It is being speculated that Honda is working on an affordable and smaller Africa Twin with an 850cc engine spec and the launch of the Honda Africa Twin 850 can be expected as early as 2021!
The Honda Africa Twin or the CRF1100L is Honda’s primary off-road offering and it is known as one of the best in the class. So why a 850? Simple, to bridge the gap and follow the trend.
Many manufacturers have middle-weight off-road/touring offerings, and the category has bloomed into one of the highest-selling categories lately. However, the category is currently dominated by European manufacturers. Hence, this might be Honda’s attempt to take the fight to the Europeans.
In addition, not every off-road fan is a pro and can go trail riding on a 1000+cc bike. What do they want? A smaller, affordable and controllable bike which can go fast when required. This is exactly why the Africa Twin 850 makes sense. It basically bridges the gap between Honda’s CB500X and the big daddy- Africa Twin 1100.
The Honda Africa Twin 850 will get an 850cc twin-cylinder motor. Power figures could be around 90 BHP, considering the competition has similar power figures. It will probably be easy to ride, which is typical for a Honda.
We further expect it to boast of an extensive electronic aids package as well. The package might include riding modes, traction control, switchable ABS and even cruise control. Other features may include a TFT instrumentation from the elder sibling.
Another thing which it might get from its elder sibling is a road-friendly version, i.e. the Africa Twin 850 Sports. The sport model can get a different suspension setup, road-friendly tyres, bigger fuel tank, adjustable windscreen, tubeless tyres, etc.
The Honda Africa Twin 850 will rival the BMW F 850 GS, the KTM 790 Adventure, Triumph Tiger 900, the Ducati Multistrada 950, and even the Yamaha Tenere 750. Lastly, we expect it to arrive in India as well under Honda’s Big Wing project.
Honda Africa Twin 850
- Honda is expected to be working on a smaller Africa Twin 850
- The Africa Twin 850 will serve as a stepping stone between the CB500X and the Africa Twin 1100
- It is likely to have 850cc parallel twin engine which will make around 90 BHP
Source – Tonaestrada.com.br