atta boy! and i wasn’t being funny, i was being sweet. anyway, whats with this bike and comments? wet fart? toilet paper? ass backwards? maybe we all still are 12 yrs old…

The Euro-brand riders like the ring of the term “character.”

Excellent, looking forward to it!

I think I want this on a tshirt
https://i.ytimg.com/vi/5ZAeUsLiLzY/maxresdefault.jpg

Your probably right Jensen. Dont mind me, I’m just an appreciator of the UJMs and see potential in many different bikes and powerplants :)

I suggest you take that 100 hp bike and find some nice roads to ride. Excitement isn’t hard to find if you look for it. My best motorcycle trip ever was two-up on a 2007 Honda CBF1000. (97hp, 69 lb-ft, 540 lbs)

Cheers Gary. Two days on the bike now, and I can see why there are good reviews out there. It’s a good bike. It’s a not a perfect bike, and I don’t think it’s for everyone.

I’ve got maybe three stories planned out to explain this one. 1) A normal review, 2) A discussion about DCT, and 3) Honda’s ADV lineup in general.

I’m good with the words, and the internets. Also, I’d like to bang my daughter.

Made it back in one piece, FYI. ;)

Just did the dirt ride today (102 miles), and I think the Africa Twin could give those 990/950 owners some pause…but then again, the Honda might not be weird enough for those special souls. ;)

100hp is the magic number for dirt riding. You’ll note all the brands that are making big horsepower “Adventure” bikes set their dirt/enduro mode to around 100hp.

100hp on the street, with a 500 lbs bike no less, is a bit of a challenge to get excited about sometimes.

That I have no information on. It does seem weird.

There is a reason that Honda ranks so low on Pied Piper’s recent dealer network rankings. I don’t think it has anything do with the brand, beyond that their in a lot of multi-line dealers, some of who are very bad for this industry.

http://www.asphaltandrubber.com/news/pied-piper-dealer-network-rankings-2016/

Everything on the Africa Twin is unique to the bike, but that’s not to say something couldn’t use the motor/chassis down the line. I’d be surprised if it did though…much of this bike is built with the narrow focus of touring off-road.

If there’s enough demand, it might happen. Let your Honda dealer know.

You might be right.

It’s an HRC project, and because of that, the American Honda guys don’t know too much about it.

My understanding is that the HRC grom is a Japan market only version, for their race series.

It happens.

Already done. Probably a month ago if not longer; basically as soon as I was given late August I stated doing my own legwork and making alternate plans.

Going to place an order now is useless; the Feb pre- orders have been placed and an order now would simply be at the back of the queue. I’m already at late August for an order placed in February, how much further delay would that bring?

Best bet is another dealer who doesn’t have a customer waiting for red DCT but has one coming. I’ve already done that.

Gary. You’re talking to yourself again.

@Jensen @jbeeler:disqus has the best words. They’re huge words. It’s going to be a fantastic review!

Just looking at my earlier message and I can’t figure out where that extra “if” came from. I’ve GOT to stop drinking so much coffee.

Jensen, trust me, I have no issue with your digital publication. You are by far the most eloquent writer of the bunch, making your texts a pleasure to read (and that’s significant to me). More importantly is the insightfulness and relevance you bring, which really is the essential fuel of an inquisitive motorcyclist’s mind. We all don’t have to agree on everything in opinion space, but I do see you as the honest broker of information within your guild. There are three printed pubs that I enjoy for different reasons (two American, one British) and the rest, to me, are pure rubbish. Frankly, they’re an embarrassment and I’ll leave it at that. For online content, A&R is top dog. Keep up the excellent work navigating that ocean of emerging news!

I agree. I must be old because I remember when open class sportbikes made 100 hp and weighed 600 lbs. Magazine reviews marveled at the limitless power and wondered if any more power could be managed on the road. Now 100 hp is underpowered for dirt riding?

I hear what you’re saying. However, some of these “do it all” type motorcycles have a tendency to be a bit bland. I have high hopes of the AT being a capable bike as well as entertaining to ride. Just wondering if it fits that bill.

Contacting Honda corporate is useless, as Jensen alluded to. The problem is your local Honda dealer.

If you want the bike sooner, go to another Honda dealer.