The Transalp moniker was revived by Honda at last year’s EICMA show with the new XL750 Transalp adventure bike and now we can exclusively report that the bike will be launched in India very soon.
- Powered by an all-new 755cc parallel-twin engine
- Makes 92hp & 75Nm; has full suite of electronic rider aids
- Runs on 21-/18-inch tubed wire-spoke rims
The Honda Transalp 750 is powered by a liquid-cooled, 755cc, parallel-twin mill making 92hp at 9,500rpm and 75Nm at 7,250rpm. Honda’s big bikes in India generally make a little less power than their international counterparts, and it remains to be seen if this will apply here too.
This mill is mated to a 6-speed gearbox endowed with a slip and assist clutch as well as a bi-directional quickshifter. Nestling this new 270-degree parallel-twin is a diamond steel frame suspended by a USD fork and monoshock setup, both courtesy of Showa and both featuring preload adjustability.
Kerb weight stands at a relatively light 208kg, which will make it one of the lightest large-capacity ADV bikes on sale in the country. The Transalp rides on a set of tubed wire-spoke rims sized 90/90-21 (front) and 150/70-R18. Seat height stands at 850mm, although there is a low seat option that brings it down to a more accessible 820mm. Honda has sold a lower seat version of the Africa Twin as standard in India, and it will be interesting to see if they plan something similar with the Transalp.
A vast array of electronic rider aids is available, including five riding modes (4 preset, 1 customisable), four engine power modes, five traction control levels, three levels of engine braking and two levels of ABS. If you choose to, you can switch traction control and rear ABS off.
Expected pricing for the Honda Transalp is between Rs 10.50 lakh-11.50 lakh (ex-showroom, India), which prices it in the vicinity of bigger rivals such as the Triumph Tiger 850 Sport (Rs 11.95 lakh) and the BMW F 850 GS (Rs 12.95 lakh). However, the Transalp competes with them in terms of peak output figures (85hp/82Nm on the Triumph and 95hp/92Nm on the BMW) while being lighter than both.
This price is on the high side, especially considering that the Transalp carries an incredibly competitive price overseas. However, it will come to India via the CBU route, and that’s why the Transalp will carry a slightly heftier price tag in India than it does overseas.