http://crosstrainingenduro.com Our Honda Transalp review! We actually summarised a pile of reviews last year but now our Canadian cousins have tested the beast and reported in. Welcome to Cross Training Adventure, we are into all things dual sport and adventure on the east coast of Australia. They released the very first model in 1986 and called it a ‘new concept touring motorbike’. It wasn’t exactly a new concept. BMW and other brands were also creating adventure models that could eat up the highway miles and behave well off-road as well. Keen on adventure riding in Australia? Check out our vids. But of course it had Honda’s legendary reliability which guaranteed it would become popular. A quick history of Honda Transalp models and their known issues and a Honda XL750 Transalp review. Believe it or not, Honda used to be serious about enduro and adventure motorbikes in the 1980s. The first model was the Honda Transalp 600 and ran from 1986 to 1999. A bit heavy but it had the 21 inch front wheel for good off-road manners. If you like dual sport riding in Australia then you might like our adventure riding vids. In 2023 they released the Honda Transalp XL750. Check out our reviews of various adventure bikes and dual sport bikes. It went back to the 21 inch front wheel and finally Honda got serious about shedding some weight. Curb weight is 208kg which is similar to the competition – Yamaha’s Tenere 700 and KTM’s 890. Unlike earlier Transalp models, the suspension and brakes are really working well. Handling? All the reviewers said the road handling was superb and could well be best-in-class. The Honda Transalp 750 is very light and flickable. A few owners reported rattles in the head unit, spokes that rusted easily, and some head-shake. What about the new Honda Transalp 750 model? It hasn’t been around long enough to have any long-term reports. Some great news. So how reliable is the Transalp 600? The early 600 and 650 models? Owners say the engine is incredibly reliable. Generally the only issues reported by some riders are overly soft suspension, soft brakes, and cheap plastics that break easily. The Honda Transalp 700 model? The second generation was 2000 to 2007 and engine was upped to a Honda Transalp 650. This is what I’m riding here in Romania. Generation three? 2008 to 2012. The engine went to 680cc and oddly they put the smaller 19 inch front wheel on the Honda Transalp 700. And finally generation four. Again, very reliable. It likes to rev and and has a strong top-end with 91 horsepower. But it has plenty of low-down grunt too. Early reports indicate it will be cheaper than all its competitors: KTM 890, Tenere 700, Aprilia Tuareg and even the Chinese made CF Moto 800MT. We scanned a pile of current reviews to find complaints about the new Transalp. And there isn’t much to complain about. Despite a range of settings, most Honda Transalp test riders felt the ABS and traction control aren’t very good for off-road riding and just turned them off. The new Transalp 750 may not be as dirt-worthy as its competition, but it really stands out as an 80/20 motorbike… 80% road riding and 20% off-road riding. Ever owned a Honda Transalp? Or thinking of buying the new Honda Transalp 750? Cross Training Adventure actively avoids sponsorship. We like doing seriously critical reviews. Manufacturers make some really bad mistakes. and there is a lot of dodgy crap being sold out there. Instead of glowing dual sport reviews for kickbacks or free product, we will try to keep the buggers honest. So subscribe. Or don’t subscribe to our Cross Training Adventure riding channel. The main thing is get out and ride while you can with dual sport riding or Adventure riding in Australia, Canada, Vietnam, Romania and beyond! So check out Cross Training Adventure. Let us know in the comments. The windscreen isn’t adjustable and one review mentioned some wind buffeting. There’s no quick-shifter on the Honda Transalp 750. mThe old style rims mean tubed tyres only. However, all the reviewers pointed out that these issues come down to price. The Honda XL750 Transalp is shaping up to be the cheapest model in its class so obviously some bling will be missing. The good stuff? The short-stroke engine was a real hit with everyone. This is one of our three channels, there’s also a Cross Training Trials channel, and a Cross Training Enduro channel. So most of our adventure riding vids will feature the much loved bush pig, the Suzuki DR650.
Our enduro channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/CrossTrainingEnduroSkills
Our trials channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/MOTOTRIALSTRAININGTECHNIQUES
CREATIVE COMMONS FOOTAGE
Thanks to Moto Real Ride for footage from two of his videos under Creative Commons.
Honda TransAlp XL750 2023 – Gravel Road Ride https://youtu.be/t_ESWi9_aMU
Honda Transalp 2023 XL750 – Ride – HQ Engne Sound https://youtu.be/SJYHaXHzwyA
#crosstrainingadventure #adventureriding #hondatransalp #dualsportriding
#hondaxl750
After lots of requests we reported on the Honda Transalp last year. Our summary? Great on-road performance but a 21 inch front wheel and reasonably light provide good off-road credentials too. Plenty of power delivered in a very linear fashion. It lacks some of the more advanced electronics that geeks would appreciate.
But it’s a bargain price combined with Japanese reliability. Our Canadian cousins finally got to test the Honda Transalp for several days so I will hand you over to Dallas for his impressions. I’m Dallas and welcome to Traction eRag. Today we are going to talk about the Honda Transalp.
I gave the Transalp back to Outback Motortech who lent us this motorcycle. And they armoured it up, because you cannot give Traction eRag a motorcycle without armour. Because we will destroy it and then be on your Blacklist forever. The Honda Transalp has been a very confusing motorcycle.
From the moment it was a sparkle in Honda’s eye, Honda fans have been speculating aggressively about what they expect from this Transalp. Everyone seems to want the ‘unicorn’ and I don’t think many manufacturers are willing to produce that motorcycle. 30 years after the first Transalp, Honda announced this one.
A lot of people thought it was going to be a a baby Africa Twin. If you know about the Africa twin it’s the same concept. It’s an old bike with a cult-like status that was designed for off-roading. And it was reintroduced in 2015. It was like people’s heads exploded, especially Honda fans!
I think this motorcycle has proven itself worthy of being an Africa Twin, no matter what the haters say. I think Honda sold over a million of f the Africa Twins. So that is a a very good production of what Honda set out to do. Honda fans hoped for a middleweight adventure
Motorbike that would compete directly with yamaha’s T7. And it raised those expectations so high with Honda fans that this motorbike was going to compete against the T7. And it doesn’t really. So we got ourselves a proper set of knobbies from Motoz, who we love. They sent us Motoz Rally tires for this motorcycle.
There was a very very high likelihood that Honda would be able to produce a good road motorbike, they’ve been building street bikes since 1949. We tried it out. It’s silky smooth, it’s electric, beautiful power, decent handling. You could run through the twisties with this thing easily and fast.
The Internet judges these adventure bikes solely on off-road capability. It doesn’t get the badge of honor unless it does very well off-road. It does better off-road than you think it’s going to. I can say assuredly. People that are poo-pooing it, the keyboard Warriors who have an opinion… what I find
Over all these years of doing this is most people haven’t ridden the motorbike yet. They have a very strong opinion about the Transalp and I don’t think that that’s fair because motorcycle chemistry is a thing! The Transalp is on the spectrum between the T7 and a GS800.
The very first thing you notice is it’s got a tremendously low center of gravity. It doesn’t feel topheavy, and when it starts to tip it doesn’t tip nearly as as aggressively as a topheavy motorbike. The engine is Honda. It is going to be reliable, this doesn’t need to be said.
It’s not overwhelmingly powerful, your eyes aren’t going to water when you twist the throttle. It is quick. There’s no question. The power comes on, but it’s very predictable. I like this motorcycle because it is predictable and it’s got a linear power curve and there’s no surprises. A lot of people mention ground clearance.
I think ground clearance is important when you’re off-roading but if you’re going to be going into terrain where this motorcycle is going past its clearance you’ve probably chosen the wrong tool for the job. This is not a aggressive off-road motorcycle, no matter how badly people wanted it to be. That’s a fantasy.
It’s not that. The computer. What you’re looking for is you want a interface that makes sense it’s not too complicated and you don’t got to work too hard inside the interface. The Transalp has a pretty clean understandable interface, it’s not super complicated, but it it has it has all the modern choices.
It’s got a bunch of modes on it like every other motorbike. Is the Transalp deserving of all the criticism? No! It’s not… because it is what it is. It’s a very reliable, very predictable, very friendly, Swiss army knife that does
A little bit of off-road and it does the road too… I would think pretty damn well. The Transalp is for someone who is more practical and leans more to the side of of reliability and predictability. None of these things are a bad thing! They’re not bad.
If you are a human that leans in that direction I think the Transalp is a good choice. It’s hard to say something negative about the Translp in the space that it was aimed for. Reliability. Practicality. Easy to live with. Not scary. It’s a labador retriever in the motorcycle world.
Have you ridden the Honda Transalp? Do you own one? We are very keen to hear your thoughts. Lets us know in the comments.
40 Comments
Last year we did a meta-review of the Honda Transalp here: https://youtu.be/Zb0LZx1iE20 This video is now a personal review because our guys got to ride the XL750 for a few days and report back.
AUSTRALIAN PRICE COMPARISON!
Honda Transalp AUD$15800 ride away.
Yamaha T7 $20,300
KTM 890R $24,900
Not sure about other countries, but the Honda is priced about the same as the Chinese 800MT Explore. Thinking of a T7? I'd be more inclined to buy the Transalp and have $4500 to save or use to upgrad the suspension.
Video credit: Thanks to Moto Real Ride for footage from two of his videos under Creative Commons.
Honda TransAlp XL750 2023 – Gravel Road Ride https://youtu.be/t_ESWi9_aMU
Honda Transalp 2023 XL750 – Ride – HQ Engne Sound https://youtu.be/SJYHaXHzwyA
I ride an older 2010 BMW F800GS and will be considering the Transalp as a replacement as I am aging and the Beemer is getting a little high now.
orginal transalp 600 owner. thay build to do everything not everything well. it will get u there. i love my transalp i love try new one i see the diffence is.
I sat on one. Has a very low center of gravity. What I have found is that I just like smaller bikes. Swapped bikes with a guy I know (he rode my DR and I rode his klx230s). I was giggling like a little kid the entire time. A very pure motorcycling experience. On a bigger bike I feel too much like I'm in a car, I suppose. That said I liked the Transalp. Was as comfortable as the T7 in terms of the riding position for a taller guy.
"If you're going to be going into terrain where this motorcycle is past its clearance, you've probably chosen the wrong tool for the job."
Best statement about its ground clearance I have heard so far (at about 4:40 ish)
My Transalp 750 is only ridden on the road, of which it's great at. My dirtbike is for playing.
i got one and love it only have about 150 street miles on it up here in New England i bought it for what it is a HONDA ADV bike not a dirt bike waiting for my skid plate and a few other things before it hits an type of off road adventures (dirt roads and simple trails the bike is what it is and not a big dirt bike
I think we are spoiled for choice really. I've done 4000kms on mine and love it. Probably would have loved a T7 or an 800de as well.
Enjoy the competition, it's great for us all. If we all looked at spec sheets alone, we'd probably all be riding KTM's.
Taken it on tracks the stock tyres didn't love, and apparently the bike can't do, I'm no gun, but the bike gives me confidence.
I just like riding it. I think that counts for something.
I understand it has some shortcomings, no unicorn dakar bike, but it is what it is, a versatile well priced Japanese bike.
PS I'm not sure why everyone is so fascinated with tubeless tyres? Hardly reinventing the wheel. Does this mean my 20 year old corolla daily driver has got some street cred with how it stores its air inside rubber?
Thanks Dallas. I'd like to take some of the keyboard haters to the canyon and see if they can actually ride the bike they own on anything harder than a farm lane. Sadly, most can not afford a true unicorn adv and if it existed, they'd keep it on the gravel. I've had open invitations to do it but only a handful ever have, and only two have come back for more.
I'd like to have the white European model to match my '89 Transalp. But it has been retired to light duty and replaced by a pair of 950 Adventures.
Non adjustable, overwelmed suspension, more so than usual, and pain in the ass to do any maintenance such as replace an air filter seem to be the most significant disappointments to me. It takes a thousand dollars to get a mediocre suspension, and two to three times that for a good one. Honda could have done so much better most would be prefer to pay marginally more for.
I got one,happy with it,except the torque below 4000 rpm;I tried the v strom 800 DE,the engine is better at low rpm,but the weigh is 22kgs more than the transalp,at the same weigh I would have taken the suzuki!nothing is perfect ;for an adventure bike ,I wish i could put the v strom engine in the transalp…
Very good review, it's a fun bike too, I hope to get one.
I think this video sums up what the Transalp is the best way possible! Thank you, great job!
I'm pissed off that they're trying to pass off the Africa Twin as the new "Transalp"… it was never a good bike in terms of a variety of reasons.
3:47 Interesting placement of Yamaha WR250R on the spectrum
If it had Tubeless tires ,km s till empty and outside air temp .would consider it.
My 650 Vstrom has all that and is considerably cheaper .
Instead Honda offer a Grip Angle on the dash .
Who on earth would use that useless information.
One of the best crisp no BS review of the Alpy..
If the T7 never existed, there's a good chance I'd own one of these instead. I see it as a road bike with some off-road capability and a fun engine.
What's happened to the KLR to DR video? I've wanted to open it again to look at the nice mods on the DR, but I can't find it.
I have ridden and do own the Transalp. I would say that for 90+ % of riders this bike will do most anything you ask of it and perform as well as 90+% of any other bike in a given genre. Is it the best off road bike at the weight and price point?–NO. Is it the best on road bike at the weight, power, and price point?–NO. Is it the best riding the line between the two at this given power, weight, and price point?–I would say YES! I like the way that this review put it–The Honda Transalp is the "Swiss Army" knife or the "Labradore". Anyone who has been around a Lab or a Swiss Army knife knows how perfectly this description fits. Excellent content. I would buy a Transalp all over again and it is my "overall" favorite bike that I have ever owned (been riding since 1987). …And with $3k in upgrades/mods, an owner could easily close most of the gaps (i.e. cruise control, heated grips, protection, tires, storage, etc.) that may be desired (still well below the price of an Africa Twin, BMW GS, etc.).
The biggest problem with the new Transalp cannot be fixed in any way, its the ridiculous oil pan shape that is way too close to the ground. also the pipes are routed UNDER the frame which is the worst possible spot for them. It would make a "decent" touring bike, but it was a very disappointing motorcycle overall.
It was between a TA and a T7. I picked the TA for several reasons over the T7.
1. Better wind protection
2. Comfier seat
3. Punchier engine
4. Fantastic handling on the street
5. Low seat height and centre of gravity
6. Price. It was the same price new as a secondhand T7 here in Australia and considerably cheaper than the competition.
Mines got handguards, crash bars, radiator guard and bash plate. I’ve got upgraded suspension for it from YSS that needs to go in. But I’ve clocked nearly 10,000km on mine since October of last year. It’s an awesome bike!
I really like my TA it’s pretty good on the curvy roads around the lake and the quick shifter works great
My 2024 transalp is the best bike ever !!!!
You expressed exactly what I feel.
I'm 50 years old. I've been fortunate enough to ride the earliers models late 90s and 00s. Transalp it's a jack-of-all-trades bike. 80% road, 20% 'off-roadish'.. I remember back in the day , before this hype of ADV bikes/off-road, all my friends with Transalps not even one, I repeat one ! Ride the bike off road or even think about it. It was a beautiful bike, with a fantastic seat position. With a nice Smooth eng8ne , but with growl sound, good for Turing and the city, with reliability ( many still out there). This is the ADN of Transalp. And this is why it's a cult , and this is why I rush to buy again the new one. Cheers ride safe.
At last! Do we have the perfect bike for us aged riders??? Better than the no-frills DR650 but almost up to T700 levels? The BIG question is, is it as good as the CFMoto 800MT Explore??? Does it matter? Not really. We are finally spoilt for choice so take your pick! Thanks for the review Dallas, it brings a reality check to those that think they are Pol Tarres and want to ride their T700 at Romainiacs.
I kind of like the Transalp from what I have seen on reviews. I think the T7 looks better. I don’t really go off road. Just some trails and fire roads. I am leaning towards the Transalp.
I'm interested in buying 1, but the air filter location is a concern. I had an AT and was a pain to check and clean
Ahahahahhahahahahah😂 Call that am adventure bike. No wonder KTM slay the opposition. Jesus, watching the videos it's almost decking out on the flat ground!
Transalp, the only adventurebike without an ambient temperature on the dash ?
3:42 I like your chart/scale – if I ride my trials bike to a Starbucks, do I get a prize ?
I have a lighty kitted TA and a heavily modified bushpig among other bikes and have been riding for about 30 years. If I had to keep only one bike, it would be the TA. It is an absolute joy on back country roads both paved and gravel. It feels like it will handle terrible off-road, but I am constantly reminded it does the job better than I expect it to. I find myself thinking "that was easier than I thought it would be" when I hit a rougher spot. The bushpig is rowdy, loud and angry, and I love it, but the TA is just plain better at everything, except maybe some tight single track (which it was never designed for). The bushpig isn't the best at that either but easier to manage. Overall, I knew the TA wasn't a KTM500 woods bike when I got it, but it has to be the smoothest, best all around and daily livable bike I think I have ever owned.
The Transalp is a better bike than it seems at first. About to hit 12,000 kms on mine (in South Australia) and it has 'grown on me' over the last six months. I think I bought the first one here, and actually got a good deal on the bike – even better than listed. It goes about its work without 'hoo-hah' – just a capable, easy, not-too-heavy bike that can go most places. Smooth, excellent economy and range (400 kms) and of course a very competitive price. Enough left for suspension work.
It may not be for those who want to look like they're just back from the Sahara, but it is far more capable than some critics realise. At about 6,000 kms this bike starts to make a lot of sense, and I found myself enjoying it more than I'd expected to. Thanks for a well expressed review of this intangible feature – ease of ownership, of a capable 'all-round' motorcycle.
I wasn't sure I'd like the Transalp after watching a few reviews. I rode one a few months back and I REALLY liked it. I almost bought one. I really like the engine and transmission. The quickshifter is great. The seating position and seat height are perfect for me at 5' 10". For the type of riding I do, It think it would be ideal. I think I'm the type of person they aimed the bike for. I am not into hill climbing or riding over boulders. I ride the dirt, chert, and gravel backroads. They can be a little rough and muddy and there are tons of creek crossings. My only real problem with the bike is the location of the air filter. Why in the world would you put it under the fuel tank? I may still buy a Transalp. I just can't decide if I want an adventure bike or true dual sport to replace my Versys-x 300.
The honda Ridgeline of motocycles. It will fool boatload of folks that will use the cheapest parts they can find to farkel it out.
I bought a Transalp 4 months ago and have put 4400 miles on it so far. Very impressed, this is a complete package combining capability on & off pavement. It's stellar as a road bike, you will need some add-ons to make it capable off-road. I added the Honda crash bars & skid plate, Barkbusters handguards, and the radiator protector adding about $1K to the price, but it's still a terrific value. It has plenty of power, is well-balanced, and the weight distribution and seat height are user-friendly.
Wait what? You think the DR650 is further towards trials than the wr250r and crf300l? That's pretty wild.
I'm new to motorcycles, granted, but so far I'd feel much more comfortable on the lighter weight option over rocks and in the mud.
I bought the TA 750 here in Europe and made 3K kms on it already (I know it's not much). I ride with my wife 99% of the time, so T7 or Tuareg were not a choice for me. Yet, I did not need a monstrosity like a GS1300 or Tiger 1200, as I prefer to go where I want, and trying to manage a big ADV with my wife at the back might be tough for a 75 kgs guy like me. So TA 750 turned out to be the perfect tool: it's an amazing road bike with way more off-road capabilities than what I am planning to put it to. And I totally agree with this review: if you lack TA's off-road capabilities then you got the wrong tool for the job (or chosen the wrong path for the bike). TA 750 is a bike that will get me and my wife far, with all the stuff we need for the travel, and then when we happen to hit some gravel – we won't stop.
It's not correct to compare TA 750 to T7, as these two bikes were built with absolutely different purposes in mind: if you ride T7 on road – you're just wasting the bike's potential; if you're using TA 750 as a pure off-road bike, then you've made a wrong choice.
The only thing I dislike in TA 750 is the suspension: it is way too squishy even on hardest pre-load. But I hope to fix it with a sent of HyperPro springs
So, as a conclusion: there is no real alternative on the market to TA 750 if you're looking for a light-weight comfortable adventure bike for long travel with a passenger and some load, capable both of doing highway speeds and going on gravel without fear to damage the bike and yourself.
I bought a transalp about a month ago, put about 1200 miles on it maybe 50 miles off road in death valley California, I love the bike, it has a very smooth motor, handles like a dream on the road and through twisties, the front stock tire felt a little washy off road, needs more aggressive tires for off road riding for sure. The stock exhaust sound is wonderful, not to load but has a good tone. For me it was a great choice, I love the reliability factor, I love the performance on the street, and I look forward to some light off road exploring! Safe riding my friends!