After great success in Europe last year, the XL750 Transalp will be coming to the U.S. market for 2024 according to Honda.
This is the adventure model featuring the new 750cc parallel-twin. Details of this bike prior to its introduction in Europe last year can be found in our story here. The Honda U.S. website for the Transalp has specifications and additional information here.
Priced at $9,999, Honda says the new Transalp will be in U.S. dealers next month. The only available color is Matte Black Metallic, which is pictured with this article. Here is the short press release from Honda:
September 19, 2023 — ALPHARETTA, Georgia
In an announcement today, American Honda revealed that the highly anticipated XL750 Transalp is coming to the U.S. market for the 2024 model year. Originally introduced in 1986, the Transalp touts a rich heritage in the adventure category, where it is renowned for its ability to perform on the pavement and explore past the road’s end. Carrying this same ethos, the new-generation Transalp has been a hit in the European market over the past few months, and now U.S. customers will be able to enjoy this versatile, middleweight ADV platform.
“As the adventure category continues to thrive and evolve, customers are more eager than ever to get out and explore,” said Brandon Wilson, American Honda Manager of Racing & Experiential Marketing. “The all-new, midsize XL750 Transalp joins Honda’s iconic Africa Twin and pocket-adventurer CB500X to complete our popular True Adventure lineup, ready to deliver unforgettable outdoor experiences to U.S. ADV enthusiasts from coast to coast.”
2024 XL750 Transalp
Around town or around the world, Honda’s brand-new XL750 Transalp carries the adventure forward from the iconic original, ready for a fresh generation of riders looking to travel wherever the road leads. The new-generation Transalp is friendly but tough—perfect for extended touring trips, as well as the urban cut and thrust, and all points in between. It’s at home slicing through a mountain pass or kicking up dust on rough dirt trails, and it adds to the formula a high-performance engine, all-new design and the equipment level that modern riders demand. The versatile Transalp can be fine-tuned for specific applications with Honda accessory collections that include Adventure, Touring, City and Comfort options.
- MSRP: $9,999
- Colors: Matte Black Metallic
- Available: October
What is the reasoning for positioning the tour pack up so high?
So people can still see your tail light 🤷🏻♂️
How about a different color??
I’m sure I’ll get hate for saying this, but this bike (and those like it) makes no sense to me. Not good for the road, not good for the dirt. Why are these so ADV bikes so dang popular? Does anybody seriously ride these off-road?
See Reginald Van Blunt comment, September 21st below.
Pure dirt is not the same as ADV, dual purpose, or street scrambler.
An ADV bike is very good on the road with proper tires, and can keep up with most street bikes in the mountains.
But then, why are they delivered with 60/40 tires and 21” wheel?
In the middle tires for an in-the-middle bike. They are better on fire roads and such than road tires, and they look the “ADV” part.
21″ because there’s a tire that will make it surprisingly good on the street; there’s not much in the way of rubber that’s going to help a 17″ wheel in the ruts, washouts, dips and ditches.
Jonathan,
Just think of this style of bike as nothing more than the new “touring motorcycle”. And for that kind of riding they are light.
ORT
Why does so many riders have a fear of tubes? You can carry tire tools and an extra tube with you. They have small air pumps that run off your battery. It adds to the adventure
Either they have repaired a tube bike on the road many many times, or they have never changed a tube at all.
50 plus years, 13 bikes, one flat tire, all tubes all the time.
Same here, over 300,000 miles on motorcycles, two flats with tubes. Once with aired-down knobbies on the highway and another with a 6” long nail that went through the side wall, something that couldn’t be patched on a tubeless rim anyway. No big deal.
Put tubes on your cars and trucks and then flat two or more of them and get back to us.
Or you could just buy this thing and flat at highway speed and go through a puberty inducing tankslapper. 😉
Before I hear about my being a weak old guy, I can assure you that even as I near 70 years of age I am much stronger than the majority of people in the real world. I just happen to think tubes SUCKAZZ for street going motorbikes. 😉
So then, put them on your cars, trucks, SUVs etc. and load your family in the vehicle and drive through Death Vally and flat at least two of your precious tubed tires vehicles. Break the bead with your powerful muscles and install and inflate a new tube in both of them and be on your way stat! Like hell you will.
I don’t care if any of you use them, I just refuse to pay for ancient and dangerous wheels so YOU do it, LOL!
And cheapass motorcycle manufacturers that don’t give an airborne intercourse about rider safety and convenience will conintue to sell crap wheels until someone sues their ass.
I have a sense of humor but most tube lovers have a sense of entitlement.
FTN. 🙂
ORT
For a fella with a good sense of humor, you sound hostile to choices available.
Not all tube flats cause a tank slapper, but a bent tubless rim will lose air. Both are not an every day event. I would never avoid purchasing a motorcycle based on tube vs tubeless.
Now – something few here ever mention, tube tires ALWAYS run hotter than tubeless. Most concerning in desert climates, though with all my time in the SouthWest including Death Valley, no problem.
Reginald –
“Hostile” to choices, LOL!
Lame. You buy them. You use them. I will not buy nor use them. Your choice. My choice.
Don’t like my choice? I don’t give an intercourse. Your choice doesn’t affect mine nor mine yours.
You buy and use tubes. Do so in all your vehicles. Convert the modern tubeless back to tubes and use them. Simple but you won’t do it.
Just like I won’t buy tubed wheels. Those without a sense of humor display their sense of entitlement.
ORT
A tubed tire is very easy to pull the bead. Car and truck wheels have not been designed for tubes in a long time. It is fairly easy to change a tube on an old Austin Healey, not so much on a car that wasn’t designed to have tubes. You must get lots of flats!
Same here, been riding 38 years on both tube and tubeless tires. Only flat I have ever had was on my Valkyrie. Lucky I suppose but it does support the low frequency of flats.
For these kinds of bikes, it’s not a fear of changing tubes- it’s that it’s a pita to change them: turns a 5 minute exercise into 1/2 hour for most folks. Doesn’t sound like much from the comfort of wherever you’re reading this from- but out on the trail in 90 degree heat with sweat pouring down your face and insects buzzing around, it seems longer lol. Or 40 degrees drizzle in a muddy creek bed lol.
But let’s look at some of the other advantages:
1) blowouts- tubes often do, tubeless generally don’t
2) weight savings (and unsprung weight at that)
3) tires run cooler an advantage for a loaded bike used for touring
“But what about bent rims? You’re totally screwed if your rim doesn’t hold air!” you smugly say.
Guess what- you can carry a tube if you’re concerned about that; and stick it in a tubeless rim in that case. Don’t even need to carry two tubes- if you have a 19/17 wheelset on your bike, carry the 19′, it will work ok in the 17″. Not sure about a 21″ working with an 18- never had to do that.
Overall, I can’t think of a single benefit of tubed tires compared to tubeless- other than giving people an opportunity to brag how hard core they think they are because they run tubes.
But hey- I know people who think points and carbs are better than electronics, and drums are better than discs.
I’d have the bland Honda over the butt ugly 800 Vstrom all day long.
No backup display like the AT. I guess when this display fails (looking at you CRF1100L) you just wing it.
Yeah, I’m fairly disappointed that manufacturers have gone cheap with these TFT displays. They’re supposed to look all “hi-tech” at the customer’s expense. However, they are probably 1/50th the cost of analog gauges and likely 1/50th as reliable.
When we first learned about the new Transalp, I expected it to have about 70 hp, which would be about the same as the Africa Twin’s 93 hp/L. Honda surprised me by giving it 90 hp in Europe. Now the American version will have 85 hp.
It’ll be interesting to see how the American version stacks up against the T7 offroad.
Everything I’ve read puts these two as differently-natured beasts. Translap is more CUV* and the T7** is more rally light.
* as in “not a AT lite”.
** as in “much closer to an AT lite than the Tranaslp”.
Lower it an inch and a half and put it on 17’s and I might consider replacing my NC750 with it.
Honda should be putting out a faired Hornet 750 for you to add to by subtraction.
So three of these for the price of that Ducati on here.
yes this one is way more of a deal although no tubeless or cruise, let alone adaptive cruise. Should be 2 to 1 , 3 to 1 is absurd
I’m sick with the new wave of parallel twins FOR ALL, are much more interesting, mechanically and aesthetically, all the previous Transalp an Africa Twins with V engines.
One would be very hard pressed to come up with a design more bland.
Could be said of an Ax. Its a tool, thats hard to beat, when you need something like that. Its not meant to win the beauty contest, Honda has models for that. What your saying is like calling out, a chainsaw is a bad hammer.
I agree, looks are subjective, but I don’t see anything truly offensive. I actually find it quite identifiable as an Adventure bike and not bad looing at all. Otherwise, if it gets the job done…
When I see people complain that there is something wrong with a large basket, because it wont fit into a pocket, its because they dont need or want a large basket. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion.
Wow, I must have hit a soft spot. All I said is it looks very pedestrian, nothing about it stands out from the crowd. It may be a wonderful ADV bike, just as a 750 Nighthawk is a overall very nice standard, but, who wants to own one? I thought I did, and bought one new in the 90s, and they traded it in on a Guzzi a year later, not because there was anything I didn’t like about it, there just was nothing exciting me about it. Whatever, will be, will be.
I’d have the bland Honda over the butt ugly 800 Vstrom all day long.
Saying this bike is bland, one might not realize it has the 270 degree crank, effectively making it a V twin, much like a Guzzi, only without the cylinders sticking out the side, and the side to side rocking when revving. imho
Really Honda, ugly flat black? How about some real, gloss finishes.
Or at least a color that oncoming traffice waiting to make a left has a chance of seeing at noon on a sunny day…
Yep, I don’t want a bland Matte Blck bike.
Geez guys. Where’s your sense of humor? Honda counters complaints of there bikes being so vanilla by making one that looks like chocolate. I get it.
What I think is silly is the look mom I’m a dirt biker wheels on a 460 pound bike. In a word NO. You’re not a dirt biker. You are a fashion lemming. Next!
If it had tubeless rims, I’d be all over it. For now, I’ll stick with my Tuareg. I’m too old and grumpy to be trying to patch a tube along some trail somewhere. At least with the tubeless you can still ride the bike somewhat, and having a plug kit with you takes care of everything.
Also don’t want anything labeled as ‘trans’.
Wait, your Tuareg is still running?!?
They make kits to fix the wheels so that they are tubeless. Lots of AT riders use them.
I felt the same way, until I dented the front wheel on my tubeless 890R and the wheel won’t hold air. Converting to tubes next day I get a chance.
I find it kind of neat that there are so many dirt bike ergo bikes. What I don’t like are the tire sizes. At a portly 460 pounds this thing is well and truly a street bike so give it a set of 17 inch wheels. If it were a 100 pounds lighter I would approve of 19s in DTX wheel sizes so you can choose some hard compound dirt track tires for it. They stick too.
These are the sorts of bike I use for a two up bike and it would be nice for more of them with 17s to show up in rental fleets for those times when I am forced to travel.
The price is sure good. A Moto Guzzi V85TT is about $2000 more and a Suzuki V-Strom 800 is $1500 more. Glad to see some options in this class of motorcycle, as the $20-30k mega mauler ADVs are out of my range. Having owned a Stelvio in the past, I’ve developed a fondness for Moto Guzzi and barring raves for the Honda, plan to buy one early next year. Anyone with a V85TT, now’s your chance to talk me out of it.
Nice bike. Tough to go wrong with a Honda.
I wish hey’s bring the Hornet to he US. I suspect they’re holding it back while they sell off the remaining CB650r’s. I’d be really excited if they did a new version of the Superhawk on this platform.
Honda has released a Hornet for the Euro crowd. Sweet-looking bike with same engine. So far, it hasn’t been announced for USA.
Tube wheels and no cruise control on a motorbike meant for touring?
And Honda wonders why such bikes do not sell after people have asking for them here in the USA. It is because they are like Harley-Davidson, too cheap to equip the bike as it should be for not only the price but the promoted purpose.
Depending up real world mpg, the tank may well be too small. Honda is stupid. They did this (made the tank too small) with the current Goldwing and they did it with the first Africa Twin.
No thanks!
ORT
Put a set of 19/17, alloy, tubeless wheels on it and cruise control, and I’ll buy it. 99 and 44/100 percent of “adventure riders” could never realize the performance advantage of 21/18 tires over 19/17 tires, anyway, especially on a bike like this one.
Yamaha Tracer / FJ09
You are spot on, Koza.
10% might try an occasional fire road on this bike, so cast wheels and tubeless tires for most buyers would make more sense. Most ADV riders don’t really want a capable ADV bike, but the image of being a capable ADV rider.
Totally surprised that Honda stepped up for the extra expense of spoke rims (saved money on the cheap display). I do understand that it does give the bike more credibility in its attempt to look like an off road bike. Cast rims just scream “Budget Bike” to me.
another honda designed by the accountants. Boring!! Europeans are showing the way!
Time to point out, this bike weighs 460 pounds fully fueled, or 433 pounds with no fuel at all. Those numbers are not bad compared to the original TransAlp which was less than 600 cc, and around 415 pounds. I bought my 89 first and foremost because it fit a 6ft 2in body, and I suspect a lot of others bought theirs for the same reason, as well as straight up sit comfort. Most peeps over 6 feet tall are strong enough to hoist 450 pounds no sweat.
I eventually got tired of getting all ready for a pure dirt bike week end, compared to just GOING on a dual purposed ride as an exploring adventure, on both pavement and dirt as it showed up. One can do most any thing on a mid sized ADV, including touring and canyon carving all in the same day. The 21 inch front wheel is a real help in dealing with our deteriorating pavement overall and surprise potholes.
This class of bike is the most usable on the most occasions, compared to other types.
“perfect for extended touring trips”…
For me, after having bikes with cruise control, no.
The bike already has ride by wire, traction control, power modes etc.
Honestly Honda, how much more would it have cost to put cruise on it?
Put it on there and charge for it and the bike will still be at a good price point.
To me the alternative for similar size / weight / power is a base 890 Adventure which is a lot more $$$.
I know a lot of you guys will say “I’ve ridden 700 million miles since 1892 and I ain’t never had cruise on a bike”.
That’s great. But I have neck and shoulder issues and cruise control makes all the difference for me when I take long trips.
Ticks ALOT of boxes for me.
BIG ENOUGH for: Freeways, 2-up day rides, Solo-week rides, hardcases
SMALL ENOUGH for: Modest+ off-road riding, picking her up, and paying for her (under $10k)
BTW – Disagree on looks with some here. Great design work, just subtle. And these days conspicuous consumption seems foolhearty (sp?).
This may be a very practical bike, and I am a big fan of the Honda brand (loved my Blackbird), but to me this bike just looks boring.
17 years ago I had by my last motorcyle. Traded for 3 kids and a sporty cage. It was a KLR650 punched to 700cc with a Dakar style fairing (both done by the PO who had great taste). Admittedly, this is the first new bike that has me rethinking things. Kids are now 12 thru 17. The timing might be right? The size seems right. I can get lost on B-C-D and NO roads for hours (not days, not time for that). And at under $10K, the price is just barely right. Prices on EVERYTHING give me sticker shock these days. Hawaiian rolls for $8.00?? A pound of Roast Beef for what $13.00?? WTF!
Anyways, this bike ticks ALOT of boxes. I expect 70% freeway (to get there), and 20% fire-road, 10% Offroad / single track.
Will the wheel sizes really be that limiting?
Not sure why tubeless is that big a deal. Never been a problem before.
Electronics? I’d be happy w/ NONE.
That front end guard looks weird-but-useful I’d probably paint it flat black.
Appreciate others thoughts here. thx
To: Gary in NJ
You have either a lack of imagination or a too-narrow view of motorcycling fun.
But you’re in good (or at crowded) company. Reviewers and commenters always seem to fall into the trap of saying these style bikes are not hard core dirt bikes- earning extra Captain Obvious stipes. News flash- they’re mostly not intended to be (although talented riders will do some pretty amazing hard core riding with them). Just because the manufacturers are trying to sell the hard core off road image doesn’t mean you have to fall for it.
If you focus on “off pavement” rather than “off road”, they come into much clearer focus. These bikes are a whole lot of fun on dirt/gravel/two track type riding. And NJ (like many of the NE/Mid Atlantic states) has an amazing amount of high quality/fun off pavement riding. These “roads” generally offer very attractive scenery, plenty of turns, traction management opportunities, no vehicular or foot traffic, no police, etc.. Ok, you have to deal with deer- but that’s kind of normal on backroads anyway.
Combine that with (as mentioned) touring/commuting capabilities and generally good engine and suspension performance, and it’s easy to see why the adv bike segment is doing so well. And of course we have to recognize that the prime customer base is well along the path of “aging out” of sportbikes and looking for some more comfort before surrendering to cruisers/baggers/tourers LOL
With that in mind- my main complaint with most of the bikes in the segment is that the manufacturers (selling the dream of hard core off road) keep putting 21/18 wheelsets on the bikes and not offering a 19/17 setup. Given how most of the bikes are actually used, most buyers would be much better served by 19/17 most of the time.
OK, Translap comment- As a past owner of 3 of the original TransAlps, my feeling about this one is “meh, probably weighs not much less than an Africa Twin, so clearly a bike to fit into the < liter bike niche". Stupid if it has tubed tires and lacks modern electronics and doesn't offer them as options. And, of course, it has the wrong wheel sizes LOL
BTW Gary In NJ: if you want to see what I'm talking about
https://sporttouringmc.com/?page_id=219
Hey Walt, I totally get that type of riding and understand that it exists. In fact, I’m certain I’ve ridden with your group back in the 90’s when it was loosely associated with the BMW dealership that was on RT-57 (at least it was my impression that it was associated). Most of my off road riding is in the rock gardens of NE PA. When I think of going up a rutted hill with rocks everywhere – weight is not my friend. And I agree, for a road machine that will see mixed used, but primarily pavement and gravel/dirt roads, a 19/17 wheel combo makes sense.
Great videos…thanks for the links. Maybe one day I’ll get a chance to join another ride.
Hey Gary, Yep- you probably did ride with the former Skylands BMW Riders Club- which combined last year with “my” club, Sport Touring Motorcycle Club (aka STMC), to become…. Skylands Sport Touring Motorcycle Club. Pretty clever, eh? LOL.
At 76, I’ve sort of lost my enthusiasm for rutted hills/rocks- especially after doing Durty Dabbers this year on my 1190 Adventure. Beat the crap out of me and, fearing for limb if not life, I didn’t even finish it. One of my friends completed it on his 1290R- but he’s 25 years younger than me.
We did a high-fun 120 mile loop in NE Pa. Wednesday- amazing how much fun off pavement (and fun pavement tbh) riding we have in the area.
Sure, you’re right but people buy these bikes to tour or commute, not to go offroad, at least very much. Mostly they’ll find fire roads that are easy to ride. I had a Versys and it was one of my favorite bikes. I never took it offroad but I did feel a little more confident negotiating dirt or gravel roads when I had to. Otherwise, the styling here is typical Honda–smooth and a little bland. The tail is pretty good though. That new engine has no redeeming features in terms of appearance.
I’m surprised that after 24 hours no one has a comment on this post. Maybe it was an obvious surprise announcement. Personally I don’t understand this entire market segment. I’m a lifelong motorcyclist who owns dedicated street and dirt bikes. I have found that dual sports suck at both the “dual” and “sport” parts. A 300 pound DRZ feels like a ton after 4-5 hours of hard off road riding, I can’t imagine how a 500 pound street bike with a 21” front wheel would feel. Further, what happens when you are fatigued and you have arm pump? You drop your bike…that’s what happens…and I certainly don’t want to lift that bike, let alone pay for the broken parts.
So if no one wants to comment about the bike, you can argue with me about how these bikes make sense at all…or is it all cosplay.
The average age of riders has been increasing for decades. Us old folks have bad knees, backs, necks, etc. We can’t tolerate the seating position of a sportbike or even many of the naked sportbikes. The big ADV bikes give us a comfortable upright riding position with lots of legroom and still great handling. Not everyone wants a cruiser with their limited ground clearance and crappy suspension. Few of us with ADV bikes would ever take them off road. We buy them for the seating position.
“TP says:
September 21, 2023 at 8:06 am
Sure, you’re right but people buy these bikes to tour or commute, not to go offroad, at least very much. Mostly they’ll find fire roads that are easy to ride. I had a Versys and it was one of my favorite bikes. I never took it offroad but I did feel a little more confident negotiating dirt or gravel roads when I had to. Otherwise, the styling here is typical Honda–smooth and a little bland. The tail is pretty good though. That new engine has no redeeming features in terms of appearance.”
Spot on exactly……comfort is king if you want to keep riding as you age.
How old are you Gary? Once you’ve had a couple knee surgeries and start getting arthritis in your neck and back, you’ll understand these bikes. Us older people buy these for the upright seating position and plenty of legroom. The strong engines, good handling, wind protection, big tanks, and quality suspension and brakes are bonuses. Some will take them down dirt roads but very few will ever trail ride them. Personally, I have no use for a cruiser with their limited ground clearance, crappy suspension, and high weight, but I can’t physically ride a sport bike or even a naked sport bike anymore. Plus I don’t want to manhandle an 800 or 900 pound bike around. I’m mostly disappointed Honda cut 8 horsepower from the Transalp.
61…I’m part of the older demographic. And I maintain my fitness.
Youngster!
At 61 I was still rockin’ an RC30, VFR800, and an 851 on pavement; and a 950SE was my dirt bike LOL
Keeping fit certainly helps, but as you approach & cross the 70yo threshold- nature starts winning, the bitch@!
EZ Mark, I’m probably a bit younger than you, but, at 45 years old, have had one total one replacement, broken 4 vertebrae, and have torn rotator cuffs in both shoulders (amongst many other injuries). I still race motocross and road race competitively – on proper MX and road race bikes. I still don’t get bikes like this. If I were getting a 200+ kg street bike to tour, it would be a sport touring bike. If I wanted a dirty bike it would be an actual dirt bike.
Who cares what a bike not intended for even 4-5 minutes of hard off road riding, feels like after hours of the stuff?
Does a 2stroke KTM suck because it’s hard to imagine it feeling comfortable after 4-5 hours 2up at typical Autobahn speeds as well?
Ever more rapidly deteriorating roads, across every country in both the Americas and Europe, means suspension travel and wheel circumferences greater than what was common back when The West was still wealthy enough to build and maintain decent roads, increasingly makes sense. That these wheels happen to resemble ones which also make sense for bikes intended for “hard off road riding,” is pretty much entirely coincidental. No different from how supermotos having the same wheel size as superbikes, in no way make them suitable for WSB competition.
Yes, the 2-stroke KTM sucks after 4-5 hours of high speed crusing – because it isn’t the right bike for that use – just like a 500 street bike isn’t the right bike for off-road riding (and gravel and dirt roads isn’t off-road riding because they are still “roads”).
Oh boy, asphalt black everything.