Thread: Honda Africa Twin RD03 XRV650: Ready for the trip to infinity and back!

More often than not, internet is not place that we are really fond of. It has nothing to with the ‘internet’ itself, but what it has become. And yet, it still proves its importance and fascination if you know where to look. Thankfully, we do. And that is the reason why, we have stumbled upon this ‘Gem’. The said Gem, goes by the name- Honda Africa Twin RD03 XRV650.



What is so special about this motorcycle then? Well, it features a 650cc V-twin with 3 valves per cylinder for a total of 6 valves. It revs to a redline of 8,800 rpm and makes 57 Bhp of power. Nothing special here except the fact that the bike was built in 1988. But, this motorcycle features a massive 43L front tank, 17L rear tank and with an additional pair of side tanks, this motorcycle can take you to your fantasy world where you could just keep on riding. You start from one corner of a faraway place witnessing the sun rise and ride to a distant corner to witness the sunset. It won’t run out of fuel or fun, you probably will. Is this the kind of a motorcycle which could be a traveler’s true delight? With no anxieties regarding the range, one can just get lost in even a desert with no worries because it will take you out of there if you keep riding. We don’t know about you guys, but we’d really like to do that. Why’d we mention a desert when it could be an endless stretch of a highway? Because you can never NOT want to take this thing off the road.

There’s a particular word for what we said above, Overlanding. People do it in cars, trailers maybe trucks too. But getting to do that on a motorcycle would surely be something. This motorcycle, is that very motorcycle. So, the Honda XRV650 Africa Twin RD03 is a ‘somewhat’ replica of 50 motorcycles that Honda sent to tackle the Paris-Dakar Marathon. ‘Somewhat’, because it does not have the race-ready version’s wider rear wheel and tire package. And yet, it is convincing enough to be called a replica.

It may be the most practical motorcycle out there! And yet it isn’t for a lot of reasons. Its age being one of the biggest deterrents and the probable price the other. Looking at this motorcycle, it is evident that some people have spent a lot of money to get this bike into the shape it is in. This project was fueled by passion more than practicality as it seems unlikely that someone will offer a lot of money for this motorcycle. We would if we could, and that is why we hope that it fetches a whole lot of money because to be honest… and crazy, it deserves that money. If you are one of those people who’d like to have a big V-twin for that journey to nowhere and back, you can bid on Bring A Trailer… If you do, please tell us as well.









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I always liked the old Africa Twins. I was partial to the newer RD04 model, in its earliest incarnation when it still had the red/white/blue color scheme. Later editions and the RD07 had some pretty awful '90s paint jobs. Unfortunately the bike was never imported to the US in any great number; a small batch of about 30 did make it in, but no more, and they're impossible to find. That bike is what started me on my interest in adventure bikes, and is why I ride a Super Tenere today.

Here's the RD04, which had a 750cc engine:




Unlike the pictures in the OP, this one is street-legal. There was a street-legal version of the RD03 too, but neither one has the second fuel tank on the rear like the one shown in the OP does (that one is the Dakar race version).