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2020–2023 · Adventure · Buyer's Guide
Dependable Miles, Done Right
Honda built this Africa Twin around a 1084 cc parallel twin with a 270-degree crank, and that firing order is the whole point: the pulse feels closer to a V-twin than to a smooth in-line engine, and the 77 lb-ft peak arrives where you actually ride. 102 hp is enough for sustained highway work without ever feeling frantic. A narrow aluminum subframe and a swingarm derived from the CRF450R keep the waist slim, so a 498 lb (226 kg) bike changes direction more willingly than the number suggests. A 21-inch front, 9.1 in (230 mm) of front travel and 9.8 in (250 mm) of ground clearance mark it as genuine dirt-capable hardware, not a styling exercise.
This is the Africa Twin that grew up. It runs cornering ABS, traction control, ride modes and wheelie control as standard, with cruise control, adjustable suspension at both ends and a TFT screen carrying Apple CarPlay, and it ages the way Hondas age: quietly, without drama, with reliability that is close to bulletproof. It suits the rider who wants one bike for national parks in July and a technical desert trail in October. The honest caveat is the 33.5 in (850 mm) seat, and the fact that loading a top box plus panniers can set off a slow weave at sustained highway speed.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 102 hp (75 kW) @ 7,500 rpm |
|---|---|
| Torque | 77 lb-ft (105 Nm) @ 6,250 rpm |
| Displacement | 1084 cc |
| Engine | Parallel twin |
| Cooling | Liquid-cooled |
| Gearbox | 6-speed |
| Final drive | Chain |
| Front brake | 310 mm |
| Front tire | 90/90-21 |
| Rear tire | 150/70-18 |
| Wheelbase | 62.0 in (1575 mm) |
| Ground clearance | 9.8 in (250 mm) |
| Front travel | 9.1 in (230 mm) |
| Rear travel | 8.7 in (220 mm) |
| Seat height | 33.5 in (850 mm) |
| Wet weight | 498 lb (226 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 5.0 gal (18.8 L) |
| Fuel economy | 48 mpg (US) |
Equipment check
Chassis
Comfort
Connectivity
Drivetrain
Lighting
Safety
Over the years I've heard about this bike in paddock conversations, at club nights, in chats with owners, and in the messages riders send me after a season or two with one. For the 2020–2023 CRF1100L the pattern is consistent. Owners love the engine and how far this bike will go into the dirt. Most of the grumbling is about the cockpit and a few comfort details.
Riders praise the engine more often than anything else. Owners describe a torquey, characterful pulse, and many say it feels clearly different from the smoother boxers and triples they have ridden in this class. Off-road ability comes a close second. Riders consistently call this the most dirt-capable bike in its weight and price bracket, and they credit the 21-inch front and generous ground clearance for how credible it feels off the pavement. Owners also rate the build quality highly and keep rating it that way over time.
Buyers who chose the optional DCT call it a touring asset. They like keeping both hands on the bars through long days and technical sections, and owners of 2022 and later bikes say the old low-speed roughness has been smoothed out. Adventure Sports owners single out the large tank. They report real touring range of roughly 300 miles, among the longest from a factory tank in the class. Several also point out that it costs less than the premium European rivals while offering a comparable electronics package.
The loudest complaints are about the cockpit. Riders call the switch cluster and menu structure cluttered and unintuitive. Owners in cold climates say the touchscreen trouble has dragged on for years without a permanent fix. Comfort draws quieter criticism. Owners keep calling the factory seat firm, fine for short rides but less so over a full touring day. Taller riders on the Standard say its small screen leaves them exposed at highway speed. In tight, slow terrain and deep sand, riders often complain about the weight, and the DCT versions come up most.
High-speed headshake / weave when carrying top box and panniers
At sustained highway speeds with a top box and side panniers fitted, the raised and rearward load can set off a slow weave or a shake through the handlebars, most noticeably when the top box is loaded heavily. The bike leaves the factory without a steering damper, so owners typically cut top box weight, shift heavy items low into the panniers, and fit an aftermarket damper to settle the front end.
6.5″ TFT touchscreen becoming unresponsive or registering false touches
The 6.5″ TFT touchscreen has been reported as becoming unresponsive to input, registering "phantom" touches by itself, or going to a temporary blackout. Cold weather makes symptoms worse. The issue has persisted after four years without any permanent fix. Replacement screens have exhibited the same behavior — pointing to a design rather than a manufacturing root cause.
Ride-by-wire throttle snatchiness in 1st–2nd gear at low speed
In the lower gears at low engine speeds, ride-by-wire throttle response can feel oscillating or snatchy, and it is most noticeable on the automatic dual-clutch version in stop-and-go city traffic, where engine braking on a closed throttle adds to the effect. Honda revised the lower gear ratios and the automatic shift program partway through the production run, which noticeably reduced the sensation.
Where this Honda CRF1100L Africa Twin pulls ahead of — or falls behind — its rivals on the numbers, and the typical bike in its class on character.
Power
Torque
Displacement
Wet weight
Seat height
Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the CRF1100L Africa Twin is actually built for.
Trail Ridge, Going-to-the-Sun, Beartooth: this bike eats those days whole, two-up or loaded. Just be deliberate about how you pack the top box, because a heavy one can set off a weave at highway speed.
Made for Beartooth Highway · Blue Ridge Parkway · Going-to-the-Sun Road
The 21-inch front, the travel and the slim waist give you real capability on technical ground. It is still a 498 lb bike, so it rewards skill and punishes a lazy line.
Made for Bar M / Kane Creek · Imperial Sand Dunes · Johnson Valley OHV Area
For 200 to 400 mile days on Highway 1 or the Blue Ridge it is comfortable, calm and quick enough. You give up some sharpness to the pure road bikes, and you gain the option to keep going when the pavement ends.
Made for Black Hills · Blue Ridge Parkway · Cherohala Skyway
If you're cross-shopping the older generation, here's what changed.
Previous generation · 2018–2019
Reliable Enough to Trust Anywhere
Compare to the previous model →The Honda CRF1100L Africa Twin also comes in these variants, models and special editions. Each has its own page covering only what differs from the standard CRF1100L Africa Twin — equipment, electronics, specs and used price.
If this one isn't quite the fit, these are the bikes worth riding back-to-back against it.
Any price note compares both bikes at the same age — the youngest age both have on the used market — against this Honda CRF1100L Africa Twin. “cheaper/pricier” is what that bike costs second-hand, not how worn it is.
Successor · 2024
Tuned Mid-Range In A Trustworthy Shell
Same Platform · 2025–2026
The Hooligan Twin That Handles
Similar Character · 2024
The Triple That Travels Far
Similar Character · 2023
The Expedition-Ready Mile Eater
Roughly $2,400 pricier used than this bike at 3 yr
