Honda XL750 Transalp Review: 2023's Best New Adventure Motorcycle?

[@gregjoubert5118]

I like the bike. I really wish it came with cruise control and tubeless wheels.

[@francescoporcari8597]

Go for the tuareg then

[@charierasiplease]

out of curiosity, new rider here, why tubeless?

[@Motovibes91]

@@charierasiplease removing the rear wheel on the road is a pia and also requires a centrestand, also most rear tyres are very stiff and are a pia to get them off the wheel. It will take at least an hour to do if you're not that experienced. A tubeless tyre can be plugged in 5 mins

[@fredrik999z]

@@charierasiplease Less risk for punctures and you can fix it yourself without many tools. Tubeless tires are lighter, more comfortable and runs cooler so they last longer. In other words for any serious long trip or adventure riding away from civilization tubeless tires are the only option. Tubed tires are only suitable for motocross and enduro tracks where you want a really strong rim but nowhere else.

[@gregjoubert5118]

@@francescoporcari8597 I would but the dealer network is small and the closest one to me is 4.5 hours away.

[@Xlac]

I wish the headlight was more Dakar like

[@motobob]

Agreed - would finish it off nicely

[@nicofonce]

I had a Transapl 25 years ago and I loved it to bits. Never missed a beat, and I was trashing it all the time. This new one is surely HIGH up my shortlist.

[@wanionwombat9338]

I owned a 1990 Transalp for 12 years. Loved that bike!

[@Kevin97587]

The main question isnt 'is this the middleweight adventure bike to buy in 2023?' but rather : how available will this bike be in 2023? because supply issues have been an on going problem in most parts of the world and most have 6months upto a year of waiting lists. Remember the NT1100? all these new bikes suffer the same issue, way too high demand and zero supply.

[@Devastator123]

Truth! We can’t even get Africa twins here in Nevada

[@elobiretv]

​@@jakeviolet2195 They are everywhere in the UK, I wonder why other countries seem to be struggling for them.

[@DJPTEXAS]

I'm in Texas and have yet to see a Yamaha Tenere 700 anywhere at any dealer or on the road.....I keep looking.

[@DJPTEXAS]

@@jakeviolet2195 Me too.....

[@DJPTEXAS]

@@Devastator123 I think the Japanese have given up on the USA and just focus on Europe.

[@Parkyste]

I like the TransAlp… nice looking bike and great spec… But I still think a second hand Standard Africa twin would be the better buy.

[@DerpEye]

I have an AT1000, and i've seen this the other day, also tried the Hornet. Yep, i'm sticking to my AT.

[@blackskunk54]

The AT is a fantastic bike but said goodbye after 2 yrs, just too heavy for me as a YAP (young aged pensioner), The TA is a lot lighter so gonna have a demo soon.

[@allwheeldrive]

This segment is pretty awesome with the Transalp and DE, now. Incredibly good rigs! Still, and inexplicably, there is NO excuse to not even offer cruise control on these bikes. If the manufacturers think it'll force buyers into the next category up, they're crazy. What it will do, though, is kill some sales, even sending more into the used market for those next-level bikes that have it. For anyone who ACTUALLY does miles, it's a no-brainer. Wrist-rest and throttle lock sales will surely see a bump. Thanks for a great review, MB!

[@bwlyon]

Agree, even Aprilia’s Tuareg 660 has Cruise Control. I, for the life of me, can’t figure out why Honda and Suzuki haven’t put this simple feature on their middle weight ADV motorcycles. It’s enough to prevent me from buying, one. Cruise Control should be considered mandatory. 6:47

[@marcochavane3124]

They don't want to cannibalize sales on their larger bikes.

[@mrspeigle1]

Agreed, I'm willing to accept no cruise on a sub 8k bike, or on a dual sport, but I get a adv touring bike so I can handle the long slab haul to the trail head.

[@MyersJ2Original]

@@bwlyon the ONLY complaint with my Tenere 700 is lack of cruise control. Hell I came to this video because I thought the transalp would have it :(

[@alexjson]

Personally cruise control is overrated. I've had it on my 750GS for the last 2.5 years and I've maybe used it 6 times, more out of novelty than anything else and I've done plenty of touring on that bike.

[@scottydiver5114]

The review of this bike sounds exactly the way I feel about my 1989 Honda Transalp, I've been riding it for thirty years and it's never missed a beat. It's great on the road and competent offroad

[@dizzyreckless5991]

Awesome job as usual mate! Purely subjectively, I find this thing to be as ugly as all heck. It's a shame they decided to make no effort on the design front and just 'upscaled' the already seriously ugly 500x. No doubt a good bike and I suppose if you just need two wheels and don't care about aesthetics (or perhaps you actually think this looks good?), then I'm sure this is a good choice. Kinda like buying a toyota corolla.

[@ruffleschips9055]

I can't define a motorcycle as a touring bike if it is chain driven.

[@VonKirda]

???

[@ourspanishadventures]

Good review but for me this bike is disappointing in so many ways. Honda can do so much better .what are they thinking.

[@v795619]

Great review. Jumped on the configurator and just about everything is an optional accessory and £££'s. When spec'd similar to others it really isn't much cheaper!

[@nickbrigg5203]

What equipment does it have over the hornet to justify the additional 2.5k price? It seems like adventure bikes are a couple of grand more because ADV riders can afford it rather than any difference in manufacturing costs

[@Planet_Wax]

Put the CB500X 19" and 17" wheels on that and you have the perfect road tourer. Simple as that.

[@problemslayer3538]

They don't need to be that big for road use touring

[@crazygrandad5540]

What we need are more adventure style bikes for short legged riders. I’ve a 27 inch inside leg. But prefer both feet on floor. So 850mm seat height is a no go.

[@2WheelPursuit]

Honest is moving in the direction of appealing to those of us with shorter leg range. They just came out with the CRF300L"S" which is the short model so it is significantly lower than the typical CRF300L. Pretty cool to see, cause you don't see many other manufacturers appealing to riders who may want something lower to the ground but still with the ability to do some off-roading.

[@rossm9676]

There's a low seat option , which makes it much more accessible to those of us vertically challenged riders. My local dealer has told me that they'll have that option available for test rides.

[@talltale9760]

XT250 with lowering kit

[@toltod]

When you power the bike off, does the modes reset to some default? Or have they improved it to remember your settings so you don't have to reselect when I'm doing long offroad days?

[@brucekendall52]

A road biased touring bike with no cruise control in this day and age.Epic fail.

[@dashuntas.m4045]

I feel like ‘extreme’ internet opinions often forget about the average, real world consumer; the fact that this bike is a seemingly solid all rounder with a great price point, decent amount of tech and the Honda reputation will probably be enough for it to be a successful platform. It’ll also help to keep customers who started on the CB500X within the brand since they might not want to make the big jump to an AT

[@JeffMax]

Bike specced like the one in this video is around €16.700. That’s 30% above base price of €12.899 where I live. And then you are still left with a bike with tubed tires, no cruise control and only adjustable pre-load. Not so cheap considering the competition. Tuareg 660 still the best option imo

[@DerpEye]

Yeah, the base AT1100 starts at 15k here.

[@FreddieDobbs]

I really like this. Maybe a bit too safe with the styling, which is a shame, but I like!

[@cpuuk]

Oh, you know they left cruise off to stop this cannibalising Africa Twin sales. Like the Hornet, Honda will sell these by the boat load.

[@midhungopan9270]

Now i really wanna see the review of Suzuki V Strom 800DE from you

[@motobob]

I missed the press launch for that one but working on getting a press bike asap. It looks a bit on the weighty side but that’s not everything so perhaps it’ll be a winner on the road

[@joshdoddadbod]

It would have been the best new adv bike if it has cruise control.

[@davidmatthews3093]

I disagree. Personally I’ve never found the need for cruise control on either 2 or 4 wheels.

[@DJPTEXAS]

@@davidmatthews3093 If you do long distance, cruise control is excellent. Yea you can do without but why ? Like heated jackets, yea you don't need them but once you've had one you do not want to go back to freezing for no reason.

[@Grumpy-Goblin]

Really disappointed with this offering that I was really looking forward to. As a CB500x owner I thought this would be a brilliant upgrade for longer touring but it is not going to work for me. I cannot understand why Honda have chosen to make a more road focussed bike but then chosen to make it as tall as the AT which puts it out of reach for many and add that to the fact that they have chosen to not even have cruise control as an option makes this a complete no for me. Even though it is a bit more money the Tiger 900 makes much more sense for mainly road touring and has a much more accessible seat height. I feel like Honda have really missed a trick with this bike.

[@jutjub22]

I think they did really well, it is what Transalp always was, comfort focused bike, that can do everything, much more capable offroad than cb500x - it is very similar to old xl600l Transalp, suspension and clearance wise. I only want tubeless wheels, all the rest is fine for me.

[@alessandroroca8113]

The Aprilia Tuareg 660 is lighter: 204 kg with 18 liters furl included (wet weight). Also is not top heavy like the T7. 82 HP.

[@zepedrofd]

Typical reaction from a lot of people to Honda products. A lot of crying and bitching "not enough, they missed the mark". But in the end, the used market prices are high...because of big demand for a reason! Like the 1000 AT haing not enough power...look how many were sold! This bike will be no exeption! It does nothing better than it's opposition! But it does everything reasonably well...thus it's a great bike! The older Transalp were the same, not the best looking (understatement here!) and did nothing more than other bikes...yet decades after, it's still the old rusty bike you'd go to work with one week and go through Africa the next...

[@elobiretv]

That's the problem with modern Honda's they do everything reasonably well but then there's nothing about them that makes it exciting. There's zero reason to buy one of these over a Tenere 700. Even the styling is bland.

[@zepedrofd]

@@elobiretv I will correct you on one thing first: it's not just modern Hondas but a lot of Hondas for a long time. I've owned around 25 bikes with a quarter of them were Honda. Every one of them was really good at what it was designed for...and none of them was exiting, not even the 918 CBR. Then the Tenere/Transalp battle. People are comparing them...but are totally wrong to do so! They take a different approach, the Tenere is more offroad oreiented and the Transalp is more road oriented. The Transalp will be for the customer that admits he is not going to tackle the TET, but rather commute, roadtrip and maybe trying some dirt roads. The Transalp does this better than the Tenere, especially with an engine that has a lot more to it. So is the Transalp not for you? Probably! And it's perfectly fine! But not understanding the benefits of the Transalp is just showing that it is not the bike YOU wanted it to be! This bike will satisfy A LOT of riders, I can garantee you that...

[@francescoporcari8597]

The first version of the AT 1000 didn't have much grunt, it was not about the max power. From 2019 on they tweaked it.

[@subashsivakumaran2012]

Not having a quick shifter is a missed opportunity. KTM 890 adventure is a better bike than this by a mile and I would go for it.

[@motobob]

You mean as standard? That’s a tough one - the base price is really good and I think they can only hit that by being pretty strict with what’s standard fit and what’s an accessory. If it’s any consolation the accessory quickshifter is good 👍

[@speedtwin1610]

@@motobob Not sure the base price is that good? £2500 more than the Hornet..for what?

[@blackskunk54]

Very good review as always. I had an Africa Twin 1000 and found the wind buffeting terrible and tried what most people assume is the problem, increasing the height. No different. So, I tried increasing the width by adding cardboard cut-outs roughly the same shape as the OEM accessory ones. Completely solved the problem for me. Even tried the usually successful Airflow (no good). So, size does matter, the width not the length. I do agree about the colours. It would have been good to have one red or blue like the XL650, or the two-tone blue/green XL600 (which I had, excellent bike)

[@firefox3249]

Absolutely agree with the colour scheme. The white version is the best by far, but that still doesn't mean much. So much wasted opportunity there. Oh well...

[@ozzie7523]

It's certainly no "Baby Africa Twin" but pretty good if you want an all rounder.

[@soaruk3697]

except it isnt - shit on dirt isn't it...............

[@davidmatthews3093]

MCN appear to disagree.

[@BloodOrange111]

As someone that is eyeing the Tenere but was curious about this when it was announced, this hasn't convinced me. You're making some serious off road tradeoffs for a more road-centric bike but without any of the features that would make riding the road more bearable. If they had included cruise control or carplay features then maybe. Also the front end styling isn't doing this bike any favors.

[@danielbesco1722]

Too bad there's no cruise control. Aprilia might be the choice for a do it all middle weight. Suzuki and Honda have made good bikes though.

[@GCTO239]

Great video, mate! Good to hear that it is a good allrounder. Will get mine in May…in black. Will be a good road addition to my 1100 AT. My beloved AT will stay for sure. She is my offroad horse.

[@markvaughn8096]

YES! I agree this bike NEEDS cruise control and a tubeless wheel option........ I prefer the Matt Black over this RWB color option.......... BUT above all else IT!!!! needs to be imported to the USA ......... WE here for some reason simply are not get the same models Europe gets to enjoy....... THAT ABOVE ALL ELSE HONDA needs to fix...... We see the new Release of bikes each spring and then get the RUG jerked out from under us learning we wont get them........ GRRRRRRRRRRR very frustrating.......

[@DJPTEXAS]

Agreed we have been forgotten in the USA...... all the Japanese brands have no inventory here....

[@mrfox7628]

Sounds like a skill issue mr american

[@luisribeiro4267]

Can’t get over those PLAYMOBIL / FISHERPRICE looks 🏍🚀🎠 👩🏼‍🚀🤡👮🏻‍♂️⛑🧸🎁

[@althescottishbiker]

This is the bike I was looking for. Smaller than than the AT but more powerful than the CB500X. Ideal for commenting and touring with the ability to hit the occasional gravel road. Then I see no cruise control, that’s a deal breaker for me. Bad move Honda.

[@HeyAddieImTojo]

Get one of those you put on your grip to maintain speed

[@allwheeldrive]

@@HeyAddieImTojo They suck. I've had them on two bikes and you can only use them on long, flat stretches where there is very little traffic. Otherwise, the only value is to give your hand a periodic and short rest. I dumped mine and got the simple wrist rest style and I'm not upset about it.

[@althescottishbiker]

@@HeyAddieImTojo I have used one in the passed and don’t like it.

[@BlazinBlades]

Poor Americans… again they’ll have to wait at least a couple more years to get it if at all… 😅😅 I still think I like the T7 better but the value is so much greater with this TA Go figure… Thanks Bob 🍻🍻

[@soaruk3697]

Until you want to take it properly off -road................not down a muddy dirt track...

[@Motovibes91]

For onroad riding it's better value than T7. Offroad it's a different story

[@MeerkatADV]

It looks like a neat touring bike. But no more of an adventure bike than the CB500 or NC700. It says a lot that the ride leaders aren't even using it to lead the adventure rides. I feel bad for anyone who really tries to push one of these into difficult terrain.

[@markflaugh2293]

According to their press release and the fact that they only have a gravel mode i don’t think they intended it to be a T7 competitor as much as people want to compared them. Typical fashion Honda went for the middle ground heart of the market.

[@MeerkatADV]

@@markflaugh2293 Pretty much, Honda is advertising it as a touring bike. Yet everyone wants to compare it to other mid-size adventure bikes. It's not, and won't be, and it's not comparable.

[@markflaugh2293]

@@MeerkatADV Nope it’s not and not what they intended.

[@francescoporcari8597]

​@@MeerkatADV then they should have used 19' front wheel

[@MeerkatADV]

@@francescoporcari8597 I'm surprised they didn't.

[@anxiousappliance]

Tubed tires are curious on an otherwise really well thought out machine. If long distance travel to remote places is in the books - tubeless would have to be factored in to the cost. In my mind - any travel can become remote with a tube tire flat. A 10 minute repair can become a 3 day ordeal. That said - it looks worth it to add another grand for tubeless. And for what it's worth - the silver really emphasizes the clean design IMO. But yes- a boring color selection, and in the US we'll probably just get black. dang.

[@DJPTEXAS]

If you can find one....

[@MrEtnorb]

Nearly every bike coming out is called an Adventure, at least this one is called something different. I dare any journo to get hold of a Honda Goldwing, put dirt tyres on it and do a review on the new Goldwing Adventure. You would create another niche market for sure.

[@IdealBike]

Thanks for the review, mine it is coming in June, long time to wait and comment until then.. What infos do you have regarding the maintenance: Air Fiter, Oil Change, Valve adjustments, etc.? the service intervals, greetings from Romania !

[@johntapley2549]

Great review. I've been looking to replace my VFR800 for some years but nothing floated my boat. I wanted something lighter, comfortable and practical. This bike ticks all this boxes for me and I placed my order in February. As for colour, I went for the white, the other choices were too dull.

[@MrStarfockerx]

I have the same bike VFR800X and I agree with you about this Transalp like an interesting bike . In fact it's a logical bike.

[@johntapley2549]

@@MrStarfockerx I'm two months into ownership now. It's a very different bike to the VFR. Everything is different from the riding position to the character of the engine. Although tall it's much easier to move around in my drive. It's a very rapid bike and doesn't feel any slower than the VFR. The handling is not as sharp but you'd expect that with those large wheels but it corners very well. So I'm very happy with my purchase.

[@maxamps45]

how this fare to my kx450 dirtbike on off road riding?

[@themoog3889]

Got fed up of waiting to see this and bought a Moto Morini X-Cape, tubeless tyres , brembos , marzocchi forks , 7"tft , backlit switchgear , tyre pressure sensors, connectivity , USB ports ....a very capable bike and I'm 2½ k up ! Yes I know its Chinese built but the finish is good and I've racked up 7k miles since July 2022 never missed a beat ! Don't regret my decision as this is extremely vanilla , I'm sure it'll sell well but it's hardly setting anyone's knickers alight is it ?

[@FernitoAM]

I think the Morini Xcape looks epic, could be a good one. Good on you !

[@jonwoodworker]

I'm still leaning towards the Susuki, it has better suspension and seems to be more rugged. However, at $13k US...Why not the KTM 890 for $14k?

[@malcolmpatton7817]

Good upgrade from my cb500x but seat height maybe a challenge looking forward to seeing it down under when it’s released.

[@samuelvalentine1]

Great review as usual! My initial thought was a comparison with the Tiger 900 but at £4-5 (i.e. 50%!) more, it's not really fair. A much better comparison is actually my current Tiger 800 XCx from 2015 (Tiger vs Transalp) which for weight (196kg dry vs 208kg wet), bhp (95 vs 90.5HP), torque (79Nm vs 75Nm) and seat height (840mm vs 850??) is pretty comparable except I do have cruise control (though not gold rims!). So I won't be looking to trade in for the new Transalp, but an interesting prospect for second-hand market in a couple of years time. Thoughts?

[@dobrytube5215]

More power than T7, more traction options, more ABS modes than T7, cheper than T7. BUT SOOOO BORING that makes me stay with T7.

[@mikerichardson415]

T7 is one of the most uncomfortable road bikes I have ever ridden......

[@mybikegarage1040]

If I heard one MOTOBOB advertisement Ive heard them all. Never critical, don’t want to upset the apple cart of being invited to exotic places to ride new bikes by all manufacturers. How about: What a cheap suspension Honda put on this bike. You will need to buy a shock because the stock shock will be a pogo stick in 4K miles and if you add a passenger and luggage, well you can forget suspension, its non-adjustable! Come on BOB, call it like it is, don’t be an advertiser, be a reviewer!

[@2WheelPursuit]

I feel like this XL750 kind of bridges a weird gap between the Tenere 700 and the Tracer 9 GT. It takes some queues from the Tenere with its significant offroad capabilities. On the other hand, it is packed with tech and is well suited for long miles on the road like the Tracer. All of that topped with unbeatable Honda reliability makes the Transalp a real competitor in today's market, especially when you consider the price. I wasn't even in the market for a bike like this, but I am now considering I may want to head in that direction.

[@robertmorrison107]

I love Honda but I hate this bike. I hate things engineered to do one thing but dressed up like they are something else. I hate guys who put street tires on trucks and I hate street bikes dressed up like they are dirt bikes. Don't get me wrong, you can ride a dirt road on it, but the second you smash the bottom and pinch the exhaust, the jig is up. Its a goldwing light, set up to look like it can do dirt but with no DCT or cruise control. The DCT I can forgive, its nice in city traffic, but not cruise control. The F750 GS has cruise control and if I'm buying a dirt bike that can't leave the road for over 10k, you best damn well believe I'm getting cruise control. I don't see this thing selling and I'm convinced they don't want it to sell. They want you to buy the gold wing AND a dirt bike. This is just their counter to the T7 which we all know can't compete with it.

[@JeffMax]

It isn’t cheap at all considering the lack of cruise control, only adjustable pre-load and tubes tires. Accessories are pushing the bike 30% above base price if you want a bike specced like the one in this video. And most of these accessories aren’t considered optional extra’s, but are more or less mandatory (crash bars, heated grips, center stand)

[@2WheelPursuit]

@@JeffMax I get what you are saying but I'd never get official honda accessories (or any manufacturer accessories) anyway. I'd wait for the aftermarket to catch up and spec it out to my own liking for way less cost. I mean besides accessories, I can't think of another bike that offers this much at this price in terms of power, offroad and onroad ability, and modding opportunity.

[@2WheelPursuit]

Not to mention it is a Honda so it will literally last forever.

[@JeffMax]

@@2WheelPursuit Honda reliability isn’t what it used to be. Loads of first hand statements from people with issues with their Africa Twin for instance. Yamaha clearly walks away with the reliability trophy. I wouldn’t buy a Honda for this reason in these days to be honest. Suzuki is currently offering 6 years warranty or 100k km’s in the Netherlands. That 800DE is looking as a better proposition with standard quickshifter, bash-plate, adjustable suspension & bolt-on subframe for even less money than the Honda.

[@VonKirda]

So you never rode it. A fake review.

[@Kero_81]

i bought a cb500x model22 last year but man would i love to own the TA! It's such a nice looking bike! :D

[@allwheeldrive]

Ride the wheels off of your CB and wait until they offer cruise control :)

[@renatosalles1163]

If it is intended to be a touring bike why such a small tank? And why tube type wheels? Tubeless is a lot safer! I hope Honda does a Transalp Adventure Sports with a larger tank and tubeless wheels and tires. IMHO gold wheels are soooo ugly.

[@billyb6043]

Would be a really tough call (assuming you're in the market) between a new Transalp with a few choice accessories vs a low mileage Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Rally Pro. I know which I prefer the look of, but having had plenty of hondas over my motorcycling career, (including an original XLV600 and currently an excellent CB500X) if the new Alp is anything like its bretheren it should be super reliable, easy to ride and relatively cheap to own. I guess it comes down the X factor when you come to test ride both bikes...will just have to wait for the opportunity, and watch out for the inevitable group shoot-outs. Note that if you went for a base model 900 Rally, there wouldn't be much in it price wise...something else to consider: on paper, the new V Strom is a better bike if you plan to do more off the beaten track. I'm still semi-holding out for a Norden 501 and Honda's rumoured NX 500, both of which should be in the 'goldilocks zone' for tourable dual sports...two-wheeled first world problems eh?

[@2-WheelsMoveTheSoul]

Hey Buddy! Great Minds, Think Alike! I'm in the same Boat - split between getting a pre-owned Tiger 900 Rally Pro (2021/5K kms) and a new Transalp. I know spec-wise they are Oranges and Apples. My riding usage is city and touring; My riding style is pretty Hooliganish. So, here in India (no T7s, Tuaregs or KTM 790/890s here. Even the Honda AT comes in a lowered suspension model) the Tiger 900 Rally is the bike that checks all the boxes. The Maintainance Costs are the Only Red Flags. So, enter the Transalp: it's light and nimble: makes for a good project bike - rally seats, suspension upgrade etc along with Honda's reliability and affordability. Also, makes for a better Daily Do-it-All. So, What would you suggest?

[@Wheelo40]

Great review. Thank you. I think this will be a big hit for Honda. No cruise control takes it off my shopping list sadly. Hope they fix this later. Veridian Cruise makes an electronic cruise control for this bike. I have decided to buy one and fit the cruise control.

[@jthelakes147]

Is it just me? I thought the price quite expensive when you can buy the acclaimed Aprilia Tuareg 660 for £8,999 (advertised on the web), But as ever a good review and I think you correctly pigeon holed the Transalpine . I have a CRF300Rally for the off road stuff and the Transalpine looks like an approachable touring bike.

[@flatcapcaferacer]

The positive spin on the 21 inch front "makes easy find decent off rubber ". Since it primarily an on road bike the 21 inch front will seriously limit the ability to get good on road rubber.

[@DJPTEXAS]

At least make the 19" an option.....

[@Brad-RB]

Nice review. The looks are in line with most adv bikes. Not gorgeous but not ugly.

[@nigel274]

Think the bigger GS is really ugly but this isn't so bad.

[@evanlyons8627]

The blue seat makes it pretty. I don’t want pretty. I’ll have to look at the other paint options.

[@max.fleming1045]

I just can't get my head around the styling of this bike. It looks very much like a enlarged CB 500X and to think that's now a ten year old design?. It looks out dated before it's even been released. It feels as if Honda rushed it with very little for thought and just raided parts bins cobbling it together . They couldn't even be bothered to come up with some attractive colours. I'm sure plenty of people will buy one but I won't be joining the queue.

[@t.otterstrom2372]

I find it odd that T7 was announced as concept ~7 years ago and still Honda has nothing to put against it. Honda just makes these touring bikes with a bit of adventure bike look.

[@max.fleming1045]

@@t.otterstrom2372 I really don't see the point of this bike. It's not as pedestrian as the NC 750 , but only marginally more capable. If all Honda could be bothered to do was raid parts bins they should have beefed up a CRF 300 rally frame & shoehorned a 500 twin in. That bike would sell in the millions.

[@nitnemsingh3588]

Thanks for the review. Regarding the Power to Weight ratio, I personally use Power to Weight including driver weight, because that is what we find while riding, you see, the Power has to move the bike and the driver. I get better comparisons while comparing quite different bikes regarding weight. This ratio is more realistic for me. Also I use an average weight of 95kg for the full geared driver. Nice rides!

[@kcpolog]

I think from Honda's perpective, they've done everything right. Transalp always had it's place in the market as 'An Everything Axe'' and they did well to maintain it's purpose. Compared to previous TA generations, they fixed it's weaknesses - unappealing power and soft, wobbly suspension, so if you like old Transalp, there's not much to complain but.... I think they totally screwed up the looks. It's so bland and emotionless to me, especially compared to current AT.

[@insiainutorrt259]

But i liked the soft suspesion in the 2008 transalp ;) no for jumping for sure but the bike just always felt right to me

[@kcpolog]

@@insiainutorrt259 If it's ok for you, great. But for me, I would really like stiffer suspension for the reason you mentioned ;)

[@insiainutorrt259]

@@kcpolog Heh yeah if you think you might ever even jump on accident they arent the best for sure quite heavy aswel for what they are (2008 xl700 ones) dont know the newer and older exactly

[@Ramonatho]

If it does better on road than off I don't really see why they don't just build road bikes with this body style.

[@Angry-Lynx]

best was never the point of transalp. But still each version was very good bike, super reliable and go everywhere typa bike ;

[@12masterr]

Primarily for on road" but no cruise control! It is probably for "real men only" lol

[@soaruk3697]

Not for the limp wristed whinny wimps that wouldn't know a heavy throttle if it hit them in the face...................

[@cjsingh4070]

Got too many pussies who want a couch and ride.

[@12masterr]

@@soaruk3697 yep! Only for real men like you! (Or maybe you identify yourself as a strong woman! )

[@davidmatthews3093]

What’s this obsession with cruise control? It’s a gimmick.

[@12masterr]

@David Matthews maybe fot you is a gimmick, because you make 25 miles riding at day! I just made a trip were I have only 3 days to spend, so it was 580 miles one way, 245 next day, and the 580 miles back in the third day, and I'm 58 years old, so, no, is not a gimmick, is a proper way to rest your hand in long stretches of road.

[@RRRRefuelRideRace]

Test rode it and it shines in the quality department. A great looking ADV bike. Those interested can check my test ride that will be available soon. Got my like here and just keep it up.

[@pggp273]

In a world with ever increasing prices it's great to see that Honda understand their customer base and the concept of price points. People are starting to get fed up with being mugged off with essentially overpriced wank machines. Honda are keeping it real and offering a fantastic package at a tempting price.

[@j.r.n.9997]

Great video and the graph for rider modes was super informative and helpful!!

[@ianmills35]

Love the look of this bike, maybe a contender when my VFR 1200x is too much bike for me. Brill review, thank you Motobob 👍🏍

[@CraigNiel]

Honda are absolutely obsessed with having this always on indicators as running lights. Honda stop, just please for the love of God, STOP!

[@mloclam6917]

Beats the old deauvile engine of the original transalp

[@victorgonza4528]

Missed the mark on the headlight looks department other then that great machine

[@TheFastphill]

I got a Tansalp to go with my 450 L and the 300,s in Australia we must have more dirt roads than anyone Its very good i have put up some vids have a look it might tell you if it can off road

[@sandwaves5642]

Answer THIS question : Why is Honda SO stinky STINGY ? !! They stubbornly insist on NO Cruise Control on bikes with less than 1000cc ! - Even on the X-ADV750, which is far from being cheap. Maybe 4 younger riders and on manual gear bikes, it isn't a huge issue, but the more adult bikers - well, those will probably, not buy this bike anyway...... Looks like I've answered this question ....🤢🤢

[@pawelwolski1316]

Ex "American", an Asian expat for the past 15 years, with summers spent in Europe including weeks long riding trips. My current stable is made up of two Asia only 150s, dual sport and CB150x adv, the updated CRF250 (still a 250 here) and the big bike, 350 Royal Enfield Hunter. In Europe I ride F800GS. I wonder how many of us (riders) out there think this is not what we wanted or asked for. Where the hell is our true adv unicorn, a 35-40 hp engine, decent suspension (unlike the sponge Rally 300 joke), 170 ish curb weight, no rider modes, blue tooth, cruise control!!! or massaging seats. A decades long joke and middle finger to us by all the big manufacturers. But wait, as strange as it sounds and from the "wrong" land, there is the Kove 450. Might be too hardcore for this aging guy, but I hope it is as good as the initial reviews say, I hope it's reliable, I hope it might wake up the rest.

[@brothermist0]

Non removable subframe, non-adjustable suspension, meh wind protection, everything is an optional extra, NO cruise control or option for it... Optioned up to try to compete... $14,000 USD 2023 KTM 890 Adventure R $15,200 USD That KTM has a metric crap ton more to it for that extra $1,200

[@fredrik999z]

This bike is so confusing, who does it actually fits? Sporty riding with 21/18" wheels? No suspension adjustments for off-road? No Cruise control for touring? No tubeless tires for adventure riding? No GPS bar for touring? No adjustments of windshield, handlebar or footpegs? The design is boring and looks like a hotter version of the first Transalp from the 80's. Why did not Honda take some design inspiration from Africa Twin instead of lame retro style from an already dull 1980's bike? If you add all essential equipment it's not a cheap bike, nor is it lightweight. It's just about average but without anything special. It's like Honda tried to make a new flavour of ice-cream but it taste exactly like Vanilla ice-cream. What is the point?

[@HoagesMoto]

Looks wise I'd say all adv bikes look the best without any excess crap on top (no crash bars, panniers, rear pillion grab rail, stock pipe & 5 heatshields, pillion pegs) cull all the excess stuff and thin the backend out of bulk and add a light set of GL Coyote bags to it and a slim pipe with a more serious set of 80/20 tyres and I think the tricolor will start to look a lot more serious. All adv bikes with the 20kg of garbage bolted to them look like blokes driving F150 and Ranger Raptors with the entire catalogue 4wd shops strapped to them - (plastic/protection/mass over substance and purpose). Check out the stripped back T7's of ARiemann1 or Pol Tarres - an XL750 for fast gravel/fire roads and globe touring with light soft luggage I think will look killer, aggree though that in stock trim I think other Honda's outshine it (the AT in tricolour looks alot tougher to me for example) :)

[@wojteksienkiewicz8331]

All its advantages and disadvantages are somehow understandable to me, except for one: why neither the CB500X nor the XL750 show the outside temperature? Even the Moto Guzzi V7 could show it, but touring bikes couldn't.

[@seanpappone]

I would have bought a 22-23 NC750X. I would have bought the Hornet. I would have bought this transalp. But all this "dct" and "quick shifter" tech for "touring" and no cruise control?? Honda lost me as a customer this year simply for that. I went and got a cfmoto clx 700 for half the price with cruise. I woulda loved another Honda, but not this year

[@kouvanos]

I really can't understand the reason why the companies doesn't provide as a standard safe feature, the tyre pressure. It's about safety !

[@garmit61]

I'm not a Luddite but what's the point of self cancelling indicators on any bike. They're enough of a pain in the derrière on a car. And what is the point of quick shifters on a trailie? Also I don't think 9.5k for a 750 is good value. There's a lot of very good second hand metal out there for much less. Buy an old bike and use the 6k left to travel somewhere interesting. Remember Ted Simon went around the world on a Meridian Bonneville and Austin Vince did it twice in sub 400cc Suzukis.

[@robertspeicher5047]

Thank you, Now I have one more to add to the compare list.

[@motobob]

My pleasure! A great bike at this price 👍

[@marcoaguiar3226]

Hmm you didn't answer your own initial question. "Is it The middleweight adventure bike to buy in 2023?" Saying you have to shortlist it doesn't really answer it. I can only answer for myself Yes, but I think your fans would like to know your real opinion right? BTW: for the nitpicking people there is a plastic gadget that you can stick to your throttle and makes any bike a cruise control touring machine just Google it costs like a pound or less. Why even bother mentioning it on reviews or spending money on a proper one 🤔 Ride safe.

[@seanstrickland4970]

The only thing I will say they did right was make the plastics easy removable and easy fixable. Points to honda for listening to the audience. The display on the africa twin is terrible. Slow and hard to use, resets when you shut the key off. This looks like a small africa twin display.............. FAIL.....

[@Rossithailand]

THIS TRANSALP is loaded with all the extras ... i just bought a secondhand crf1000 instead of the transalp

[@filipepaninho6558]

If it had 19"/17" tubeless wheels...

[@tycoontobias8741]

Completely and utterly fail to see why Honda refuse to put cruise control on their bikes. The software capability and hardware already exists on the bike but they fail to put the software and cruise button on the bike. They are deal breakers for many people including myself. This issue has been raised by many motorcycle pundits (including this channel) for literally years and Honda still refuse to listen to their customers. Yamaha I feel lead the way in this area. The 2022 Tracer 900 GT twin screen dash was replaced immediately in 2023 with a single TFT display after negative feedback from their customers about the layout. I'm sure if Honda took this approach it would become significantly more appealing and profitable.

[@chrisjonesbath]

Um, isn't everything just becoming a little samey and dull, even if they are very capable? Middle of the range designs are now more middle of the road than they every were ..everyone a parallel twin. Is this where emissions regs have taken us, combined with cheaper manufacturing costs for multi-model production? No doubt the bikes are technically excellent, but for some reason I'm find all these new samey models rather depressing. This isn't a Honda problem, everybody is doing it, KTM is even digging up superseded models again. Thanks goodness the Italians are still turning out interesting middle range bikes.

[@longrider9551]

TOO HVY CASE CLOSED, we need a 400lb 599cc version forthwith, I own a twin and its great for road but a pig in the muck

[@theperfectmotorcycleistwom9921]

No cruise, no interest. I was ready to buy it till you said that. Looking to replace my fantastic V85TT Travel (has cruise) with a bike that has a dealer in town. Dealer support is the only problem I have with MG.

[@chrislynch2156]

Looks like a great bike here in Thailand. Where the paved road ends with no warning and you have miles of gravel roads then back to pavement. Where a road bike would bottom out very quickly, this seems to be a great design for a country, not known for it’s upkeep of roads.

[@ThrottleAddiction]

It's not horsepower that overtakes cars, it's *torque.* Horsepower is an arrival point in any particular part of the rev range but is not an indicator of acceleration (which is what 99% of people are actually referring to). So many 'expert' commentators have an opinion about horsepower figures, but really have no idea what they're talking about.

[@insiainutorrt259]

Torque in relation to weight and other resistances... but for example the old transalp 2008 with like 50 hp was in almost all cases so absurdly much faster and easyer of the traffic lights/stops that you have to be careful not to ram those bricks.... just like almost all motorbikes.... it dont take that much

[@crackpipejoe3508]

89 for sale here!👍

[@craigcooper8810]

i like the silver :))

[@Oculus729]

Would you ride the Transalp across the USA? Thanks. Oh, yes and, imagine a world where Honda gave this bike cruise control.

[@AirRoboTech]

Rubbish reviewer - 95% of this is regurg info that was already published by Honda months ago. Hopefully not all the journos are at this level, and somebody invited will actually do a proper ride report.

[@barbonez2976]

Adventure bikes should be built for 80% gravel/offroad and 20% tarmac. Riding on tarmac is´nt really an adventure it´s more touring

[@Milan-yw6rm]

This is actually biggest dissapointment in motorcycle world. Long anticipated, but still ugly, with tube tyres, priced without even bash plates adv.bike.

[@dw5523]

Weighs as much as a new KLR650, with similar suspension travel and ground clearance. Don't see why this can't go anywhere the pig can.

[@beeyotch4232]

It's a commuter bike you can take to a camp ground on a weekend and call it an 'adventure'. Tough to argue with Honda's reputation for quality and longevity.

[@SticksAandstonesBozo]

Wow. Waited a year for this to launch in the USA. Now I see it’s only coming in straight black here. So that’s that I won’t be buying one. So idiotic the way these companies do this