Based on the existing Africa Twin, Honda took the wraps off its all-new neo-café racer named Hawk 11
At the recently held 2022 Osaka Motorcycle Show in Japan, Honda took the wraps off its all-new neo-café racer named Hawk 11. The all-new motorcycle is based on the existing platform of the Honda Africa Twin, but apart from offering a view of the motorcycle, Honda did not share other details about the motorcycle.
What is the importance of this motorcycle?
The Honda Africa Twin is a brilliant motorcycle with a legendary engine, but not every individual is interested in adventure tourer motorcycles. Therefore, the all-new Hawk 11 can prove to be an important motorcycle for those who have been craving for the Africa Twin engine in the body of a motorcycle that is adequate for commuting.
The powerhouse of the motorcycle
As mentioned in the first paragraph, Honda did not share any detail regarding the motorcycle’s powerhouse. However, since it is based on the Africa Twin, the Hawk 11 is likely to produce the same power figures of 101hp and 104Nm. At the same time, we sincerely hope Honda will re-tune the engine to change the overall riding nature of the motorcycle.
The motorcycle will derive power from the 1,082cc, parallel-twin, liquid-cooled engine mated to a six-speed gearbox but we hope it will be re-tuned because the same engine is used in the Rebel 1100 cruiser that has a different set of tune and different power figures of 64PS and 98Nm.
Design of the motorcycle
Honda is well known for creating beautiful body language and therefore, the Hawk 11 is a piece of art that screams café-racer from all angles. At the front, there is a round-shaped LED headlight integrated into a rocket cowl that is aerodynamically designed followed by clip-on handlebars with underslung mirrors.
From the sides, the motorcycle looks pretty massive, with foot-pegs set slightly at the rear that offer an aggressive stance along with a single-piece seat that has a contour. The fuel tank is big as well and therefore, there is enough space for a rider to grip the fuel tank with his or her knees. Between the handlebars and behind the cowl, the motorcycle features a round-shaped fully digital instrument cluster.
Other hardware
Going by the pictures, we have figured that the Hawk 11 uses the same steel cradle chassis used by the Africa Twin, whereas, in terms of suspension setup, it has an upside-down fork at the front and a monoshock at the rear. Last but not the least, the Hawk 11 is armed with a dual-disc setup at the front whereas the rear features a single-disc setup sourced from Nissin.
