Honda Africa Twin Snags - and Solutions!
Created | Updated Nov 4, 2002
The Honda Africa Twin is a fine motorcycle. It is a 750CC twin, with twin carbs, 2 plugs per cylinder, engine management and looks like what is popularly called a "big traillie".
You would have to look like Arnold Schwarzenegger to take it off-road, because it is extremely top-heavy - but we'll have to live with that.
There are three main snags with the design, all of which can be overcome...
The Saddle
The saddle is a plastic-covered lump of foam - and causes a sore bottom after about an hour. I have come to the conclusion that the reason for this is that it is not wide enough - the weight of the upper body is borne almost exclusively on the coccyx. The cure: a Corbin leather saddle. Corbin saddles are slightly harder, surprisingly, but sooo much more comfortable. They cost about 250 UK pounds - money well spent!
The Screen
The screen is just not high enough. This causes horrendous wind noise and a stiff neck from countering the buffetting at speeds of over 70 (ahem, on German Autobahns, of course!). The cure is a third-party screen - for example from Powerbronze. You can buy almost any colour - but should choose the type which has a "flip" at the top. The "flip" is a section, about an inch high, which is at a slightly different angle and deflects the wind upwards. I find I get the same wind noise at 100 and I used to get at 40 (mph). Prices vary.
The Gearing
The gearing as delivered is way too low for road use. Fine if you want to ride up staircases, but for thrashing down the bypass it is just not up to snuff. I've changed my rear cog for one from Renthals with only 40 teeth - and the improvement is astonishing. At 80mph the engine is doing about 5,000rpm - instead of 7,000!
Hope this helps.
Take care,
Jonathan Groves
You would have to look like Arnold Schwarzenegger to take it off-road, because it is extremely top-heavy - but we'll have to live with that.
There are three main snags with the design, all of which can be overcome...
The Saddle
The saddle is a plastic-covered lump of foam - and causes a sore bottom after about an hour. I have come to the conclusion that the reason for this is that it is not wide enough - the weight of the upper body is borne almost exclusively on the coccyx. The cure: a Corbin leather saddle. Corbin saddles are slightly harder, surprisingly, but sooo much more comfortable. They cost about 250 UK pounds - money well spent!
The Screen
The screen is just not high enough. This causes horrendous wind noise and a stiff neck from countering the buffetting at speeds of over 70 (ahem, on German Autobahns, of course!). The cure is a third-party screen - for example from Powerbronze. You can buy almost any colour - but should choose the type which has a "flip" at the top. The "flip" is a section, about an inch high, which is at a slightly different angle and deflects the wind upwards. I find I get the same wind noise at 100 and I used to get at 40 (mph). Prices vary.
The Gearing
The gearing as delivered is way too low for road use. Fine if you want to ride up staircases, but for thrashing down the bypass it is just not up to snuff. I've changed my rear cog for one from Renthals with only 40 teeth - and the improvement is astonishing. At 80mph the engine is doing about 5,000rpm - instead of 7,000!
Hope this helps.
Take care,
Jonathan Groves
