Two Awesome Bikes, Two Very Different Kinds of Power

The 2016 Honda® CRF1000L Africa Twin and 2017 Kawasaki Z125 Pro give you two very different extremes of power, versatility, and fun.

First, the name. It's called the Honda® Africa Twin ($12,999; above left) because it has a 998-cc twin engine. The Africa part comes from a grueling thing called the Dakar Rally, a famous off-road rally that originally ran from Europe through the African desert and that always devolved into a Mad Max movie. Hundreds of maniacs driving motorbikes, quads, cars, and trucks ripped through the desert for two weeks, hitting livestock and the occasional local, and often maiming the drivers themselves. The twin's predecessor won the race four times—from 1986 through 1989—so it can definitely handle upstate New York, where I live. The 2016 model is a hell of a ride, on and off some country roads. What's interesting is the dual-clutch option, which means … no shifting. It feels strange. My left hand keeps reaching for the missing clutch like I have a lobster claw, and my shifter foot taps into empty air, like I'm doing the soft shoe. As soon as you get over the phantom-limb sensation you realize how balanced, fast, and easy it is through the tight-leaning turns, and all without having to think about the gears.

The suspension is high and forgiving and—with its ABS and different modes of traction—easy to control. At 533 pounds, the bike is light, but it feels much lighter. Did I mention this bike is really fast? The twin in Africa Twin throws almost 100 horsepower, plenty to launch me off a 50-foot sand dune, over a rally car and a terrorist firing a machine gun at me to win the Dakar Rally. Yes, all of those things have happened in past rallies, although not at the same time, but I decided instead just to kick a little dirt, avoid the grazing deer, and call it a day.

The Twin throws enough horsepower to launch me off a 50-foot sand dune over a rally car and a terrorist.

The Kawasaki Z125 Pro ($2,999) is tiny. The seat height is only 31 inches, just above my kneecaps. When I first saw the Z125, I laughed, and my voice cracked like a goofy 13-year-old kid's. I hopped on immediately and rode in no particular direction on my two-acre lawn like a giggling fool. My wife Jessica's head was on a swivel following me, not knowing if I was completely mental or not. It was too much fun.

The motorcycle (yes, it is a real four-speed, air-cooled, 125-cc motorcycle) was initially designed for Southeast Asia, where its small size lets you weave in and out of traffic-clogged streets. The bike is capable of carrying a second passenger, but I wouldn't recommend more than one smallish wife at a time. Since there's not a lot of traffic where I live, I decided to take it on a fun back road in the country. But first I have to take it on a stretch of 55-mph highway to get there.

I'm fully geared up and I feel silly. Full-face helmet, protective jacket and pants, proper riding boots and gloves. I make sure there's plenty of room before I pull onto the road. My knees are practically hitting the handlebars. The bike is surprisingly quick as I get through all the gears. Soon this thing is moving. It feels really fast because I'm just inches off the ground. On the straightaway I seem to max out at 55 mph, although I gain a little speed going downhill—57, 58, 59, 60. As I go uphill the bike slows considerably. Even when I downshift I can't gain enough speed. This particular hill seems to go on forever and I quickly slow to 40 mph. I hear honking behind me, and when I turn I see half a mile of backed-up and furious drivers. Eventually I get back to my happy place, my yard, where I can once again ride like a fool, delivering rounds of drinks while my friends play bocce and my wife shakes her head from the porch. I'm pretty sure she's smiling, too.

Honda® CBR1000RR – BEST USED BIKES

YEARS SOLD: 2004–2007

MSRP NEW: $10,999 (’04) to $11,499 (’07)

Blue Book Retail VALUE: $4750 (’04) to $6270 (’07)

BASIC SPECS: Introduced in 2004, the CBR1000RR was the all-new successor to Honda®’s CBR954RR. Its 998cc inline–four features ECU-controlled ram air and dual-stage fuel injection and an under-tail exhaust. This model’s cassette-style stacked six-speed gearbox and shallower 28-degree cylinder slant made for a compact engine design that allowed a longer swingarm and shifted the weight bias forward. The chassis features a die-cast alloy frame with an inverted fork, Unit Pro-Link rear suspension, and radial-mounted front brake calipers. Another innovative feature, the Honda® Electronic Steering Damper (HESD), automatically varies damping force based on speed and rate of acceleration.

WHY IT’S DESIRABLE: The CBR1000RR applied technology and design traits born out of HRC’s successful MotoGP program. Honda®’s manic attention to mass centralization set a trend others have followed. The CBR may not have been the lightest among its liter-class rivals, but it offered a superb balance of handling agility and steadfast stability. The 2006 model year brought a host of engine and chassis updates highlighted by valve train, steering geometry, and suspension calibration revisions.

THE COMPETITION: When it rains it pours, and the superbike precipitation came down in 2004 as a thoroughly updated Yamaha YZF-R1 and the new Kawasaki ZX-10R. When the shootout was settled, we enjoyed a green spring as the new Ninja raised the bar for street and track performance. Suzuki answered with its vaunted K5 GSX-R1000, and Yamaha remained in the mix with a ride-by-wire R1 in ’07.