Our favorite self-described Honda Fan Girl, Amanda Zito, has graced us with a really thorough video review of the Honda Africa Twin. 

You may remember her from the last time we pointed her out, whether with her calendar or her travel guides. Or, you may remember when our own Justin ran into her at Overland Expo! 

Here, Try This Bike

Honda loaned her this 2022 Africa Twin Adventure Sport ES DCT for a whole summer. True to form, she put 10,000 (yes, ten thousand) miles on it in that time. She even did a “SaddleSore” ride and put a thousand miles on it in 24 hours. Now we get a really thorough review of the bike.

Specs and Interesting Features

First, she gives us a thorough breakdown of the bike’s specs as well as seat height and all of its features. She also gives us a great trick she uses to hop on the bike and pick up the side stand. Those of us who ride big, tall motorcycles know the occasional struggle of getting a loaded bike off the kickstand when it’s a bit downhill. She uprights the bike off the side stand first, and then hops on – nice trick!

One feature that’s new to me: cornering lights. Those are really cool. She says the seat could be more comfortable; in fact the seat is her main complaint. The bars could be rocked back a touch to make her reach to the bars easier.

A TFT Emulator

Zito clues us in on a Honda TFT screen simulator. This teaches you how to use your bike’s screen setup without poking at it for hours in your garage, or, worse, while riding. What a great offering!

All About DCT

She thoroughly reviews all the drive modes and the way the DCT works. The ride modes are key, and her complaint about not being able to feather the clutch (because there isn’t one) is common to Honda’s DCT bikes. She drags the brakes instead of feathering the clutch, but certainly there’s concern about long-term brake life with that technique.

Bigger Motorcycle == Less Fatigue

The biggest advantage of the Africa Twin, to Zito, is the size and comfort of it. Compared to her CB500 she found the Africa Twin much less tiring to ride. And again, those of us who ride big Adventure Tourers know this feature well. A small bike will beat you up a lot more on a long trip.I very much hope Honda lets her keep the bike. She puts a LOT of great motorcycle content out there, and obviously, truly loves the machine.

Beware, though: if you’re in the market for an Africa Twin, this video might push you right over the edge!