It seems every adventure bike manufacturer is following the design philosophy that Yamaha has been successful with for years; develop a versatile parallel twin feasible for platform sharing. Honda is no different. In 2022, it announced the development of an all-new 755cc parallel twin that would be utilized in the Transalp and Hornet 750. The same year, Suzuki debuted an all-new 776cc parallel twin that is, just like Yamaha, shared between a supersport (GSX-8R), naked bike (GSX-8S), and adventure bike (V-strom 800DE). Naturally, Honda aims to do the same thing. Recent rumors suggest the development of a faired CBR750R and retro-styled CB750 Hawk. Although there has been no announcement on the arrival of the Hornet 750 in North America, the Transalp has been available since the end of 2023.
The 2024 Honda Transalp features a 755cc SOHC liquid-cooled parallel twin with a 270-degree crank, 46mm throttle bodies, a bidirectional quickshifter, and five ride modes: Sport, Standard, Rain, Gravel, and User. In the customizable User mode, riders have the choice between four levels of power, five levels of Honda Selectable Torque Control (traction control) as well as off, three levels of engine-braking, and three levels of ABS (Road, Off-road, and Off-road with rear ABS disabled). Chassis components include a lightweight steel diamond frame, 43mm Showa SFF-CA telescopic inverted fork with adjustable spring preload offering 7.9 inches of travel, Pro-Link Showa shock with adjustable preload providing 7.5 inches of travel, dual two-piston calipers with 310mm rotors, and 21/18-inch wheel sizes.
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/octane/2OYQGSCU5BGZVBNPHEXT7IHXFQ.jpg)
On the Cycle World dyno, the 2024 Honda Transalp produced 70.58 hp at 8,530 rpm and 47.01 lb.-ft. of torque at 7,270 rpm. For reference, the 2023 Suzuki V-Strom 800DE produced 72.21 hp and 50.15 lb.-ft. of torque and the 2023 Yamaha Ténéré 700 produced 61.68 hp and 42.45 lb.-ft. of torque. The Transalps torque curve dips around 3,500 rpm, but at the top-end, the bike makes nearly peak horsepower all the way up to its 10,000-plus redline. The Honda does not have the same torquey feel as the Suzuki, but when revving up the 755cc parallel twin and making use of every rpm, the Transalp is very rewarding.
