I've ridden motorcycles for many years, but when I purchased the 2022 Honda Africa Twin Adventure Sports DCT, I still had a steep learning curve ahead of me. This video was particularly helpful.
I picked the Africa Twin DCT for several reasons:
- I have developed arthritis in my left hip, and the DCT means I don't have to shift gears with my left foot.
- My hands cramp after a short while on a traditional motorcycle, such as the Kawaski I owned previously. The DCT means there is no clutch lever to worry about. In addition, the Honda ES model comes standard with both cruise control and grip warmers. Last fall, I rode over 5000 miles on a 6.5 week trip, and my hands handled it fine.
- I mostly ride alone, including on my trip West, and Honda dependability means a lot to me.
Mounting the Africa Twin
But riding it took practice:
- It's taller than any bike I owned previously. Just getting on it with my arthritic hip, especially when it was loaded for traveling, was a chore. However, my dealer, Randy Sindt of Sindt Motors in Dubuque, showed me how to step up on the peg while the kickstand is still down, as shown in the video above. It was a huge benefit. I've seen online videos of short riders trying to throw their legs over the saddle from the ground. What a struggle. An unnecessary one, too.
- I've dropped bikes multiple times, always at slow speeds. Several things helped prevent new falls:
- Never lock the front brake when the wheel isn't straight. Never. To keep myself from grabbing a handful of brake, I put a single finger on the front brake lever. That's enough for slowing the bike quickly, but it also has so far kept me from locking it up. When I dropped the bike (twice) out West, I snapped the front brake lever short. That turned out to be a blessing, and I rode several thousand miles before getting back to Dubuque to replace it. I couldn't grab a handful of brake if I had wanted to!
- Since the DCT doesn't have a clutch, you can't ride the friction zone. I finally learned to both give the bike a bit of throttle at the same time that I stepped solidly on the rear brake. The DCT will then feather the clutch for you. I can creep along below walking speed, using the rear brake to control speed as one would a traditional clutch. This is a game-changer. And the bike simply won't stall, a huge additional benefit of the DCT.
- Practice slow-speed maneuvers. In pretty weather, I still practice figure-8s, weaves, and other slow-speed maneuvers at a nearby parking lot. An extra 10 minutes in the parking lot before a ride reacquaints my body with the bike at slow speeds.
- Starting off on an uphill slope or, worse, a side slope was always tough. But with the DCT and a single finger over the front brake lever, I can twist the throttle and get going while still having both feet on the ground.
- Before I began preparing for my trip West (photos here), I had never been on overnight camping trips by motorcycle. Everything for six weeks except food had to fit on the bike. I'll write more soon about my packing list.
- The wind out West was fierce, with 60+ mph winds on a section of I-80 near Laramie, Wyoming. The Africa Twin had the weight and stability to get through it. I just had to learn to trust it.
Overall, a lot of the practice was about gaining confidence without getting complacent. I once heard John Wooden, the famous UCLA basketball coach, speak at a basketball camp I attended in middle school. He said, "Be quick, but don't hurry."
It's all about the attitude you bring to what you do.
