A 145-hp, ADV-inspired rally raider from Switzerland!
The Honda CRF1000L Africa Twin is one of the world’s most formidable adventure bikes, a modern revival of the V-twin desert machines that won the Paris-Dakar Rally four times in the 1980s. The contemporary version is powered by a 92-hp parallel-twin and weighs a shade over 500 pounds wet — some 70 pounds lighter than a BMW R1200GSA — with centralized mass and low center-of-gravity. We’ve seen the Africa Twin in action, off-road, and it’s damn impressive.
Now consider the Honda CB1000R, the company’s 998cc “neo-retro” naked sport bike, powered by a 144-horsepower version of the CBR1000RR superbike engine, featuring forged pistons, ride-by-wire throttle, and optimized midrange power.
Earlier this year, we featured 13 Honda CB1000R customs from official Honda dealerships across Spain and Portugal — part of the Honda Garage Dreams contest. While there were some stunning machines — including a CB1000R flat tracker — none was built for heavy off-roading.
Now Brivemo Motos, an official Honda dealership in Switzerland, has unveiled their Honda “CRF1000R Africa Four” — a brutish, 145-hp CB1000R scrambler inspired by the Africa Twin. We got in touch with Marcel Banz, Brivemo’s owner, for details on the build.
Brivemo retrofitted the front suspension from a Honda CRF450R motocrosser, complete with a single large-diameter brake disc, 4-piston caliper, and Continental TKC 80 tires.
The exhaust is a bespoke 4-into-1 unit with carbon-fiber muffler, and the bike is sporting a new front fender and headlight, off-road handlebars, engine cage, and a new solo seat.
There are also toothed footpegs, minimalist LED indicator lights, and “Adventure Sports” bodywork.
While the bike may appear more like a design exercise than serious off-roader, there’s talk the machine might participate in the next edition of the Brivemo Africa Twin Raid (BATR) in Tunisia. With a bash-plate to protect the exhaust headers, we’d love to see how this 145-hp brute performs in the desert!
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- Web: www.brivemo.ch
- Instagram: @brivemo.ch
Very cool ?
OMG, that is rad and Honda needs
to make that, like right now!!
Those headers might be a problem though. It would make a good Supermoto with the right tires.
Sick. I have a 2014 1000R and can only imagine how this one would run in the desert. I’m guessing it’s no heavier than the Africa Twin.
I don’t believe you could put a bash plate on that. It looks like the motor is a stressed member of the frame, so there are no down tubes to mount it to.