Honda Transalp Pricing Confirmed For US, Canada

[advrider]

After almost a year of waiting, Honda has finally confirmed availability and pricing for its newest adventure bike. The Honda Transalp sees orders open on September 20, 2023, with pricing well in-line with competition.

Honda says the Transalp (aka the XL750) will sell for $9,999 MSRP in the US market. Canadian riders will pay $12,599 (in both countries, taxes and fees are always tacked on by government and dealers, including freight and PDI).

Comparing those numbers to the competition, we see Suzuki’s V-Strom 800DE carries a $13,299 MSRP in Canada and a $11,349 MSRP in the US. As for the Euro scene, we see BMW’s new F900 GS has a $14,595 MSRP in Canada, with no US MSRP available yet. Of course there are differences between the bikes; the Transalp comes without quickshifter as standard, for instance (although it is available as an accessory), and it is included with the price tag on the other bikes. So, if you’re a potential buyer with interest in all, you’d be best-served by sitting down and deciding what’s important to you (including your relationship with local dealerships) instead of just deciding based on the price tag alone.

Hope you like black, because this is the only color choice we get in North America this year. Photo: Honda

When it gets here, we know the US-spec Transalp will have less power than its European version. It reportedly puts out 83 hp, instead of 90.5 hp like the Euro bike.

Transalp background

Returning to the lineup after its cancellation all the way back in 2008, the Honda Transalp is basically never seen in North America, as it was only sold in Canada for one year (1987).

The new machine is coming here with the same engine as Honda’s new CB750 Hornet naked bike. It runs a 755cc parallel twin, with SOHC, eight-valve head and 270-degree crank. A slip/assist clutch comes standard, mated to a six-speed gearbox (as we said above, a quickshifter is an option).

Honda gave the new Transalp a ride-by-wire throttle, which allowed them to program in considerable electro-trickery, including five riding modes.  Sport mode offers the most power and the least intervention from traction control, wheelie control, ABS, adjustable engine braking, etc. Standard is a bit toned-down for sensible urban riding. Rain mode has the least aggressive power delivery, for riding in tricky traction conditions. Gravel mode, as the name implies, is optimized for off-road. User mode allows the rider to choose their own levels of intervention.

Honda claims excellent fuel economy, saying the Transalp can cover 23 kilometers per liter, which means the 16.9-liter tank has a theoretical range of 390 kilometers, or about 250 miles.

As far as the chassis goes, Honda used a steel diamond frame engineered for light weight, even lighter than the CB500X’s frame. The subframe is integrated, which may be a bugbear for some ADVers (bolt-on subframes are preferable to many riders). There’s a separate-function fork from Showa; Showa also provided the shock. In front, there is 200 mm of suspension travel, and 190 mm in back. Fork and shock are preload-adjustable.

The brakes are not flashy name-brand kit, but dual-channel ABS does come standard, with 310 mm discs up front (with two-piston calipers) and 256 mm disc in rear (with single-piston caliper).

Want more details, or photos? Check out our past coverage of this machine here.

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