Transalp

TRANSALP

Maybe Honda's best all-rounder, probably not coming to America

BLAKE CONNER

DO YOU WANT A HARDCORE ADVENTURE BIKE COMPETENT enough to cross deserts in North Africa, jungles in South America or wind through tight single-track trails right here at home? Or do you, like most, simply want a great all-rounder capable of light off-road duty, but with the looks of a bike that may have just crossed the finish line at the Dakar Rally?

If you fit into the second category, the all-new, availablein-every-country-but-ours Honda XL700V Transalp could be an ideal machine.

During a recent trip to Sicily to evaluate Pirelli’s Scorpion Trail dual-sport tire (see sidebar), I had the opportunity to spend an extra day riding the Transalp on roads tailor-made for this type of adventure-touring.

A totally revamped follow-on to the first-gen Transalp sold in the U.S. from 1989-91, the new bike is powered by a 680cc, 52-degree, liquid-cooled V-Twin with four-valve heads and fuel-injection. At a claimed 59 hp and 44.3 ft.-lb. of torque, it makes enough power to tackle everything from

sporty twisties to high-speed jaunts on the autostrada.

Sicily offers some of the most amazing sportbike roads imaginable-the road to an espresso bar next to a lava field halfway up active volcano Mount Etna tops the list. Tell ’em CW sent ya. Mile after mile of perfectly smooth secondand third-gear sweepers were a blast on the Transalp. Excellent fuel-injection response and ample torque made the Honda a contender chasing sportbikes up this popular road despite the bike’s fairly heavy 471-pound curb weight. You find yourself rowing the five-speed gearbox quite a bit to keep the engine in its sweet spot, but it’s very capable of being hustled along.

A double-cradle steel-tube frame using the engine as a stressed member anchors the chassis. Up front is a leading-axle 41mm conventional fork with 7 inches of travel.

A compression-damping-adjustable Pro-Link rear unit with 6.8 inches of travel is mated to a box-section swingarm. Combined with its near-60-inch wheelbase and ample travel, the XL tackled loose, rocky, off-highway sections with ease while also eating up broken pavement on a pothole-strewn road to the observatory above the Mediterranean resort town of Taormina.

Key to making the Transalp more tarmac-oriented without losing its off-road capabilities was the switch to a 19-inch front rim instead of the former 21-incher. This and a wider 130/80-17 rear tire allow the bike to handle better on twisty roads and provide better stability on the highway.

Two versions of the bike are available in Europe, depending on the braking system selected.

Our test unit was a non-anti-lock version (Euro-priced at about $10,500) with two dual-piston calipers and 256mm rotors up front and a 240mm disc and single-piston caliper for the rear. Honda also offers its Combined-AB S as an option ($900). Braking performance was plenty strong onroad yet not overly grabby in loose dirt.

Onboard, the seating position is very comfortable, allowing mile-eating stints. The handlebar is wide with a nice rise and shape, while footpeg placement put legs at a relaxed bend while seated yet still allowed a commanding stance while standing in off-road situations. The short windscreen provided good protection with minimal buffeting. A combined LCD dash with analog tach was easy to read and provided all the mandatory info.

Part adventurer, part tourer and a jack-of-all-trades, the Transalp would fit right in with our American sense of adventure, even if that sometimes means just looking the part. Honda doesn’t currently offer any bikes in this category in the U.S., so there is an obvious void to fill. Over to you, Big Red? □