The mid-size adventure motorcycle market has seen quite a few entrants in recent years, with welter-weight ADV bikes from nearly all the major manufacturers (and most of the small ones) available, save for one. That may be changing as it appears Honda will offer its XL750 Transalp adventure bike for sale in the US.
Currently in showrooms in Europe and the UK, the Transalp debuted earlier this year with prices starting at €10,690 (approximately $11,400) and sporting an impressive 90 hp from its 755cc parallel twin engine. That motor was the sticking point for the American market, as it had not been submitted for emissions certification by the California Air Resources Board (CARB). As motorcycle.com and other outlets have reported, the Transalp has received CARB approval for the 2024 model year, which clears the way for sales of the CB750 Hornet street bike State-side as well.
By adding the Transalp, Big Red rounds out its dual sport and ADV lineup, starting with the tiny Grom and including the CRF300, CB500X, XR650L, and, of course, the big boy CRF1100L Africa Twin. Since there hasn’t been an official announcement from Honda yet, the exact specs and available equipment for the U.S.-bound Transalp are unknown. However, judging by the Euro version, we can expect 16.9 liters of fuel capacity, a dry weight of approximately 450 pounds, 55 pound-feet of torque from the 8-valve, two-cylinder engine, ground clearance of just over 8 inches, as well as 8 inches of travel from the inverted Showa fork and 7.5 inches from the rear monoshock. The European models ride on 21-inch and 18-inch wheels for off-road-oriented performance.
With the 1084cc Africa Twin only producing an extra 10 hp over the XL750 but saddled with 50 more pounds and up to 7000 more dollars on the loan, the Transalp may even siphon away some sales from its larger brother—not to mention some of its more expensive competition, like the KTM 850 Adventure R, BMW F850 GS Adventure, and the Triumph Tiger 900. Starting at $10,499, Yamaha’s Ténéré 700 might be less expensive than the Transalp, but it also makes less power from its own parallel twin.
Images: Honda Europe
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