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
These figures are specific to this model rather than a shared default, but they are indicative estimates and not yet derived from a recorded sample of UK sale prices. Bike residuals depend heavily on theft history, service-stamp count and crash-damage signatures. Figures assume a clean, fully-stamped example.
What it costs to own
Indicative running costs at 3,000 miles a year — the UK average from DfT travel and traffic statistics. 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
£2,894
Per year
£965
Per mile
£0.32
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 the current DESNZ pump price of £1.60/L (week commencing 03/08/2026). Electric bikes are costed from battery capacity and published range at the current domestic electricity price; where a bike has no published range we show no energy line rather than guess. 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.
What this means for you
Less attractive to ride-away thieves than sports bikes. Disc lock sufficient in most postcodes; chain advisable for London.
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 Honda issued a TSB for early DCT units. Check service history. 5k-15k mi (2020-2021 units) | £500 dealer |
| medium | Stator Honda parallel-twin pattern. Weak charging at idle is the symptom. 25k-35k mi | £280 |
| low | Subframe mounting corrosion Salt water exposure rusts mounting bracket. Common in seaside-based bikes. Any (coastal UK) | £150 + paint |
| low | Throttle body sync Uneven idle when sync drifts. 15k-25k mi | £90 |
| low | Wheel bearings Adventure bike weight + UK weather accelerates wear. 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)
Related bikes
Common questions
Honda Africa Twin, answered from the data
- How much is a used Honda Africa Twin worth?
- A 2023 Honda Africa Twin in good condition with around 9,000 miles is worth roughly £10,750 (typical range £9,650–£11,800). Dealer asking prices sit higher than private sales, and a full service history, no crash damage and an unbroken theft record are what hold a bike at the top of its range.
- How quickly does the Honda Africa Twin depreciate?
- The Honda Africa Twin loses about 24% of its value over the first three years, against a 25–32% norm for bikes and 40–50% for cars. These figures are specific to this model rather than a shared default, though they remain indicative estimates rather than a measured sample of sale prices.
- Can you ride the Honda Africa Twin on an A2 licence?
- No. The Honda Africa Twin needs a full category A licence — 102 PS puts it beyond what A2 allows, and it isn't offered as a restrictable model.
- How much does it cost to insure a Honda Africa Twin?
- Expect around £780 a year to insure a Honda Africa Twin, typically £580–£1,200. That assumes Age 35+, 3yrs NCB, suburban postcode. Adventure-tourer demographic keeps premiums lower than nakeds. It sits in motorcycle insurance group 12 of 17. Bike premiums move far more on licence tier, rider age and postcode than car premiums do, so treat this as a starting point rather than a quote.
- What goes wrong on a used Honda Africa Twin?
- The wear and failure points we track for the Honda Africa Twin are: dct clutch judder (around 5k-15k mi (2020-2021 units), £500 dealer); stator (around 25k-35k mi, £280); subframe mounting corrosion (Any (coastal UK), £150 + paint). We don't publish a reliability score for bikes — the MOT dataset behind our car scores doesn't support one at model level — so treat these as the specific things to inspect rather than a verdict. A full service history and a fresh MOT without advisories remain the best protection.
- What does a Honda Africa Twin cost to run?
- Expect around 52 mpg, about £419 a year in fuel or energy, £360 for an annual service, £300 a pair for tyres every 9,000 miles, £260 for a chain and sprockets every 14,000 miles. Figures assume 3,000 miles a year, the UK average from DfT travel and traffic statistics, and current DESNZ pump prices. The cost-of-ownership table on the profile breaks this down per year and per mile.
- Is the Honda Africa Twin likely to be stolen?
- The Honda Africa Twin is a moderate theft target. Less attractive to ride-away thieves than sports bikes. Disc lock sufficient in most postcodes; chain advisable for London. Theft is concentrated in E, N postcode areas. A Thatcham-approved chain and ground anchor, a disc lock and a tracker are what insurers look for, and secure overnight storage moves a premium more than almost anything else.
Answers are generated from this bike's Forecourt data — curated specifications, our valuation model and the week's DESNZ fuel and energy prices — and update with the weekly data refresh.