Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMSI) will not launch the manual version of the Honda Africa Twin in India, a senior HMSI official told CarandBike. Honda decided to launch only the top-of-the-line Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT) variant of the CRF1000L Africa Twin, and looking at the response it has generated, the company has decided only to keep the DCT variant for India. The Africa Twin DCT variant is equipped with a dual clutch transmission (an automatic transmission, in plainspeak), and gets different riding modes - Drive, Sport and a Manual. It doesn't have a clutch lever, and the gears can be shifted manually with buttons on the left handlebar, as well as an accessory gear lever.
(The Honda Africa Twin is one of the best looking adventure bikes right now)"There was a lot of debate before we entered the market with the Africa Twin. We had the option of both - either come with the manual and then the DCT. But, since there are already existing adventure bikes in the market from the competitive makers, what has gone in favour of the Africa Twin is the uniqueness of the product; it's a DCT, an automatic transmission. In the existing variant, we do have the option of installing a gear lever as well, but primarily, it's a totally different experience, unlike any other off-roader in the country, and that is what has clicked for us. So, we would like to promote only this, give those traditional, manual gear users such a vehicle, to experience it, and feel the difference," said Y S Guleria, Senior Vice President - Sales and Marketing, Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India.
(Honda Africa Twin)Honda has already sold out the first 75 units of the Honda Africa Twin earmarked for India. So, if you're thinking about buying a new Honda Africa Twin in India, there's a good waiting period of nearly three months till deliveries of the next lot commence. The Honda Africa Twin is brought in to India as completely knocked down (CKD) kits from Honda's Kumamoto factory in Japan, and assembled here in India. HMSI had requested for only 75 initial CKD units of the Africa Twin, and the next lot of kits will take a few months to be brought in, and assembled for final delivery.
Also Read: Honda Africa Twin First Ride Review
The Honda CRF 1000 L Africa Twin is powered by a 998 cc, liquid-cooled, parallel-twin engine which makes 87 bhp at 7500 rpm, and 91.9 Nm of peak torque at 6,000 rpm. In the Indian version, the Africa Twin comes with a seat height of 820 mm at the lowest setting, so it's easily accessible to riders of different heights. The Africa Twin gets standard switchable ABS, traction control and gets high ground clearance and long travel suspension. The Africa Twin is priced at Rs. 13.06 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi), and looks like the strategy to only introduce the DCT variant in India is paying off for HMSI.
