First Ride: 2023 Honda Transalp 750

Article content

Once again, I must salute the esprit de corps of the good folks at Sondrio, Italy’s Stilmoto Honda dealership. No sooner had I entered the shop — after a year’s absence, no less — than Danielle and Matteo were offering up their new Transalp 750 demo for me to ride in anticipation of it coming to Canada in the near-future. And, as always, they did so with absolutely no restrictions, so you’re getting these first impressions directly from the Bernina Pass, exactly the type of road the Transalp was designed for.

Article content

It’s an almost immortal question: Can lightning strike twice? More specifically, can lightning strike the same thing, place, or person twice?

Officially — at least officially according to Yahoo! — the odds of getting hit by lightning are only 15,300 to one, which, if you’re as shocked as I was at those not-nearly-long-enough odds, means you might not be so cavalier about taking the four-iron out of the bag the next time a thunderstorm is directly overhead.

On the other hand, the chances of getting hit twice are as long as you might imagine, i.e. one in nine million. And even if American state trooper Roy Sullivan made mockery of even those long odds — there are truly not enough zeros in your calculator for his bad luck — by being struck no fewer than seven times, the fact remains that, for most of us, “getting struck by lightning twice” has become the very colloquial definition of distant odds.

Article content

Article content

If so, then consider Honda’s new Transalp 750 the latest motorcycle to beat the odds. A true cult classic — at least over in Europe — in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, the original Transalp became the very definition of the do-anything, go-anywhere motorcycle. BMW’s famed R80 G/S may have started the adventure craze, but it was the Transalp that popularized it.

Blessed with a totally unburstable V-twin engine, sophisticated (for its time) suspension, and just enough bodywork to justify the touring aspect of the “adventure” genre, the Transalp quickly became the standard by which a motorcycle’s versatility was measured. Even today, XL600 and XL650 Transalps remain in great demand, pristine examples commanding significantly more moolah than their original MSRP. Amongst the hardcore adventuring sect, the original is nothing less than a cult classic.

Article content

Some 35 years later, the not-quite-in-Canada-yet 2023 Transalp might be about to repeat its predecessor’s impact.

Like its predecessor, its key strength is that it has no outright flaws. The motor, for instance, is another gem. While we may not yet know its dependability — though seeing as it’s a Honda, betting against it being reliable would seem to engender the same long odds of getting twice-cooked by thunderbolt — it is, in almost all other regards, a gem.

For one thing, it’s powerful beyond its seeming modest specs. After all, this is a 755-cc parallel twin, hardly the most inspiring form of internal combustion. Worse yet, there’s but a single camshaft in its cylinder head, the better, says Honda officially, to reduce weight up high, but really just a cost-cutting measure, as camshafts are (relatively) expensive to manufacture.

Article content

And yet, the darned thing performs beyond all expectation. The first thing you’ll notice is that there’s a bunch of grunt down low. Credit a longer intake tract than the version of the same engine that’s used in the upcoming Hornet, or maybe Honda has secretly played with the cam timing, but whatever the case, from idle to about 3,500 rpm, the little Transalp pulls with as much authority as my V-Strom 1000. Oh, the fact that it weighs but 208 kilograms, some 50 less than my 2018 DL1000 — and a whopping 22 kg fewer than Suzuki’s brand-new V-Strom 800DE — no doubt helps, but the fact that it can be lugged down to 2,500 rpm in fifth gear without complaint is mighty impressive.

Nor does that mean the little twin turns lethargic when you screw on the revs. In fact, Honda’s oversquare twin — with a bore of 87 millimetres and a stroke of just 63.5 mm — puts out a serious-contender 90 horsepower at 9,000 rpm. From 6,000 revs to its 9,500-rpm redline, it pulls hard. Bigger bikes — both sporty or adventuring — are going to be surprised with the Transalp’s alacrity. Think KTM 790 with low-end torque, or Yamaha’s Tenere 700 with an actual top-end rush. Methinks even Suzuki’s larger-displacement 800 — the new DE actually displaces 766-cc — is going to have a hard time keeping up.

Article content

Oh, it’s not perfect. One odd thing is that, though both low-end torque and top-end horsepower be truly impressive, the Transalp’s mid-range is only so-so — this might be the one arena in which the new Suzuki can keep up. Also, despite its 270-degree crankshaft — which is supposed to emulate a V-twin in both character and comportment — and a balancing shaft, there is a bit of vibration when cruising around 5,500 rpm. The one salvation for the latter is that the Transalp is geared tall — 4,000 rpm sees almost 100 kilometres an hour on the digital speedo — which means you will be speeding by the time the chattering begins.

Another performance arena where the little Honda excels is on-road comportment. Despite its off-road-oriented 21-inch front rim and dual-purpose adventuring tires — Dunlop’s totally creditable Mixtour — its flits through Italian twisties with a precision even its big brother, Honda’s Africa Twin, can’t match. Occasionally a little extra counter-steering is required, but otherwise, you’ll be clipping even tight Bernina Pass apexes with ease.

Article content

It also helps, especially when clipping those apexes on the way down the (very steep) Bernina, that the Transalp’s brakes perform their specification — the front calipers boast but two pistons each, and 310-mm front discs on a 21-inch rim are not exactly the epitome of braking leverage.

Consider Honda’s new Transalp 750 the latest motorcycle to beat the odds—its key strength is that it has no outright flaws

One reason that said handling is so surprisingly competent is the excellence of the suspension. Oh, there’s nothing special about its construction — the forks are standard upside-downies, with compression and rebound damping in separate legs, while the rear is a likewise standard single shock. Neither is damping-adjustable. In other words, technically they are but average pieces of kit.

But their spring rates are virtually spot-on. Or virtually spot-on for a 180-pound single rider. Neither too firm for off-road riding — where the 200 mm of rear travel and 190 mils up front are quite adept over adventure-riding-sized bumps and jumps — nor too soft for the aforementioned hooning over sinuous roads, the Transalp’s springing is as well chosen as I’ve tested. Oh, to be sure, lots of bikes — mostly larger and more expensive — boast superior technology, but few are as well-tailored to their intended audience.

Article content

Article content

Indeed, my only gripe with the Transalp’s suspension is that the rear shock offers no easily-fiddle hydraulic pre-load adjuster. Yes, rear pre-load can be modified, but it’s a tedious procedure requiring a spanner and much awkward fiddling. Considering how well the Transalp could take to two-up touring — all that power and excellent handling make it an ideal candidate — the omission of hydraulic pre-load adjustment does, for all intents and purposes, restrict the new 750 to one-up touring.

That’s made more a pity by a decent seat that is comparatively — in this segment, at least — flat, comfortably firm, and well-shaped. The seating position, for what is supposed to be a mid-sized bike, is also reasonably expansive, with an excellent coordination between seat height — 850 mm — the drop to the footpegs and a nice, easy reach to the handlebar. Honda, at least in Europe, even offers a plethora of accessories — side luggage, a cavernous top case, and centre-stand, as well as other tidbits — all with touring in mind.

Article content

It is Honda’s one mistake in an otherwise impressive campaign to keep the Transalp’s MSRP competitive. Of course, since Honda Canada hasn’t officially announced that it is importing to our shores yet, we do not have local pricing yet. But considering that, in England, the Honda is 1,000 pounds (CDN$1,670) less than the V-Strom 800, and 600 pounds (CDN$1,000) less than Yamaha’s Tenere 700, it would seem to suggest a Canadian price in the neighbourhood of $12,000, something of a bargain in these much-inflated times.

One could also complain about the lack of a standard quickshifter — the Suzuki 800 does include that extra as standard equipment — and perhaps an adjustable windscreen, but both would raise that entry-level pricing significantly. Besides, if you really want the former, it should be available as a Honda-sourced option and, if you find you need the latter, Givi will almost assuredly offer a turbulence-quelling AirFlow adjustable screen in the near future.

Article content

Article content

In the meantime, the new Transalp 750 is a surprising little powerhouse that, like its predecessor, does precious little wrong. That it handles a treat, goes like the Dickens, and is something of a bargain in these economically-troubled times makes it all the more attractive.

Attractive enough that my friends at Stilmoto were all but sold out of their 2023 allotment of Transalps within 72 hours of the first one setting foot in their showroom. I suspect that it will garner the same attention if — more likely, “when” — it comes to North American shores.

That’s because it’s the best Honda since the Africa Twin was launched six years ago in the class of the bargain adventure touring set. My bet is the new Transalp will prove as popular as the original. It really is, as the Brits are wont to say, a blinding bike.

As we went to press, motorcycle.com is reporting that the California Resources Board has certified the Transalp 750 for the 2024 model year. Therefore, it’s almost certain the baby Honda will be coming to Canada. The price is still, as yet, unannounced.