Bike of the year? 2024 Honda Transalp review

The 2023 Honda Transalp takes the new Hornet's thumping parallel twin and puts it in a taller adventure bike chassis, complete with a 21" front wheel, squishy seat and soft suspension. It doesn't sound like a terribly exciting recipe, but as we'll find out it's a lovely bike for awful British roads, and still has a hooligan streak…
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[@scubarubanzaii]

It’s more like a more powerful and slightly heavier CB500X. I have a 2023 500X and my dad has his new new 2024 Transalp, and I got to ride both back to back on a long highway ride in Utah, USA. The Transalp is an amazing chill cruising bike on the road. It’s marginally slower to react to turning than my 500X.

[@MishMashMoto]

👍🏼👍🏼

[@jhackett9482]

Got one a week ago. Everyone’s saying it’s boring and ugly but it looks pretty good in real life and it’s really fast in the upper rpm range. You didn’t like the seat but I think mines starting to break in after a few hundred miles. Biggest complaint is no fuel range readout.

[@Nono-ym4wu]

Excellent video, greetings from the US. I’ve been riding for years. I’ve had sport bikes, naked bikes, a Harley, a Goldwing and a Concours. I just bought the Transalp and now I’m setting it up with crash bars, skid plate and panniers and more. This bike should be the right bike for my up coming adventure.

[@patkennedy1]

An excellent video - love the British humour, which adds an extra flavour to the dry facts and figures parts. Nice when we don't take ourselves too seriously... I was expected to collect my Transalp next Monday, but they just rang to say it didn't arrive yesterday as expected. Disappointment! Like their demo bike didn't a couple of months ago. This roll-out has been rather fraught here, with delays in delivery stemming from April meaning we still haven't been able to get ours here in South Australia, while the eastern states ride about on them! So I continue watching videos until it does! Thanks for yours, and your positivism. I'll just have to go for a ride on my old Elefant while I wait.

[@danielmargrave539]

I live in Japan. I'm going to buy a Transalp! Ordered it at my local Honda Dealer. Muddy Puddle in Japanese is 泥の水たまり doro no mizutamari

[@timrodierides]

Arigato! Envious of your country of abode

[@matt2wheels]

Another excellent and entertaining review Tim! I am baffled why they didn't put cruise control on this. At this point, it's a must for me, especially on a bike that I can see taking on long trips.

[@ricardorgomez]

Great video! II hope to be getting back on a motorcycle this year and the Transalp is high on the list. I just have to get on it and see how I like it. But it should be fine. Honda did such a fantastic job at nailing this bike for the biggest group of 'adventure' rider out there. Great on the street and enough for the dirt. Comfortably and relatively cheaply. And you have Honda reliability. Most adventure riders don't do the crazier stuff that really dual-sport bikes can start to handle... Mostly some dirt and backroad roads and trails. But not much else. And for that, this bike looks to be a super option. Thanks again for the review!

[@daveo226]

Had mine for about 4 weeks now just got past first service and have to say it goes like a stabbed rat and corners like its on rails very pleased with it overall 👍

[@barneyapps2375]

I have one as well, but soon as I can I'm changing them Dunlops, I just don't have much confidence with them,

[@pigmeal2224]

How was airbox access?? 🤔🤔

[@barneyapps2375]

@@pigmeal2224Not had to go their yet, take it, it's fun buy the sounds of it.

[@7erdogdu]

​@barneyapps2375 I got Metzeller Karoo Street, and it's great.

[@Otto-AutoPilot]

I'm sure it's a great bike, but to my eyes, it lacks any kind of 'cool' or 'presence' like the Africa Twin does for example. Just a bit too passive, understated and feeble looking - the headlight really doesn't help.

[@davidsandilands1285]

It’s a Honda not a Ducati, ride one

[@Otto-AutoPilot]

@@davidsandilands1285 I've got to at least like the look, so it's a pass for me. I bought a different Honda.

[@davidsandilands1285]

fair point buddy@@Otto-AutoPilot

[@scubarubanzaii]

Do you need to worry that much about how you’re perceived?

[@Otto-AutoPilot]

@@scubarubanzaii Not interested in how I'm perceived, I'm interested in whether I like the look of it and whether it makes me feel good and want to look back on it and smile.

[@easyfromtnbtw3555]

Just bought one a few days ago and so far it’s really good on the road I like it a lot

[@pistolpete6321]

Great review.

[@davidsandilands1285]

It may lack a cruise option, soft suspension and tubeless tyres, but I love the bike, it’s fast, its light, it handles and it be will be reliable even though I totally thrash it.

[@Rifleman61]

How may it lack soft suspension, when Tim in the video tells us "the suspension is very soft"!? '

[@DC_Cha_Cha_Cha]

Really good video, love it. Ive got a Hornet which is an amazing bike, Transalp looks ace 👌

[@timrodierides]

Thank you! Hope you're having lots of fun on your Hornet

[@DC_Cha_Cha_Cha]

@@timrodierides It's a proper weapon and eggs me on to ride like I stole it 🤣🤣🤣

[@flexywing]

Wife's got a Hornet 750, and I'm looking to get a Transalp, bring it on

[@BikingChap]

Nice review! I don't really know what to make of the Transalp, the 21" front wheel and tubeless tyres scream 'take me seriously off road" but the 'hang low' exhaust screams out that this is a nippy, sit up and beg commuter with a bit of off road styling. At £2,500 more than the identically engined Hornet, I'm not convinced.

[@Steve-motorcycles]

泥の水たまり 😂 another exciting review I agree, the Honda hornet engine 750 is a little peach.

[@jasonshore2651]

'Like your uncles ballbag' 😂

[@timjones1236]

Love my white, a fantastic bike. There’s lots of aftermarket stuff on sale now to farkle up the specs.

[@philipwall8248]

Great review.. I have had the Transalp 750 for a year now, previously owned the Africa Twin 1100 adventure sports. The 750 Transalp is an excellent bike, seat is better than crf1100 and there is not much of a power difference. I prefer the 750 definitely makes me smile..

[@timrodierides]

Thank you! Glad you're enjoying the 750

[@alexanderthoj2851]

Lol I'm an Asian American rider and that konnichiwa intro had me laughing my ass off. Hilarious subscribed right after

[@timrodierides]

Thank you! Appreciate it :)

[@modger]

Everyone complaing about cruise control havent ridden in uk, i never find a stretch of quiet straight road where i could use it

[@albertlira7443]

I don't think i got an alert for the release of this video until today the 20th Tim. Great looking bike. Are there any wind deflectors that work well for you? Seems they all send the air right at your face

[@timrodierides]

They all annoy me to be honest! And yeah, KZbin's stopped showing this video to anyone. Weird...

[@albertlira7443]

@timrodierides you just need to stop being so tall man. I wonder what happened with the release

[@7erdogdu]

I am 186cm 6"1 and feel no wind on helmet at all.

[@KairyuRider]

I with we could get the grey here in Japan. They are all made here, we be all settle for white. I guess better than the tendré world raid that doesn’t even sell here

[@ShaneZettelmier]

So would you say this is more like a mini Africa twin or a big CB500X?

[@timrodierides]

It's sort of its own thing, but size wise it feels a bit closer to an Africa Twin - it feels pretty grown up

[@mloclam6917]

The old transalp had the blandest engine so this looks much much better

[@OrangeGenerator]

The Japanese term for "muddy tire" could be expressed as "泥まみれのタイヤ" (Doro mamire no taiya). In this phrase, "泥" (Doro) means mud, "まみれ" (mamire) means smeared or covered in, and "タイヤ" (taiya) means tire.

[@timrodierides]

Haha thank you! My brain just got bigger

[@ikbendusan]

was the japanese "taiya" derived from the english "tyre"?

[@alsacs3635]

Does this bike come with the Flash-to-pass light switch?

[@reverseroundhouse]

Yes

[@ShaneZettelmier]

I thought transalp meant taking a dirt bike and adapting it to work in the twisties.

[@DBAUG]

It looks exactly as it should look. It's TRANSALP. Like the 600, through the 650, 700. just TRANSALP. For 37 years now...

[@BikingChap]

Now look at the older Transalps and look at how they routed the exhaust and then look a this one and how they look to have taken it from the NC750x with no thought whatsoever above even the lightest of off road ability / protection.

[@Robert8455]

The grey black color combo is just boring, who the heck is in charge of the colors? Curious how this stacks up against the Yamaha T7? It seems like more of a blank slate where its expected that you buy more accessories to improve where the stock design falls short. I have not see this one on the Honda website in the USA so not sure we will get it over here. Looks like it could do some off road but I don't think you tried that? Got more questions than answers.

[@Eris-sp6yt]

A 184 cm Transalp owner here. I can confirm that stock windshield is terrible for that hight. Dirty wind hit my head in the hight of my eyes making cruising in the city around 40-50 km/h terrible. So I bought a taller aftermarket windshield and with that problem solved, perfect! I don't really miss the cruise controll but asked mccruise if they will support this bike. Here is their answer: "We are hoping to release a cruise for this model towards the end of the year if possible, or early next year." Also if you connect your phone (Honda app) via bluetooth you will have outside temp on the dashboard. (via internet so not that preciese)

[@flexywing]

pwdl mwdlyd, guess which part of Japan im from 😅

[@AdrianHollington-vm9qz]

Come on mr Rodie ride it in 20 to 30 mph limits and highlight how jerky this bike is at low speeds. Mechanic at Honda told me it’s the gearing and so deliberate. Seems rubbish to me when in UK we constantly hit villages at 30mph. So much adjustment yet can’t get this bike to ride smoothly in town. Mechanic said all Honda bikes under 500cc are designed for city riding while 600 and above are not.

[@benschofield7565]

I'm sure it's great, but it looks like something that could have been on 'Tomorrow's World' in 1990. At least there's no Big Bird front end.

[@timrodierides]

Haha 'The bike of the future'. I miss Tomorrow's World!

[@benschofield7565]

@timrodierides how would you rate this over an 800GS? There's a lot of comparisons with the Aprilia, Teneré and the V-strom but the middleweight beamers don't seem to get the same coverage.

[@EJK1965]

Have you been stalking my uncle again ?

[@timrodierides]

Has he just bought one?!

[@michaeld2587]

Honda engineering is still top notch….it’s their visual design language that’s rather boring to me.

[@68orangecrate26]

Not the golden bike in the US. It’s the black bike… The only color it comes in.🤨

[@brucekendall52]

Budget suspension for an Adv bike,no cruise control=no sale.

[@Dan-56]

泥の水たまり。Because you asked for it 🤪.

[@timrodierides]

あなたは私の水を汚してしまいました

[@Dan-56]

@@timrodierides🌊💩😱!

[@dave8549]

Why give tank capacity in liters, then fuel consumption in MPG? It's like mixing up English and Japanese, but with numbers. How am I supposed to work out tank range without ringing up Prof. Michio Kaku? And tubed tyres! Seriously? Straight outta the Middle Ages. And, why do they put the uncomfortable seat on it when they have a comfort seat as an option? Do some people prefer the uncomfortable one?

[@timrodierides]

Good point, it's because we buy fuel in the UK in litres, but use mpg for our fuel consumption. I blame Brexit. I'm not sure about people preferring the uncomfortable one, but I'm sure Honda's bottom line prefers the accessories profit in the comfort one :D

[@podunkman2709]

This is mainly road bike so tub tires decision is just...

[@Oscar240z]

No remote preload!!! Very poor. Also outside temperature display? Hate the look of the new V Strom but it’s better specked so for me the Honda is not as good

[@BN1960]

No cruise, no buy A big swing and a miss from Honda for tbe sake of a 30 quid part they could charge £250 for As in MotoGP they failed to read the future and got it wrong - a big shame as I really would have bought one Fools

[@BikingChap]

Fools because they don't put cruise control on a bike? I've never felt the need and don't worry about spec lists unless it's something useful to me and setting cruise on this for endless motorway miles seem to miss the point of the bike to me.

[@bluevalkyrie2517]

Yes, I could see that you would not need cruise if you live on an island. @@BikingChap

[@BikingChap]

@@bluevalkyrie2517 different uses I guess. If folk use them to sit on motorways / highways for hours on end I guess it helps. I'd rather see the country I'm riding through and in Europe I'll happily put in 6-9hr days but try and avoid the autoroutes if at all possible so cruise control is of little use to me.

[@benj5386]

Looks less of a bike than the cb500x. Just on looks to my amateur eye.

[@gerryryan2302]

It does look rather bland …even in the nice white and blue , my money would go on a Yamaha tenere

[@PwnstarUK]

I found it really top heavy

[@podunkman2709]

"New engine" and all the old flaws. It vibrates terribly at high revs and... whistles. The decision to equip this motorcycle with tube tires was... strange.