Almost forty years have passed since the arrival of the first Honda Transalp, in 1986. It was a revolution, a road bike that did not disdain some light off-road passages. It was the forerunner of crossovers, a category still among the most popular. In the various versions, from displacement to displacement, the Transalp was produced for 27 years, until 2013: the last was the XLV 700, the extreme point of a saga that made history. Then about ten years “without”, then in 2023 the great return. The XL 750 Transalp lost a “V” along the way because the engine is completely different, no longer a V-twin but the 750 cm³ parallel twin also mounted on the Hornet; in reality however there is not a single interchangeable screw with the previous version. The XL 750 Transalp is completely new, only the soul remains, which is the most important thing.
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Abysmal difference
10 years of difference is a lot and in this period the technology has made frightening progress. So it is interesting to compare the performance of the two bikes, the old and the new, based on the findings of our Test Center. You will be surprised. It was obvious that there had been progress, the incredible thing is to note how much.
Transalp 750 vs 700
Here is the comparison between the performance recorded by our test centre last year for the 750 and those recorded 12 years earlier for the 700.
Power and torque
Maximum power: 75.4 HP (22.4 HP more than the previous 700)
Maximum torque: 69.0 Nm (13.4 Nm better than the 700)
There is a gulf, a percentage difference much greater than that due simply to the increase in displacement. The pull has also increased, to a lesser percentage but still significant.
Top speed and acceleration
It was obvious that the difference was reflected in the speed and acceleration performance.
Maximum speed of 195.6 km/h effective (180.8 km/h for the 700)
Acceleration 0-400 meters of 12″0 (14″0 for the 700)
Acceleration 0-1000 m 23”3 (27″2 for the 700)
Acceleration 0-100 km/h 3”6 (5″4 for the 700)
In sixth gear at 50 km/h the kilometre is covered in 27”4 (27”7 for the 700)
Consumption
This is where the biggest difference is felt. Efficiency has made great strides, and the old 700 was already criticized for being too thirsty at the time.
On the highway we recorded 21.4 km/l (12.3 km/l for the 700)
In extra-urban use 33.1 km/l (17.4 km/l for the 700)
At 90 mph 32.7 km/l (16.5 km/l in the 1250)
A 120 km/h 24,5 km/l (14,4 km/l)
The 16.9-litre tank allows a range of 414.4 kilometres at 120 km/h and even travelling at full throttle it can cover 163.8 kilometres.
A 100% next-generation crossover
The progress obviously does not concern only the engine and it does not take long to notice it, once in the saddle. The electronic equipment is rich and includes the ride-by-wire accelerator, five riding modes, the traction control on five levels integrated with the anti-wheeling, four levels of power delivery, the engine brake control on three levels and obviously the ABS, this adjustable on three levels.
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Lightweight off-road cycling
The 750’s chassis is built around a sturdy steel diamond frame with Showa suspension with plenty of travel, 190 mm for the SFF-CA fork with 43 mm Ø stanchions and 200 for the rear monoshock suspension with Pro-Link progressive linkage. There are two 310 mm ˚ brake discs with two-piston axial calipers at the front and a 256 mm Ø disc with single-piston caliper at the rear, the spoked wheels are 21″ at the front, with a 90/90 tyre, and 18″ at the rear, this one with a 150/70 tyre.
It is a motorcycle with pleasant and sleek lines in which the bodywork offers a good compromise between aerodynamic protection, comfort on the road and driveability on dirt roads; the 16.9-liter tank allows freedom of movement, the weight of 204 kg comes to the aid, contained for a twin-cylinder of this category, and the height of the seat at 85 cm from the ground, to easily reach with your feet. There are full LED headlights and direction indicators that turn off automatically, and in the event of abnormal braking they activate the emergency flashing.
The main driving feature of the XL 750 Transalp is the fact that… it’s a Honda. This means that everything is simple and natural, the riding is easy and intuitive. The controls are exactly where you expect to find them, the position is natural and the saddle is comfortable. The engine has a smooth delivery, it starts to push from 2000 rpm and reaches up to 10,000 rpm, the limiter’s intervention threshold. If you want a bit of nastiness it’s best to keep it above 6000 rpm but it has such elasticity that you could always turn in third gear.
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The windshield is not adjustable
The electronic gearbox is quick and precise and the clutch is soft to operate. If you really want to find a flaw, the handlebars feel some vibration around 4000 rpm. It’s a shame that the windshield is not adjustable, but the air protection is good, only the shoulders remain outside, and riding on a mountain road is pleasant: the XL 750 Transalp surprises with its agility and handling, it lets itself be carried through curves and counter-curves with extreme naturalness, as if it were a 100% road bike and not a crossover. It is an easy bike, accessible to everyone, with which you can get by honorably even on some light off-road sections. The handlebars are a little low for riding standing up but it is not a specialist enduro… The suspensions absorb both small bumps and more marked ones well, perhaps the shock absorber pumps a little if you push it too hard but at very reasonable levels. The powerful and modulable brakes are also good, more for asphalt than dirt, but with ABS to ensure peace of mind.
