Honda CRF1000L Africa Twin: "how I reach you 5,965 meters"

The other day we anticipated this, today, we can give you the certain, finished, complete news! The Honda CRF1000L Africa Twin conquered in Chile, at Nevado Ojos del Salado - the volcano on the border between Argentina and Chile that at 6,891 meters is the highest in the world - an absolute record: 5,965 meters as the highest altitude reached by a twin-cylinder motorcycle.The record-breaking expedition team consisted of our friend Carlo Fiorani, Motorcycle PR and Racing Communication Director of Honda Motor Company; Salvo Pennisi, Director of Metzeler's Experimentation Department; journalists Francesco Catanese and Karsten Schwers; and enduro champion Fabio Mossini, now with Honda Team South America.

The record was a true team achievement: the riders took turns riding the Africa Twin and a support CRF450RX overcoming 5,900 meters of altitude in just 22 hours and 30 minutes starting from sea level.The overall record was achieved by Fabio Mossini who managed to take his Honda Africa Twin to 5,965 meters, the highest altitude ever reached by a twin-cylinder motorcycle.

SUPER... METZELER - Thanks to the crucial collaboration of Metzeler, the bikes were equipped with the new MC 360 tires, specific for extreme off-road riding and soon to be available in sizes for the new Africa Twin. In fact, the expedition to Chile represented the most severe final test, the purpose being to verify under extreme conditions the levels of performance, wear, versatility and tear resistance at extreme environmental temperatures: from the 40° of the Copiapó desert to the -15° of the Andean altitudes.

The record-breaking feat kicked off on February 24 from Copiapó, the capital of the Atacama region of Chile. The challenge of reaching the closest possible extreme height of 6,000 meters in 24 hours from sea level was even more difficult because of the choice not to use oxygen. Reaching the Tejos refuge at 5.837 meters, after facing stretches of deep sand and ice sheets, the group ran into a nasty surprise: at 5,900 meters ice formations known as "penitentes," typical of these lashing windswept areas, prevented any possibility of further ascent. At that point Fabio Mossini riding the Africa Twin, supported by the excellent Metzeler MC360s, managed to reach 5,965 meters setting the world record for two-cylinder motorcycles, following the path opened a few moments earlier by the much more agile CRF450RX. A great test of the Africa Twin-Metzeler pairing.