2016 HONDA CRF1000L AFRICA TWIN
RACER TEST
P98
But for my teammates and I,
the 2016 epic was going to take
on a different meaning than just
hunting down dust trails. This
year saw the racing debut of
the Africa Twin, Honda's brand
new big-bore adventure bike
showcased in what can only be
described as a true adventure of
a race.
Honda wanted to show the
real capabilities of their new pride
and joy, so much so that the
Africa Twin's original chassis and
suspension designer, Yosh Imai,
was sent by Honda Japan to be
one of the four team riders along-
side myself, American Honda's
off-road racing legend Johnny
Campbell and Japanese moto
journalist, Mikami Katsuhisa.
And, we were lucky enough
to be sharing the team facility
with the official HRC Rally rid-
ers, Spaniard Joan Barreda and
Frenchman Michael Metge and
their money-can't-buy factory
race bikes. These machines
were unlike anything I'd ever seen
before, pure unobtanium, ridden
by two of the fastest riders on the
planet. It was another time where
I felt rather insignificant.
Imai-san battles through the dust early on day one.
