Honda AFRICA TWIN XRV750 (1987-2002) [9/291] Introduction
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Honda AFRICA TWIN XRV750 (1987-2002) [9/291] Introduction

Honda AFRICA TWIN XRV750 (1987-2002) [9/291] Introduction

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0 8 Introduction The 1998 XL600V W Transalp tyred race replicas like the Yamaha Tenere the bike that sold over 10 000 units in six months on Continental Europe But Honda being Honda didn t serve up a replica of their mighty NXR750 works desert racer in fact the only thing the NXR and the Transalp XL600V had in common was the Vtwin configuration of their engines Just like the first VFR750 the first Transalp was decidedly understated plain even This was of course an attempt to get away from the already burgeoning obsession with sportsters in several important markets by re inventing the all round motorcycle in a non boring fashion o this end they bored and stroked the VT500 s motor and fitted it in a steel duplex cradle frame with good quality suspension at both ends The forks had an off road friendly eight inches of movement and the rear shock over seven but the rider got the sort of comprehensive instrumentation you only saw on a top end road bike plus the sort of powerful brakes that are more of a hindrance than help on dirt surfaces The Transalp could be taken off road but no one in their right mind would buy one for trail riding however the plush suspension and comfortable power delivery worked perfectly on the sort of pot holed gravel strewn minor roads that characterise much of the rural parts of countries like France and Italy Not that the Transalp was a slouch on good tarmac Honda were confident enough to launch it alongside the new CBRs at the Suzuka Circuit where it was surefooted enough round the twisty bits to hang on to the fours without any dramas Contemporary tests show that the bike impressed and confused in equal measure but the Transalp while not fashionable did do what it was meant to and consequently sold steadily over the years It s a measure of just how right it was that it has changed so little through its life For the first ten years of its life the XL600V Transalp didn t alter noticeably apart from the rear brake graduating from a drum to a disc in 1991 In 1997 production moved from Japan to Honda s Italian plant and you can recognise that year s V V model by the twin front Brembo calipers replacing the Japanese Nissin units That was just the prequel to the Transalp s only major modifications The year 2000 XL650V Y got a 650 cc motor in a totally newlook motor cycle The suspension and wheels stayed the same but bodywork instrumentation electrical systems and lights were all changed to bring the styling up to date European concerns were also addressed with the fitting of Honda s HISS Immobiliser and PAIR emission control system We had to wait until 1990 to find out why Honda had so underplayed the Paris Dakar heritage of the Transalp for that was when the Africa Twin was unleashed This was a real race replica with stratospheric seat height suspension with what seemed like endless travel a giant fuel tank twin trip meters and an aluminium chassis Here was something that looked and rode like the bikes that thrashed across the Sahara every January The motor was a bored and stroked version of the Transalp s V twin Note that there was an earlier version of the Africa Twin the 1989 XRV650 although this was not imported into the UK veryone agreed here was a fantastic motorcycle the suspension and brakes came in for special praise one that you could ride all day two up in comfort on anything from autobahns to dirt tracks In typical Honda fashion the build quality was superb but there was just one problem price In markets like the UK the Africa Twin cost more than a CBR600 and it didn t matter how good the bike was the punters wouldn t pay that much for a twin It s their loss the Africa Twin is a great motorcycle and has become a cult bike in countries like France and Germany where the Paris Dakar Rally is a highlight of the sporting calendar E The 1998 XRV750 W Africa Twin

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