No Reserve – 1988 Honda Africa Twin XRV650 RD03

Description

Additional photos are available here for your perusal.

Although Honda finally brought the Africa Twin stateside with its revival of the model in 2016, the US never officially got any of the previous iterations — including the one that started it all in 1988 (the XRV650 RD-03). As the first publicly available offering to bear the nameplate, the RD03 was a direct descendent of the legendary NXR750, a Honda Works bike that dominated the Dakar Rally in 1986 and continued to do so for the next three years.

And here’s the thing: Honda kept it as close to the Dakar race bike as possible, even going so far as to task HRC with its production. Beyond the bright red, white, and blue livery, it boasted a large 6.3-gallon saddle-style fuel tank, a set of sturdy 43mm Showa forks, a box-section aluminum swingarm with Pro-Link suspension, as well as a competition-style dash and plenty of crash protection: a headlight screen, a bash plate, and some hand guards.

For the powerplant, Honda took the 583cc, three-valve SOHC V-twin from the Transalp and bored it out to 647cc. Mated to a five-speed transmission and a pair of 32mm carbs, this resulted in 57hp, 42lb-ft of torque, and a top speed just shy of 105mph. Two aluminum radiators nestled behind the forks took care of cooling, while a full stainless steel system made up the exhaust.

As Honda describes in its overview of the Africa Twin’s history: “While market interest in large-displacement motorcycles produced in the late 1980s was largely focused on ‘racer replica’ super sports models, the Africa Twin’s positioning as a touring bike with off-road styling was, in a word, unique. Moreover, as most off-road models were powered by small to midsized engines, the Africa Twin’s large-displacement V-twin made it singularly extraordinary for its time.”

This example is VIN: RD035003629. It came to Iconic as an import from the UK; prior history is not known.

The odometer shows 65,394 kilometers (40,633 miles).

Maintenance:
In preparation for the listing, the seller had us replace the battery, the oil and oil filter, the coolant, and the brake fluid. We also torque-checked the fasteners and gave the bike a detail.

Steve did the work, he notes the following in his condition report:

Fuel Tank Internal: Ok
Tire Year Front/ Rear: 2021/2021
Tire % Front/ Rear: 90+/90+
Tire Press Front/ Rear: 30/32
Brake % Front/ Rear: 99/80
Hydraulic: NEW
Engine Oil: NEW
Coolant: NEW
Low Beam: OK
High Beam: OK
Turn: OK
Tail Light: OK
Brake Light: OK
Plate Light: OK
Kill: OK
Horn: OK
Battery: 12.6V, NEW
Test Ride: 11Km test ride, bike operates as intended.

Notes: SEAT DIRTY UNABLE TO CLEAN

Modifications:
This Africa Twin appears to be completely stock.

Inside of the tank:

It is riding on Continental Conti Escape tires with date codes of 3221 and 4121.

The sale includes two keys.

Cosmetic Blemishes: please see the album up top for all known cosmetic blemishes. Here is a selection:

Currently located at our facility in Santa Monica, California (please make an appointment for an inspection), this Honda is offered on a clean Oregon title. Please note that as an import, this bike lacks certain compliance and emissions stickers that the state of California would require to transfer a title. Have any Africa Twin stories or questions about this listing? Let us know in the “Comments” tab!