Honda Africa Twin launching in India in mid-2017 in a premium trim

The Honda Africa Twin is Honda’s flagship dual-purpose motorcycle.

Showcased at the 2016 Auto Expo in India, the Honda Africa Twin will be launching in mid-2017. The motorcycle will launch through the CKD (Completely Knocked Down) route just like the Honda CBR 650F.

Competing against products like the Triumph Tiger 800 range and the Kawasaki Versys 1000, the Honda Africa Twin will be offered in India in the premium trim, likely with the DCT gearbox. The twin-cylinder machine has been put through the rigorous Dakar Rally and will be sold via Honda’s Wing World dealership.

Talking to CarAndBike.com, YS Guleria, Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India, said:

We will launch the bike in the middle of 2017, and for India, we will bring the top-of-the-line variant.

Powering the bike is a 998 cc liquid-cooled mill which is capable of producing 93.9 bhp of maximum power at 7,500 rpm and 98 Nm of peak torque at 6,000 rpm. Transmission options include a six-speed manual and a six-speed dual clutch automatic unit. The bike gets a dual channel ABS as standard which is switchable for the rear wheel. The twin-cylinder machine has been put through the rigorous Dakar Rally and will be sold via Honda’s Wing World dealership.

The factory staff are said to be under training to get ready for the bike. Meanwhile, Honda India is busy updating their small capacity line-up to meet the upcoming BSIV emission norms. Expect the Honda Africa Twin, also known as the CRF 1000L, to hit dealerships around August 2017.

[Source - CarAndBike]