Honda SENSING RIDE Debuts on 2027 Africa Twin: Radar Safety for Two Wheels
Ten rider-assist features debut on the DCT-only 2027 CRF1150L Adventure Sports, with pricing and release dates still pending
At EICMA 2026 in Milan on November 3, Honda introduced Honda SENSING RIDE, a rider-assist system built from the Honda SENSING automobile safety suite and adapted for motorcycles. It uses millimeter-wave radar units mounted at the front and rear of the bike to monitor what is around it.
The technology launches on the 2027 CRF1150L Africa Twin Adventure Sports, a model Honda also revealed at the show. That version is available only with the Dual-Clutch Transmission, which handles automatic stops and smooth takeoffs alongside the system.
Honda SENSING RIDE combines ten functions. Adaptive cruise control keeps speed and following distance in traffic and works with stop-and-go. Group Ride Assist holds a set gap when riding with other riders. Distance Assist changes the gap when the rider moves the throttle near another vehicle. Emergency Brake Assist adds braking effort, while Forward Collision Warning, Brake Pulse, Blind Spot Information, Rear Collision Warning, and Rear Vehicle Proximity Notification deliver alerts through instruments and mirror indicators.
The launch model carries a larger 1,131cc parallel-twin engine, producing 117 hp at 7,500 rpm and 119 Nm at 5,750 rpm, up from the previous 1,084cc unit. A 24.2-liter fuel tank gives a claimed range of about 480 km.
The system fits into Honda’s Safety for Everyone program. The company targets a 50% cut in traffic collision fatalities involving its motorcycles and cars by 2030 versus 2020, with a goal of zero fatalities by 2050.
Honda is not alone in this space. Ducati’s Multistrada V4 became the first production motorcycle with front-and-rear radar when it entered production in late 2020, and KTM’s 1390 Super Adventure S EVO supports full stops and automatic starts for its adaptive cruise control. BMW and Kawasaki also sell motorcycles with radar-based rider assistance.
Honda has not announced pricing or release dates for the SENSING RIDE option, and it plans to roll the system out to more models gradually. The company warns that each feature has limits and that road, weather, and vehicle conditions can affect performance. Riders are asked not to treat the system as autonomous control.
