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Honda’s new 755 cc parallel twin powers the 2023 XL750 Transalp — a 459-pound adventure bike with a claimed 90 horsepower on tap. Although pricing and availability have not been announced for the United States, there’s little doubt that Honda will bring this model stateside.
The Honda Transalp was first introduced in 1986. Over the decades of production and several model generations, the Transalp built its reputation as a tough, reliable all-rounder that could handle commuting, touring, and ADV duty. Compared to its Africa Twin siblings, Transalps were smaller, more road-biased, and less aggressive. Honda has continued that positioning with the new XL750 models, but chassis and tech improvements should give the new Transalp better off-road chops than its predecessors.
“With our new Transalp we looked hard at what made the first model so good and wanted to strike the right balance between urban agility, long-distance, on-road touring comfort and off-road ability,” said Masatoshi Sato, Transalp Large Project Leader at Honda Japan’s R&D. “The look revives the classic Transalp presence in a modern key, the new engine is incredibly strong and versatile, and the bike has an appealingly long and rich specification list. Around town or around the world – our Transalp is ready!”
Engine and chassis
At the heart of the new Transalp is the 755 cc parallel twin that debuted with the recent CB750 Hornet. It’s a fairly standard modern p-twin with four valves per cylinder, a ride-by-wire throttle with four ride modes (plus one customizable User mode), and 55 foot-pounds of torque. One difference between Honda’s design and its competitors’ engines is the Unicam valvetrain actuation that allows for a shorter overall engine design. The cylinders measure 87 mm by 63.5 mm with a compression ratio of 11.0:1. Honda says the new bike is intended for touring, solo, or two-up use, and the new engine is the most powerful ever fitted to a Transalp by a large margin. A slip/assist clutch with optional quickshifter eases gear changes.
A tubular steel frame cradles the engine and 4.5-gallon gas tank. Seat height is on the taller side of accessible at 33.5 inches with an optional low seat that drops down to 32.2 inches. The tail carrier is included as standard.
The Transalp has Showa suspension at both ends: a 43 mm SFF-CATM inverted fork at the front and a Pro-Link rear shock arrangement. The 21-inch front wheel has dual disc brakes with two-piston calipers. The rear brake ABS is switchable for off-road duty. Honda decided to equip the Transalp with tubed tires, which is a bit of a surprise given the Transalp’s road bias. That said, the tubes and non-premium suspension could indicate a more affordable price tag. We’ll have to wait and see.
Features and styling
In addition to the ride modes, Honda added five traction control levels, three levels of engine braking and power delivery, and wheelie control. A five-inch TFT dash displays all the settings and adjustment menus. Full LED lighting includes the new headlight design that looks like a CRF300L crossed with an NC750X. Other tech features include Honda Smartphone Voice Control, auto-canceling turn signals, and an adjustable shift light.
The XL750’s front bodywork and utilitarian tail pay homage to Transalps of the past, especially with the classic tricolor paint option. The fairing and windscreen should divert wind and precipitation around the rider without being too much of a liability off-road.
The accessory catalog is expansive. Honda designates five “accessory packs” to tailor the Transalp to different types of riding.
- Urban pack: 50-liter top box, mounting base, pillion pad and inner bag plus tall screen, and center stand.
- Touring pack: Rear panniers (right, 26 liters, and left, 33 liters), support stays, inner bags, and heated grips.
- Adventure pack: Crash bars, LED fog lights, and radiator grill.
- Rally pack: Quickshifter, engine guard, skid plate, off-road rally footpegs, and handguards.
- Comfort pack: Three-liter tank bag, lower wind deflectors, comfort passenger footpegs, and AAC charging socket.
The 2023 XL750 Transalp will be available three colors options: Matte Iridium Gray Metallic, Matte Ballistic Black Metallic, and the iconic Ross White Tricolour.
| 2023 Honda XL750 Transalp | |
|---|---|
| Price (MSRP) | TBA |
| Engine | 755 cc, liquid-cooled, eight-valve, parallel twin |
|
Transmission, final drive |
Six-speed, chain |
| Claimed horsepower | 90.5 @ 9,500 rpm |
| Claimed torque | 55 foot-pounds @ 7,250 rpm |
| Frame | Steel tubular |
| Front suspension | Showa 43 mm SFF-CA, adjustable for preload; 7.9 inches of travel |
| Rear suspension | Showa single shock, adjustable for preload; 7.5 inches of travel |
| Front brake | Dual two-piston calipers, 310 mm discs, ABS |
| Rear brake | Single-piston caliper, 256 mm disc, ABS |
| Rake, trail | 27.0 degrees, 4.4 inches |
| Wheelbase | 61.4 inches |
| Seat height | 33.5 inches |
| Fuel capacity | 4.5 gallons |
| Tires | Metzeler Karoo Street or Dunlop Mixtour, 90/90R21 front, 150/70R18 rear (tubed) |
| Claimed weight | 458.6 pounds (wet) |
| Available | TBA |
| Warranty | TBA |
| More info | powersports.honda.com |
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