Once the Honda company set out to build a motorcycle "for everything and for everyone." For long-distance roads and night races in the metropolis, for those who just got on the saddle, and those who managed to ride many thousands of miles, or maybe even made some venerable motorbike happy with their own portrait.
So the famous Honda Transalp appeared. The manufacturer back in 1986, when the announcement of the new model was just held, assured his fans, impatient with impatience, that the new bike "can do anything and will go anywhere."
How much did the eminent creator manage to make his dream come true? To answer this question, we will take a closer look at the entire Transalp lineup, analyze the strengths and weaknesses of the models, and, of course, turn to the experience of those who were lucky enough to ride this legendary bike.
Species affiliation
The Honda Transalp motorcycle combines the design, performance characteristics and features of an enduro and a tourist. He also has something from the family of sports, in any case, he can withstand speed well. Its main purpose is to ride on a good road over long distances. However, the crossed one was very tough for him. "Transalp" is not an all-terrain vehicle, it is unlikely to overcome the swamp and wade the river. But with hilly terrain, steppe, country road, puddles and mud knee-deep Honda Transalp easily cope. This gives him legal rights to a worthy place in the tourist enduro class .
Owners of Transalpa
Who most often makes a choice in favor of this brand? Who are they - people who choose this frisky Honda character, enclosed in streamlined plastic?
Many experts agree that the Honda Transalp, whose characteristics determine its belonging to the class of tour-enduro, rarely becomes the first bike. Most often, it becomes the second, or even third, transport. Simply put, the buyers of Transalps are lovers of city driving, eager for space and new adventures; they are motor-range finders who are no longer satisfied with the luxury of cruisers; these are yesterday's streetfighters, dreaming of the vastness of long roads; these are former athletes who want to transfer from frisky enduro to something more classic and universal. Everyone finds something different in the Transalpa philosophy.
But beginners rarely pay attention to this model. This is not surprising, in the role of a school desk for learning traffic rules and honing driving skills, the Honda Transalp motorcycle is really hard to imagine. It’s not that it was too difficult to ride on it, it’s just that, like most tour enduro, you need to grow and gain experience.
By the way, the reviews of those who have already made the "transalpine transition" are unanimous: bikers claim that the landing on it is so comfortable that the adaptation period, even after sports, even after the chopper, is minimal. The same applies not only to the position of the pilot's body, but also to handling. Obedient Transalp quickly adjusts to the new owner and behaves obediently on the road.
The beginning of the way
For the first time, Honda announced its intention to launch the Transalpine line in production in 1986. The event was supposed to be timed to the next stage of the rally "Paris - Dakkar". By the way, this is no coincidence - the family was originally developed for mototourism in Europe.
The first Transalp rolled off the assembly line in 1987. Under his plastic skin was a powerful V-shaped heart with a volume of 600 cm 3 . It was produced in metallic silver with red and blue stripes. If you compare the photos of the first Honda Transalp motorcycle with its later versions, you will notice some design changes. Initially, the outlines of the bike were more angular and sharp, the frontal headlight had an almost square categorical shape.
Extension of the lineup
First, the bike was mass-produced in Japan - the birthplace of the Honda concern. In 1997, production was moved to Italy, and this further tied the family to the European market.
From 1987 to 1999, Honda also produced a small car - a motorcycle with an engine of 400 cubes. This lightweight model from the entire line was considered the easiest to drive. It was often chosen by those who had just discovered the world of mototourism, but who did not yet have the necessary experience in riding long distances and overcoming obstacles.
In 2000, the family replenished - the Honda Transalp 650. An increase in engine capacity by 50 cubes made it possible to slightly increase power - up to 52 liters. from. Its assembly also took place at a factory in Italy. The model was produced until 2008. It was distinguished from the previous one by a laconic streamlined shape and a new brake system with two discs on the front wheel. In 2005, several restyling events were held at once. However, the Honda XL 650 Transalp motorcycle has undergone not so many changes. They mainly touched on design.
In 2008, the production of "six hundred and fifty" was discontinued. It was replaced by the new Honda 750 Transalp. This model was very different from all its predecessors. She was injector, more powerful and more hardy. The appearance of the bike has also changed a lot: smooth lining lines, massive exhaust pipes, a reduced diameter of the front wheel, which visually makes it not as transparent and light as it was before.
Features of the Transalp models
Each motorcycle in the Transalp model range has its own style and distinctive features. In many respects, similar performance characteristics are still very different from each other.
Motorcycles of the Japanese assembly have only one disc brake on the front wheel, Italian - two. Model 750, although more than the others in the lineup is similar to rally, in fact, less than all suitable for off-road. If it comes to your mind to endure on this bike, get ready for the fact that you will feel all the potholes and bumps well. Compared to this model, the Honda Transalp 650 is much more likely to delight you on the trail between the hills.
The second generation of Honda Transalp motorcycles is noticeably more advanced than the first. In front of them they have a new headlamp and unusual turn signals. A nice bonus was the appearance of the luggage compartment under the seat. In addition, a full-fledged fuel sensor appeared instead of an obsolete gas crane. But the braking system, size and chassis have not changed a bit, well, except that the rear wheel is slightly narrowed, and the preload adjustment has appeared.
It is worth mentioning about the light. The regular rectangular headlight shone quite far, which also affected passive safety - the motorcycle is visible from afar in the dark. Although here, probably, sound played a big role. On the new Transalps, rounded headlights with diffusers are installed, well illuminating the road space immediately in front of the motorcycle.
And what does the people say?
If you're just planning on buying a Honda Transalp motorcycle, owner reviews will help you find answers to many questions. Usually they come down to the following:
- the motorcycle has a soft ride, does not "massage the heels" even on the paving stones;
- excellent braking system, two discs - this is still not one;
- economical fuel consumption (although if you accelerate too much, Transalp will gobble up 10 liters per hundred);
- obedience in the hands of the owner, excellent handling;
- wide dealer network Honda, availability of spare parts, a huge number of special stages.
Customizing and tuning
If the standard equipment does not suit you for some objective reasons, you will always have the opportunity to customize the bike. For this, there is a fairly impressive number of branded service centers and established traffic for the supply of accessories. It is worth mentioning that the Honda Transalp motorcycle, whose technical characteristics beckon for a long journey, could be equipped with wardrobe trunks. But it does not even have fixtures for them - everything needs to be bought separately. Fortunately, the Honda gives such an opportunity.
Some truck drivers are changing their regular windshield. According to their reviews, with an enlarged one it is much more comfortable to ride at high speeds.
Where to get Transalp and how much will it cost?
Honda brand salons and representative offices are located in many large cities of Russia and the CIS countries. Even if the desired model is not on sale, there is a chance to order it from the catalogs. The cost of the new Honda Transalp motorcycle is unlikely to be less than 200 thousand rubles.
A lot of offers in the secondary market. First of all, the price will depend on the model of the bike, the degree of its wear, year of manufacture, the number of previous owners and many other factors. Pay attention to the documents and do not be lazy to conduct a test drive before buying.