Honda Africa Twin: Manual v DCT | Features | Motorcyclenews.com

Get the best of biking EVERY day...

Get the best of biking EVERY day...
Stay up to date with the latest from MCN:

Welcome to the official YouTube channel of the world’s biggest print and online motorcycle publication. All the greatest motorcycle video content from the world’s
most respected motorcycling media brand. Since 1955 MCN is available weekly in

[stevensharp]

I have had an NC700 DCT for three years, I would love the African Twin in DCT and I can honestly say I will not go back to a manual bike, DCT offers easy control, less to think about and more time to concentrate on the idiot car drivers on mobile phones!

[rugby]

As far as im concerned the Africa twin is the best ADV bike built at this time.

[Vpauly]

To all you DCT knockers out there, I've been riding bikes for 38 years with a clutch, and believe me and I've got one this bike is so much fun off road not worrying about a clutch and not stalling did the the Honda adventure centre course with the DCT and even the instructors couldn't wait to ride

[StefanSu]

Personal opinion does not matter. DCT is something you have to try for yourself and get used to. One ride won't be enough but DCT is definitely something I will open my mind to. No matter how good of a rider you are, in my opinion, for every less thing you have to control there is a new thing you can control.

[SquirrelFromGradLife]

Having ridden the old smaller Twin and the new DCT the DCT is absolutely amazing and it's the way forward for all bikes.. For touring, fire roads, gravel roads and desert tracks it's the best thing I've tried by a mile simply because you're always in the correct gear and you go much much much faster accelerating out of turns especially on loose surfaces... In sand it's just magic because you never lose traction... For real slow trials kinda trails like that small off road thing it really doesn't work well but who rides that anyway and makes an argument based on how a bike rides in an entirely artificial environment.. If you live in a former gravel pit filled with mud and that's all you ride then you're on the wrong bike for one and the DCT is all wrong but for 99.9% of the rest of us it's perfect.

[kingcrumpet]

IMO there are two awesome advantages to DCT:

1. Not having to shift manually while standing. I always find it a pain in the butt shifting while standing.
2. How cool would it be to put a Left Hand Rear Brake in where the clutch lever would normally go! I know there is a park brake there but there appears to be heaps of room for an LHRB.

One downside I can see is how can you pop the front wheel up to clear logs and things with the DCT? Obviously with a manual it's as simple as popping the clutch. Any thoughts?

[wilshirewarrior]

DCT...I remember the same bellyaching when ABS was introduced. Some people just want old tech. How about we go back to no suspension for the rear?

[Hehanni]

No mention of the Manual mode on the DCT!?!?!? Thats the only reason I came to this video. Do-able but just silly to leave it in full auto off road. Like a modern supercar when you hit the track, you use the damn paddle shifters!

[erikeibi]

Sounds good. Part of the fun is having manual. I feel more connected to bike then.

[BigBikeAdventures]

Being able to change gears with paddles on the bars while standing is a big plus for the DCT. You failed to mention that with the DCT you can't change gears while TC is active, so a side by side test of the Manual and the DCT means the manual will take off and can change gears while you have to back off the DCT to then change up .

[MrApex]

been riding offroad for 45 years and allways struggled with tall bikes the dct was better for me could use the hand brake as a rear brake on steep downhill sections with both toes down

[costa]

I have DCT on NC integra the first few days I needed to get used to it after many years of using a manual transmission, but now I would not never buy engine with manual transmission.
I hope the next will be Africa dct !!!

[JoeGP]

The first time i took my (manual) bike out, i was climbing a (dirt) hill in 2nd, but it was quite steep and the revs were dropping, so i wanted to shift into 1st, but took too long doing that and the bike redlined, which scared me and resulted in me dumping the clutch, you can imagine what happened after that, so a bike you can't stall and can't redline would be real nice.

[walterhorn]

Getting older muscling big bikes through rough terrain takes a lot a clutch work and my hand is good for about five minutes of finite clutch work before it needs a break and I can see where DCT could pay dividends in the long run

[overlandmotorcycletours]

Good review, I have the manual at the moment, which I use as my work bike on and off road, I might be tempted by the auto next time, having ridden one recently. It was a bit alien at first but didnt take too long to get the hang of, and still great fun to ride!

[Zraupp]

DCTs are amazing, best transmission in the world if you ask me.
manuals are still fun sometimes, depends on what you drive/ride and how ^<^

[jhonrutger]

I just rode a dct yesterday it was a very unusual bike for me as I'm coming from cruisers. I had a laydown with the bike on the street when I was adjusting myself on the bike. I dont think the bike is too big for me as I'm 6'2" 200 lbs and have ridden bikes that were heavier. I feel like I was probably not familiar with a dct, and the weight just felt different. I found the controls a little much/complex for a bike.

[yessure]

It is a dual clutch transmission not automatic - automatic transmissions have torque converters.

[mikaellindroos]

I have a Honda x-adv 750cc dct.Never go back to manual bike.You have a kickdown too to shiftdown with.Ofcourse You have to get use to it.

[tonyinfinity]

I'd like to see one of those beer bellied BMW GS lovers ride their bikes in that slop.