Base Africa Twin Returns to Canada for 2022
The temptation may have been to collect the cream from the top as Honda only sold the more expensive Africa Twin A/S variation as a new model in Canada last year. But fortunately for those looking for a substantially less expensive option, Honda has announced the return to Canada of the 2022 Africa Twin base model at a price of $16,999 which, for what you get (six axis IMU, traction control, wheelie control, six riding modes with adjustable ABS, slipper clutch) is a pretty good deal. It is almost $4000 cheaper than the still available and decked out A/S with the manual transmission and almost $5000 less than the one with the DCT transmission.
Looking around at the competition including new bikes like the Norden 901 and acknowledging that the only Japanese rival was the smaller but competent Tenere 700, Honda must have realized there was a hole worth filling especially as they had a perfectly good, already existing bike to do it. The 2022 Africa Twin engine has a greater displacement and slightly greater horsepower than the bikes that fall below the 1000cc mark and yet, with its more off-road bent, it competes more with the bikes that fall in the 800 to 1000cc range rather than the monster machines that exist further up the displacement scale.
The base 2022 Africa Twin is by some measure a return to the basics.There are some accessories like ABS, traction control and riding modes that have become de rigour on a modern bike but the option of saving four or five grand and adjusting your own suspension seems a no brainer. There is also the option of adding various smartphone infotainment options.
In Canada we are getting the red, white and blue version. Elsewhere there is also a good looking red and black version.