New Honda Africa Twin? For Real? (Italian Translator wanted!)

[Two Plugs]

Maybe we should ask the guys from Honda who are participating at OUR annual VCIM meeting, this month in Wales... Maybe its another 'fake' message which we have seen so often in the past...

I can't read or translate Italian, perhaps some one out there can?

Googletranslate of the title results in:
"Return to Off-road to attack the crisis. The honda is working on the new edition of Africa Twin and a aconomica XR250"

[JosepM]

No.

Among much blah blah, the article says that a Japanese magazine has published rumours about Honda being developing a new "endurona" (big trail).

It adds that this bike should be on the market in 2011 or at latest in 2012.

Josep

[Athanman]

Sorry guys but i cant believe in fairytails and rumours ,superman is dead and batman is 80 years old .Africa and Varadero are history and its too sad because many generations so far raised with those models.

[Skye]

Just curios what the Honda delegation at VIM#15 said??

They liked our own improvements in our bikes but we need a fantastic machine to improve...

[SB]

Just curios what the Honda delegation at VIM#15 said??

They asked a lot of questions.

They listened a lot.

They said very little other than "they were disappointed the crosstourer was not selling well".

[Skye]

Understandable.

Most users don't start to cut, drill and customize a bike that is still under 5 year warranty. Maybe it is overpriced. Good engine, good balance but still a tourer and not an adventurer.

[varakurt]

For those who can read/understand German Read here! It's the Austrian Africa Twin Forum. Its to long for me to translate and my engloish is to bad ...

The man who begins the Thread is the Product Manager (Mr. Roland Berger) of Honda Europe and was involved in the Development of the Varadero ...

The new "Africa Twin" should come with a motor which comes from the Honda Dakar Bike - the CRF 450,  not with one cylinder ... but with two - so it will have 900cm³ ...

[Two Plugs]

Well... since I can read German... 

Tnx for the link, Kurt, but it says - again - nothing... But I WOULD LOVE a new Honda dual purpose bigtrail bike as stated. A lot.














... I even would trade in my new Varadero for that, if the specs & prices are OK ... 

[JosepM]

Kurt, as far as I can understand, the last posts in the thread comment the feasibility of a new AfricaTwin. By using already existent components and such, and even assessing how many kg more would come from mandatory ABS, catalisator,...

But I can read nowhere that a new AT is indeed to be made...

Also, in the first post, from Nov 2011, the man seems to suggest that a bike with the features you had described (and I believe many have in mind) is about to be made, even if not immediately. Nothing's been seen so far, in spite of he "ich bei Honda einen kleinen Einflusz habe" (he's got some influence).

BTW Kurt, I agree with your demand of a good seat, so that "man Etappen von ca. 500 km fahren kann ohne sich Hämmorhoiden oder eine Steißbeinprellung zu holen" (I guess Steissbeinprellung=sore arse?) 

Regards,

Josep

[varakurt]

I don't think that it "says nothing". You have to add one + one =?

1.) The Thread began by a Honda Europa Manager in an Africa Twin Forum

2.) The egagement of Honda at the Dakar and other Rallyes like the Tuareg-, Paraonen- or Moroccorallye

3.) The short sentence in an interview with an Japanese Honda Manager with the Magazine "MOTORRAD" in one of the edition winter 2012/2013 (i can't remember which one). In the general sense he said that there is e new development in the Endurosector  - but it will take time to get a good product. Maybe a prototyp on EICMA in 2013???

4.) The Technical Manager of Honda Austria (i know him personal) said this winter ... " there is something new in Line" ...

So, my hope is that there ist a prototype on EICMA/IMOT this Autuumn and 2014 at the latest 2015 e new Modell like a CRF900???

[Two Plugs]

Hi Kurt,

When I asked Honda in 1994 if they would come up with an answer for the R1100GS and the Tiger 900, they also stated 'there is something in the pipeline'.

It took them till 1998 to present that answer at the September 1998 Intermot exhibition (revealing of the MK1 Varadero).

MOTORRAD has published an interview with Honda EU's Japanese boss and asked specifically after the absence of the Africa Twin XRV750 and a possible successor (comparing with f.e. the success of the F800GS and the Tiger 800).

The big man replied: 'We have not forgotten our Africa Twin'.

Like you, however, I keep my spirits and expectations up... although maybe wishful thinking... but the big plus is that Honda (finally) seems to see that their current way of approaching their (European) customers maybe not the right way is... 

[Skye]

There is one way to get the AT back in production.

If the European Honda dealers co-operate and order 3000 units together Honda will start to produce it again

[varakurt]

I think 3000 are to less ... on my information it has to be 5000/year on a duration for 3 years ... so 15000 units

[Two Plugs]

I think 3000 are to less ... on my information it has to be 5000/year on a duration for 3 years ... so 15000 units

Agree... think also that these figures are closer to reality...

[Varafox]

I don´t think that there will be a new Africa Twin or Vara in the next few years.
At our german Varadero meeting 3 weeks ago, were some guys from Honda Europe and from Japan, they discussed with some Vara drivers and listenend to the questions and remarks and looked at the Varaderos in front of the Hotel, took a lot of pictures.
But there was no "OK, wait a while and then we will ..."! The only gift was a study-print out of 1998 given to those who wanted to have a copy: