2024 Honda XL750 Transalp First Ride Review

[MotoNews]

Published in: Bikes

2024 Honda XL750 Transalp: A Middle-Weight All-Arounder at a Lightweight Price

The adventure motorcycle market has seen plenty of change over the past five years, even through the pandemic, but one manufacturer has been fairly quiet. Honda had the CRF1100L Africa Twin and the up-spec’d CRF250/CRF300-based models, but presumably the folks in Tokyo didn’t recognize a market large enough to warrant a new launch. That all changed in 2022, when Honda announced the Transalp was coming back.

It was big news. Honda had been out of the middleweight ADV segment for a long time, with the previous Transalp model canceled in 2012—and much earlier than that in the U.S., where the machine only had a 1989–1990 sales run. Now, Honda is bringing it back, with an all-new engine and attitude.

• What Is the XL750 Transalp?

Dubbed the XL750 Transalp, Honda’s new middleweight, dual-purpose bike boasts a liquid-cooled 755cc  parallel twin engine. It’s packed with a decent amount of onboard tech and the all-day comfort of a fairing, as well as a plush, two-step seat and a wet weight of 459 lb. Honda officials are particularly proud of the base model price of $9,999—a sticker price that should appeal to a wide range of riders looking for a two-wheeler that can comfortably take them back and forth from the office and still explore the backcountry after they’ve clocked out.

The new Transalp sits right in the middle of Honda’s lineup with the Africa Twin and Africa Twin Adventure Sports at the top of the displacement segment, and the CRF300L Rally and CB500X in the lighter-weight segment. Basically, if an Africa Twin had a tryst with a CB500X, the Transalp would be its offspring. The company built the XL750 burly enough to handle all but the most technical off-road terrain an average adventure rider might tackle while giving it enough street cred to filter through busy city traffic and slab it to the trailhead.

Of course, there are plenty of other hardcore options for riders at either end of the spectrum, whether you’re more the touring type or one that sees Lockhart Basin as an average weekend ride. And Honda is 100 percent on board with that. The company says that’s why it made the Transalp to sit smack dab in the middle of the market. That also explains the pricing; it’s affordable enough to get new riders into the ADV market and potentially grab current off-road enthusiasts who are sick of hauling around a 500+ lb. monster.

If you’re hunting for a midweight ADV bike, the Transalp might be best compared to the new Suzuki 800DE, maybe the Yamaha Tenere 700 or potentially the Kawasaki KLR 650. All are relatively “budget friendly” bikes, but each comes with its strengths and weaknesses depending on the rider’s primary mission. Given the XL750’s onboard tech, mechanical features and general design—not to mention the MSRP—the Transalp seems to sit smack dab in the middle of its competition.

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Click Here to Read the "Yamaha Ténéré 700 First Ride Review"

Click Here to Read the "Kawasaki KLR650 Adventure Review"

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• Engine Performance

Honda recently hosted a media ride to test the new XL750 Transalp on a healthy mix of on- and off-road terrain through segments of the recently-released PA Wilds BDR-X central Pennsylvania route. The venue was viewed as the most likely scenario for a rider looking into a mid-weight adventure bike, with both moderately challenging gravel and two-track trails and undulating, twisty tarmac through rural mountain hollows and small towns.

At its core, the Transalp’s 755cc engine—based on the same powerplant of the new CB750 Hornet—is powerful enough to pass semis at highway speeds and grunty enough to chug through mud, ruts, and steep, rocky off-road sections with nary a hiccup. Honda claims the Transalp pumps out around 83 HP for the U.S. version—down from about 90 horses of the EU model—with a torque spec around 55 foot-pounds. That’s plenty of juice for all but the most power-hungry riders.

The six-speed transmission is run with a throttle-by-wire setup that’s mapped to several electronic rider modes to tailor the power and rider inputs to the terrain. Some couldn’t care less how their engine sounds, but somehow the eight-valve Unicam parallel twin, 270-degree crank, and vortex flow intake ducts combine to deliver a truly satisfying resonance, even through the windblast of backcountry rides.

• Rider Comfort

One-and-done bike seekers rejoice! The Transalp’s design and technology seem to hit the sweet spot for on-road comfort and off-road control and maneuverability. With a full fairing, decent stock windscreen, and a seat height of around 34 inches, the XL750 is approachable for a wide range of riders and isn’t too cramped in the seated position for riders in the over 6-foot category. The standing position is pretty spot on even in the stock configuration, with decent bar height and okay stock footpegs—though most experienced ADV riders will swap those out. Taller riders may want to rotate the bars a bit forward for easier control from the standing position, but both the rear brake lever and gear shifter are easily adjustable on the trailside to dial in the right fit.

The seat is pretty standard, with a relatively wide platform that narrows at the tank. If you’re doing 100 miles of road, your butt might get a little sore, but such are the tradeoffs when you’re under the $10K mark. At highway speeds, the Transalp’s fairing does a pretty good job of keeping wind buffeting at bay. The 310mm front and 256mm rear brakes are perfectly adequate; the 21-inch front and 18-inch rear wheels tipped into corners with no problem. The handlebar length and angle were comfortable and access to the controls didn’t require a whole lot of hunting for buttons—all adding up to a confidence-inspiring ride throwing a leg over the Transalp for the very first time.

• Technology

At the heart of the Transalp are its electronic rider aids. It’s tough to find a comparable middleweight motorcycle with this much technology baked in at this price point. The XL750 comes with four rider modes—Sport, Standard, Rain, and Gravel—with a configurable fifth “User” mode. Folks who’re interested in the deep specifics can dive in by checking out Honda’s official specs or other reviews, but basically, each mode delivers different pre-programmed outputs for ABS, engine braking, traction control, and power.

The User mode allows the rider to customize these four variables in a four-step range from strongest to weakest, or in some cases, shut them off completely. For most off-road situations, many will opt to completely shut off traction control and maybe ABS. But be warned, while the User mode will keep the settings even if the engine had been turned off, when the rider has completely shut off ABS or traction control, the mode will reset to at least “one power” for each of those. The nice thing is that all the modes can be utilized while on the move, so there’s no need to stop the bike, reset, and get going again.

The 5-inch TFT display is plenty big, even for “old man eyes,” and it’s customizable for the various dials, mileage, and layout a rider could want. Another nice add-on for the Transalp is that a quick-shifter comes standard, a useful piece of tech for both on and off-road situations where you want a quick highway pass or a hasty downshift into a downhill switchback. It’s even adjustable for a “light,” “medium” and “hard” foot input for both up and downshifting. Unfortunately, there is no option for cruise control.

• Rider Impressions

The word that might pop into a rider’s head when they’ve ridden the Transalp for a bit is “competent.” Not exciting on the street, but not boring at all. Not a Dakar Rally bike offroad, but not holding you back from that random path you want to explore. There’s enough tech packed into this bike to play around with and help make different situations safer, but not so much that you get lost trying to remember where everything is. It feels light, and seems to carry its weight low enough to do even the most technical, bars-locked turns but still has enough on-road heft to keep from being victimized by wind.

Some of the more hardcore off-roaders might complain about the suspension. It’s not very adjustable (both rear and front adjustable for preload only), but its nearly eight inches of rear and front travel offer plenty of stability in the twisties and absorption in rutted, rocky two-track at moderate speeds. There is some concern about the Transalp’s ground clearance, however. With a little over eight inches of airspace underneath, this bike might have some trouble negotiating the most intimidating of trails.

But that’s entirely the point. In stock form, Honda’s XL750 Transalp is a middle-of-the-road adventure bike priced to move. It’s a sharp-looking machine, too, with offroad Dakar-esque lines and an upright, “see-the-whole-road” rider position. However, it’s unfortunate that the U.S. version of the Transalp is only offered in “Matte Black Metallic” and not the classic Ross White (at least yet). The XL750 is packed with just enough features for those new to the ADV scene to keep up with their more experienced riding buddies but isn’t so pedestrian that a more advanced rider might shy away if they’re downsizing.

If you’re looking at the Transalp to add an all-arounder to your garage of toys, it’d be a good idea to pick up wider footpegs, a bash plate, and some engine protection (as well as some handguards) to dial it in for off-roading. And, it’ll need more off-road-capable shoes. But, honestly, that’s all you’ll really need to have a ton of fun in the backcountry, ride in style, and feel confident you’ll make it home in one piece… all without breaking the bank.

Powersports.honda.com

Pros:

• A lot of bike for an approachable price
• Excellent electronic rider aids and display customization
• Solid performance both on- and off-road
• Comfortable riding position and wind protection

Cons:

• Maybe a bit too vanilla for hardcore ADV riders
• Low-ish ground clearance
• Will need crash protection to make it ADV-worthy

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2024 Honda XL750 Transalp Specifications

MSRP:	$9,999
Engine:	755cc liquid-cooled 24.5º inline-two-cylinder four-stroke w/270-degree crank
Bore and Stroke:	87.0mm x 63.5mm
Displacement:	755cc
Compression Ratio:	11.0:1
Induction:	PGM-FI; 46mm throttle bodies
Ignition:	Full-transistorized
Starter:	ElectricB15
Transmission:	Manual 6-speed
Clutch:	Multiplate wet
Final Drive:	16T/45T; chain
Front Suspension:	43mm Showa SFF-CATM telescopic inverted fork w/ spring-preload adjustment; 7.9 in. travel
Rear Suspension:	Pro-Link system w/ single Showa remote-reservoir shock; 7.5 in. travel
Front Brake:	Dual 310mm “wave” discs w/ hydraulic two-piston calipers
Rear Brake:	Single 256mm “wave” disc w/ hydraulic single-piston caliper
Tires:	Front 90/90-21; Rear 150/70R-18
Rake:	(Caster Angle) 27º
Trail:	111mm (4.4 in.)
Length:	91.2 in.
Width:	33.1 in.
Height:	57.2 in.
Seat Height:	33.7 in.
Ground Clearance:	8.3 in.
Wheelbase:	61.5 in.
Fuel Capacity:	4.5 gal.
Curb Weight:	459 lbs.

 

 

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