The Honda XL750 Transalp is without doubt one of the hottest journey bikes available in the market immediately. Born out of Honda’s want to dominate the middleweight ADV phase, the Transalp dares to problem the likes of the Yamaha Tenere 700 and Aprilia Tuareg 660 by mixing off-road functionality with long-distance touring consolation.
Naturally, all factory-fresh bikes are made with a sure diploma of compromise. On that entrance, Touratech, one of the crucial acknowledged and trusted manufacturers round, would possibly simply have precisely what Honda Transalp house owners seeking to go the gap need in its new Comfort Seats.
The Comfort Seats are made in Germany and developed and manufactured by Touratech’s associate Crew68, with the concept being all about ease of use and comfort. Hence why each are simple to put in, permitting you to alternate between the Comfort Seat and the inventory saddle for varied driving conditions.
When it involves building, the seats strike a steadiness between consolation and firmness, as you need a saddle that sits within the Goldilocks zone. Touratech does this with a agency foam core and a hole groove alongside the saddle. These are mentioned to offer extra assist whereas relieving strain in your coccyx (often known as the butt).
On the skin, Touratech upholstered the saddle with Fresh Touch material which is waterproof and sturdy for longevity. The seat cowl additionally has a suede-like end to it, which Touratech claims displays infrared daylight, thereby lowering floor heating once you return to your bike hours after parking it underneath the scorching solar. Another win on your butt.
Catering to a wider viewers, the seats for the XL750 Transalp could be personalized with three seat top choices to select from, in addition to for the firmness of the froth.
Executive Editor Jonathon Klein spent two days driving the Honda Transalp when it debuted late final 12 months. Hundreds of miles within the saddle, so to talk, and a nicer saddle would’ve been nice for the longer road-going portion of his journey. Though it was a really small portion of the general occasion. You cannot trip a Transalp and never full The PA Wilds BDR X route now, are you able to?
You can discover the brand new Comfort Seat, in addition to a bunch of different equipment and upgrades for a wide selection of bikes on Touratech’s official webshop. But for the oldsters who’ve been fortunate to seize a Transalp, how are you discovering it? We’d like to know.
Last week, I had the opportunity to ride the 2024 Honda Transalp 750 for the first time. Honda invited me to ride the bike on the PA Wilds BDR-X route. Backroads Discovery Routes (BDR) is a non-profit organization that provides track logs and resources for dirt rides across America, making epic rides accessible to everyone. The PA Wilds route is one of the BDR-X loops and offers the best of Pennsylvania’s autumn scenery.
We got to ride the 2024 Honda Transalp 750 in perfect conditions on the PA Wilds Backroads Discovery Route.
The Honda Transalp 750 is an adventure bike that stands out for its affordable price. With a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $9999, it is even cheaper than the CRF450RL dual-sport bike. Powered by a 749cc parallel twin engine that produces approximately 80 horsepower, the Transalp offers various electronic riding aids. It’s the perfect bike for embarking on an adventure and then riding back home.
The Transalp features an inline two-cylinder motor with a single overhead cam, utilizing Honda’s Unicam configuration. The crank pins are offset at 270 degrees, giving the bike an uneven V-twin-like pulse. The Showa suspension offers adjustable preload and nearly 8 inches of travel. What sets the Transalp apart from other adventure bikes in its price range is its impressive electronic portfolio. The bike has four pre-set “ride modes” – Standard, Sport, Rain, and Gravel. A handlebar switch allows you to easily switch between these modes, each offering different power output, traction control, engine braking, and anti-lock braking settings. Additionally, there is a user-defined mode where you can customize settings according to your preference. The power setting primarily adjusts throttle sensitivity rather than peak power. The Transalp also offers five levels of traction control, four engine braking settings, and three ABS settings (road, off-road, and off).
The Transalp decked out with Honda accessories
Even without utilizing the electronic aids, the Transalp delivers smooth power delivery starting just above idle. At low speeds, the bike maintains excellent torque and doesn’t chug or stall. It is comfortable running at low RPMs for long stretches and offers plenty of power when the road straightens out, revving up to over 10,000 RPM. In the dirt biking world, the Transalp is an incredibly capable bike, providing all the power needed for off-road adventures. However, compared to sport bikes, the Transalp’s power output is more modest. A 750 sport bike has around 40 horsepower more and revs approximately 3000 RPM higher. But such power is unnecessary and impractical when riding off-road.
With its consistent and smooth power delivery, the need for electronic aids to control it is minimal, even for intermediate riders. For most situations, the best setting involves going into the user-defined settings and increasing power, reducing traction control, and turning off anti-lock braking. Reducing throttle sensitivity is only necessary on rolling loose rocks, but the Transalp’s pleasant nature makes it hardly noticeable. Traction control is more complex and primarily designed for inexperienced riders to avoid accidents. In its most aggressive setting, it causes the motor to stumble whenever wheelspin is detected. While useful on wet pavement, it can hinder momentum off-road. By reducing traction control to one third power, it becomes more effective, allowing slight rear-end drifts. Turning it off requires reconfiguration each time the bike is restarted, and the same applies to turning off the rear wheel anti-lock feature.
Unfortunately, suspension adjustability is not available on the Transalp within this price range. The Showa suspension is decent for low-speed rock sections, offering a cushy ride without any strange behaviors. However, when reaching higher speeds, vigilance is necessary when encountering big ditches or ruts, as the handling can be less refined.
Our test bike came equipped with non-stock tires, Bridgestone Battlax Adventurecross, both front and rear. Additionally, it featured Honda’s accessory skid plate and engine guards. To achieve its affordable price, the Transalp is stripped down, and riders may need to make it more suitable for off-road riding by adding their own modifications. To learn more about the Transalp, check out the January 2024 print edition of Dirt Bike magazine.
WIN A DUCATI DESERT X & SUPPORT BDR!
By donating, you can support Backcountry Discovery Routes, a 501c(3) non-profit organization dedicated to creating and preserving off-highway riding opportunities for dual-sport and adventure motorcyclists. Backcountry Discovery Routes is offering a chance to win a Ducati DesertX in their annual sweepstakes. The customized Ducati is called the ‘BDR Cross Continent Special Edition’ in celebration of the upcoming California BDR North route, which will connect the BDR from Mexico to Canada. Donations as little as $25 can enter you into the sweepstakes. The winner will be announced during a live YouTube broadcast on January 5, 2024, at 1pm PST. Help support the ADV community and enter the sweepstakes here.
Moto Camp Nerd complete camping package (includes Big Agnes Copper Spur tent, Sea-To-Summit sleeping bag, Nemo pad, Big Agnes Mica Basin chair, and more)
DUBYA WORLD VET
The Dubya World Vet championship is taking place this weekend at Glen Helen Raceway. The event promises excitement with past champions like Mike Brown in attendance. If you can’t be there in person, you don’t have to miss out. You can watch a live YouTube feed of the event on Sunday, starting at 8:20am, on MXA’s YouTube channel. Managing editor Mark Tilley will be commentating the action.
DUCATI’S NEW SINGLE
Following Ducati’s announcement of entering the motocross market, the company showcased its new single-cylinder motor. The Superquadro Mono is a 659cc short-stroke single-cylinder engine with desmodromic distribution, derived from the 1,285cc Superquadro of the 1299 Panigale. It is the most powerful single-cylinder engine to have ever reached production, utilizing the desmodromic system for high revs. The limiter is set at 10,250 RPM, and the power output is the highest in its segment, reaching 77.5 horsepower at 9,750 RPM, which increases to 85 with the racing exhaust. Initially designed for supermoto, it is likely that the motor will be introduced as a dual-sport/adventure model to compete with the KTM 690 Enduro.
WORLD SUPERCROSS IS BACK
The second round of the 2023 World Supercross championship is taking place this weekend in Abu Dhabi. Ken Roczen will be participating, looking to continue his success from the previous round.
Honda has officially announced that the 2024 XL750 Transalp will be available in the US market. This comes as exciting news for those who have been eagerly awaiting the arrival of this bike since its global introduction at EICMA 2022.
The Engine
The 2024 Honda XL750 Transalp is equipped with a powerful liquid-cooled, 755cc Unicam parallel twin engine. It features a 270-degree crank, 35.5mm inlet valves, 29mm exhaust valves, and a bore and stroke of 87.0mm by 63.5mm. The engine is paired with a six-speed gearbox.
This engine is different from the one used in other Honda 750 models like the NC750X, X-ADV, and Forza 750. It’s the same new engine found in the yet-to-be-released CB750 Hornet in the US.
Suspension, Brakes, and Wheels
The XL750 Transalp features a 43mm Showa Separate Function Fork Cartridge (SFF-CATM) telescopic upside-down fork with preload adjustability for the front suspension. The rear suspension consists of a Showa remote reservoir monoshock with a Pro-Link system. The bike is equipped with two-piston calipers and dual 310mm wave-type brake discs in the front, and a single-piston caliper and a single 256mm wave-type brake disc in the rear. ABS is standard on both wheels, with the rear wheel’s ABS switchable in User mode for off-road riding. It rides on a 21-inch front and an 18-inch rear spoked wheel.
Dimensions, Weight, and Fuel Capacity
The XL750 Transalp has a wheelbase of 61.5 inches, a rake of 27 degrees, and a trail of 111mm (4.4 inches). It measures 91.2 inches in length, 33.1 inches in width, and 57.2 inches in height. The seat height is 33.7 inches, and the ground clearance is 8.3 inches. The curb weight is 459 pounds, and it has a fuel capacity of 4.5 gallons.
Features
The 2024 XL750 Transalp comes with a full-color 5-inch TFT display and offers four preset rider modes: Sport, Standard, Rain, and Gravel. There is also a rider-definable ride mode called User. Each preset mode features different settings for engine power and engine braking. Other features include Honda Selectable Torque Control, wheelie control, a rear carrier, LED lighting, and a USB socket under the saddle.
Optional Accessories Include a Low Seat for Shorter Riders
Honda offers a range of OEM accessories for the XL750 Transalp, including panniers, a top box, heated grips, and a low seat accessory for shorter riders. The low seat lowers the standard seat height by 20mm.
Pricing, Color, and Availability
The 2024 Honda XL750 Transalp will have an MSRP of $9,999 in the US and will be available in Matte Black Metallic. It is expected to arrive in showrooms in October 2023.
Additionally, Honda has announced the return of the 2023 Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP, which will have an MSRP of $28,900, be available in Pearl White, and arrive in American Honda showrooms in September 2023.
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