Rare, Early Honda Africa Twin Begs for Adventure

Some machines proclaim their intentions just by their appearance. Honda’s fabled Africa Twin seems designed for a driver to hop on and go cross country, off-road, then turn around and do it all again.

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One of the Few

Keen bikers will recognize the Honda Africa Twin immediately. Honda designed the suspension for optimum off-road clearance. The faired-in front brake disc, purposeful sump guard, and evocative Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) livery set it apart. Produced between 1988 and 2000, the majority of Africa Twins featured a 750cc V-twin motor.

This one, while visually similar to the later 750cc machines, is one of HRC’s early 650cc versions, built between 1988 and 1990. All Africa Twins produced after 1990 were built at the main Honda factory.

Tough and Reliable

In the mid-1980s, Honda noticed a growing interest in long-distance and overland racing and set out to produce a worthy competitor. The result was the Honda NXR750, which won its first Paris-Dakar Rally in 1986. It dominated the event for another four years.

Observers described the NXR750 as being ahead of the competition in every way. Honda knew it had a potential hit on its hands. So the company instructed HRC to build a machine for consumers. That bike was the XRV650, or Africa Twin—the road-going equivalent of the Paris-Dakar machine—built by the same people who were running the competition versions.

Honda scored a huge hit. On the street, the 650cc XRV650 maintained its competitive sibling’s reputation for strength and durability. Cagiva (Elefant), Suzuki (DR Big), and Yamaha (Tenere) quickly followed with their own race-proven, off-road-and-touring bikes. The Honda Africa Twin remained the one to have. Although at around 55 horsepower it was slightly less powerful than its contemporaries.

A Low Mile, Restored and Collectible Africa Twin

That’s how seller Greg Sloan of Miami, Fla., describes the Africa Twin he recently listed for sale on eBay. Seeing its HRC racing livery with anodized gold rims and the aforementioned sump guard and brake disc cover, we’re inclined to agree.

Restored by “a well-known and respected specialist,” it is said to run like new and could be ridden “confidently across continents or put in a museum.”

We’d opt for the former.