The Honda Africa Twin is Honda’s adventure motorcycle line. It began in 1988 as the XRV650, a road bike built to honour Honda’s Paris-Dakar winning NXR750 rally racers. Today’s version, the CRF1100L, runs a 1,084cc parallel twin, about 67% more displacement than the 650cc original.
This guide covers where the Africa Twin came from, how each generation changed, what the current bike offers, and whether it makes sense as your first big bike. Every date and number comes from Honda’s own pages or the sources listed at the end. Where Honda’s own pages disagree, I say so.
Dakar roots: the NXR750 rally bike
The Africa Twin name comes from the Paris-Dakar Rally, a race of more than 10,000 km from Paris to Dakar in Senegal. Honda’s first motorcycle win there came in 1982, when Cyril Neveu rode a custom XR500R single.
As rally bikes got faster, Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) built a dedicated factory machine, the NXR750. It had a liquid-cooled V-twin and its own rally fairing. It won the Dakar on its debut in 1986, and Honda then took four wins in a row:
- 1986 and 1987: Cyril Neveu
- 1988: Edi Orioli
- 1989: Gilles Lalay
After 1989, Honda stepped away from the Dakar for 24 years.
The 1988 XRV650: the first Africa Twin
Honda launched the road-going XRV650 Africa Twin in 1988. Honda says it was produced by HRC in 1988 and 1989 as a tribute to the rally team. It borrowed the look of the factory bike, with a fairing to cut wind fatigue and a big 24-litre fuel tank for long stretches between fuel stops. Wikipedia lists its V-twin at 650cc and 42 kW (56 hp).
It proved itself in the desert too. In 1989 Honda France ran a project called “Objet Dakar”, inviting 50 everyday riders to race unmodified Africa Twins in the Dakar’s Marathon class for production bikes. Africa Twins finished first and second in that class, and 18 of the 50 riders reached the finish.
The XRV750: the long-running classic
In late 1989 Honda launched the XRV750 Africa Twin. Honda’s 2015 press release describes a 742cc, six-valve, liquid-cooled V-twin making 45 kW and 62.7 Nm, with long-travel suspension, a large fuel tank, chain drive, a 21-inch front wheel and dual front disc brakes. It was revised twice during its life.
Honda’s own pages do not agree on when it ended. Honda Global’s Africa Twin story says the bike sold until 2000. American Honda says the original Africa Twin line sold more than 73,000 units before it was discontinued in 2001. Honda’s 2015 press release says it stayed in production until 2003. The safe summary: the XRV750 was sold for about a decade, and the end date depends on the market.
The gap years and the comeback
Honda went back to the Dakar in 2013 with Team HRC and a new CRF450 RALLY. Honda Global says work on a new production Africa Twin started after that 2013 rally.
Honda Motor Europe showed a muddy prototype called “True Adventure” at the EICMA show in Milan in November 2014, without revealing the engine size. In 2015 Honda confirmed the name: CRF1000L Africa Twin.
The CRF1000L (2016): the Africa Twin returns
The CRF1000L went on sale in Europe in mid-December 2015 and launched in Japan in February 2016. It used a 998cc parallel twin with a Unicam head, a design Honda took from its CRF250R and CRF450R motocross bikes.
The biggest news was the gearbox choice. Buyers could pick a normal six-speed manual or Honda’s Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT), which lets the rider choose between automatic and manual gear changes. Honda says the Japanese manual model with ABS weighed 232 kg, 2 kg less than the 2000 Africa Twin.
In 2018 Honda added the Adventure Sports version, built for longer road trips with more wind protection and a bigger fuel tank. American Honda dates its US arrival to 2019.
The CRF1100L (2020): more engine, more tech
For 2020 the engine grew. Honda Global gives the new displacement as 1,082cc, while Honda’s European and US press material lists it as 1,084cc. Honda Europe says peak power rose 7% to 75 kW at 7,500 rpm and torque rose 6% to 105 Nm at 6,250 rpm.
Honda Global says the new frame helped cut 6 kg compared with the previous model, and the seat could be set 20 mm lower to help riders reach the ground. The Adventure Sports became available as the Adventure Sports ES, with electronically controlled suspension.
By 2019, Honda said more than 87,000 Africa Twins had been sold worldwide since the 2016 relaunch.
The 2024 update
In March 2024 Honda split the two versions further. On the Japanese models, Honda says the standard Africa Twin gained tubeless tyres and a five-way adjustable screen. The Adventure Sports ES moved from a 21-inch to a 19-inch front wheel, lowering the centre of gravity for long road rides.
Africa Twin generations at a glance
| Model | Years | Engine | What changed |
|---|---|---|---|
| NXR750 (factory racer) | 1986 to 1989 | Liquid-cooled V-twin | Four straight Dakar wins for Honda |
| XRV650 | 1988 to 1989 | 650cc V-twin | First road Africa Twin, built by HRC |
| XRV750 | Late 1989 to about 2000 to 2003 | 742cc V-twin | More power, revised twice, end date varies by market |
| CRF1000L | 2016 to 2019 | 998cc parallel twin | Comeback model, DCT option, Adventure Sports added in 2018 |
| CRF1100L | 2020 to today | 1,082cc to 1,084cc parallel twin | Bigger engine, lighter frame, Adventure Sports ES with electronic suspension |
The original stat: 67% more engine in 32 years
Using the 650cc of the 1988 XRV650 and the 1,084cc of today’s US model, the Africa Twin’s engine is about 67% larger than the first one (1,084 divided by 650 is 1.67). Using Honda Global’s 1,082cc figure gives about 66%. The cylinder count stayed at two the whole way, but the layout changed from a V-twin to a parallel twin in 2016.
The Africa Twin today (2026 US model)
American Honda sells the 2026 Africa Twin in two versions, each with a manual gearbox or DCT:
- Africa Twin: the off-road focused model, with a 21-inch front wheel, 18-inch rear and a 5.0-gallon tank. Seat height is 34.3 inches, or 33.5 inches in the low position. Curb weight is 510 pounds with a full tank.
- Africa Twin Adventure Sports ES: the touring model, with a 19-inch front wheel, a 6.6-gallon tank, Showa electronic suspension (EERA) and cornering lights. Seat height is 33.7 inches, or 32.9 inches low. Curb weight is 535 pounds.
Honda says DCT adds 24 to 25 pounds. Every version gets the 1,084cc parallel twin, six riding modes, a 6.5-inch TFT touchscreen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a five-position adjustable windscreen. Honda’s US site does not show a price on the spec sheet, so check the Honda website for your country before you shop.
Is the Africa Twin a good first big bike?
It can be, with some care. Here is how I would think about it.
- Height: even at its lowest, the seat sits at 32.9 inches on the Adventure Sports ES and 33.5 inches on the standard bike. Sit on one at a dealer before you buy. Honda also sells an accessory low seat.
- Weight: 510 to 559 pounds with fuel is a lot to pick up if it tips over. Practise slow-speed turns in an empty lot first.
- DCT: the automatic gearbox removes clutch work, which can help a newer rider focus on balance and traffic.
- Training: take a rider course before your first long trip, and an off-road course before you leave the pavement.
If you are still building skills, a lighter Honda can be a better start. The Honda Super Cub and the Honda Monkey are both easy to learn on. For the story of the company behind all of these bikes, read my Soichiro Honda biography. Two other Honda landmarks on this site: the Honda CB750, the bike that created the superbike, and the Honda Gold Wing, Honda’s long-running touring flagship.
FAQ
Why is it called the Africa Twin?
The name ties the bike to the Paris-Dakar Rally across Africa, which Honda won four years in a row with the NXR750. Every Africa Twin has had a two-cylinder engine.
When did the Africa Twin first come out?
In 1988, as the XRV650 Africa Twin, built by HRC.
What engine does the current Africa Twin have?
A liquid-cooled 1,084cc parallel twin with a Unicam head (Honda Global lists 1,082cc for the CRF1100L).
When did the XRV750 Africa Twin stop production?
Honda’s own sources differ: 2000 (Honda Global), 2001 (American Honda) and 2003 (Honda’s 2015 press release).
Does the Africa Twin come with an automatic gearbox?
Yes. Since the 2016 relaunch, every generation has offered Honda’s Dual Clutch Transmission as an option.
What is the difference between the Africa Twin and the Adventure Sports ES?
The standard bike is lighter and built for off-road riding, with a 21-inch front wheel. The Adventure Sports ES is built for touring, with a bigger tank, a 19-inch front wheel and electronic suspension.
Sources
- Honda Global: Africa Twin stories, 1988 XRV650, for the NXR750, the 1982 XR500R win, the 24-litre tank and the 1989 Objet Dakar results.
- Honda Global newsroom, May 2015, for the four Dakar winners, HRC production of the XRV650 and the XRV750 specs and 2003 end date.
- Honda Global: Africa Twin stories, 2016 CRF1000L, for the 2000 end date, the return to the Dakar, the True Adventure prototype, launch dates and the 232 kg weight.
- Honda Global newsroom: 16YM CRF1000L Africa Twin, for the 998cc engine and its motocross roots.
- Honda Global Tech Views: CRF1100L Africa Twin, for the 2018 Adventure Sports launch.
- Honda Global: Africa Twin stories, CRF1100L, for 1,082cc, the lighter frame, lower seat, Adventure Sports ES and the March 2024 changes.
- Honda Europe press release, 2019, for 1084cc, the 7% power and 6% torque gains and 87,000 sales since 2016.
- Honda News: 2026 Africa Twin features and benefits, for 73,000 sales of the original line, the 2001 end date, the 2019 US Adventure Sports, current trims, weights, riding modes and tech, checked 31 October 2026.
- Honda News: 2026 Africa Twin specifications, for seat heights, wheel sizes and fuel capacity, checked 31 October 2026.
- Wikipedia: Honda Africa Twin, for the XRV650’s 650cc and 42 kW figures.
Featured photo: Honda Africa Twin 750 in Moscow, by Lankyrider, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
