Honda XL750 Transalp (2023 - ) review

Honda’s Italian subsidiary’s design department has done an impressive job with the new Transalp. First, it’s based on the already brilliant CB750 Hornet with its free-revving and powerful new 92 horsepower parallel twin. Second, it’s successfully been given the long-travel suspension, bigger wheels and adventure bodywork necessary to turn it into a credible adventure tourer in the mould of the 1980s, 600cc V-twin original. But third, and most impressively of all, the resulting bike has an impressive all-round ability, cohesiveness and refinement at a great price that should make it a big hit in the sector. The icing on top? Slick, modern styling that belies its budget price combined with just enough retro notes of the original Transalp to satisfy long-time fans.

The Transalp has the typical upright adventure bike riding position but with the emphasis on long distance touring comfort rather than off-road ability. It will tackle gentle gravel trails, but it’s not its forte on the basis its screen is too tall and handlebars too low for that. So, while the slim, relative lightweight manageability of the CB750 Hornet roadster on which it is based is retained, the longer suspension, bigger 21-inch front wheel (and 18-inch rear), longer wheelbase and more expansive bodywork make the Transalp a significantly roomier, more protected place to be. Light weight, the low-ish seat and slimness aside, it feels very much like a full-size adventure bike. Which is good thing when it comes to two-up, luggage-carrying touring. The screen is effective, though non-adjustable, and seat comfort is decent, too.

Full-size, 1,000cc-plus adventure bikes are often about the most practical bikes you can buy for their touring, two-up and off-road ability but also their sense of fun down country lanes. Saying that they’re sometimes let down by their sheer bulk and top-heavy awkwardness which can make them a handful around town. Not so with the Transalp. Honda has somehow carried off the trick of making it feel substantial and comfortable without also making it heavy, bulky and cumbersome. As a result it will happily take on hundreds of motorway miles, is still sufficiently sporty, fast and fine handling to be fun on sunny Sunday country rides and yet is slim, light and sufficiently manageable to be a breeze around town as well. On top of that, it’ll even do a bit of off-roading!

The Transalp looked set to be a winner from the outset simply because it’s based around the brilliantly effective and perky twin cylinder powertrain from the latest Honda Hornet. With 92 horsepower, the SOHC twin is already the most powerful in its class and, although not as grunty as some, has plenty of mid-range drive, decent overall refinement, slick gearshift and the benefit of three useful riding modes. Braking is decent and ample but is one of the areas that can’t hide the Transalp’s budget position, given the twin-piston Nissin calipers up front instead of the more usual four-piston affairs.

Better than you might expect. Although in some areas a budget bike – and an adventure one at that with longer travel suspension with a 21-inch wire front wheel wearing semi-knobbly tyres – the Transalp is secure, sweet steering and with enough sportiness to satisfy. As you’d expect the ride is plush but is also controlled and classy. Both front and rear are adjustable and there’s a classy quality here you wouldn’t normally expect for the price. Steering-wise, sure, it’s not as nimble and nose-biased as a more compact roadster, but it’s not at all bad.

The Transalp has been launched with a new price of just £9,499, which makes it significantly cheaper than both Yamaha’s best-selling, MT-09-based Ténéré 700 and Suzuki’s new V-Strom 800 so, again, it’s off to a winning start even if it’s not as stunningly cheap as the Hornet it’s based on. On top of that, demand is likely to be high, keeping used prices healthy. In all other running costs aspects, it shouldn’t be too bad, either. Insurance will be middling, its performance will result in a ‘middling’ hunger for consumables such as tyres, chains, brake pads and so on and its fuel consumption, averaging out in the mid-to-high 60s, isn’t too bad either.

Being a brand-new bike the Transalp 750 has the classic conundrum of, by definition, having no reliability track record so, for the sake of common sense, we have to hold back one mark here. That said, the Transalp’s also a Honda, which has a better record than almost anyone when it comes to mechanical reliability. Its engine isn’t particularly over-stressed or over-complicated, it’s undoubtedly been through a massive development and reliability programme given the importance of the models it’s powering to the Honda range and nor is there that much to the Transalp to go wrong.

Honda, like most of the major motorcycle manufacturers, offers a standard two-year/unlimited mileage, manufacturer backed warranty covering all parts and labour with its new bikes from the date of first registration. Servicing is fairly typical, and after the first, 600-mile ‘break-in’ service annual services are due every 8,000 miles with major valve-check services every second visit to the workshop.

The Transalp is an adventure touring bike, so you’d expect it to be fairly well-equipped. But it is also a slightly budget-priced one, which has the opposite effect. The overall result, however, has most things you need. There’s a smart, 5-inch, colour TFT dash, electronic rider aids including four rider modes and cornering ABS and traction and … that’s about it. The screen is non-adjustable, although that’s not a problem in reality, and extras such as a quickshifter, centre stand, luggage or heated grips all cost extra. But when the base bike is as good as it is for under £10K we’re not really complaining.

Ever since Yamaha launched its MT-07 based twin-cylinder Ténéré 700 the middleweight adventure bike category has gone mad – as proven by 2023’s arrival of Suzuki’s new V-Strom 800 and Honda’s new Transalp. And that’s in addition to bikes such as KTM’s 790 and 890 Adventure, BMW’s F850GS and the Triumph 900 Tiger. But the Transalp, primarily due to its price, slick and speedy engine, decent comfort and versatility is definitely one of the best. If you want more hardcore off-road ability, look elsewhere. But if you want a brilliant all-rounder with a great engine, distance comfort and bags of value, you won’t go wrong with the Transalp.