Principal Blog
Transalp reborn
27 February 2025
Transalp reborn
Once you’d have had to pay Paul Browne to ride a Transalp.
To be fair he’s been paid this time too. It is, after all, his job to check out bikes whether good, bad or indifferent.
So, what did a man whose unpaid ride is a Tenere make of Honda’s new dual sports bike?
Way back in nineteen hundred and eighty six Honda launched a new adventure machine, the Transalp.
According to people much older than me it had a 583cc V-twin engine and was, to me at least, utterly uninspiring.
The larger Africa Twin from the same company did it all so much better. Even the styling put the smaller bike in its place.
So when recently asked to ride one – the Transalp that is and not the Africa Twin – I felt a little sad.
But then again, as I discovered, a lot has changed since the mid-Eighties.
A different beast
LED lights, a better designed fairing and screen and a more workable seat height for those of us who are a little bit taller, are all part of the package. That’s not forgetting a new engine that puts out 90bhp, fuelling modes, ABS and torque control.
This was a different beast to the ones that came before it and once onboard I was very pleasantly surprised.
Close, indeed, to happy.
Its engine was the big surprise.
There’s a whole lot of new here with Nickel-Silicon Carbide lined cylinders. These are used in the Fireblade as well as Honda’s competition 450 machines. They allow for faster engine pick up and better engine wear
The slipper clutch works a treat and in sports mode there’s the option to ‘increase the life of the front tyre’.
Simply being a 750cc engine makes it a bigger and more ‘respectable’ bike.
The chassis, once again, is new and it’s also ‘sprung’ with adjustable Showa suspension on either end.
Display model
The TFT screen clearly displays the lot, and the bike can be married to a smartphone, allowing for Google maps to be on show. All of this is controllable from a toggle switch on the left hand bar. There’s even a USB socket.
There’s a stunning amount of official accessories available.
Crash bars, extra lights, a choice of luggage types, a taller screen, bash plates, a tank bag, a quickshifter and even wheel rim tape for when you’ve run out of things to buy for your new bike.
Bike of revelation
Riding the thing was a revelation.
On a 300 kilometre day, over a variety of road types from motorway to dirt track, it never felt less than it should.
The 70 odd Nm of torque made for a bike that dismissed slower traffic on the overtake with ease.
When filtering on the wonder of modern commuting solutions that is the M50, it’s balance and slow speed control left nothing to complain about.
On poorer quality roads it really proved itself up to the tasks demanded of an adventure bike. With its long travel suspension and the ability to turn off the rear ABS it was a whole lot of fun on which to ride across the gravel.
My everyday bike is Yamaha’s Tenere and I was surprised at just how comparable the Transalp is to it.
Rather than being an also ran, the latest Transalp is more like a smaller Africa Twin.
Indeed, with the 750 badge on the fairing it evokes good memories of the original Africa Twin and dismisses the not-so-good ones associated with the old Transalp.
Poetry in motion
As the renowned Irish poet* once mused; “And fools, who came to scoff, remained to pray”. I’m on my knees.
This is one bike that’s made it to my dream garage. Of you get the opportunity throw your leg over one and be prepared to be impressed.
A new one will run you €12,699 from any Honda dealer.
* The Deserted Village by Oliver Goldsmith, circa 1770.
