Kwacky's ongoing Africa Twin Adventure Sport review

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Kwacky
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Re: Kwacky's ongoing Africa Twin Adventure Sport review

Post by Kwacky »

Blade wrote:
if you've got a power drill buy a cheap mop of ebay, will save you hours of elbow grease (y)
I'll open admit I'm a lazy git at times, but I don't mind a bit of polishing metal. I find it quite rewarding.
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Re: Kwacky's ongoing Africa Twin Adventure Sport review

Post by Cavetroll87 »

Kwacky wrote:
Blade wrote:
if you've got a power drill buy a cheap mop of ebay, will save you hours of elbow grease (y)
I'll open admit I'm a lazy git at times, but I don't mind a bit of polishing metal. I find it quite rewarding.
I get that, I remeber cleaning up that tank on the old z400 I was rebuilding, everyone was trying to get me to use power tools coz it took ages but it was just so rewarding a thearputic to watch it go from a horrible rusty tin to shiney clean metal.
Remember: If in Doubt use Full Throttle, It may not make the situation any better, But it will end the suspense...
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Re: Kwacky's ongoing Africa Twin Adventure Sport review

Post by Cav »

I wouldn't call it laziness but I hate doing anything the long way. I don't know if it's a generational thing but I cannot stand it - I have little patience for a few things in life and the long way is one of them.

Building the workshop isn't the same to me as there's not a quicker way to do it... it's just a big job
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Re: Kwacky's ongoing Africa Twin Adventure Sport review

Post by D41 »

Power tools are for workmen...hand tools are for craftsmen.
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Re: Kwacky's ongoing Africa Twin Adventure Sport review

Post by Kwacky »

282 miles on the last tankful. Just under 23 litres to fill up this morning.

I took the opportunity on the way home to look for some new roads. One of the roads some some nice rises on it.

I found that if you get the AT airborne the TC kicks in, so when the bike lands it feels like the engine has lost power. I had a half second of shitting myself as I thought I had broke it.
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Re: Kwacky's ongoing Africa Twin Adventure Sport review

Post by R1ckster »

Kwacky wrote:282 miles on the last tankful. Just under 23 litres to fill up this morning.

I took the opportunity on the way home to look for some new roads. One of the roads some some nice rises on it.

I found that if you get the AT airborne the TC kicks in, so when the bike lands it feels like the engine has lost power. I had a half second of shitting myself as I thought I had broke it.
Bloody hell that's awesome mileage !!!!! Nice one. Hilarious about the traction control moment... So overall your liking of the bike on a scale of 10 ?

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Re: Kwacky's ongoing Africa Twin Adventure Sport review

Post by Kwacky »

It's a 7.5/10 at the moment.

I don't like the tyres, they're slow to warm up and not the greatest at giving feedback. There are much better mixed use tyres out there than the Dunslips.

The lack of confidence with the tyres and the cold wet roads mean that I'm still a bit cautious on the tighter corners. That'll improve with time in the saddle. As will my confidence at manoeuvring at slow speeds. I need to practice that.

It is pretty easy to hustle. The big grunt from low down means you can slice and dice the traffic. I got in some short overtakes on the way home this afternoon. It's just at home cruising as well.

The build quality really is excellent. It's very well put together. And it sounds fecking awesome, especially when the engine is warm, you get a really nice crackle on the run down.
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Re: Kwacky's ongoing Africa Twin Adventure Sport review

Post by R1ckster »

Did you ever get or try low seat option ? I mean the bike is a skyscraper as standard !

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Re: Kwacky's ongoing Africa Twin Adventure Sport review

Post by Kwacky »

I bought a low seat with it. It makes all the difference.
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Re: Kwacky's ongoing Africa Twin Adventure Sport review

Post by duke63 »

Does the standard AT have a different seat? When I sat in them at the NEC the standard bike felt weird compared to the Sport version.
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Re: Kwacky's ongoing Africa Twin Adventure Sport review

Post by R1ckster »

As for Tyres. Had few sets of each on the 800XC

Bridgestone BT501/502
Continental Trail Attack
Pirelli Scorpion Trail
Pirelli TKC80.

For me personally I have had the BTs more often than the others. Good around feel and in dray and wet. And give good feedback in a corner when you kinda running the front brake longer and harder than you should when leant over.. it's no race bike feel. But feels assuring and good feedback IMO. And last well.

I felt the scorpions were as good a tyre but I went through rear tyres like no one's business. Not sure if my luck and riding. But felt they didn't go as long. And and squared off but sooner than I liked. With motorway miles

The Contis.. well let's just say if I could have a set for summer and a set for other seasons. I'd have these. They are the closest feel and wearability to a soft race tyre but for a dual sport (unless other tyres have come on since then). I went through a set in just over 4000 miles. Felt softer than rest to me. And more a non dual sport feel to them.

Finally TKC80.. these are serious off road block tyres but really soft. I've had 3 pairs on the XC and done some serious off-road in them. Places young shouldn't take an 800XC without a few lads LOL. They coped really well. And in warm can ride them as hard as the next. As they are soft. Bit of a funny vibrating feel due to pattern but get used to in no time. I burnt through as set in 6 weeks over summer. As a commuter and evening dirt tyre! I also witness a big KTM adventure sparking the pegs on the nurburgring round a corner with these on..saw bike in carpark afterwards. He had big balls riding like that but the tyres held.

In the cold winter wet though absolute fecking deathtrap on tarmac ..keep away!


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Re: Kwacky's ongoing Africa Twin Adventure Sport review

Post by Kwacky »

Yep, the seat is flatter on the ATAS. Plus the standard AT is much lower and the tank is narrower as well. It's 19l compared to the 25 on the ATAS.
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Re: Kwacky's ongoing Africa Twin Adventure Sport review

Post by Kwacky »

Cheers R1ckster.

I liked the Karoos on the 1090 I tried earlier in the year.

I've heard good things about the Scorpions.
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Re: Kwacky's ongoing Africa Twin Adventure Sport review

Post by duke63 »

The Scorpion Trail is standard fit on the Multistradas and there is a version two out now.

It was a superb road tyre with plenty of grip in all conditions.
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Re: Kwacky's ongoing Africa Twin Adventure Sport review

Post by duke63 »

Pirelli also do a Scorpion Rally STR tyre with a more off road bias but still good on the road. It's fitted as standard to the Ducati Scrambler Desert Sled.

https://www.pirelli.com/tyres/en-gb/mot ... -rally-str" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Re: Kwacky's ongoing Africa Twin Adventure Sport review

Post by Kwacky »

I cleaned the bike last night and went over it to check everything was ok.

I noticed on the front wheel a few tiny black dots. I thought it was off the road but they wouldn't wash off. The dots are smooth so it's not road crud. I haven't used anything different to clean the bike and it's not been used with salt on the road until yesterday, which is why I was giving it a good clean.

I messaged my mate this morning. They've had a couple of issues where the anodising has been contaminated. They'll inspect the wheel, report to Honda and get the wheel replaced.

Not what I wanted on a brand new bike. Hopefully it'll soon be sorted.
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Re: Kwacky's ongoing Africa Twin Adventure Sport review

Post by Rossgo »

To be fair Kwacky it's a shame but these things happen. Nice to see Honda sorting out the issue though

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Re: Kwacky's ongoing Africa Twin Adventure Sport review

Post by Blade »

That does sound quite unusual tbh. Is it common place ?
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Re: Kwacky's ongoing Africa Twin Adventure Sport review

Post by Kwacky »

My mate said they've had a couple. I've looked on the AT forum and a few people have had the same issue. It looks like a bad batch. Honda has replaced them without question.

I'm going to go over the bike again at the weekend to make sure I haven't missed anything. I'll be pissed off if I've got a dud.
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Re: Kwacky's ongoing Africa Twin Adventure Sport review

Post by Cav »

It's as simple as a wheel that didn't undergo the process properly. They'll probably look into it and realise that one of the anodising tanks was recently maintained and their process actually works better with contamination in the system and doesn't account for a change in chemical solution. Just a little insight I have from prior experience

Good thing with Honda is they will undoubtedly outsource that process so they won't have any issue issuing free replacements because the fault doesn't lie directly with them. The same can't be said with their rubbish gearboxes
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