single cylinder engine of say 650cc, will always be lighter than a parallel twin. A twin will be lighter than an inline4 and so on. Finally, KTM's have poor reliability because they aren't engineered to last. All the weight advantage they have comes at a price. It sure might be affordable to buy, but is it affordable to maintain and run as much as the Japanese? There's a reason KTM/BMW are at the bottom of the reliability index despite their production/sales being a lot lot less than the Japanese 4 who are always in the top 5 reliable rankings. Oh, and such an underpowered, single seater, devoid of features, single purpose motorcycle for $10,099 vs a $12999 do it all motorcycle? Hmm, that's not even a tough choice really.
cagednm69 I'm obviously not being clear here. All I'm saying is that this 1000 cc twin weighs as much as two singles that add up to the same capacity. I maintain this is a sign of lazy design. You maintain this is a sign of superb reliability and amazing toughness. I think I'm right, you think you're right but we're arguing at cross purposes. For me, it may be the best thing since sliced bread but, 230 kg completely rules this out as an adventure bike. It's 70kg heavier than it should be for what you're getting. It's over 60 kg heavier than the first BMW GS800 despite that bike having a shaft drive! It may be the toughest bike on the planet (though given that the tester says that it was damaged by normal use this seems far fetched), but if I can't pick it up, if it breaks when it falls over, if it costs an extra thousand dollars every time I put it on a plane, if I can't push it through a bog, it's as useless as a goldwing. You may well think it's fab, that's your right, but if it's stated design goal is an 'adventure bike' it's a total fail. If I was planning a RTW mostly dirt roads and was only allowed to choose between this bike, an R1 or a Vespa, I'd have a tough choice between the R1 and the Vespa.
gasdive The 500EXC is a single seater dual purpose motorcycle. That's about it. The major weight savings comes from the extensive use of aluminium and the amount of metal saved in the part where they ditch any pillion or luggage support which is why the price has shot up to $11k, that's cbr 600RR territory. Nobody wants an a full sized aluminium single seater dual purpose bike that can only carry one person, no luggage, a pipette of a fuel tank and the reliability of a Chinese moped for $25k. That's like comparing a 2 door hatchback to a 4 door sedan. Obviously as the capacity increases, so does the weight. Where did the tester in this video say the bike was damaged by normal use? Now you're putting words into his mouth. He even showed you how easy it is to pick up the bike after a fall. Mass centralization is an actual thing and not a gimmick. The bike is even narrow at the seat and accommodates 5'6 inchers which normal ADV's dont. And the old Africa twin weighed 220kg without any fancy tech and it ruled the ADV segment for over a decade! I think people should stop whining over paper spec and actually take a test ride like this reviewer did. There's a lot more data that doesn't go into spec sheets. Oh and the best selling ADV, the R1200GS weighs 229 kg(dry) and 260 kg(with all fluids topped up). Go figure!
I beg to differ on the field of aesthetics ;) this is the best looking bike I've seen in a long time, in this category. But ok, beauty is in the eye of the beholder :)))
Won't be watching any more. What a superficial review, seems like the staff on this channel are deeply in the clutches of the manufactures, just desperate for the next press bike. All he's basically saying here is this bike is marvellous except for some small things that can be easily mod'd - pathetic. What next, the tired old statement that basically all new bikes are varying degrees of brilliant these days. Oh, and by the way, I'm looking for an adventure bike that I would hardly ever ride in the UK, so yes, this review is very unhelpful. The UK is rubbish for riding anything on two wheels.
You go through, how the steering feels, how the engine characteristics are, how it feels to sit on it and how its weight feels, also going through small issue and knacks. Basically everything I want to know from a review (because I can´t try it myself). Great job man, keep it up in your future reviews!!
Honda is finally impressing me again. a nice lean bike, with looks, reliability, and that beautiful exhaust note. I cant wait to test ride this beaut.
This is the only Adventure Bike that will get you laid!
+Artur Jacinto ahahahahah totally agree!
Laid out in the dirt! Haha
+Artur Jacinto Yea but not all of us want to get laid by another bloke!
+Artur Jacinto true true, in fact with the hottest super models
so you need adventure bike to get laid???
My next bike. Just the right size between my KLR and a big GS. Perfect 👌🏿
I miss the round headlights...guess I'm old school about some things.
I certainly miss round headlights on a naked machine.
It's hard to conform, isn't it? haha
+StevenSWM Yes very true.. :)
Very pleased to see Honda bringing this bike to Canada. We have a lot of wide open space to explore.....I can't think of a better way to do it.
+Moto Canuck was thinking the same thing but in Australia :D Kakadu wet season would be rad
Best bike I ever rode. Effortless ride ,feels like a 500 cc , nimble and fast.Awesome machine.I have a 2001 twin - feels like a dinosaur compared to the new one Still love it though and wont part with it.
If it was mine I'd just put a decent set of road tyres on it. Use it for round town, weekend short country trips. Nice power output for someone who's hooning days are well behind him.
Andrew Hoffman just get a 650. 1000cc is too excessive for your purposes. Id never go over 650cc singles in my life. Anything over that is just excessive
Nice review. Good production values. Thanks for getting to the point fairly quickly.
Nice review, and I agree with most of it. The new AT is a superb machine. To my great surprise I also loved the DCT version when I rode it - it's a lot of fun! Maybe too many buttons on the handlebars, my only slight gripe. One small error - heated grips are not standard. But they are, as mentioned in the review, only JUST hot enough. Which means not really hot enough. Also, the high screen does indeed cause buffeting - I'd be keen to try the standard screen too. Fab bike though, well done Honda. When they become available used, I'll be lining up...
Great review. First bike in a while I've taken out for a test ride and wanted to buy there and then. Just hesitated to trade in the GS... which has more poke, better screen, cruise etc but I preferred the Honda dashboard and the engine is sublime - like a super single with smooth torque all the way up. In an ideal world I'd have both ;-)
Can't wait for the offroad review. Thank you making an honest reviews on pros and cons of this bike. I suk offroad too and would love t see you and Suzy test this bike on the trails!
What were the cons ?
test rode one today.. been a sports bike lover for years very very unshure..but.. then i sat on it took it out.. LOVED IT!!! now selling my cbr. yes screen gives helmet buffer and yes grips where not super hot but... its an awsome bike tracking controle was easy to use.. very well display on screen was fantastic i took it of complitly at one point and wow for 90 odd bhp wheeliessss. works fantastic. gives you mpg on display av speed ect ect. very nice bike sounds awsome from stock. i like.it just the way its is... i would buy the crash bar and the fog lights for the crash bars. every thing els id leave. as its a grate bike.
In my opinion, the lack of cruise control would go in spirit of the Africa Twin.
A no nonsense, reliable machine that's get you there regardless of the terrain. Cruise control would be a feature that would only com in handy rarely and be prone to break.
very nice looking bike, it sounds like a VTwin, i will consider this when i upgrade my current adventure bike, thanks SFR
Am dying with the old model,Africa Twin 750 i just love that bike...
Excellent review mate.
Luke, I'd say you got a little bit of Wild Boy in you, as seen from the get-go @ 0:10 ! haha But I like that kind of fun-loving character in a person...and a bit of Wild Boy is just what one needs to tame some of these new 2 Wheeled Beasts they're coming out with these days! Great Review!
Thanks for the video bro, I am going to buy 2016 with 20 000 km, I am 188cm and 110kg, I hope I will fit good
Nice review lad
What happend to this lad,one of the best presenters Bikeworlds had,the new bloke doing it is a passionless drone.
No CC is a standard for lots of honda bikes, even the ones intended for commuting/touring (except the goldwing). There is a company in australia who makes an aftermarket electronic CC specifically for the AT and some other honda models.
love the bike, love the review
+George Kariuki Thanks
+George Kariuki Agreed
Looking forward to the Offroad Review version
Any bike with an ecu and speed sensor ring could have cruise control. Take a page from Austria already.
My brother has one of these. Great bike.
I am looking to sell my 2006 KLR with many upgrades that I have become used to having.Crash bars,highway pegs,cruise control,12v socket, lowered UFO front fender , centerstand, ect, ect. So I love the looks of the AFRICA TWIN and felt good sitting on it in the show room (im 6'4") Here is my question why buy the A.T. for basically the same money the Triumph tiger XCx comes standard with all the things I need and more without having to put it all on aftermarket which drives the cost of the A.T. above the Tiger XCx? Gotta have a quality skid plate,center stand, cruise control, engine guards, highway pegs(doesn't come with either but can attach to Tigers engine guards easy) Let me know what I am missing here , I would rather buy the Honda but I don't think I can. (rusty spokes and sticky buttons included on the honda) What is your opinion?????????????
Great review! Thumb up.
Thanks for the review.
I heard you saying "steering lock". What is that?
Why are you comparing The Africa Twin which is a 1000 cc bike to 800 cc bikes? Is it not good enough to compare to another 1000 cc or a 1200 cc bike? Is is really that bad?
+riljoy Because the AT is in the same price bracket and makes roughly same power.
I think that the main competitor of this new AT is the KTM1050, same engine size, same power.... the KTM has more electronics and more functions ... both of them very interesting
+Riding TusCanY I've test rode both, KTM 1050 vibrates real bad, surprised they sell any at all. 1190 is smoother but nowhere near as smooth as the Honda
I'm 50..used to ride dirt offroad..some basic#..im offroad bias..but fear of droping..so can the AT be the first Adventure or go for 650's..?! as beginner..
Suzy must of been fuming to have not been the one to review the Africa Twin... ;)
£800 extra for the DCT isn't too bad. I think most people who buy this type of bike will want it. They should have made it a standard feature.
Would you consider this for a beginner rider who just took an MSF course?
African Prince Okoh anything over 40 hp is too much for you
Other than a 21" front wheel, how is this different or better than the V-Strom 1000? They weigh about the same.
Lifted_Above just go for a off-road ride u will feel the difference✌
What is the height of the rider? and what was the seat height while testing the bike?
The single front light instead of a twin light kills it for me
Price and engine / on- and offroad potentioal vice, it's comparable to the KTM 1050 Adventure, is'nt it?
needs cruise control
+Pacemaker Transalp good to know
+Pacemaker Transalp no its not, the throttle cable is connected to a controller not the throttle body. To meet Euro 4 there's no choice but to use ride by wire. Technically it would be easy to fit cruise control but for some reason no bike in the Honda range has it.
DervMan
that's interesting to know. It may not seem important but when you are doing 8 hour plus days, long distance touring, cruise control is such a blessing
Nice review!
Does it have cruise control?
+bitesizemelly No cruise control.
So expensive here in Nepal. Costs about $26k .
Good review.
Honda make a new XRV750! WTF it's either the bikes are too big or too small.
SUPERNOVA that's what she said!
LRT_channel
She always says it's too big
They should bring back the transalp! My 700 was such an amazing machine
honda missed it here. nowadays, a 1000 cc. modern engine with 94 hp. , will not be a great success i think. OK. the KTM 1190 is 15000 euro, but it's 150 ! ps. And you don't have to use them, ....but if necessary, you CAN use them. ( sorry for the english, i am belgian). My 2011 GS has 110 ps. and on highway situations, when i pass a car, i need them all . So honda, make a fresh one with 125 ps., and you've made the new GS-killer !
+stoofbuis but you have to remember the Honda will be bulletproof like the gs and light as the ktm. and much cheaper pricing. I'm sure once they really hit the market they will have loads of aftermarket parts to pump up the horse power. and anyone whos ever reviewed this bike they never complain about the power. people that ride adventure bikes are more worried about how the bike handles and how reliable the bike is. well that's what most look for including myself. and I think they hit the nail right on the head.
your gs is a fat pig next to the honda so even with a few less horse power it will be about the same
stoofbuis don't concentrate only on hp ; ) there are so many other things like aerodynamics, the steering etc.that is true that KTM is powerful fellow but there are other bikes competing in this segment like tiger and gs which are more powerful but much heavier and had more power lost because of shaft. If you take all things together honda will get the space on the market for sure. I guess KTM is priced competitively on you market if the price is yhe se. e.g in Finland africa twin is the cheapest 1000cc adventure bike. bmw, ktm and triumph are all more expensive. I think gs from bmw is about 7k euros more expensive
That your house?
Tubed tires!
KTK 1050 has the same price and more or less the same specs (price in Holland)
Fair enough. Tough I would never adventure on taking a ktm to a long remote trip. With Honda usually every problem can be fixed with a basic tools kit, found in any shack, and they have the biggest network of distributors, around the world. Meaning you won't have to wait two weeks for some sprocket made out of gold to be shipped from Austria
how does it compare to the v strom 1000?
+soulfresh10 It's not made of cheese. I've seen so many reports of problems on the v-strom 1k. Things like cutting out in traffic if you blip the throttle, really big corrosion problems. The V-Strom isn't a £10k bike, it's a £7k bike, priced at £10k
73k on DL1000k2 here. Don't know where you all get your info from.
+Orange Crush The V-Strom forums. I was ready to buy, joined the UK forum which was full of issues. From , stalling in traffic to severe rusting issues. K2 is an old bike anyway, it's the new 1k that has the issues.
id buy it.
Is it automatic?
They have a manual gearbox as standard but for a little more money they offer a dual clutch option.
Looks silly to have two headlights, with only one side on at a time. Makes it look like one light burned out.
Saving the other one for when it gets really dark
Pretty common these days.
turn the music off & let us hear the engine ffs
I dont see why one would buy the Honda if one does not like the idea of a DCT. The KTM 1190 might be more expensive but it has all the power that you could ever want on a motorbike. With the Honda you're a sitting duck on the highway + the KTM looks much better (imho) - the only big plus I see for the Honda is the DCT.
+kloppskalli 220kph is not "sitting duck" my friend. That's plenty of power for legal road speeds and then some.
right, its only slow compared to fast bikes like the KTM - I hope I will get a DCT Africa Twin one day... :)
Fair enough. Tough I would never adventure on taking a ktm to a long remote trip. With Honda usually every problem can be fixed with a basic tools kit, found in any shack, and they have the biggest network of distributors, around the world. Meaning you won't have to wait two weeks for some sprocket made out of gold to be shipped from Austria
Just like the Yamaha Super Tenere, except probably inferior in every way
Not "every" way, ST is heavier, less ground clearance, less suspension travel, it's more of a touring bike than off road... it has a little bit more power and torque though, but in relation to its weight, there is not much difference.
And allot prettier then the tenere!!!
😂🤣😂
you want your hands warm stay inside, cruise control... wtf is wrong with these new kids
+Pacemaker Transalp I know every builder wants to show more settings and new options, but the joy of riding has nothing to do with all that nonsense. I only need 2 wheels, a running engine and gas
+gapadry If you go back to 0:11 you will understand wtf is wrong. Just into the first minute of the video you know the review is a sack of shit for what he says.
+gapadry I used to think like that when I rode on weekends but now I ride a motorbike every single day and I do appreciate the heated grips in the winter, the onboard computer on long trips, the ABS, the alarm when I leave it alone in the streets... and I would love a stereo - that's the main thing I miss from my car on a daily basis.
+gapadry Riding in 10f I need heated grips. I won't be getting hondas grips though. Oxford makes amazing ones. Might just pull them off my KLR and put them on the CRF :D
+jigrodrigues but a Goldwing and you wont miss a thing then
Parallel twin Varadero.
Quite realistic exhaust sound at 3:00
That's a propah noise, chap!
test ride＾＾
me want
I was pretty much sold on buying one of these. But 230 kg? Really? It needs to weigh as much as 2 XR600s? Then I see a shitty little non tapered handlebar. Yeah, if it was a 2005 Hyosung, I could see that, but a Honda? In 2016?
+gasdive yes in 2016 because between 2005 and 2016 a lot of regulations change. To meet global emission standards, manufacturers add a lot of components to the engine and the exhaust and the air boxes keep getting bigger and bulkier. There's no magic pill to reduce weight of any motorvehicle that has to be certified by various authorities aka homologation to be ready for the streets.
cagednm69
I meant the handlebars seemed more in keeping with a very cheap Korean bike from a decade ago than a modern Japanese motorcycle. Modern bikes have tapered bars. They're lighter, stronger and safer.
As for weight, I was comparing Honda with Honda. If we want to talk about 2016 bikes with full road homologation, this bike weighs more than 2 KTM500EXC. Really? a 1000 twin weighs more than two complete 500 singles?
Does your KTM 500EXC carry 2 people, with a top box and a set of panniers on each side? Does it come with an integrated rack to mount them? Does your 500EXC come with an 18.8 litre gas tank? Does your 500EXC run 360kms without a fuel stop?
Is your 500EXC going to tackle the windblast and bad weather?
Is it equipped with ABS and TC?
Will it switch between offroad/onroad as effortlessly as the AT? Will it be able to match the outright performance of the AT on the roads? Most importantly, can you tour around the world in all kinds of weather and terrain conditions with your 500EXC?
So you see, there's a lot more to a motorcycle than just spec sheet numbers. Only kids fight about on paper hp/weight numbers. Most people know and appreciate a big bike that hides its mass well with mass centralization.
Basic engineering should tell you that as the displacement increases, the weight of the engine along with its components also increases. Also, a single cylinder engine of say 650cc, will always be lighter than a parallel twin. A twin will be lighter than an inline4 and so on.
Finally, KTM's have poor reliability because they aren't engineered to last. All the weight advantage they have comes at a price. It sure might be affordable to buy, but is it affordable to maintain and run as much as the Japanese? There's a reason KTM/BMW are at the bottom of the reliability index despite their production/sales being a lot lot less than the Japanese 4 who are always in the top 5 reliable rankings.
Oh, and such an underpowered, single seater, devoid of features, single purpose motorcycle for $10,099 vs a $12999 do it all motorcycle? Hmm, that's not even a tough choice really.
cagednm69
I'm obviously not being clear here. All I'm saying is that this 1000 cc twin weighs as much as two singles that add up to the same capacity. I maintain this is a sign of lazy design. You maintain this is a sign of superb reliability and amazing toughness.
I think I'm right, you think you're right but we're arguing at cross purposes.
For me, it may be the best thing since sliced bread but, 230 kg completely rules this out as an adventure bike. It's 70kg heavier than it should be for what you're getting. It's over 60 kg heavier than the first BMW GS800 despite that bike having a shaft drive! It may be the toughest bike on the planet (though given that the tester says that it was damaged by normal use this seems far fetched), but if I can't pick it up, if it breaks when it falls over, if it costs an extra thousand dollars every time I put it on a plane, if I can't push it through a bog, it's as useless as a goldwing.
You may well think it's fab, that's your right, but if it's stated design goal is an 'adventure bike' it's a total fail. If I was planning a RTW mostly dirt roads and was only allowed to choose between this bike, an R1 or a Vespa, I'd have a tough choice between the R1 and the Vespa.
gasdive The 500EXC is a single seater dual purpose motorcycle. That's about it. The major weight savings comes from the extensive use of aluminium and the amount of metal saved in the part where they ditch any pillion or luggage support which is why the price has shot up to $11k, that's cbr 600RR territory. Nobody wants an a full sized aluminium single seater dual purpose bike that can only carry one person, no luggage, a pipette of a fuel tank and the reliability of a Chinese moped for $25k.
That's like comparing a 2 door hatchback to a 4 door sedan. Obviously as the capacity increases, so does the weight.
Where did the tester in this video say the bike was damaged by normal use? Now you're putting words into his mouth.
He even showed you how easy it is to pick up the bike after a fall. Mass centralization is an actual thing and not a gimmick. The bike is even narrow at the seat and accommodates 5'6 inchers which normal ADV's dont.
And the old Africa twin weighed 220kg without any fancy tech and it ruled the ADV segment for over a decade!
I think people should stop whining over paper spec and actually take a test ride like this reviewer did. There's a lot more data that doesn't go into spec sheets.
Oh and the best selling ADV, the R1200GS weighs 229 kg(dry) and 260 kg(with all fluids topped up). Go figure!
Tiger is better looking and sounding, IMO.
I beg to differ on the field of aesthetics ;) this is the best looking bike I've seen in a long time, in this category. But ok, beauty is in the eye of the beholder :)))
hochy perevod etogo video na russkiy
Traction Control, ABS, Cruise control the fuck is this shit? You don't need any of that on a bike, just enjoy the ride ffs
Won't be watching any more. What a superficial review, seems like the staff on this channel are deeply in the clutches of the manufactures, just desperate for the next press bike. All he's basically saying here is this bike is marvellous except for some small things that can be easily mod'd - pathetic. What next, the tired old statement that basically all new bikes are varying degrees of brilliant these days. Oh, and by the way, I'm looking for an adventure bike that I would hardly ever ride in the UK, so yes, this review is very unhelpful. The UK is rubbish for riding anything on two wheels.
Henry James Bye!
another flying pig from honda.
Please please give us measurements in pound sterling. Keep your millimetres for schools.