By now it's pretty certain that a Honda Transalp 750 is coming. A new, less potent mid-range travel enduro that might compete with already extremely popular models like the Yamaha Ténéré 700, KTM 890 Adventure, Tuareg 660, and BMW F 850 GS was said to be in the works as early as 2019. This time, new details about the upcoming bike have emerged, particularly about the engine.
In case the new Transalp 750 indeed becomes a reality, it will slot itself squarely in the middle of Honda’s adventure-touring model range, in between the beginner-friendly CB500X, and the top-range Africa Twin. The Transalp’s origins date back all the way to the ‘80s. The 650cc displacement was added to the Transalp in 2000 after it was first released in 1987 as the 600. The Transalp was produced as the XL 700 V starting with the 2007 model year until it was eventually discontinued in 2012. In typical Honda fashion, a 400cc version of the Transalp was released exclusively to the Japanese market, to comply with licensing regulations for bikes 400cc and up.
In the case of the new Transalp 750, we can almost be certain that the bike will no longer come with a V-twin engine. German motoring publication Motorrad Online speculates that the future bike will come with a parallel-twin engine, however, not that of the NC750X, as it isn’t exactly the best engine for off-road use. Instead, it’s expected that Honda will develop a new engine based on the architecture of the engine found in the Africa Twin. That said, it’s expected that the bike will come in two trim options—one with a standard manual transmission, and the other with a DCT.
According to Motorrad Online, Kenji Morita, the project manager of the Africa Twin, expressed that there was a gap in Honda’s adventure-touring model range—a gap that could be perfectly filled by the Transalp 750. After all, the current crop of middleweight adventure bikes, particularly that of fellow Japanese manufacturer Yamaha, are among the very best we’ve ever seen. The publication speculates that Honda would be showcasing the new Transalp as early as EICMA 2022, so I’d definitely keep my eyes peeled.
