The manual variant of Honda’s adventure motorcycle, the Honda Africa Twin will not be launched in India according to a report from CarandBike.
The Honda Africa Twin was launched in May, this year, in the DCT guise. Brought into the country via the CKD route, the initial batch of 50 units is sold out. Commenting on the manual variant, YS Guleria, Senior Vice President - Sales and Marketing, Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India told the media house:
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.
Also Read: Honda Africa Twin Review & Test Ride
The Honda Africa Twin costs INR 13,06,927, ex-showroom, Delhi. The motorcycle employs a 999.11 cc twin-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine. It generates 87.1 bhp of power at 7,500 rpm and 91.9 Nm of torque at 6,000 rpm. The engine works in tandem with a 6-speed dual clutch transmission with two modes- ‘D’ and ‘S’. The former enables fuel-efficient riding while the latter offers better performance, with three different shift patterns to choose from.
45 mm Showa cartridge-style adjustable inverted forks up front; and an adjustable gas-charged monoshock at the rear suspend the semi-double cradle frame. The front forks offer 230 mm of travel, and the rear wheel travel stands 220 mm. The bike tips the scales at 245 kg kerb and the ground clearance stands at 250 mm. Dual 310 mm floating petal discs up front and a single rear 256 mm disc; both with ABS handle the braking responsibility. The motorcycle comes with a host of optional accessories as well, including a gear shift lever.
[Source: CarandBike.com]
