Honda has filled a gap between its Africa Twin and CB500X with the new XL750 Transalp and, after attending the Australian launch in the Gold Coast hinterland, it’s fair to say that it has released an affordable and effective adventure bike. But it’s not alone, and the Transalp is instantly being compared to Suzuki’s new V-Strom 800DE.
The Transalp lists at $14,499 plus on-roads (about $16k ride away), which is around $2500 less than the V-Strom, but the Suzuki does come with more fruit in standard trim, including a quickshifter and adjustable suspension. Yes, you can option up your Transalp with a quickshifter, but not with adjustable suspension.
There are plenty of other bikes in the mid-capacity adventure segment too, like KTM’s 890 Adventure R, Yamaha’s Ténéré 700 and Husqvarna’s Norden 901, but that trio of bikes are either more off-road focused, more expensive, or both.
THE SEAT IS A MANAGEABLE 850MM AND I HAD NO PROBLEM GETTING MY FEET FLAT ON THE GROUND
Anyone familiar with Honda’s new CB750 Hornet will be greeted by a familiar sight when they mount up on the Transalp. The five-inch TFT dash with inbuilt Honda Smartphone Voice Control system is shared with the Hornet, as are most of the buttons and switches used to control it.
The cockpit is roomy with
