r/africatwin

Which Windshield/screen do you prefer? I’m 186cm/6.1, i have forktunnel shield but still get turbulence in my forehead. Is wrs touring good at all? Thanks.

Edit. It’s standard 2024 DCT

Now that Madstad seems to have gone out of business, what are people using to mitigate wind buffeting? I have a 2019 CRF1000L base model that I can’t get rid of the buffeting. Even at city speeds 35mph I can hear it. It’s frustrating because if I tuck down, it’s a perfect quiet bubble behind the windscreen. I just can’t tuck down for 3 hours on the interstate, and I don’t want to look through a plastic windscreen to see the road.

Steps I’ve taken so far:

-Puig touring windscreen with and without clip-on visor (came with bike)

-cut down Puig touring windscreen with and without clip on visor

-Puig sport windscreen with and without clip-on visor

-plastic wind deflector that fits over the forks (came with bike) (edit: it’s called Swegotech)

-installed eBay wind deflectors (rubber strips on the side of the fairing under the turn signals)

-switched to quietest road helmet money can buy - Shoei RF-1400, always wear foam ear plugs

Hey there! I'm a newly licensed rider whose dream bike is definitely an Africa Twin, but I'd rather pick it as a second bike and I'm looking for a first. I figured you guys might have suggestions for good bikes to get better at riding on before stepping up, perhaps bikes that would introduce me to challenges/skills that would come up on an AT.

I would need the bike to be suitable for my current needs:
-I'm mainly commuting, on a slowish expressway (60mph) that sees some trailer trucks on the road, and I have some experience on an old 1982 Suzuki SP500, so I'm looking to get started on a heavier/midweight bike that won't get super buffeted by other vehicles or wind on some bridges.
-Road quality isn't hell, but I definitely think it would be more comfortable on an adv/dualsport etc
-Interested in DCT due to ~25 mins of stop-and-go on the way back, but I'd say clutch control is one of my strengths and I'm not against manual.
-Otherwise, I'm interested in touring and unpaved backroads stuff but nothing crazy in the dirt.

I'm 5'9, but the SP500 was 34.3" tall so seat height is something I can deal with if need be. I rode it 5 minutes to class and back and under telephone wires in the woods when I had it, so I don't consider my mileage on it to constitute a real first bike else I'd be considering the AT more.

Thanks for the help!

I’m really close to buying a Honda Africa Twin, but I’ve learned the hard way that I sometimes buy bikes based on excitement and only discover the annoying stuff later.

With my last bike, there were a lot of little ownership frustrations that I wish I had known beforehand — maintenance access, reliability quirks, electrical issues, expensive parts, things that only owners really know after living with the bike for a while.

So before I pull the trigger on the Africa Twin, I’d love to hear the honest downsides from actual owners.

Not looking for a review or “it’s the best bike ever.” I specifically want to know:
- What annoys you about owning it?
- What breaks or wears faster than expected?
- Any electrical problems or weak points?
- How difficult is maintenance/access to parts?
- Expensive repairs?
- Weight issues off-road?
- DCT pros/cons if you own one?
- Anything you wish you knew before buying?

For example, I already noticed small things like battery access seeming annoying, and I’ve heard the electronics can be vulnerable in crashes or rough off-road use.

Basically: what are the real-world ownership downsides that YouTube reviews don’t talk about?

I ride daily but just 5-15 min at a time around the city. I usually do a 1-2hr ride on weekends though.

Any negative effects with riding such short trips? It's a 2019 Atas DCT. Off-road tires and setup.