Honda's New Africa Twin Can Help You Survive The Dakar. Or Your Morning Commute

One version wants to conquer the desert. Another wants to babysit you through rush-hour traffic. Honda's covering all its bases.

Photo by: Honda

By: Enrico Punsalang

Nov 3, at 11:44am ET

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Honda apparently couldn't decide whether its next Africa Twin should be a hardcore off-road machine or a ridiculously sophisticated highway cruiser. So, naturally, it decided to build both.

Unveiled at EICMA 2026, the completely redesigned 2027 CRF1150L Africa Twin family takes Honda's flagship adventure bike in two very different directions. One borrows hardware from a Dakar Rally machine, while the other gets radar technology that wouldn't look out of place in a luxury car.

And somewhere in the middle sits the regular Africa Twin, presumably wondering why its siblings have to be so dramatic. Jokes aside, this is a pretty substantial generational update, complete with a bigger engine, revised chassis, updated electronics, and a lower center of gravity. Honda's clearly trying to make its big ADV more capable without making it even more intimidating, which is particularly important when we're talking about motorcycles that can weigh well over 500 pounds.

Photo by: Honda

All three versions now share a 1,131cc parallel-twin engine pumping out a claimed 117 horsepower at 7,500 rpm and 87.8 pound-feet of torque at 5,700 rpm. That's a healthy bump over the outgoing 1,084cc motor. Honda also redesigned the frame and swingarm, shaving approximately 3.1 pounds from the assembly. More interestingly, part of the fuel tank now sits beneath the seat, lowering the center of gravity and theoretically making this rather substantial motorcycle less of a handful at low speeds.

But the real fun starts when you look at the two extremes of the lineup. The new Africa Twin Enduro Sports is the dirt-loving troublemaker, featuring front suspension derived from Honda's CRF450 RALLY, the machine that competes in the Dakar Rally. It also gets dedicated rally-inspired styling and a greater emphasis on off-road capability. It's essentially Honda acknowledging that some people buy enormous adventure motorcycles with every intention of actually getting them dirty.

Meanwhile, the Adventure Sports goes in almost the opposite direction. It's the long-distance specialist, packing a 6.3-gallon fuel tank, a 19-inch front wheel, electronically controlled Showa suspension with Skyhook technology, and a generous helping of touring equipment. But its biggest party trick is the optional Honda SENSING RIDE system, available exclusively on the Adventure Sports with Honda's Dual Clutch Transmission.

Photos by: Honda

Using radar sensors at both ends of the bike, the system introduces adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go functionality, blind-spot alerts, forward collision warnings, rear collision warnings, and emergency brake assistance. That last feature assists braking when the rider applies the brakes in a potential collision situation. It's not a magic button that saves you from every questionable decision you've ever made. The stop-and-go function, however, could be particularly useful when you're crawling through traffic and wondering why you didn't just take the car.

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The standard Africa Twin splits the difference, retaining a balance of touring comfort and off-road ability while gaining electronic Showa suspension, an electrically adjustable windscreen, and Honda's Smart Key system. Six riding modes across the lineup help tailor the experience to different conditions, giving riders plenty of ways to customize how these machines behave.

What's fascinating is just how far Honda is stretching the Africa Twin name. From rally-inspired suspension to radar-assisted commuting, the new lineup attempts to cover nearly every interpretation of adventure riding. Whether American buyers will get all three flavors remains to be seen, since Honda hasn't announced US pricing or availability. But if the idea was to make the Africa Twin more versatile than ever, Honda certainly hasn't been shy about throwing technology at the problem.