2023 Honda XL750 Transalp First Look

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Honda has revived the Transalp name with the new XL750. (Honda/)

It’s been 10 years since Honda discontinued the last Transalp after a quarter of a century building middleweight adventure bikes bearing that name. For 2023, the Transalp is back, and unlike its slightly soft forebears, the new bike’s on-paper specifications give it everything it needs to dominate its category.

There’s no better way to track the changes in how the adventure-bike market has developed over the last few decades than to trace the way the Transalp has mutated. In 1986, the original Transalp was launched as the 583cc XL600V, sporting a three-valve V-twin with 50 hp and predating the more hardcore original Africa Twin (a Euro model, unlike the current open-class Africa Twin), which would initially arrive in 1988 with a 647cc twin before a hike to 742cc in 1990. Over the years, the Transalp would get capacity hikes to 647cc in 2000 and 680cc in 2008, but it never topped the 60 hp mark.

2023 Honda XL750 Transalp in black. (Honda/)

Fast forward to today and the Transalp is revived, this time with the 755cc four-valve-per-cylinder Unicam parallel twin that debuted a few weeks ago in the CB750 Hornet. Now called the XL750, the Transalp makes the same 91 hp as the Hornet, which is around 50 percent more powerful than the best any of its predecessors could achieve. And yet, it’s still a steppingstone toward the open-class Africa Twin, which is now a 1,084cc 101 hp machine.

The Unicam engine follows the current Africa Twin’s template, borrowing the cam system that proved itself in competition in the CRF450R motocross bike. A single camshaft acts directly on the intake valves and opens the exhaust valves via rockers, with the aim of creating a lighter, more compact engine while retaining the high-revving, high-power abilities of a DOHC design. It’s high revving for a parallel twin, with peak power arriving at 9,500 rpm with a 10,000 rpm redline. For contrast, the Suzuki V-Strom 800DE, launched the same day as the new Africa Twin, has only 82 hp from its own brand-new 776cc DOHC twin.

A brand-new 755cc parallel twin is shared with the new Honda Hornet. (Honda/)

Like the new Suzuki V-Strom and the Yamaha Ténéré 700 that’s surely its main target, the Transalp uses a 270-degree crankshaft for a V-twin-mimicking throb and improved torque delivery. The ride-by-wire 46mm throttle bodies allow five riding modes, each combining different settings for the throttle map and engine power, engine-braking, traction control, and wheelie control. The first four modes are preprogrammed; settings are Sport, Standard, Rain, and Gravel, while the fifth can be set up to personal preference, allowing riders to pick from four power maps, five traction-control settings, and three engine-braking modes.

The cockpit view shows the new TFT display that allows riders to optimize the riding modes to their liking. (Honda/)

The engine sits in a frame that’s essentially borrowed from the Hornet, but with revised geometry to suit its off-road purpose. The steel “diamond” chassis weighs a mere 40 pounds, helping to keep the whole bike down to an impressive 459 pounds complete with fuel. The frame features a 27-degree steering head angle with 4.4 inches of trail. A Showa 43mm inverted SFF-CA (Separate Function Fork-Cartridge) fork provides 7.8 inches of front travel, while a Showa remote-reservoir monoshock at the back has 7.5 inches of travel. That’s a little less than the rival Suzuki or the Ténéré 700, but still enough for some gentle dirt road riding. Cost savings show in the lack of suspension adjustment; it’s limited to preload only. Braking duties are completed via Nissin two-piston axial-mount calipers at the front with dual 310mm rotors; a single 245mm rear disc and one-pot sliding caliper sits out back. ABS is standard with two selectable levels of intervention, and the rear ABS can be disengaged for off-road use.

The steel diamond frame is host to a Showa SFF-CA fork, while a pair of two-piston calipers and 310mm handle front-braking duties. (Honda/)

The Transalp’s styling is the work of Honda’s Italian R&D department in Rome; it’s a clean-looking machine but with some signs of cost-cutting. The screen isn’t adjustable, for instance, and the headlight is an off-the-shelf unit also used on the Hornet, the CB500F, and the CB500X. It’s still LED, though, along with the rest of the lighting which includes tech such as an emergency stop signal that flashes the hazard lights if you brake harder than a preset threshold. The turn signals are also self-canceling, using front and rear wheel speeds to determine whether a maneuver has been completed.

The windscreen is not adjustable, and there aren’t standard hand guards. (Honda/)

On-board, there’s the same TFT color dash that appears on the CB750 Hornet, incorporating Bluetooth connectivity for phones and, when allied to a headset, a voice control system for Android to manage calls, messages, music, and navigation. The same controls can also be achieved via switch gear on the left-hand bar.

A closer look at the TFT display. (Honda/)

Although Honda has yet to announce the price of the Transalp, even in Europe, it’s easy enough to get an idea of its target. The CB750 Hornet, which shares many of the same components, is priced just below Yamaha’s MT-07 in markets where both bikes are offered, even though the Honda is a substantially more powerful machine. So, logically, Honda should position the Transalp in the same price bracket as the Ténéré 700. North American plans for the bike are unclear at the moment, but given the value of the ADV market, surely Honda will be bringing the Transalp here once production gets underway next year.

Optional side case. (Honda/)
The rear suspension has provisions for preload adjustment. (Honda/)
Seat height is set at 33.5 inches. (Honda/)
Footpegs are ready for off-road riding. (Honda/)
Tank with optional tank luggage. (Honda/)
Rear rack to accommodate optional top case. (Honda/)
2023 XL750 Transalp with optional luggage. (Honda/)
2023 Honda XL750 Transalp in action. (Honda/)

2023 Honda XL750 Transalp Specs

MSRP:	TBA
Engine:	Liquid-cooled, Unicam parallel twin; 4 valve/cyl.
Displacement:	755cc
Bore x Stroke:	87.0 x 63.5mm
Compression Ratio:	11.0:1
Transmission/Final Drive:	6-speed/chain
Claimed Horsepower:	90.5 hp @ @ 9,500 rpm
Claimed Torque:	55.3 lb.-ft. @ 7,250 rpm
Fuel System:	PGM-FI electronic injection
Clutch:	Wet, multiple slipper/assist
Engine Management/Ignition:	Electronic
Frame:	Steel diamond
Front Suspension:	Showa 43mm SFF-CA; 7.9 in. travel
Rear Suspension:	Showa Monoshock damper, Pro-Link swingarm; 7.5 in. travel
Front Brake:	Dual 2-piston calipers, 310mm discs w/ ABS
Rear Brake:	1-piston caliper, 256mm disc w/ ABS
Wheels, Front/Rear:	Wire-spoked wheels; 21 in./18 in.
Tires, Front/Rear:	90/90-21 / 150/70-18
Rake/Trail:	27.0°/4.4 in.
Wheelbase:	61.4 in.
Ground Clearance:	8.3 in.
Seat Height:	33.5 in.
Fuel Capacity:	4.5 gal.
Claimed Wet Weight:	459 lb.
Contact:	powersports.honda.com

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