Honda has pulled the wraps off its most significant adventure motorcycle revision in a decade at EICMA 2026 in Milan, officially unveiling the 2027 CRF1150L Africa Twin platform headlined by an uncompromising, dirt-focused “Enduro Sports” variant.

Key Takeaways & Fast Facts - The Core News: Honda has overhauled the Africa Twin platform for 2027 with a larger 1,131cc engine, a low-slung chassis layout, and the all-new manual-only Enduro Sports trim. - Critical Numbers: 1,131cc parallel-twin, 119 hp (87.5 kW) @ 7,500 rpm, 119 Nm torque @ 6,000 rpm (+16% power), 228 kg kerb weight, 260 mm ground clearance. - The Mechanical Trade-Off: Long-travel mechanical suspension (240 mm front / 230 mm rear) and manual gearbox strip out touring luxury and radar tech to deliver genuine off-road agility. - Price & EU Availability: European showroom arrivals scheduled for March 2027, starting at an estimated €15,690 for the Enduro Sports and climbing to €19,990 for the radar-equipped Adventure Sports ES DCT.

A Bigger 1,131cc Twin with Real Punch

The heart of the 2027 CRF1150L is an enlarged 1,131cc parallel-twin engine, achieved by expanding the cylinder bore to 94 mm while bumping compression to 12.1:1. Peak output jumps significantly from the outgoing model’s 102 hp to a stout 119 hp (87.5 kW) at 7,500 rpm, with torque swelling to 119 Nm at 6,000 rpm.

Crucially, Honda has retuned the 270-degree crankshaft character to fatten up low-end grunt rather than chasing high-rpm top speed. By redesigning the intake tract and exhaust collector, over 80 Nm of torque is on tap from just 2,500 rpm. On European mountain ascents, this gives the new 1150 the tractability required to pull third gear out of tight alpine hairpins without bogging down.

“Our priority with the CRF1150L architecture was not merely adding displacement for high-speed motorway cruising, but lowering the center of gravity while delivering visceral low-end traction for technical off-road terrain,” stated Honda’s large-project engineering team at the Milan reveal.

The Enduro Sports: Stripped of Gimmicks

While the flagship Adventure Sports version gains semi-active Showa EERA suspension and radar-guided Honda SENSING RIDE with adaptive cruise control, the real headline for European trail riders is the Enduro Sports model.

The Enduro Sports rejects electronic damping, tall windscreens, and DCT bulk. Instead, it tips the scales at 228 kg kerb—making it the lightest full-size twin in Honda’s modern stable. Suspension duties are handled by pro-spec, fully adjustable mechanical 45 mm Showa cartridge forks delivering 240 mm of wheel travel, matched to a rear Showa shock providing 230 mm. Ground clearance jumps to a massive 260 mm. Fitted with a fixed short rally screen, HRC Tricolour livery, and heavy-duty 21-inch front and 18-inch rear tubeless spoked wheels, it behaves closer to an oversized rally-raid racer than a plush trans-continental tourer.

To keep the bike nimble between the knees, Honda engineers split the fuel storage: part of the 19-litre fuel cell now sits low in the subframe under the rider’s seat, substantially dropping the polar moment of inertia during rapid direction changes.

Specification Honda CRF1150L Enduro Sports Honda CRF1100L (Predecessor) BMW R 1300 GS (Base)
Engine Displacement 1,131cc parallel-twin 1,084cc parallel-twin 1,300cc boxer twin
Power Output 119.0 hp (87.5 kW) @ 7,500 rpm 102.0 hp (75.0 kW) @ 7,500 rpm 145.0 hp (107.0 kW) @ 7,750 rpm
Peak Torque 119.0 Nm @ 6,000 rpm 112.0 Nm @ 5,500 rpm 149.0 Nm @ 6,500 rpm
Transmission 6-speed Manual only 6-speed Manual / DCT 6-speed Manual / ASA
Front Wheel / Travel 21-inch spoked / 240 mm 21-inch spoked / 230 mm 19-inch cast / 190 mm
Rear Wheel / Travel 18-inch spoked / 230 mm 18-inch spoked / 220 mm 17-inch cast / 200 mm
Ground Clearance 260 mm 250 mm 210 mm
Kerb Weight 228 kg 231 kg (Manual) 237 kg
Starting Price (Est. EU) ~€15,690 €15,290 €19,100

The Rider’s Trade-Off

The mechanical compromise of the Enduro Sports is stark: it trades high-speed touring luxury for trail survival. With its short, non-adjustable windscreen and tall 880 mm seat height, sustained cruising at 130 km/h on wet French autoroutes will expose the rider to significant buffeting and elements.

There is no option for Honda’s Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT) on this trim, nor does it receive the radar cruise control found on the Adventure Sports model. However, when the asphalt turns into wet mud, rocky river crossings, or rugged sections of the ACT or TET, the 260 mm ground clearance and 228 kg kerb weight will make riders on 260 kg highway-focused machines in our flagship adventure shootout look like they brought the wrong tool to the job. For riders stepping up from smaller platforms like Honda’s XR300 Rally or eyeing hardcore rally machines, the Enduro Sports strikes a compelling middle ground.

Media citation: Editorial outlets and forums may quote excerpts with attribution and a link to Throttle Times.

Official source: https://global.honda/en/newsroom/news/2026/eicma-crf1150l-africa-twin.html

Reporting via: eicma.it, motorfreaks.nl