New, Smaller Africa Twin 790cc coming
 

finally something more suitable for longer trips, interestingly enough it will be based on NC 750X, bike which I liked a lot.

https://mcn-images.bauersecure.com/P...AFRICA_CG6.jpg
https://www.motorcyclenews.com/news/...-middleweight/

As long as they don't put the fuel tank in the same place as the NC 750X. I was actually considering one until I realized I couldn't use the rear seat for luggage as I would have to take it off every time I put gas in the thing.

the good thing is nc750x doesn't use fuel a lot :)

F800GS had also fuel tank in rear and was pretty succesful travel bike.
Weight distribution is better on such bikes.

Personally I disagree. My wife had the F800 and never liked the handling particularly off road. I always put it down to the 21” front wheel but when I tried it I felt the same.
She now has a 1200gs and had no problems off road in Morocco - easy trails. For some reason I think having the fuel tank partly behind you does not balance the bike well. I think this is why KTM have gone the way they have with the fuel tank on the 790.
Obviously I’m no engineer so it’s just a hunch doh:D
Unfortunately I suspect the mini AT will be heavy

I've long been a fan of the NC concept and ran a 2018 750X for a month last year with a view of adapting it to an all-road travel bike. (Did it to an XSR7 with reasonable success).

Great road bike, loves to corner, all the real-world power you need, showed 100mpg at times and basic suspension was prerty good. But for many obvious reasons it was too hard/costly to adapt.
I've mentioned here and there WLT see a properly 'adventurised' NC750X.
Looks like they're doing just that. It's such a nicer motor than the equally economical CB500X.

Fyi, the engine pictured in the MCN mockup picture looks like a CB500X, not the distinctive slopping NC.

Thing is, NC may be low CoG compared to my current AT, but as FF says, it will still be heavy (weighed mine - a DCT: 232kg).
So it won't be a contender against a T7 let alone a 790, but from what MCN says they're pitching it as a budget A2 learner bike with adv looks, as with most Jap bikes in that style.

wrt fuel tank access, I think what ChrisJ meant was the faff of lifting the rear seat to get to the filler cap. The rear-tank BMs have the filler to the side. I know it's only similar to unzipping a tank bag, but Honda would do well to copy the BM idea.
I'd sooner have the fuel there and keep the frunk. The tank's modest 14-L volume/weight gets you well over 400km.

not really more heavier then T7 or KTM 790, mine nc750x manual, as the only option for travel bike weighted just 219 kg but new Africa 790 can be much lighter having lighter frame. NC has very massive frame. Anyway NC750x torquy engine is IMO far more durable and suitable for adventure bike then CB500x, many these bikes (NC750X) with 200k and even 300k trouble free kilometers. I only hope honda give new Africa good, adjustable suspension.

I’m crossing my fingers but not holding my breath :mchappy:

It takes about an hour to make a flat plate to replace the rear seat with a cutout to get at the fuel tank. Any one with an electric drill can make one. The filler is right at the front so you get the rest of the space.

http://https://sites.google.com/site/pooratrek/honda-nc750/nc-luggage


Andy

Just read a french article talking about the new 850 AT but also about a possible mini mini 250 AT !

"Pictures" inside: https://www.paddock-gp.com/street-ho...-son-mini-moi/

Sure hope to get some official update asap from Honda! I'll be soon buying a bike, and that 850 AT might be a dream option, although it surely be way more expensive compared to the CB500x Rally Raid I'm eyeing right now.


What do you guys think?

Having an Africa Twin that is smaller than 1100cc makes more sense to me than a huge behemoth. 850 is still a big bike though. The 250 Africa Twin may make more sense for some people (even if it turns out to be an Africa Single).

850 or thereabouts is more than enough and will fill a niche in the range but will still be a 200kg+ tank off road.

Can't see a new '250 AT' being a single – that's what the CRF-L Rally is, no?
But there is currently no 250 twin engine in Honda's range afaik.
There was talk (see YT) that the Thai-built CRF250L is for the chop this year.
So maybe a new, high-revving, leaner burning 250 twin is on the way and, like the 3-bike CB500 range, will include a mini AT?

It would make sense for the young image-conscious Asian market where most of such bikes sell.

I must have a spin on that 300 Kawa now the shops are open again.

Yamaha released the Tenere 250 model back in 2006 in Brasil I believe, about 130 kgs (dry) as a single cylinder. Not sure if Honda would release a high revving 250 AT? Even if they did my limited understanding of engines is that you would be looking at a wet weight of 170 kgs and up.

Then we have the current view from the manufacturers that 250's are "budget models" and wouldn't get the stock farkles you would want with a RW travel bike. I wonder if someone did make a 250-400cc twin, 300km+ range travel bike with abs, comfortable seat and decent subframe/sheep rack would the western world be prepared to spend more $$ on it? Would we spend $7,000+ for a Versys 400?

We seem to be in the Jeremy Clarkson mindset of 'POWER!!' when comparing costs of bikes, i.e. why buy a fancy 250 when you can get a 500cc bike!

Would love to play on one though, after running my Himalayan in for the past few thousand km's I do miss the smoothness of a twin engine especially if I'm trying to climb hills at load. As someone put it on here or the ADV forums 'the engine sounds like a skeleton pleasuring itself in a biscuit tin!'