For me this bike has been the best for me. And i have tried allot of them. I just mounted mccruise electric cruisecontrol on it. And outex tubeless kit. Both for a extra 1000$ on the price of the bike. Witch makes it very worth it. The bike is 30-35kg lighter then a africa twin. And on my Norwegian twisty roads feels better then a AT. Yes it does. I have done suspension mods. SW Motech crashbars and skidplate. + dunlop trailmax raid tyres. Heated grips, 12v extra output at the front. Auxilary lights as some of the tunels i ride through have zero lighting in them. And it is a must in the summer when you come from the bright blue sky to complete darkness. And auxilary lights spread the lighting better for those dark nights when there is allot of animals running around. Deers etc. Easier to spot them.... Absolutely love this bike. If you do lots of highway. Get the bigger windscreen and the deflectors. Absolutely worth it.
Some people did conversion to tubeless using Africa Adventure Sport wheels, but that will cost 1500-2000 euros with all parts needed. Black and Gold are options. Golden wheels are (44650-MKS-E21, 42650-MKS-E21)
They wanted to save money. "Because of off-road" is just ideology. If I go to Bolivia or Africa I take tubes with me and I can mount them in tubless rims without any problem.
I'm grateful that I can own such a great bike, fits perfectly fine to my riding needs. I consider that people underestimate the off-road potential of the bike despite it's suspension and ground clearance limitations at some point. Greetings from Romania 👍
Had a test ride on the ta 750 myself for a couple of hours and I can concur it’s a fantastic machine for the price . It does everything really well , very light weight, great wind protection, loads of grunt , hard to knock tbh , Great review there Tony as always 🎉🎉
Nice review, thanks for uploading. The immutable biking law is you can forgive any bike absolutely anything - IF it has anodised gold wheels. When I sell my Africa Twin (not anytime soon tbh) this is the bike I will go for, with a few extras added. 👍
I like it. All reviewers mention the low price but once a lower crash bar to attach a skidplate too, and handguards increases the cost a lot once added.
Avoid the oem extra parts except for the quickshifter and heated grips. Here in Norway the crashbars and skidplate are around 2000$ + witch is insane. I bought sw motec combo for 500.
@@NorCalSaint The OEM is not that good either. People have changed the skidplate because it is so thin. I would call it a deflecor for stone chips. Not anything you smash in to rocks with.
Thanks Beverley, much appreciated. Having looked at my analytics, 86% of the watch time is from non-subscribers! If I could reduce that it would be amazing.
How would you get the wheel out to change a tube with no centre stand. And who carries tools, pump, spare tube and tyre levers? Give me tubeless and a repair kit.
TFT and tubed tires a contrast of technology, just an observation not ranting or putting it down I agree a light duty off roader could get by with tubeless. I don't see the newer riders wanting to deal with changing or repairing a tube. I started riding on the street around 1977 so I'm familiar with the procedure of dealing with tubes much prefer tubeless tires. Honda does make nice motorcycles I have owned a few different models over the years my first street motorcycle was a Honda CM185 with a four speed transmission it was called a Twinstar here in the USA and none of them had any major issues aside from batteries, bulbs and the like my Harley-Davidsons on the other hand...🤣 I still ride a tubed tire bicycle and carry a spare tube, patch kit, tire levers and co2 cartridges in a small bag under the seat just in case. Cheers and Happy New Bike Year
Yep its just more aggravation, particularly when touring. Whipping a wheel off to change or repair a tube by the side of the motorway in the rain doesn't sound like fun. Mind you I can't remember the last time I had a puncture! it would be a nice to have, but it wouldnt stop me fro buying one
Great review, I'd like to see an NX750 with this engine, 17-19 cast tubeless wheels to rival the Suzuki 800 RE. I just can't lived with tubed spoked wheels for the 95% road riding I do.
A fab review Tony. Hopefully your feet kept dry after riding through the floods 😀 I like this bike, but cant get over the fact that it is the same running gear as the hornet and they charge two and a half grand more for it. With the bits you have on the test bike it would be @£11,722.00
Great review as always.We're spoiled for choice for mid sized adv bikes atm and no wrong choice really. I did consider the Transalp but ended up with a discounted Norden 901.
Excellent conditions to test a motorcycle for our climate. Wet, mud and floods.... proper test. Is there any vibration at higher revs? The only negative thing is the lack of cruise control. Honda are alledgely worried that it would take sales from the Africa Twin. My take on it is that if I wanted a fridge freezer sized bike then I'd buy one. Would like to buy the Transalp but I will wait for honda to include cruise control in the future. That and tubeless tyres. Oddly.... I still would buy it right now.
Excellent comment, however the lack of tubeless tyres and cruise is a deal breaker IMHO. I would happily pay a bit more on the list price to have both of these features...
Cheers. No sign of any untoward vibes at the top end. Cruise control doesn’t bother me personally, but it may be some thing that comes later perhaps? Yep if it had a lot of the features of the Africa Twin, it could eat into sales. Plus it would price it out against bikes like the Tenere and 800 DE
But it is 12k-ish in that configuration and no cruise and as you said basic even "bumpy" suspension is quite some money. Yeah it got the looks and the good name, that midage men nostalgically reminds the original one, but is it enough, since the market in this sector is quite competative? Honda so it seems got no luck in a year Suzuki did surprise us with that twin.
Thanks for your review❤, I'm thinking about buying this bike. I've only had naked bikes so far, and they can be a little tiring. I really like this machine, I hope it is comfortable for long distances
If you like this type of bike, it's doubtless a good one. Decent price. My Africa Twin 750 RD04 would have been over 5,300 GBP back in February 1992 when I bought it new, if I'd bought it in England. Nick
Other than no cruise no tubeless rims and non adjustable suspension it’s a very good bike lacks a bit of low down grunt than its rivals but makes up for it with top end on the road
Coming from a 2007 Vstrom and wanted a newer more equipped Adv bike went for the Transalp, but as EICMA 2023 came and went, the prices for the Africa Twin remained the same with all the known upgrades splurged on one and upgraded to their DCT for urban and touring use as offroading is a less requirement. Very informative review for those wanting a mid sized and priced bike. What brand of boots are those? They look comfortable and good for hiking.
@@mancavemoto I saw your review and appreciated the fact that you were not bashing the DCT like others. Transitioning from manual to DCT is like going from rotary/keypad phone to digital touchscreen phones with gestures and whatnot. Though I have a decent vintage phones collection, I will never be caught dead using one as a daily driver, the same I did for automatic cars, and hope the same for the AT DCT.
Thanks Tony, great review. Another bike for the price minded, that has all the features of more expensive bikes for a similar performance / ability as this one that is also arguably better looking is the CFMoto 800. 70 Kw / 77 Nm, cruise control, heated grips and seats and at least for Australia the longest warranty outside of the 5 years BMW offers.
I test rode the Transalp a few months ago and was super impressed with the motor/power delivery, the effectiveness of the screen, the build quality and ride the whole package delivered……BUT…….as you noted, no cruise control available…….a deal breaker for me I’m afraid as I would be using it for touring………shame
Good review. Another great bike from Honda. Just a suggestion, but how about a Mancave Moto Test Loop? Incorporate all road types. Tea stop midway for initial thoughts. Mpg and positive and negative thoughts to conckude. Using the same route consistently allows comparison of like for like bikes in similar circumstances. Just a thought. Nice one. Ride safe and happy travels 👍
Great suggestion! I do have a test route that I take pretty much all review bikes round, with a bit of country lane, A-Roads, dual carriageways, off road where applicable etc but its not something i formally refer to. Added to that i'm normally riding the bike for at least a week before I pull any content together, these reviews are based on a single ride (unless its a launch of course). But something to think about for sure. Cheers
Before test riding the 800 DE I was very convinced that I would like to give the Transalpine a chance as well but now I don’t have the same urge to try it as I really loved the Suzuki. Again, tubed tires aren’t the best but at least the V-Strom accessory come at a less expensive cost compared to Honda. Nevertheless, the TA is amazing in this colour scheme…my personal favourite if I was choosing the bike up to looks only.
@@podunkman2709 For me personally almost everything that you mentioned is easily manageable - after market screen or one from 800RE would solve the wind protection, I didn't felt any high engine vibrations and the way the Suzuki carries it's weight off-road is exceptional...it's feels much lighter than it really is. However, there is one important BUT for me - the heat emissions from the lower part of the engine are quite noticeable. When I rode the bike for around 30+ min on the highway (with 16-18 degrees C outside temperature) I was constantly feeling my Sidi Adventure 2 boots getting warmed up. The constantly heated legs could drive me crazy in warm temperatures.
@@johnstonstewart9683 I deliberately rode back to back with my own V-Strom 650 and even though I am so impressed with the amazing suspension, off-road ability and the electronics of the 800DE it still can't compare itself with the 650 in the twisty roads.
Re cruise control, I wouldn't be too surprised if the code is already in the software and has been tested. It's not there purely due to not stealing sales from the At, which sucks...
Looking to chop my 390 Duke for a bigger, more capable tourer. However, at 154Kgs the Duke is super light and narrow, think the Transalp would be hard work on the London/Brighton commute so thinking more of the NX500 - can't give up my XSR900LC as I love it too much even if its tiny tank isn't great for European touring. If I got rid of that I could probably go for this as 1 bike to do it all.
A tough call. In reality theres not much difference between this and the NX500 size wise (width) I think the Transalp would make an excellent commuter, particularly over a longer distance like that.
Always a good day for a ride out to Finchingfield Even in the snow! How do you think the bike compares to a T7 maybe the main competitor for a medium weight bike that's really good off road? Do you think we'll see more focused versions coming soon?
On road I prefer this to the T7, but the T7's ground clearance gives it an advantege off road when things get rougher. I've seen these going to tricky places with riders that have the skills, check out Big Rock Moto if you havent already
Cruise control is a deal breaker for some riders? I don’t even use it on my car and I’ve never had it on any bike in 50 years of riding. Tubeless tires would be nice but I’ve had two flats in %0 years, one on a tubeless tire and one on a tube tire bike. Admittedly the tubeless tire flat was easier to deal with than the tube tire flat. I’ll gamble on this one issue but if a tubeless conversion kit ever becomes available, I’ll convert.
Yep agree. Honda do the right thing, lower the base price and if people want the extras then they can buy them as add ons. I use cruise control maybe once or twice a year in my car, never used it on a bike (even though I have had it). People like to moan.
When this came out I thought it was a great value package, but with the KTM 790 adventure around the same price, which has tubeless tyres, 12v socket, unless I was going to be putting in lots of commuting miles I think the KTM would get my vote.
Be nice to compare this and the 800DE off road, I know many people won’t take their bikes off road but I would and I don’t seem to find too many off road oriented tests
I've ridden both off-road (simple trails) and they are pretty similar. The Honda feels lighter and more manoeuvrable, but the Suzuki's suspension is plusher and more controlled. If you haven't already check out Big Rock Moto
They are the stock Metzeler Karoo Street. Not bad at all, pretty predictable but start to loose grip on the edges when pushed in the wet. Overall a good choice it seems
Good question, and its quite similar. I really like the Tuareg I think its an underrated bike. The Tuareg feels better off road, the suspension damping is better. Its engine has a little less power, but it sounds great. Downsides are the dealer support in the UK and it does kick out quite a bit of engine heat on the right side. The Transalp I found more comfirtable on the road over distance. Given they are pretty much the same price they are hard to seperate.
Nice review, thanks. Bought this one, same color, quick-shifter, skid plate, heated grips and menioned 12V power supply included. The bike isn´t intended to be a hardcore KTM-like offroad bike and it does everything quite nicely. Yes, the suspension is soft and it doesn´t have a cruise-control but than again - it IS a (good) budget bike. You can´t have it all, can you? It´s a Honda, therefore probably good qualtiy and the things one doesn´t like can be easily changed. I for my part will change fork springs (not sure whether I do cartridges or only progressive springs as of today) and the rear shock. I also may change the rear sprocket to two or three more teeth for offroad-riding. Anyway, I´m satisfied with my bike. Ride safe out there!
The TAlp is DOA for a garbage suspension. A bike designed for a 150lb rider doesn't work for someone that's 200lb. At least with my 800DE, I can adjust the suspension for my weight and style of riding. Having an improperly set up suspension can be dangerous and the TAlp would be dangerous for me to ride. The reviewer even stats the suspension is bouncy on the pavement...dangerous. But hey, you people keep believing it's great and I will stay safe.
Its not dangerous! that’s a bit of an overreaction. As you mention, I said it was bouncy, then rephrased it and said it could be better damped, and I’m over 200lbs. You can dial in some preload on the Transalp of course, but can’t change the damping or rebound.
@@mancavemoto Agreed it was an over statement but it can be true. Cranking up the preload only makes things worse. You did say your primarily a street rider. I'm an off road rider and adjustability is crucial. Even the 800DE and 890R have their limits, but the qualify as ADV bikes.
I really want to 'want' this bike as it ticks so many boxes, but I just cannot get past the bland and generic 'family' headlight. It;s crying out for more road presence and attitude like the lights on the Africa Twin.
@davidmatthews3093 If you haven't used it, don't comment. Using it also reduces fatigue. Why do you think most bikes have it? Because the buyers want it!! It's only the cheap bikes that don't.. even super naked bike have them.. SDR, tuono. M1000r...
Well I prefer spoked wheels and plugs don't necessarily work and that's if the hole is easily found. Alloys look cheap. I had spokes on my 700 tranny but was sad to have to accept alloys on my Varadero upgrade. I think the my 700 looks better than this. Always regret selling it.
True the puncture isn’t always easy to find, but I’d prefer that than having to remove a wheel roadside to repair a puncture and of course you can have spoked tubeless rims.
I really love the bike but the air filter is rediculously hard to get at, you have to pull the fairing and the whole dash out to lift the tank, absolute joke for an off road orientated bike
The amount of sales Honda lost by not putting Tubeless rims on this bike must be in the tens of thousands. No doubt they did it to push buyers up to the Africa Twin, but buyers just go to different brands instead. How can CFMoto and Royal Enfield put Tubeless on their $6000 bikes but Honda cant on this...
I can't imagine it would be that many sales lost, but i get your point. I would say its a price thing, they wanted to keep it under £10k in the UK and that was one contributing factor.
This bike is b*tt ugly and is a disgrace in the year 2024 from a product perspective but all the vloggers are shoving this bike down our throats to the point where this eye sore of a bike now looks normal. Same as mass media normalising abnormal opinions. I wish "influencers" and TH-camrs can be at least honest that they are doing extended adverts on behalf of Honda rather than putting these videos out as if they are objective reviews.
@@mancavemoto point taken, I'm just pissed about this bike being on every TH-camrs channel right now. Everywhere I turn for unbiased entertainment I see this bike that I do avidly hate alongside my vehement hatred for Hondas lazy designs which are inspired by life long employees who've probably been working far too long at Honda and refuse to retire.
For me this bike has been the best for me. And i have tried allot of them. I just mounted mccruise electric cruisecontrol on it. And outex tubeless kit. Both for a extra 1000$ on the price of the bike. Witch makes it very worth it. The bike is 30-35kg lighter then a africa twin. And on my Norwegian twisty roads feels better then a AT. Yes it does.
I have done suspension mods. SW Motech crashbars and skidplate. + dunlop trailmax raid tyres. Heated grips, 12v extra output at the front. Auxilary lights as some of the tunels i ride through have zero lighting in them. And it is a must in the summer when you come from the bright blue sky to complete darkness. And auxilary lights spread the lighting better for those dark nights when there is allot of animals running around. Deers etc. Easier to spot them.... Absolutely love this bike. If you do lots of highway. Get the bigger windscreen and the deflectors. Absolutely worth it.
I love the bike. I’m an old guy in Western North Carolina. The bike is brilliant in the twisties , and fun on gravel.
I’ve had mine for 2k miles now and what I like is how light and nimble it is for the size
100%, should have tubeless rims. Worth a few more dollars
Perhaps there’ll be a slightly more premium version coming at some point?
Some people did conversion to tubeless using Africa Adventure Sport wheels, but that will cost 1500-2000 euros with all parts needed. Black and Gold are options. Golden wheels are (44650-MKS-E21, 42650-MKS-E21)
It looks like tubeless conversion using polyurethane sealant is pretty easy
They wanted to save money. "Because of off-road" is just ideology. If I go to Bolivia or Africa I take tubes with me and I can mount them in tubless rims without any problem.
@@mickleblade How safe is that, since that is the main reason to go tubeless?
I'm grateful that I can own such a great bike, fits perfectly fine to my riding needs. I consider that people underestimate the off-road potential of the bike despite it's suspension and ground clearance limitations at some point. Greetings from Romania 👍
Had a test ride on the ta 750 myself for a couple of hours and I can concur it’s a fantastic machine for the price . It does everything really well , very light weight, great wind protection, loads of grunt , hard to knock tbh ,
Great review there Tony as always 🎉🎉
Cheers Tony, it did surprise me, I thought it would be a little bland, but far from it, it does have some character
Nice review, thanks for uploading. The immutable biking law is you can forgive any bike absolutely anything - IF it has anodised gold wheels. When I sell my Africa Twin (not anytime soon tbh) this is the bike I will go for, with a few extras added. 👍
😂
Head light is disappointing I believe?
I like it. All reviewers mention the low price but once a lower crash bar to attach a skidplate too, and handguards increases the cost a lot once added.
Of course, but its the same for a lot of its competition.
Avoid the oem extra parts except for the quickshifter and heated grips. Here in Norway the crashbars and skidplate are around 2000$ + witch is insane. I bought sw motec combo for 500.
I like that they leave the extra stuff off and let us decide if we want OEM or aftermarket.
@@NorCalSaint The OEM is not that good either. People have changed the skidplate because it is so thin. I would call it a deflecor for stone chips. Not anything you smash in to rocks with.
I love my TA that new 750 engine is a lot of fun and it’s really good on asphalt and gravel I haven’t been in the dirt yet
Looks a great bike, but just requires tubeless tyres and it would be pretty perfect for the money
Fair review. I love my TA, cruise fitted, rear shock replaced (well worth doing) rear rim converted to tubeless
Another top vid
Come on everyone let’s support Man Cave and get his number of subscribers up to over 100k, he deserves it
Thanks Beverley, much appreciated. Having looked at my analytics, 86% of the watch time is from non-subscribers! If I could reduce that it would be amazing.
How would you get the wheel out to change a tube with no centre stand. And who carries tools, pump, spare tube and tyre levers? Give me tubeless and a repair kit.
TFT and tubed tires a contrast of technology, just an observation not ranting or putting it down I agree a light duty off roader could get by with tubeless.
I don't see the newer riders wanting to deal with changing or repairing a tube.
I started riding on the street around 1977 so I'm familiar with the procedure of dealing with tubes much prefer tubeless tires.
Honda does make nice motorcycles I have owned a few different models over the years my first street motorcycle was a Honda CM185 with a four speed transmission it was called a Twinstar here in the USA and none of them had any major issues aside from batteries, bulbs and the like my Harley-Davidsons on the other hand...🤣
I still ride a tubed tire bicycle and carry a spare tube, patch kit, tire levers and co2 cartridges in a small bag under the seat just in case.
Cheers and Happy New Bike Year
Yep its just more aggravation, particularly when touring. Whipping a wheel off to change or repair a tube by the side of the motorway in the rain doesn't sound like fun. Mind you I can't remember the last time I had a puncture! it would be a nice to have, but it wouldnt stop me fro buying one
Looks like a good package. That paint scheme isn't just the best one, it's the only one I'd consider were I in the market for a Transalp.
I test rode it and would go for the same one if I would be about to buy it. Drop by, you may like my content. :)
I have the Africa Twin, I’ve never owned a bike with cruise control but, I do Love my Atlas Throttle Lock!
great bike. this engine it's a dream !
Great review, I'd like to see an NX750 with this engine, 17-19 cast tubeless wheels to rival the Suzuki 800 RE.
I just can't lived with tubed spoked wheels for the 95% road riding I do.
A fab review Tony. Hopefully your feet kept dry after riding through the floods 😀 I like this bike, but cant get over the fact that it is the same running gear as the hornet and they charge two and a half grand more for it. With the bits you have on the test bike it would be @£11,722.00
Great review as always.We're spoiled for choice for mid sized adv bikes atm and no wrong choice really. I did consider the Transalp but ended up with a discounted Norden 901.
Good choice!
Thanks for your review Tony! Wet, flooded roads & crap on them roads, what’s not to love in the UK😉
Ha! yes and I had to deal with Ice today whilst out filming.
Excellent conditions to test a motorcycle for our climate. Wet, mud and floods.... proper test.
Is there any vibration at higher revs?
The only negative thing is the lack of cruise control. Honda are alledgely worried that it would take sales from the Africa Twin.
My take on it is that if I wanted a fridge freezer sized bike then I'd buy one.
Would like to buy the Transalp but I will wait for honda to include cruise control in the future.
That and tubeless tyres.
Oddly.... I still would buy it right now.
Excellent comment, however the lack of tubeless tyres and cruise is a deal breaker IMHO. I would happily pay a bit more on the list price to have both of these features...
@@gordon4221 I hear you. Still conflicted. Also its sounds great. Anyhow, finances will force me to be patient.
Cheers. No sign of any untoward vibes at the top end. Cruise control doesn’t bother me personally, but it may be some thing that comes later perhaps? Yep if it had a lot of the features of the Africa Twin, it could eat into sales. Plus it would price it out against bikes like the Tenere and 800 DE
@@mancavemoto Good news. Not much in the way of vibration. Must test ride one. Thanks for making the vids.
But it is 12k-ish in that configuration and no cruise and as you said basic even "bumpy" suspension is quite some money.
Yeah it got the looks and the good name, that midage men nostalgically reminds the original one, but is it enough, since the market in this sector is quite competative?
Honda so it seems got no luck in a year Suzuki did surprise us with that twin.
True, but its the same for the majority of its competitors. I think it a decent choice in this sector for sure
Thanks for your review❤, I'm thinking about buying this bike. I've only had naked bikes so far, and they can be a little tiring. I really like this machine, I hope it is comfortable for long distances
I found this to be a very comfortable bike, and i'll say this quietly, but its potentially a more comfortable than the Africa Twin!
If you like this type of bike, it's doubtless a good one. Decent price. My Africa Twin 750 RD04 would have been over 5,300 GBP back in February 1992 when I bought it new, if I'd bought it in England. Nick
Other than no cruise no tubeless rims and non adjustable suspension it’s a very good bike lacks a bit of low down grunt than its rivals but makes up for it with top end on the road
All you mentioned is right. I rode it too. Can check my test tide video. Cheers.
That's a lot of important things that are missing.
@@roadwarrior8560 They could include them, but.. :)
@@roadwarrior8560 check big rock moto out he addressed them all then sold it 😂
Nice review. Appreciate the perspective on comparison and riding description.
My pleasure!
Nearly 13 k in Ireland 🇮🇪
Coming from a 2007 Vstrom and wanted a newer more equipped Adv bike went for the Transalp, but as EICMA 2023 came and went, the prices for the Africa Twin remained the same with all the known upgrades splurged on one and upgraded to their DCT for urban and touring use as offroading is a less requirement. Very informative review for those wanting a mid sized and priced bike. What brand of boots are those? They look comfortable and good for hiking.
Nice I love the AT especially the DCT version. The boots are Rev'it Discovery GTX and have been very good indeed, there will be a review coming soon.
@@mancavemoto I saw your review and appreciated the fact that you were not bashing the DCT like others. Transitioning from manual to DCT is like going from rotary/keypad phone to digital touchscreen phones with gestures and whatnot. Though I have a decent vintage phones collection, I will never be caught dead using one as a daily driver, the same I did for automatic cars, and hope the same for the AT DCT.
Thanks Tony, great review. Another bike for the price minded, that has all the features of more expensive bikes for a similar performance / ability as this one that is also arguably better looking is the CFMoto 800. 70 Kw / 77 Nm, cruise control, heated grips and seats and at least for Australia the longest warranty outside of the 5 years BMW offers.
Yes you get a lot for your money with the CFMoto, it’ll be interesting to see how they hold up over time
I test rode the Transalp a few months ago and was super impressed with the motor/power delivery, the effectiveness of the screen, the build quality and ride the whole package delivered……BUT…….as you noted, no cruise control available…….a deal breaker for me I’m afraid as I would be using it for touring………shame
Good review. Another great bike from Honda.
Just a suggestion, but how about a Mancave Moto Test Loop? Incorporate all road types. Tea stop midway for initial thoughts. Mpg and positive and negative thoughts to conckude. Using the same route consistently allows comparison of like for like bikes in similar circumstances.
Just a thought.
Nice one.
Ride safe and happy travels 👍
Great suggestion! I do have a test route that I take pretty much all review bikes round, with a bit of country lane, A-Roads, dual carriageways, off road where applicable etc but its not something i formally refer to. Added to that i'm normally riding the bike for at least a week before I pull any content together, these reviews are based on a single ride (unless its a launch of course). But something to think about for sure. Cheers
Before test riding the 800 DE I was very convinced that I would like to give the Transalpine a chance as well but now I don’t have the same urge to try it as I really loved the Suzuki. Again, tubed tires aren’t the best but at least the V-Strom accessory come at a less expensive cost compared to Honda.
Nevertheless, the TA is amazing in this colour scheme…my personal favourite if I was choosing the bike up to looks only.
800DE is fantastic bike BUT: high engine vibrations, heat emission, heavy as hell, no wind protection at all.
Yes ,rode both back to back, bought the 800de.
@@podunkman2709 For me personally almost everything that you mentioned is easily manageable - after market screen or one from 800RE would solve the wind protection, I didn't felt any high engine vibrations and the way the Suzuki carries it's weight off-road is exceptional...it's feels much lighter than it really is. However, there is one important BUT for me - the heat emissions from the lower part of the engine are quite noticeable. When I rode the bike for around 30+ min on the highway (with 16-18 degrees C outside temperature) I was constantly feeling my Sidi Adventure 2 boots getting warmed up. The constantly heated legs could drive me crazy in warm temperatures.
@@johnstonstewart9683 I deliberately rode back to back with my own V-Strom 650 and even though I am so impressed with the amazing suspension, off-road ability and the electronics of the 800DE it still can't compare itself with the 650 in the twisty roads.
Re cruise control, I wouldn't be too surprised if the code is already in the software and has been tested. It's not there purely due to not stealing sales from the At, which sucks...
Quite possibly yes
Wingers can install a throttle lock easy peasy. Both my bikes have throttle locks.
Looking to chop my 390 Duke for a bigger, more capable tourer. However, at 154Kgs the Duke is super light and narrow, think the Transalp would be hard work on the London/Brighton commute so thinking more of the NX500 - can't give up my XSR900LC as I love it too much even if its tiny tank isn't great for European touring. If I got rid of that I could probably go for this as 1 bike to do it all.
A tough call. In reality theres not much difference between this and the NX500 size wise (width) I think the Transalp would make an excellent commuter, particularly over a longer distance like that.
Amazing review as usual.
I appreciate that
Always a good day for a ride out to Finchingfield Even in the snow!
How do you think the bike compares to a T7 maybe the main competitor for a medium weight bike that's really good off road? Do you think we'll see more focused versions coming soon?
On road I prefer this to the T7, but the T7's ground clearance gives it an advantege off road when things get rougher. I've seen these going to tricky places with riders that have the skills, check out Big Rock Moto if you havent already
Cruise control is a deal breaker for some riders? I don’t even use it on my car and I’ve never had it on any bike in 50 years of riding. Tubeless tires would be nice but I’ve had two flats in %0 years, one on a tubeless tire and one on a tube tire bike. Admittedly the tubeless tire flat was easier to deal with than the tube tire flat. I’ll gamble on this one issue but if a tubeless conversion kit ever becomes available, I’ll convert.
Yep I was surprised too, but it’s amazing how many comments on it I see, there’s plenty on this video if you scroll through.
Yep agree. Honda do the right thing, lower the base price and if people want the extras then they can buy them as add ons. I use cruise control maybe once or twice a year in my car, never used it on a bike (even though I have had it). People like to moan.
When this came out I thought it was a great value package, but with the KTM 790 adventure around the same price, which has tubeless tyres, 12v socket, unless I was going to be putting in lots of commuting miles I think the KTM would get my vote.
Yes the KTM 790 Adv does seem to offer the most bang for your buck in this class. It’s great to ride too
Be nice to compare this and the 800DE off road, I know many people won’t take their bikes off road but I would and I don’t seem to find too many off road oriented tests
I've ridden both off-road (simple trails) and they are pretty similar. The Honda feels lighter and more manoeuvrable, but the Suzuki's suspension is plusher and more controlled. If you haven't already check out Big Rock Moto
That Suzuki is heavy but I think the engine is better suited to off road ?
Both work, more mid range grunt in the Suzuki, but not much difference off the bottom
Will this come with dct do you know? Great bike .
Honda suggest no
What tyres ate you running on this Tony, how did they do on these roads in those conditions.
They are the stock Metzeler Karoo Street. Not bad at all, pretty predictable but start to loose grip on the edges when pushed in the wet. Overall a good choice it seems
@@mancavemoto thanks Tony.👍
Hi there!what you ride?
Africa Twin
So.. how does it compare to the Tuareg 660 you reviewed a year or so ago?
Good question, and its quite similar. I really like the Tuareg I think its an underrated bike. The Tuareg feels better off road, the suspension damping is better. Its engine has a little less power, but it sounds great. Downsides are the dealer support in the UK and it does kick out quite a bit of engine heat on the right side. The Transalp I found more comfirtable on the road over distance. Given they are pretty much the same price they are hard to seperate.
Would the black crash bars look better on the white bike than the silver ?
I think they probably would, but I think Honda only offer them in Silver?
Nice review, thanks. Bought this one, same color, quick-shifter, skid plate, heated grips and menioned 12V power supply included. The bike isn´t intended to be a hardcore KTM-like offroad bike and it does everything quite nicely. Yes, the suspension is soft and it doesn´t have a cruise-control but than again - it IS a (good) budget bike. You can´t have it all, can you? It´s a Honda, therefore probably good qualtiy and the things one doesn´t like can be easily changed. I for my part will change fork springs (not sure whether I do cartridges or only progressive springs as of today) and the rear shock. I also may change the rear sprocket to two or three more teeth for offroad-riding. Anyway, I´m satisfied with my bike. Ride safe out there!
Can the suspension not be adjusted for pillion and luggage?
You can adjust the preload on the rear, but that is all
@@mancavemoto Thanks! It's a bit basic for what Honda is calling a proper adventure bike.
Any better than the old Triumph Tiger 800 I wonder?
I prefer it, lighter, less too heavy and more comfortable.
@@mancavemoto yeah the Tiger is too heavy. I like the triple engine though.
cruise control should be at least an option
Ah I can’t believe the white one is not an option in the US. 😢
If it came in the usa in that color, I'd take a serious look. Not flat black tho. That's a shame.
hi, how was the quick shifter?
Very good actually, a bit clunky first to second going up, but other than that it was fine
Tubed tyres, no cruise control.
No thanks Honda
The TAlp is DOA for a garbage suspension. A bike designed for a 150lb rider doesn't work for someone that's 200lb. At least with my 800DE, I can adjust the suspension for my weight and style of riding. Having an improperly set up suspension can be dangerous and the TAlp would be dangerous for me to ride. The reviewer even stats the suspension is bouncy on the pavement...dangerous. But hey, you people keep believing it's great and I will stay safe.
Its not dangerous! that’s a bit of an overreaction. As you mention, I said it was bouncy, then rephrased it and said it could be better damped, and I’m over 200lbs. You can dial in some preload on the Transalp of course, but can’t change the damping or rebound.
@@mancavemoto Agreed it was an over statement but it can be true. Cranking up the preload only makes things worse. You did say your primarily a street rider. I'm an off road rider and adjustability is crucial. Even the 800DE and 890R have their limits, but the qualify as ADV bikes.
I really want to 'want' this bike as it ticks so many boxes, but I just cannot get past the bland and generic 'family' headlight. It;s crying out for more road presence and attitude like the lights on the Africa Twin.
MPG, range?
I average in the low to mid 60's so given the tank size I would expect 230-250 miles range
If it had cruise, I'd have bought one.
Why do you think cruise control is so important. I wouldn’t use it if it was there and don’t understand why people are so wound up about it.
@davidmatthews3093 I commute over 120 miles a day. So, cruise control is important.
@davidmatthews3093 If you haven't used it, don't comment. Using it also reduces fatigue. Why do you think most bikes have it? Because the buyers want it!! It's only the cheap bikes that don't.. even super naked bike have them.. SDR, tuono. M1000r...
Well I prefer spoked wheels and plugs don't necessarily work and that's if the hole is easily found. Alloys look cheap. I had spokes on my 700 tranny but was sad to have to accept alloys on my Varadero upgrade. I think the my 700 looks better than this. Always regret selling it.
True the puncture isn’t always easy to find, but I’d prefer that than having to remove a wheel roadside to repair a puncture and of course you can have spoked tubeless rims.
I really love the bike but the air filter is rediculously hard to get at, you have to pull the fairing and the whole dash out to lift the tank, absolute joke for an off road orientated bike
If your not going off road, just get a used NC750x and save yourself considerable money
The amount of sales Honda lost by not putting Tubeless rims on this bike must be in the tens of thousands. No doubt they did it to push buyers up to the Africa Twin, but buyers just go to different brands instead. How can CFMoto and Royal Enfield put Tubeless on their $6000 bikes but Honda cant on this...
I can't imagine it would be that many sales lost, but i get your point. I would say its a price thing, they wanted to keep it under £10k in the UK and that was one contributing factor.
@@mancavemoto yeah true, it’s not a big selling model. Maybe thousands of missed sales. I know I’d probably have one now if it had tubeless rims
It’s not growing on me!!!
How do you find Honda dealers. Like hens teeth in Derbyshire
One in stoke which isn’t to far from derby 😂
@@DucatiDale thnx
conflicted
This bike is b*tt ugly and is a disgrace in the year 2024 from a product perspective but all the vloggers are shoving this bike down our throats to the point where this eye sore of a bike now looks normal. Same as mass media normalising abnormal opinions. I wish "influencers" and TH-camrs can be at least honest that they are doing extended adverts on behalf of Honda rather than putting these videos out as if they are objective reviews.
Who pissed on your cornflakes! 😂Plenty of objectivity here, or maybe you came to vent without actually watching it? Looks are subjective too
Are you someone who thinks ktm look good? Lol
@@mancavemoto point taken, I'm just pissed about this bike being on every TH-camrs channel right now. Everywhere I turn for unbiased entertainment I see this bike that I do avidly hate alongside my vehement hatred for Hondas lazy designs which are inspired by life long employees who've probably been working far too long at Honda and refuse to retire.
Don't like a bike I understand but hate??