Honda Africa Twin
Honda's CRF1100L Africa Twin — the brand's flagship adventure tourer, reviving the desert-rally name with a 1084cc parallel-twin and serious off-road capability. The DCT (dual-clutch transmission) option is unique in the segment: properly capable off-road without a clutch lever, and superb in stop-start traffic. UK buyers pick the Africa Twin over R 1300 GS / 890 Adventure when they want Honda reliability, lower premiums than BMW, and the DCT option. Adventure Sports variant adds larger 24.8-litre tank and crash bars.
- Engine
- 1084 cc
- Power
- 102 PS
- Weight
- 228 kg
- Seat height
- 850 mm
- A2 licence
- —
Parallel-twin, liquid-cooled, Unicam 4-valve
wet
The short version
Forecourt score
Value 66 · Insurance 31 · Theft 65
The Honda Africa Twin holds its value about as well as most bikes (around 24% lost over three years, against the 25-32% bike norm) and is expensive to insure (group 12). Theft risk is moderate.
A bike-specific blend of value retention, insurance and theft risk (weighted 40/35/25). Bikes carry no MOT reliability data, so reliability isn't scored. Higher is better.
Variant: CRF1100L Africa Twin
Engine
Petrol · 1084cc
Power
102 ps
Torque
105 Nm
Weight
228 kg
Seat
850 mm
Transmission
6-speed manual
Economy
52 mpg
Tell us about the one you're looking at
Tidy and well looked-after for its age — the typical clean bike.
Estimated market value
£10,730
Range £9,657 – £11,803
HIGH CONFIDENCE
Holding value
Bikes hold value far better than cars — typical motorcycle 3-year depreciation is 25–32%, against cars' 40–50%. Some bikes (Hayabusa, Gold Wing, classic Z1000) actually appreciate in the 7–15 year zone as cult demand outstrips supply.
New
£15,000
At 5 years
—
At 10 years
—
Value loss by phase
Each band shows the share of original value lost during that window — not cumulative. Appreciation (green, marked +X% gained) is real for bikes that develop cult status.
UK new price by year
How we estimate this
Phase depreciation derived from observed UK used-bike pricing — classified ads, dealer asking prices, and end-of-auction figures. Bike residuals depend heavily on theft history, service-stamp count, and crash-damage signatures. The figures here are indicative for clean, fully-stamped examples.
What it costs to own
Indicative running costs at 8,000 miles a year — the UK rider average. Chain-drive bikes carry a chain/sprocket consumable line; tax (typically £25–£100/yr) and depreciation are excluded — see the section above for value retention.
3-year total
£4,006
Per year
£1,335
Per mile
£0.17
Service costs assume independent specialist labour and OE parts. Tyre intervals reflect typical UK road riding — track-day usage burns through rear tyres in <2,000 miles. Fuel uses the variant MPG at £1.45/L. Lower-mileage riders see proportionally lower totals; higher-mileage commuters pay roughly linearly more.
Estimated insurance
Group 12 of 17 (high — performance) · Comprehensive · 5 yr NCB
Indicative annual comprehensive premiums for this bike. Bike insurance is far more sensitive to licence tier and rider age than cars — pick the combination closest to your circumstances.
Licence
Age
No-claims bonus
5 yearsRisk profile
Estimated annual premium · typical, age 30-39
£780/ year
Roughly £65 per month
Typical
Suburban postcode, 3+ years NCB, standard security (Thatcham chain + disc lock), no recent claims.| Age band | Lower risk | Typical | Higher risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age 17-21 | £1,287 | £1,716 | £2,402 |
| Age 22-29 | £790 | £1,053 | £1,474 |
| Age 30-39Selected | £585 | £780 | £1,092 |
| Age 40-49 | £515 | £686 | £961 |
| Age 50+ | £468 | £624 | £874 |
How we estimate this
Premiums combine licence tier, rider age, no-claims bonus and a risk-profile multiplier on top of a bike-specific baseline. Bike insurance is materially more sensitive to licence tier (CBT / A1 / A2 / A) than car insurance, and young riders pay considerably more than older riders even on the same machine. Always get individual quotes before buying.
Theft risk
Bike-specific · Met Police + insurance reporting
UK bike theft rates are an order of magnitude higher than car theft. Nakeds and supersports lose more to professional gangs; large adventure bikes and tourers are statistically much safer.
Theft risk score · 1 to 4
2/4Medium risk
Medium risk
Some theft pattern, particularly in urban postcodes. Thatcham-approved chain plus disc lock recommended; secure overnight parking helps premiums.Theft hotspot postcodes
Postcode prefixes only; full London hot zone runs across E, N, NW, SE, SW, W boroughs depending on the model.
How we set this band
Bands derived from Met Police bike-theft reporting (most-stolen lists) cross-referenced with insurance industry underwriting data. Model + postcode are the two biggest factors in motorcycle theft risk in the UK, materially more than vehicle value.
What goes wrong
5 known issues · sorted by severity
Documented failure modes from UK owner forums, dealer service bulletins, and aggregated mechanic feedback. Mileages are approximate — different riders see different intervals depending on use and maintenance. Always address "high"-severity items before resale.
High severity
0
Medium
2
Low / cosmetic
3
| Severity | Part / issue | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| medium | DCT clutch judder 5k-15k mi (2020-2021 units) | £500 dealer |
| medium | Stator 25k-35k mi | £280 |
| low | Subframe mounting corrosion Any (coastal UK) | £150 + paint |
| low | Throttle body sync 15k-25k mi | £90 |
| low | Wheel bearings 25k-30k mi | £60 per wheel |
How we score severity
High — strands the bike or causes consequential damage if left. Medium — service item that affects ride quality or risks failure. Low — cosmetic or minor inconvenience. Costs are independent-specialist UK rates for parts and labour together; main dealer prices typically run 30–50% higher.
Safety recalls
Manufacturers occasionally issue safety recalls to fix a fault free of charge. You can check whether the Honda Africa Twin, or your exact vehicle, has any outstanding recalls on the official DVSA service.
Check on GOV.UKOpens the Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency recall checker. Choose the make, model and year of manufacture — no registration needed.
Variant comparison
Default standard model. DCT variant (auto) adds ~£900 new and £600+ on used. Adventure Sports (24.8L tank, crash bars) adds £1500-2000.
Known issues
- DCT clutch judder on 2020-2021 (TSB)
- Stator failure ~25-35k mi
- Subframe mounting corrosion (coastal areas)
Strengths
- +DCT option — proper off-road capability without a clutch lever
- +Honda reliability — fewer surprise expenses than European rivals
- +Strong residuals — particularly Adventure Sports trim
- +Lighter than R 1300 GS (228 kg wet base; 240 Adventure Sports)
- +Lower service costs than KTM or BMW alternatives
Watch-outs
- −DCT clutch judder on early 2020-2021 units (£500 dealer service)
- −Stator failure ~25-35k mi (Honda parallel-twin pattern)
- −Stock seat hard on rides over 3 hours — aftermarket common upgrade
- −Not as off-road-capable as KTM 890 Adventure in serious terrain
- −Subframe mounting corrosion in coastal areas (£150)