So you're basically describing a two-bike strategy: light, dual-sport like for off road and heavy bike for touring. I think a lot of people in the middleweight ADV market are looking for a one-bike strategy, e.g. the grand compromise. It won't be perfect for any individual application, but it's 'good enough' for every type of riding you want to do. Hence, the Tenere 700, Transalp, Tuareg 650 and new VStrom 800. IMO
I love my CRF 300 Rally. I’m going to buy a TransAlp, as well. The lack of Cruise Control on the TransAlp does not bother me. It will still do for me what I want it to do.
i think mate, you bought a wrong bike at start...First find what you need from a bike and after select what to buy.. I have the transalp 750, and i enjoy it every day and more.. Its my second transalp after 650 (and after that other street bikes) and i took it as it became available in market in my country. here in Greece we have a lot of curved roads and transalp 750 is aewsome in these kind of roads.. we dont have the endless roads you have in US to need cruise control.. Also some bikers, we love to DRIVE our bikes and not be driven alone by themselves.. Kind regards.
I converted the tubed tires in my 2016 Africa Twin to tubeless using an Outex kit, costing me less than $200. I never had an issue on or off-road, and they seemed to hold air better than the tubes. Then I bought a Desert-X with factory perimeter spoke tubeless wheels. I cracked the rim hitting a pothole on the way home from purchasing! Some commenters are in here saying that "tubes tires should not be allowed on the street", but I feel the perimeter spoked wheels are an expensive and flawed solution that should be discontinued altogether. On a related note, I also have a buddy with a new GS with the same issue.
l had crf 300 rally just to slow, bought crf 450 rl 22 best bike ever, changed front sprocket to 14 tooth know not so buzzy, for me my750 transalp is my most favorite bike your vids sold me on it, not very top heavy, i had A/T so top heavy, alp perfect size, put kaoko throttle lock on my alp know im good and hond tall wind screen and deflecters and bark busters storm hand guards very happy with wind protection. Thanks for your vids on alp and other bikes, enjoy the ride
Honestly, I had cruise control on my HD Road King which I owned for 10 years, then I switched to the Africa Twin (without cruise control). After two years I switched to the RE Himalayan. I don’t miss the cruise control. There are a lot of things that are important on an ADV bike, cruise control is not one of them. I have done many 500 mile + days.
Just order my Transalp. For me it's perfect, 80% road. Exactly what I want. A jack of all trades bike, I do city commute . good luck for your future AT great bike , but to bulky for me
Tubed tyres and cruise control? You guys are funny. These things are deal breakers for guys who buy KTMs and BMWs having massive quality and reliability issues. 😂 Wondering how riders survived on transcontinental journeys before the introduction of ride by wire and tubeless tyres. You road warriors completely forget that tubeless rims are easily damaged offroad because of their exposed design. Let's not even talk about a tyre puncture that cannot be fixed with plugs. Don't you think that there is a reason that even Ducati changed from tubeless to tubed tyres on their DesertX Rally? If you do serious offroading on adv bikes, which I do, you should prefer tubed tyres and learn how to change a tyre.
That's what really gets me about most of the videos complaining about those two things. It's like they forget that the bike is designed to also go off-road a large chunk of the time, and cruise control is completely unnecessary for a bike that's built to transition between highway and off-road. If people want a touring bike, they should buy a touring bike
There you go. Now let’s examine how the “average” rider will use the bike. They won’t be using it like you 🫵. So, I suggest the bike be sold set up for the majority and NOT the minority. IMO, you should be the one who should have to bear the cost of switching wheels since you are in the minority. 🤷 Personally, I NEVER let air out my tires for “maximum performance”. This is how people damage rims. This is transportation for me. As such, I want the easiest way to fix flat tires. How many riders are like myself, live in rural areas and need reliable transportation to town and back? All this nonsense about “Adventure” is foreign to me. My adventure will be taking my laundry to town or going shopping for food to take home. All this high end performance nonsense, that I have no interest whatsoever in participating in is going to cost me a lot of money because I need to now immediately buy a tubeless wheel set because you 🫵 are such an extreme off road enthusiast. It’s not right. It’s not fair at all. I bet you can get a second hand set of tubed wheels really cheap now. People are buying tubes wheels they don’t want, switching to tubeless and selling the tubed wheels that came with the bike at a discount. I know I’m not in the minority by wanting reliable transportation.😮 The amount of “ADVENTURE!!” I must wade through to make a humble purchase is ridiculous. I have to pay extra to NOT be super adventurer. I think, in a decent world, you would be the one paying extra to be super adventurer guy. I just want to go do my laundry. If I get a flat, I want to plug it and go home. It’s just nuts that I have to pay so much more money than you do (buying a new wheel set) and I’m not interested in the round the world trip. 😂
@ So, if you want to be the “Adventure” guy, you should be the one paying extra for adventure packages that include tubed wheels. You around the world guys are alright, don’t get wrong. I’ve nothing against you. I just don’t want to be the one forced to pay extra for the “Going to the grocery store package”.
Tubed tyres are easier to change than tubeless in my experience, so if I'm up a mountain track and I have a flat I'd rather know I can fix the flat despite the inconvenience, a tubeless tyre with a buckled rim is likely to leave you stranded.... unless you put a tube in it. I've had tubelesss tyres which have been an absolute bitch to remove in the comfort of my own home with a vast array of tools available. As an aside I totally recommend the Motion Pro alloy tyre levers, I always make sure I have some tyre lube in my kit and the polished alloy levers seem much less prone to pinching the tubes, I've never had a failure since I've been using them.
Good points and it all comes down to personal preference. I will wholeheartedly agree on the electronic cruise control. I have a 1990 Honda PC800 (Pacific Coast) that I added the Rostra (Audiovox) electronic cruise control and I absolutely love long trips on it. It has its quirks and drawbacks being a 34 year old bike (carbs not EFI, rear drum brake, creaky ABS body, etc.) I am debating on getting either the TransAlp (but want the cruise) or the Africa Twin (I have ridden my brother's and love it but it is big and heavy) so I may come down to that.
I totally agree with cruise control I put a throttle lock on all my bikes that don't have it. It is not a perfect system but when I'm riding 10 plus hours a day on a tour it helped a lot. And I never want to do tube tires I can't imagine me on the side of the road or in a bush trying to fix them. I heard that we're supposed to find a bike that inspires us to ride more I understand about the transalp. That's why the next bike I'll be looking at will be the 2024 v85tt travel it checks all the boxes.
@@blaiseducdaumont1280 It's a motorcycle midweight adventure bike by Moto Guzzi It's a retro kind of adventure bike The new 2024 is very nice has lots of options and you can't beat the price.
Well, all good. I just picked up my Transalp. It will go along with my KLX 300 and my GSA. - NO replacement for the GSA by the way - I have 3 choices now. Carry the KLX 300 and ride mostly hub n spoke off road. Ride the trans alp on the highway from my doorstep to those off-road locations like MABDR. The GSA does everything else really good, better than the Africa Twin (sorry). Southern Utah was great. You should have all 3.
I prefer tube tires I wish the Honda NX500 had them, I change mine in the shop floor on cardboard using tire irons and NoMar Tire lube - no machine. Plus, you can run heavy duty IRC tubes or similar easy. No pinch. Long time rider here dirt bikes/motocross ect --- got dirt/steet bikes want the Honda but want it in the WHITE color or RED.
Now, I have to NX500 another look because I definitely want tubeless wheels. 😂 I have been looking at bikes and trying to decide. I’m not getting any closer to making a final decision on what to buy. This is starting to get absurd. The more I do my research, the more less obvious it’s making my final decision. 😂
Had CB500X, sell it for same reason, have to put a lot of money on a budget bike who worth 5k$ to bring it at some level so not worth that future investment . Hesitate between transalp and Tiger 900 Gt pro. Road test were done with both and I can’t connect with the transalp and fall in love with GT pro ( I’m touring biker). I truly beleave that we all have a perfect bike for each of us, just have to found it ! I finally found the one, just have to wait for spring ! Thanks for your video and ride safe ! Cheers 🇨🇦
I had a chance to ride a CRF for a few months... and a couple times on a few hours freeway, and I was absurdly impressed how well behaved and stable it was from 75-85mph. For a small bike, it's S good as it gets if you have to do it. That postage stamp windscreen was punching way above its weight. A little heavy and slow in real dirt, but as good as the "street dirt bikes" get. I owned a CRF250L for a couple years, the Rally is just so much better.
Excellent honest video. I've been ready to buy a Transalp, but I can't get past the tubed tyres and lack of cruise control, and the fact that the bike needs $$$ spent on accessories (sump guard etc). The Honda accessories cost a fortune here in Australia, so the initial purchase price is a marketing trick by deleting parts that should be standard.
The bike is pretty awesome, the catch is need a skid plate should be there stock. Even a rock flying up could damage the oil pan even a plastic one to prevent being scattered to prevent sand blasting affect from road debris.
Check out what you need to do to get at airbox in our dusty old country too. It'll put the final nail in the coffin!! We went 800DE for this main reason ... and absolutely love it.
Not exactly the same, but I love my Moto Guzzi V85TT. Similar suspension travel and power specs, the engine is more old fashioned, which is a good thing IMO - very reliable, easy to work on etc. and the rest of the tech is better, especially with the new one having cornering ABS/TC, and cruise has been standard on all of them. There are generally good incentives too so the price is usually below MSRP.
I decided to follow you because I understand 100%. I make similar misunderstood moves changing my own stable. Several times people don't get why some changes seem to make no sense. However, they can't see my moves two steps into the future...
I fully agree with what you did. If it pisses you off every time you look at it, get rid of it.There will be plenty more bikes to make a better choice on in the future.
Problem with moto vloggers is that they act very much like mindless heard. Some new bikes arrives, everybody keeps buying it and making videos for 6 months, it always sopose to be the greatest bike etc. Then after 6 months it's some other bike again. Same keeps repeating. When in fact you could do very well with some 15 yr old classic bike
Nice to see you will be back to the AT. I own one AT AS an I do almost everything. I do a good amount of offroad with it when I am riding in a group. But, riding by myself, I am always very careful with AT and in general I prefer to take my DR650. AT ifs not a bike to ride alone offroad.
I’m worried I’m heading down the same path, had my Transalp for 3 months and love it! Biggest bike I’ve ever had but I’ve just bought a part damaged Africa twin at a trade auction and I’ve almost fixed it but I’m afraid I might like it too much once I try it out? The idea was to sell the twin as it was only for a fun project. And now my eye is taken by the 300 rally, again it’s weight issues I’m thinking of.
If you are like me, 160# and 70 yrs old, the AT is just getting too big. I planned to just relegate it to the road, paved and gravel, but nothing gnarly. Then came the XL750, and I thought "Perfect"! I bought one, I can pick it up! I am sitting on it in the cold weather now. Time will tell which bike I decide to let go, if either.
Yeah I almost bought one because the Africa twins were taking so long to get here but when they finally showed up and I got to compare the two bikes side by side And I realized the transop is not much smaller than the Africa twin and paired with the lack of tubeless tires and cruise control It didn't really make much sense for me. The Africa twin isn't even big so I'm not really sure what role the trans Alp is supposed to fill.
You need to look at the moto guzzi ,either the v 85tt or the new stevio,just bought t v85tt, have 3 kawasaki 's,love them, but wow on the goose! It's a completely different feel, absolutely have fell in love with it
I really appreciate your comments Like you, I just don't want to deal with tire repair alongside the road. A plug, I can do. That's why I'm interested in the X-Cape. However, I'll take another look at the AT! Thanks!
I get it, the TA is a rational bike, it really is an great machine for a reasonable cost. I would probably enjoy modding a TA as I'm sure there is more power and performance in there, can't help myself in that area... Of course more bikes are better! To that end, I ride a 300 XC for hard core dirt, a '23 Husky 701 Enduro with a Yosh can and the Rottweiler catalog thrown at it for dual sporting and canyon slaying, and a '14 Super Tenere for dirt roads and Touring. My stable covers my needs. The 300 two stroke is a great off road bike and the Super Tenere, which has a flashed ECU, Yosh can, Penske shock and Stoltec valved and resprung forks, while not the "greatest" by a long shot, was cost effective (bought used for 8K with 8K miles on it) it is reliable as as the proverbial anvil, has cruise and it disappears, making the ride about the ride, and not about the bike. The 701 Enduro is interesting as it is a true 50/50 dual sport, and as such, it is inherently compromised. On the flip side I can rip down canyon roads (dirt or asphalt, it doesn't care) and then single track with it. As ridiculous as it sounds, the 701 is the ultimate "bumper bike" as it is great to put on an RV and then go explore when you get there. Unlike the DR and XRL 650s, it has a serious dose of rip right past 100 MPH in a blink serious car passing horsepower, and it has quality suspension. The 690 platform is very expensive for what it is, and it might not do anything really well, but it is rowdy, rips wheelies, it is raw and braappy loud if ya provoke it, and it is more fun that I should probably be allowed to have. I can hardly believe such a bike is even made in today's sanitized for our protection ass gasket world. Talk about a bike that inspires me to just go ride - leave it to KTM 😆
I reckon my Transalp is great for the Australian roads. Im in my 50s,it has plenty of power, and the balance on the dirt and the twisties is perfect in my eyes. I have a cheap throttle lock for the odd times I'm on the motorways
Friend of mine is looking to purchase a Trans Alp. He likes the low weight, by comparison, and the surprisingly potent engine. He found a Africa Twin to Trans Alp conversion for the cruise control. No one bike is for everyone. I agree with the buy the base and install the accessories and upgrades that will apply to how a person will use best use their scooter.
@@kloppskalli Tubeless tires can be plugged and re-inflated if punctured. Tubed requires replacing the tube, which is under the tire... which means the wheel and tire need to come off. A ton more work at the side of the trail.
If I’m touring. Cruise control is an absolute requirement. I’m with you on the Trans Alp. I was let down. Too many misses. No CC not tubeless tires, Honda Hornet oil sump, low slung exhaust. It was just not what I was wanting from Honda. I had an Africa Twin Adventure Sports. I sold it and bought a R1250GS. The GS has exceeded all expectations.
For the extra $13,000 dollars for you Bemer bike, how many time have you lifted it or moved the extra 100 pounds out of the mud or deep sand? How often have you use all of the 105 hp on or off the road? Other than being a braggart, have you owned a TA 750? I thought not, why would you ever lower your beamer status to the lower class.
@@fixento My GS was primarily purchased because the Africa twin was horrible at two up adventure touring. But yes I’ve ridden it off road plenty and when we are on the highway it’s nice to still have some good passing power if needed in the upper MPH. Not bragging at all the R1250GS is worth every penny and more. It s amazing motorcycle and I have never found myself wishing it had this or that. I wanted the Trans Alp to be more of a solo dirt bike (think KTM 790/890) and it ended up being more of a street bike. Nothing wrong with that it’s just not what I wanted or needed. Also Hondas ultra conservative software will probably keep me from ever buying another one. We shut our bikes off a lot when off road and going back through the menu (or forgetting to do so) is a pain in the butt. Their traction control is super intrusive and I hate it. Literally hate it off road. Oh and it’s 136 HP thank you. LOL
Except for the tube tires, i think the transalp is the best bike you could have, if you afford only one bike. Sure, there is ktm or aprilia, but they aren't really know for realiability or for they cheaps parts or cheap maintaince. Sure, there is africa twin and the gs, but they are pretty heavy for heavy traffic riding and certainly, more expensive. Sure, there is the 800de and the t7, wich both are better in off road than the t/a and similiar price and the japanese reliability, but again, they feel more heavy at lower speed manouver and they don't have that nice and tight turning angle wich is a must for city commuting in heavy traffic. I think the t/a doesnt excel in anything, its not the most capable in off road or on road, its not the best looking, its not the fastest, it doesnt give you the best fun out there, but it think its the best in doing anything decently good. Its perfect? Def not, but its the best all around bike? Def yes, imo.
And there is V Strom 800RE. Tubeless tires, lighter and 19” front wheel. Still no c/c though. How about CFMoto Ibex 800T? Everything on it. Or for road use Tracer 900 GT.
@@richardhretczak536 yes but the RE would be more susceptible to damage on bad roads than the TA or DE (I've bent a rim on my car in a pothole not so long ago), it's a great bike for the road use I supposed because the DE it's a nice bike for off road use, the ibex it's called the 800mt here but it's not that reliable, also i didn't find it such a nice bike to ride, the KTM 790 is better so I would go for that instead of ibex/800mt if I wasn't concerned about reliability (also we have very long waiting times for parts for cfmoto here). The tracer 9 it's hands down the best of them for road use, it's more technologically advanced, it's faster and the most fun to ride, but isn't really an all around bike is it? It's pretty heavy and big, and the ground clearance and suspension travel it's also pretty limited, because I can't afford right now two or more bikes, I wanted a bike that's gonna be OK at everything, it's ok off road, it's ok for commuting in a big crowded city, it's ok for touring even if I have a pillion and it gives an ok amount of fun when you open the throttle wide, it's an ok bike, as I said, not the best in anything but good in everything. Also I don't mind personally about the lack of CC because we do have many highways and I'm not afraid to change the tube, but I'm not gonna lie, I would love, for my peace of mind, to have some spoke tubeless wheels (not the cast ones) because it's more comfortable and fast to just plug a tyre. If I could afford more bikes, I wouldn't buy the TA or re/ de or the T7, because the are out there better value for money adventure bikes, like the tuareg 660 who might be the best of them, or the tiger, and I wouldn't be concerned about the reliability then because I wouldn't daily them.
I am still waiting on mine to show up at the dealer(4 months now). Hope you got a great resale on yours. Thanks for the coverage you gave it and good luck on your new purchase, will be watching.
I just got my 2024 Transalp last week. Been too cold to do any riding just yet, so I'm nervous about how it's going to be. My other two bikes are my 2019 Africa Twin, that I LOVE, but 4 yrs later, at 70, it's become to heavy, and then there is my old 2021 CRF300L that I also love. I bought it when I could not find a Rally anywhere, but have ridden the Rally since, and it felt a lot like the Twin, but maybe a bit too heavy still for hard off-road. I hope I didn't make a mistake on the XL750.
Wow. That was fast. Hopefully brands will start giving you bikes soon instead of you buying, creating, and selling. Depending on your needs, the AT definitely is worlds above the TransAlp. I’m the same way with my CRF300L (off-road) and Africa Twin (everywhere else). I really doubt Honda will bring the 2024 AT to the US market.
@@adventureundone because they didn’t bring the 2023 to the US and in 2020 - 2022, dealers already knew their AT allotment by October of the previous year. Not the case in 2023 and 2024 is the same way unfortunately. My local dealer was one of the few that was honest and said getting a 2023 was not likely and wouldn’t take my deposit. I ended up picking up a low mileage 2021.
Still subscribed bro. Good choice. I was lucky enough to decide against the Transalp in the last minute and go for the KTM790 Adv (2023 brand new) with basically all the bells and whistles of the big bore bikes. In case you don't want to add a single penny to your Transalp cash, but still want that cruise control and tubeless tires (among more things), and have a change of thought from the AT, the 790 could be a 2nd strong rival. But finding out more and more about you, I'd still stick with the AT for the time being.
If cruise control is missing on a motorcycle with traction control, it is because the manufacturer is trying to get you to buy a more expensive model. Once traction control is implemented, Cruise is a no brainer. All of the necessary sensors and controllers are already in place.
Best bike I had, was the lightest one, till now. Jack of all trades, master of none... but this is how it is. I am want the heavy beast Africa Twin anyway, I hope we can connect when I have her .
I have the crf 300 rally all the mods pipes ecu suspension ect. 2022 Africa twin modified exhaust for all the same reason just so reliable. Cheers from New Zealanders
I totally get it, great bike but not clickin'. I had a '22 Yamaha MT09 SP for 1 year, what a great bike...sold it while the market was strong and availability somewhat scarce. Picked up a 300 Rally 1 week prior to selling the MT, the 300 Rally is clickin'.
Did you wind up not liking the "gurgling" sound of the aftermarket muffler? You never did say it that was part of the problem with the Transalp. There is also the air filter changing issue. That one bugs the fuck out of me, but I've warmed up to my transalp, and it will do now that I can no longer pickup my AT.
Buy a used DR650 and build it. It's cheap, you can build it your way, and make more content. It's a "between bike", as it fits in between your CRF300Rally and an Africa Twin.
Veridian cruise has an aftermarket cruise control solution now Tubes I agree are a huge problem. I had to deal with tubes on the 390 adventure and regretted not getting something tubeless
Huh...both deal killers were present and obvious when you bought the TA. No cruise, and tubed tires. Baffles me why you bought it knowing that. My Africa Twin is indeed something, this 70 years old man is unable to attempt..like dropping it in the dirt. It is an awesome street ride, and occasional dirt is fine. Love it.
Vast Majority of riders are just touring. Could be high speed or low speed touring but it’s still just humming along with cars. Big adv bikes do sport touring great.
Honestly, I don't want to get into any remote place with a liquid-cooled bike, and I prefer it to be carb'd and not PGI because the failure potential is far far less with aircooled/carbed. But I do like the CRF300L Rally though, I just wouldn't take it on a serious remote adventure because I'd always be worried a stick would go through my radiator or my thermostat would stick closed or my fuel injection pump in the tank would go bad, or something else I can't do anything about way out in the middle of Nowhere.
I refuse to buy a $10k+ on a motorcycle without cruise control and tubeless tires. I'm also set on a 2024 AT. Really hoping they come to the US soon! Seems like the perfect bike to hop on the highway for 4+ hours to do different adventure routes
I started watching when you bought the 890 Adv because I had ordered one. You said you were swapping the AT because it was too heavy, you then swapped the 890 for a Tiger because you sat on it, not in it, wrote the Tiger off riding off road with ABS enabled, bought a DR650, then a Transalp which you've just sold so you can buy an AT. IIRC youve also owned 4 CRF300s? The problem with this approach is it can come across as you don't know what you want rather than there's actually anything particularly wrong with the bikes and so your opinions can start to carry less weight. I get that YTers need to make content, but how about doing a series on keeping a bike and investing in training and experience to get the most out of it?
That read rather funny , I didn’t realise the hosts history with the bigger bikes , but I think he isn’t Robinson Crusoe in his wavering bike desires. I recently sold a CRF 300 rally after dreaming of it for over 2 years prior to buying it , it was the perfect bike for me, and I own a Versys 650 for more sporty road touring , but then I got a Honda Transalp , and now saying it’s too heavy for off road if I drop it riding solo. But the Honda 750 is great on the road and back roads er just like my Versys 650 , but I sold the lighter off road biased 300 rally , because it wasn’t fast enough on the road. Sort of stuffed up , now figuring out which bike to sell to get another rally.
I have been thinking about the transalp to trade my klr adv for it but I'm still not sure. Biggest benefit of this trade is the multi cylinders of the honda and the lighter bike. I hate the tube tires of both bikes though. My dilemma is do I go africa twin or super tenere.
Both fairly expensive. Having owned 2 KLRs, I'd definitely reach for the Transalp...actually fun power, which the KLR has zero. Odd people feel so strongly about tubed tires. Have had 1 flat in the last 40 years! Certainly not a deal killer.
I have owned my Transalp for 5 months now and never wanted to flip on a cruise control. I’ve never had a bike with it and don’t even use it in my cars.
Iva had it on almost all my bikes, ands car (self driving on teslas) and I love it! But I also prefer taking long rides, so it really helps out with that.
The transalp is an awesome motorcycle. It is versatile, light, easy to control, did not break the bank and is a pleasure to run. If you wanted cruise control or doing something like that then open up your wallet and get a big V-Twin and start doing some real mileage. Let's stop comparing apples to oranges and things that are not that realistic on a bike like this.
You're doing a great job as owning and putting a bike through it's paces is the only credible review.. you should do an upload on the nuts and bolts of buying, riding and selling (w/o losing your shirt). 😲
If you are over 6ft tall and not a small guy the best adventure bike for the money is hands down a KTM1090r you can get them for 7 to 10 grand on the used market and holly shit its fun. Great motor, great clutch very good stock suspention and its pure fun on tap. I know they are heavy to pick up but not much different than these bikes and they are more capable and way more fun to ride for less money.
You can easily change the tube out, they are easy. Simple tire irons with tire lube like NoMar - light amount put in TUBE with valve stem (LITTLE bit of air) then work it in. Honda needs to put TUBE tires on the redesigned NX500 - and offer it in the Colors in Europe - at least RED to be seen than being invisible some terrible flat color. Need to be seen.
@@mt1885 Ive ridden nearly 400000km on motorcycles. Not once did I have a flat tire on tubless wheels and wished they were tube tires. Every single flat I had with tube tires, I wished they were tubless, as I would have been up and running under 10 minutes. I currently own a DR650 and change my oen tires, Ive repaired it in the trails, and in 99.99% of the time youre better off with tubless unless you run crazy low psi. The only reason they are still on road bikes is to reduce costs. My 2 cents ;)
You road warriors completely forget that tubeless rims are easily damaged offroad because of their exposed design. Let's not even talk about a tyre puncture that cannot be fixed with plugs. Don't you think that there is a reason that even Ducati changed from tubeless to tubed tyres on their DesertX Rally? If you do serious offroading on adv bikes, which I do, you should at least acknowledge the advantages of tubed tyres, stop whining and learn how to change a tyre.
Yes. Tubeless is better and way safer on the road, which is where this bike will spend most of its time. Tubed is great if you carry spare tyres with you, they are easier to swap over. How many buyers will be carrying them ?
In my barn is a 1200RT for the road....a G310GS as my small bike [it is tubless]. Had an 19 AT DCT, no cruise with tubes....sold it with only 1500 miles on it. Liked it but with no CC and with tubes it had to go...!!! I too was to accustomed to CC + I realized I was NOT gonna stop on side of road and patch a stinkin tube...!!!
I recently sold my Vstrom 650 and bought a KTM 390 Adventure . Simply because I wanted to do a little more (Not a lot) of off road riding and didnt like the idea of picking up a heavy semi off road bike. But, the 390 a bit like your Transalp isnt really warming up to me. I find it too small and feels like a cross between a dirt bike and motard. I only have 746KMs on so maybe I am still getting used to a smaller CC bike. I do plan on test riding the new CFMOTO 450MT when it comes out. Thanks for your video!
I have a 390 Adventure too. I love it more as a city commuter than anything else. It's fun to zip in and around town. I look for the traffic circles now. Haha! Highway it keeps up but not quite enough power for passing. Haven't done much off-road with it yet as only picked it up last fall. Thinking my next bike might have to be something like the TransAlp or VStrom 800. I prefer more on-road than off-road but like having the option.
The interesting thing is, at 60 years old, I find a slight disagreement to that, I tour/travel 7-9 months (consecutive) per year and don’t have (never had) CC … been doing this for 14 years now, last two on a carbureted KLR … Maybe when I turn 70 … 🤔
Snap. Sold my 2020AT bought an 850gs because of the weight. 6 months sold my GS bought the 24 AT which is now sat in the garage. (Also have the 300 rally).
Totally agree, needs cruise and tubeless, we get the KTM 790 here, and I can get cruse on that and comes with tubeless wheels, but the Suzuki 800RE (Not DE) looks interesting for the UK
@@ed.t.hansen6499 No the Honda is a tubed wheel, the KTM 790 is tubeless, but spokes and well I have not that good, the Suzuki 800de is also spoked and tubed, but the "new" 800 RE is road focused, with cast wheels 19" front
I get it this video is old, and I don't even see how you can compare a 9000+ bike to those kitted out bikes, for the money the transalp is a great deal. Throw on the panniers, skid plate and light bar and you've got a bike that is plenty capable. I'm currently riding a 2023 Honda CB500x, it's a great bike but just not capable enough for real freeway and off road riding. I'm considering the Transalp because 1 i don't want to break the bank and 2 I don't need more.
The T7, vstrom 800, and transalp are all interesting to me. However, my realistic use case would be to get a 2018 vstrom 1000, which is lighter than the new 800! My DR handles all the middleweight work, but not so great for distance/passengers though. My fear is the novelty wearing off of the new stuff after I pay dealer fees. Your transalp content was great though. Thanks for giving it a whirl! 🤟
I investigated both bikes and noticed the 800 is better in off road corners. Definitely think Suzuki's overlook this generation. However the colors are kind of meh, like the 800 full yellow.
Not with you on the cruise control since I've been riding for 50 years and never had a bike with it. But with tubes, I'm 100% with you. I can, and have, dealt with flats in tube tires many times. I don't have any reservations about it, But WHY? It takes 10 times longer, requires a SHIT ton more stuff, and lets face it, flats always happen in bad places and at bad times. For SERIOUS off-road, I get tubes for multiple reasons. But, for a long distance traveling bike that not gonna be used as a hard core off-road pounder, give me tubeless any day of the week!
Agree wholeheartedly- tubeless on a spoked tyre is a practical thing. PS the airbox change on these bikes are deal breaker. Check the YT post on how to do it!!!!!!
You're saying you're not a snob, but the truth is that you are :-) You clearly want and can afford a top end ADV bike, with all the bells and whistles. More power (pun intended!) to you for buying a bike that makes you happy, you are fortunate to be able to afford multiple bikes. Living in a city as expensive as Vancouver, Canada means there's less money to spend on luxury items so I need one bike that will do it all for less than $12k USD max. My current options are a Tenere 700, a Transalp, and a V-Strom 800DE - everything else is too expensive and not providing the value of the Transalp. Besides that, I don't want a bike that's heavier than 210 kgs, which pretty much rules out the 800DE. I currently own a 2022 Honda CB500X and the Transalp XL750 will do everything better for my needs vs the CB500X. Once I buy a Transalp, I fully expect it will be the last bike I own - it's my unicorn bike. I have never had cc on any bike I have owned, so for me it's a luxury I can do without. I would definitely prefer tubeless wheels though - come on Honda!
@@adventureundoneYou said that you didn't want to come off as a snob, then immediately compared the Transalp to other pricey bikes you have owned including an African Twin, Tiger 900 and KTM 890. That's like saying that you bought a Honda CRV but then realized that it's not as good as the Acura MDX or Lexus GX that you owned before. I only chose the word snob because you mentioned it, I don't think you're a snob and my comment wasn't intended as a personal attack. My apologies. But it is unfair to compare the Transalp to those other bikes, so I called you out for that unfair comparison - they aren't in the same market niche so the comparison isn't relevant. With respect to working hard to buy things, I do work hard and I have a six figure income. My reality right now is that my kids in their twenties both live in Vancouver and until they get a place of their own, I'm going to stay in Vancouver and live a modest life style (an income of $100k - $125k in Vancouver is just enough to buy a house and not much else, for perspective). I fully expect to live elsewhere in British Columbia in the future, at which point I will be able to afford any bike I want. But honestly, I would still pick the Transalp, it offers such compelling value and Honda reliability.
*throat clearing sounds * Moto guzzi stelvio. Shaft drive, NO CHAIN MAINTENANCE EVER. Adaptive cruise control. If you think that you like cruise control.....try adaptive cruise control once and find out how much constantly adjusting normal cruise control actually bothers you. Game changer. Plus, It's a Guzzi. Myself I'm probably going with the V85TT because I only use the highways if there is no other choice and I'm old school. More tech, more problems. But that dct.....that's also a beautiful thing. Actually, if the Africa twin had shaft drive.....I'd order one today.
@@adventureundone Honda did everything I hoped they would to the base model: adjustable windscreen, heated grips, tubeless wheels. And it weighs the same as the Suzuki 800DE. Only problem is it won’t come to the USA until Fall 2024.
Been following Ian at BRM, Ben Dork in the Road & this. Thought you may have been critical when I 1st saw this, test rode a TA this afternoon I’m the cold ready to buy. And…, it’s just ok, not exciting, not that fast, suspension is not great, brakes aren’t like my other bikes Brembos. Was really hoping to save some $$$, but bike feels cheap like it’s price. Can’t say it’s better than any of my past or current bikes in anything
Its this very reason i don't follow ANY channels that just buy the bike to review, then sell it. I want to see someone buy a bike because its what they perceive is the best, then go and put 25K miles on it. Maybe this is not realistic, but its just my opinion, I've been there done that, listen to some dude go on about how great a bike is and then sell it for the next latest greatest thing. Average guys can't afford to do that, i would love to but its just not feasible, sorry.
Tubliss 2.0 I put 8,000 miles on the set that was on my CRF300L. I am not sure if it would fit on the TransAlp wheels but there are other options like rim tape and aftermarket wheels. That and a throttle lock would have it setup for plenty of adventures.
I’m loving my TransAlp in the mountains of Western North Carolina. I’ve got twisties and long gravel roads. The bike does both well.
So you're basically describing a two-bike strategy: light, dual-sport like for off road and heavy bike for touring. I think a lot of people in the middleweight ADV market are looking for a one-bike strategy, e.g. the grand compromise. It won't be perfect for any individual application, but it's 'good enough' for every type of riding you want to do. Hence, the Tenere 700, Transalp, Tuareg 650 and new VStrom 800. IMO
The Suzuki is interesting 👍
@@iangriffiths9930and now there is Kove 800x pro. Approx 190kg fully fueled, 20l of gas. Tubeless. +Suspension. +96Hp. Find at yt.
True. The middleweights don’t excel at on road or off road.
The Suzuki is just too top heavy for me
And the heavyweights are too heavy for practical off-road use and are less efficient and less maneuverable on or off road.
I love my CRF 300 Rally.
I’m going to buy a TransAlp, as well.
The lack of Cruise Control on the TransAlp does not bother me.
It will still do for me what I want it to do.
There is always the Kaoko...not perfect, but a great "stabilizer" for $128.
Viridian makes a CC for TA
i think mate, you bought a wrong bike at start...First find what you need from a bike and after select what to buy.. I have the transalp 750, and i enjoy it every day and more.. Its my second transalp after 650 (and after that other street bikes) and i took it as it became available in market in my country. here in Greece we have a lot of curved roads and transalp 750 is aewsome in these kind of roads.. we dont have the endless roads you have in US to need cruise control.. Also some bikers, we love to DRIVE our bikes and not be driven alone by themselves..
Kind regards.
Moto Vloggers are like serial daters... they are never happy with what they have
I converted the tubed tires in my 2016 Africa Twin to tubeless using an Outex kit, costing me less than $200. I never had an issue on or off-road, and they seemed to hold air better than the tubes. Then I bought a Desert-X with factory perimeter spoke tubeless wheels. I cracked the rim hitting a pothole on the way home from purchasing! Some commenters are in here saying that "tubes tires should not be allowed on the street", but I feel the perimeter spoked wheels are an expensive and flawed solution that should be discontinued altogether. On a related note, I also have a buddy with a new GS with the same issue.
Agreed that not all tubless wheels are created the same.
l had crf 300 rally just to slow, bought crf 450 rl 22 best bike ever, changed front sprocket to 14 tooth know not so buzzy, for me my750 transalp is my most favorite bike your vids sold me on it, not very top heavy, i had A/T so top heavy, alp perfect size, put kaoko throttle lock on my alp know im good and hond tall wind screen and deflecters and bark busters storm hand guards very happy with wind protection. Thanks for your vids on alp and other bikes, enjoy the ride
This is why I chose a V85TT. considered the transalp, but cruise control, shaft drive, and easier maintenance. AT was too tall for me.
in reliability terms how is it holding up? I'm also considering V85TT
@@joaomarquesfaisca2510 I've had to replace the switchegear on the handlebars. no mechanical problems to speak of. Love it. 20k miles
Honestly, I had cruise control on my HD Road King which I owned for 10 years, then I switched to the Africa Twin (without cruise control). After two years I switched to the RE Himalayan. I don’t miss the cruise control. There are a lot of things that are important on an ADV bike, cruise control is not one of them. I have done many 500 mile + days.
I agree. The reason I ride a motorcycle is to be engaged with the machine. CC gets in the way of that engagement
Just order my Transalp. For me it's perfect, 80% road. Exactly what I want. A jack of all trades bike, I do city commute . good luck for your future AT great bike , but to bulky for me
Tubed tyres and cruise control? You guys are funny. These things are deal breakers for guys who buy KTMs and BMWs having massive quality and reliability issues. 😂 Wondering how riders survived on transcontinental journeys before the introduction of ride by wire and tubeless tyres. You road warriors completely forget that tubeless rims are easily damaged offroad because of their exposed design. Let's not even talk about a tyre puncture that cannot be fixed with plugs. Don't you think that there is a reason that even Ducati changed from tubeless to tubed tyres on their DesertX Rally? If you do serious offroading on adv bikes, which I do, you should prefer tubed tyres and learn how to change a tyre.
That's what really gets me about most of the videos complaining about those two things. It's like they forget that the bike is designed to also go off-road a large chunk of the time, and cruise control is completely unnecessary for a bike that's built to transition between highway and off-road. If people want a touring bike, they should buy a touring bike
There you go. Now let’s examine how the “average” rider will use the bike. They won’t be using it like you 🫵.
So, I suggest the bike be sold set up for the majority and NOT the minority.
IMO, you should be the one who should have to bear the cost of switching wheels since you are in the minority. 🤷
Personally, I NEVER let air out my tires for “maximum performance”. This is how people damage rims.
This is transportation for me. As such, I want the easiest way to fix flat tires.
How many riders are like myself, live in rural areas and need reliable transportation to town and back? All this nonsense about “Adventure” is foreign to me. My adventure will be taking my laundry to town or going shopping for food to take home.
All this high end performance nonsense, that I have no interest whatsoever in participating in is going to cost me a lot of money because I need to now immediately buy a tubeless wheel set because you 🫵 are such an extreme off road enthusiast. It’s not right.
It’s not fair at all.
I bet you can get a second hand set of tubed wheels really cheap now. People are buying tubes wheels they don’t want, switching to tubeless and selling the tubed wheels that came with the bike at a discount.
I know I’m not in the minority by wanting reliable transportation.😮 The amount of “ADVENTURE!!” I must wade through to make a humble purchase is ridiculous. I have to pay extra to NOT be super adventurer. I think, in a decent world, you would be the one paying extra to be super adventurer guy.
I just want to go do my laundry. If I get a flat, I want to plug it and go home.
It’s just nuts that I have to pay so much more money than you do (buying a new wheel set) and I’m not interested in the round the world trip. 😂
@E_Clampus_Vitus so what?
@ So, if you want to be the “Adventure” guy, you should be the one
paying extra for adventure packages that include tubed wheels.
You around the world guys are alright, don’t get wrong. I’ve nothing against you. I just don’t want to be the one forced to pay extra for the “Going to the grocery store package”.
@E_Clampus_Vitus 😂😂😂 Have a good life!
Tubed tyres are easier to change than tubeless in my experience, so if I'm up a mountain track and I have a flat I'd rather know I can fix the flat despite the inconvenience, a tubeless tyre with a buckled rim is likely to leave you stranded.... unless you put a tube in it.
I've had tubelesss tyres which have been an absolute bitch to remove in the comfort of my own home with a vast array of tools available.
As an aside I totally recommend the Motion Pro alloy tyre levers, I always make sure I have some tyre lube in my kit and the polished alloy levers seem much less prone to pinching the tubes, I've never had a failure since I've been using them.
In what magical way tyre lube protects your tube to be pinched?
It's not magic, it's just facts. Tubeless rims are more exposed and tend to bend/break easier
Good points and it all comes down to personal preference. I will wholeheartedly agree on the electronic cruise control. I have a 1990 Honda PC800 (Pacific Coast) that I added the Rostra (Audiovox) electronic cruise control and I absolutely love long trips on it. It has its quirks and drawbacks being a 34 year old bike (carbs not EFI, rear drum brake, creaky ABS body, etc.) I am debating on getting either the TransAlp (but want the cruise) or the Africa Twin (I have ridden my brother's and love it but it is big and heavy) so I may come down to that.
I totally agree with cruise control I put a throttle lock on all my bikes that don't have it. It is not a perfect system but when I'm riding 10 plus hours a day on a tour it helped a lot. And I never want to do tube tires I can't imagine me on the side of the road or in a bush trying to fix them. I heard that we're supposed to find a bike that inspires us to ride more I understand about the transalp. That's why the next bike I'll be looking at will be the 2024 v85tt travel it checks all the boxes.
the trick is to have a buddy with you who has strong arms and has changed (tubed) tires before
What is the v85tt?
@@blaiseducdaumont1280 It's a motorcycle midweight adventure bike by Moto Guzzi It's a retro kind of adventure bike The new 2024 is very nice has lots of options and you can't beat the price.
Problem with Italian bikes is reliability and difficulty of finding people who know how to repair them... and getting parts
Well, all good. I just picked up my Transalp. It will go along with my KLX 300 and my GSA. - NO replacement for the GSA by the way - I have 3 choices now. Carry the KLX 300 and ride mostly hub n spoke off road. Ride the trans alp on the highway from my doorstep to those off-road locations like MABDR. The GSA does everything else really good, better than the Africa Twin (sorry). Southern Utah was great. You should have all 3.
I prefer tube tires I wish the Honda NX500 had them, I change mine in the shop floor on cardboard using tire irons and NoMar Tire lube - no machine. Plus, you can run heavy duty IRC tubes or similar easy. No pinch. Long time rider here dirt bikes/motocross ect --- got dirt/steet bikes want the Honda but want it in the WHITE color or RED.
Now, I have to NX500 another look because I definitely want tubeless wheels. 😂
I have been looking at bikes and trying to decide. I’m not getting any closer to making a final decision on what to buy. This is starting to get absurd. The more I do my research, the more less obvious it’s making my final decision. 😂
Just ride the bike and stop looking at specs
And why not another Tiger ? in between a Tiger rally pro 900 or an AT DCT 2024, tubeless & auto suspension. Is Tiger changing for 2024?
Had CB500X, sell it for same reason, have to put a lot of money on a budget bike who worth 5k$ to bring it at some level so not worth that future investment . Hesitate between transalp and Tiger 900 Gt pro. Road test were done with both and I can’t connect with the transalp and fall in love with GT pro ( I’m touring biker). I truly beleave that we all have a perfect bike for each of us, just have to found it ! I finally found the one, just have to wait for spring ! Thanks for your video and ride safe ! Cheers 🇨🇦
yes the gt pro is a dream; great passenger seat also. but the price--$19.5k usd here in thailand.
I fell in love with The GT Pro... until I rode it. It just didn't feel right. It's all about personal preference
I had a chance to ride a CRF for a few months... and a couple times on a few hours freeway, and I was absurdly impressed how well behaved and stable it was from 75-85mph. For a small bike, it's S good as it gets if you have to do it. That postage stamp windscreen was punching way above its weight. A little heavy and slow in real dirt, but as good as the "street dirt bikes" get. I owned a CRF250L for a couple years, the Rally is just so much better.
I got a 250 rally , black.
The transalp is a great value I am considering purchasing one it's 1st on my list!
Excellent honest video. I've been ready to buy a Transalp, but I can't get past the tubed tyres and lack of cruise control, and the fact that the bike needs $$$ spent on accessories (sump guard etc). The Honda accessories cost a fortune here in Australia, so the initial purchase price is a marketing trick by deleting parts that should be standard.
The bike is pretty awesome, the catch is need a skid plate should be there stock. Even a rock flying up could damage the oil pan even a plastic one to prevent being scattered to prevent sand blasting affect from road debris.
Check out what you need to do to get at airbox in our dusty old country too. It'll put the final nail in the coffin!! We went 800DE for this main reason ... and absolutely love it.
@@pigmeal2224 So you like the Suzuki 800DE better I like Suzuki/Honda - either or both AWESOME bikes!
@@mt1885 we're hearing ya ... our stable comprises CRF 230L, 250L, 300L ... and DR650, and the Strom. Talk about quality produce 😉🤭🤭
Not exactly the same, but I love my Moto Guzzi V85TT. Similar suspension travel and power specs, the engine is more old fashioned, which is a good thing IMO - very reliable, easy to work on etc. and the rest of the tech is better, especially with the new one having cornering ABS/TC, and cruise has been standard on all of them. There are generally good incentives too so the price is usually below MSRP.
I decided to follow you because I understand 100%. I make similar misunderstood moves changing my own stable. Several times people don't get why some changes seem to make no sense. However, they can't see my moves two steps into the future...
I fully agree with what you did. If it pisses you off every time you look at it, get rid of it.There will be plenty more bikes to make a better choice on in the future.
Problem with moto vloggers is that they act very much like mindless heard. Some new bikes arrives, everybody keeps buying it and making videos for 6 months, it always sopose to be the greatest bike etc. Then after 6 months it's some other bike again. Same keeps repeating. When in fact you could do very well with some 15 yr old classic bike
Exactly
Nice to see you will be back to the AT. I own one AT AS an I do almost everything. I do a good amount of offroad with it when I am riding in a group. But, riding by myself, I am always very careful with AT and in general I prefer to take my DR650. AT ifs not a bike to ride alone offroad.
I’m worried I’m heading down the same path, had my Transalp for 3 months and love it! Biggest bike I’ve ever had but I’ve just bought a part damaged Africa twin at a trade auction and I’ve almost fixed it but I’m afraid I might like it too much once I try it out? The idea was to sell the twin as it was only for a fun project. And now my eye is taken by the 300 rally, again it’s weight issues I’m thinking of.
If you are like me, 160# and 70 yrs old, the AT is just getting too big. I planned to just relegate it to the road, paved and gravel, but nothing gnarly. Then came the XL750, and I thought "Perfect"! I bought one, I can pick it up! I am sitting on it in the cold weather now. Time will tell which bike I decide to let go, if either.
Yeah I almost bought one because the Africa twins were taking so long to get here but when they finally showed up and I got to compare the two bikes side by side And I realized the transop is not much smaller than the Africa twin and paired with the lack of tubeless tires and cruise control It didn't really make much sense for me. The Africa twin isn't even big so I'm not really sure what role the trans Alp is supposed to fill.
You need to look at the moto guzzi ,either the v 85tt or the new stevio,just bought t v85tt, have 3 kawasaki 's,love them, but wow on the goose! It's a completely different feel, absolutely have fell in love with it
I really appreciate your comments
Like you, I just don't want to deal with tire repair alongside the road. A plug, I can do. That's why I'm interested in the X-Cape. However, I'll take another look at the AT! Thanks!
I get it, the TA is a rational bike, it really is an great machine for a reasonable cost. I would probably enjoy modding a TA as I'm sure there is more power and performance in there, can't help myself in that area...
Of course more bikes are better! To that end, I ride a 300 XC for hard core dirt, a '23 Husky 701 Enduro with a Yosh can and the Rottweiler catalog thrown at it for dual sporting and canyon slaying, and a '14 Super Tenere for dirt roads and Touring.
My stable covers my needs. The 300 two stroke is a great off road bike and the Super Tenere, which has a flashed ECU, Yosh can, Penske shock and Stoltec valved and resprung forks, while not the "greatest" by a long shot, was cost effective (bought used for 8K with 8K miles on it) it is reliable as as the proverbial anvil, has cruise and it disappears, making the ride about the ride, and not about the bike.
The 701 Enduro is interesting as it is a true 50/50 dual sport, and as such, it is inherently compromised. On the flip side I can rip down canyon roads (dirt or asphalt, it doesn't care) and then single track with it. As ridiculous as it sounds, the 701 is the ultimate "bumper bike" as it is great to put on an RV and then go explore when you get there. Unlike the DR and XRL 650s, it has a serious dose of rip right past 100 MPH in a blink serious car passing horsepower, and it has quality suspension.
The 690 platform is very expensive for what it is, and it might not do anything really well, but it is rowdy, rips wheelies, it is raw and braappy loud if ya provoke it, and it is more fun that I should probably be allowed to have. I can hardly believe such a bike is even made in today's sanitized for our protection ass gasket world. Talk about a bike that inspires me to just go ride - leave it to KTM 😆
I reckon my Transalp is great for the Australian roads.
Im in my 50s,it has plenty of power, and the balance on the dirt and the twisties is perfect in my eyes.
I have a cheap throttle lock for the odd times I'm on the motorways
Friend of mine is looking to purchase a Trans Alp. He likes the low weight, by comparison, and the surprisingly potent engine. He found a Africa Twin to Trans Alp conversion for the cruise control. No one bike is for everyone. I agree with the buy the base and install the accessories and upgrades that will apply to how a person will use best use their scooter.
I’m with you on the tubed tires. As far as cruise control, I have an Atlas Throttle lock, and I love it.
Throttle lock is a no brainer. But I don't get why tubed tires are more difficult to change than tubeless
@@kloppskalli Tubeless tires can be plugged and re-inflated if punctured. Tubed requires replacing the tube, which is under the tire... which means the wheel and tire need to come off. A ton more work at the side of the trail.
If I’m touring. Cruise control is an absolute requirement. I’m with you on the Trans Alp. I was let down. Too many misses. No CC not tubeless tires, Honda Hornet oil sump, low slung exhaust. It was just not what I was wanting from Honda. I had an Africa Twin Adventure Sports. I sold it and bought a R1250GS. The GS has exceeded all expectations.
For the extra $13,000 dollars for you Bemer bike, how many time have you lifted it or moved the extra 100 pounds out of the mud or deep sand? How often have you use all of the 105 hp on or off the road? Other than being a braggart, have you owned a TA 750? I thought not, why would you ever lower your beamer status to the lower class.
@@fixento My GS was primarily purchased because the Africa twin was horrible at two up adventure touring. But yes I’ve ridden it off road plenty and when we are on the highway it’s nice to still have some good passing power if needed in the upper MPH. Not bragging at all the R1250GS is worth every penny and more. It s amazing motorcycle and I have never found myself wishing it had this or that. I wanted the Trans Alp to be more of a solo dirt bike (think KTM 790/890) and it ended up being more of a street bike. Nothing wrong with that it’s just not what I wanted or needed. Also Hondas ultra conservative software will probably keep me from ever buying another one. We shut our bikes off a lot when off road and going back through the menu (or forgetting to do so) is a pain in the butt. Their traction control is super intrusive and I hate it. Literally hate it off road. Oh and it’s 136 HP thank you. LOL
Except for the tube tires, i think the transalp is the best bike you could have, if you afford only one bike. Sure, there is ktm or aprilia, but they aren't really know for realiability or for they cheaps parts or cheap maintaince. Sure, there is africa twin and the gs, but they are pretty heavy for heavy traffic riding and certainly, more expensive. Sure, there is the 800de and the t7, wich both are better in off road than the t/a and similiar price and the japanese reliability, but again, they feel more heavy at lower speed manouver and they don't have that nice and tight turning angle wich is a must for city commuting in heavy traffic. I think the t/a doesnt excel in anything, its not the most capable in off road or on road, its not the best looking, its not the fastest, it doesnt give you the best fun out there, but it think its the best in doing anything decently good. Its perfect? Def not, but its the best all around bike? Def yes, imo.
And there is V Strom 800RE. Tubeless tires, lighter and 19” front wheel. Still no c/c though. How about CFMoto Ibex 800T? Everything on it. Or for road use Tracer 900 GT.
@@richardhretczak536 yes but the RE would be more susceptible to damage on bad roads than the TA or DE (I've bent a rim on my car in a pothole not so long ago), it's a great bike for the road use I supposed because the DE it's a nice bike for off road use, the ibex it's called the 800mt here but it's not that reliable, also i didn't find it such a nice bike to ride, the KTM 790 is better so I would go for that instead of ibex/800mt if I wasn't concerned about reliability (also we have very long waiting times for parts for cfmoto here). The tracer 9 it's hands down the best of them for road use, it's more technologically advanced, it's faster and the most fun to ride, but isn't really an all around bike is it? It's pretty heavy and big, and the ground clearance and suspension travel it's also pretty limited, because I can't afford right now two or more bikes, I wanted a bike that's gonna be OK at everything, it's ok off road, it's ok for commuting in a big crowded city, it's ok for touring even if I have a pillion and it gives an ok amount of fun when you open the throttle wide, it's an ok bike, as I said, not the best in anything but good in everything. Also I don't mind personally about the lack of CC because we do have many highways and I'm not afraid to change the tube, but I'm not gonna lie, I would love, for my peace of mind, to have some spoke tubeless wheels (not the cast ones) because it's more comfortable and fast to just plug a tyre. If I could afford more bikes, I wouldn't buy the TA or re/ de or the T7, because the are out there better value for money adventure bikes, like the tuareg 660 who might be the best of them, or the tiger, and I wouldn't be concerned about the reliability then because I wouldn't daily them.
I am still waiting on mine to show up at the dealer(4 months now). Hope you got a great resale on yours. Thanks for the coverage you gave it and good luck on your new purchase, will be watching.
Thanks a bunch
I just got my 2024 Transalp last week. Been too cold to do any riding just yet, so I'm nervous about how it's going to be. My other two bikes are my 2019 Africa Twin, that I LOVE, but 4 yrs later, at 70, it's become to heavy, and then there is my old 2021 CRF300L that I also love. I bought it when I could not find a Rally anywhere, but have ridden the Rally since, and it felt a lot like the Twin, but maybe a bit too heavy still for hard off-road. I hope I didn't make a mistake on the XL750.
Wow. That was fast. Hopefully brands will start giving you bikes soon instead of you buying, creating, and selling. Depending on your needs, the AT definitely is worlds above the TransAlp.
I’m the same way with my CRF300L (off-road) and Africa Twin (everywhere else). I really doubt Honda will bring the 2024 AT to the US market.
Why don’t u think they will bring the 24’ AT to the US?
Same here, CRF300L/2019 Africa Twin...bases covered.
AT and DR650 for me. CRF300L is not available in my country :(
@@adventureundone because they didn’t bring the 2023 to the US and in 2020 - 2022, dealers already knew their AT allotment by October of the previous year. Not the case in 2023 and 2024 is the same way unfortunately. My local dealer was one of the few that was honest and said getting a 2023 was not likely and wouldn’t take my deposit. I ended up picking up a low mileage 2021.
@@enriquejaimes3368 DR650 is a good second option!
Still subscribed bro. Good choice. I was lucky enough to decide against the Transalp in the last minute and go for the KTM790 Adv (2023 brand new) with basically all the bells and whistles of the big bore bikes. In case you don't want to add a single penny to your Transalp cash, but still want that cruise control and tubeless tires (among more things), and have a change of thought from the AT, the 790 could be a 2nd strong rival. But finding out more and more about you, I'd still stick with the AT for the time being.
If cruise control is missing on a motorcycle with traction control, it is because the manufacturer is trying to get you to buy a more expensive model. Once traction control is implemented, Cruise is a no brainer. All of the necessary sensors and controllers are already in place.
Best bike I had, was the lightest one, till now. Jack of all trades, master of none... but this is how it is. I am want the heavy beast Africa Twin anyway, I hope we can connect when I have her .
I have the crf 300 rally all the mods pipes ecu suspension ect. 2022 Africa twin modified exhaust for all the same reason just so reliable. Cheers from New Zealanders
just picked up a 24' twin, Rally + AT is the perfect combo
I totally get it, great bike but not clickin'. I had a '22 Yamaha MT09 SP for 1 year, what a great bike...sold it while the market was strong and availability somewhat scarce. Picked up a 300 Rally 1 week prior to selling the MT, the 300 Rally is clickin'.
We still have freedom of choice and I look forward to seeing your thoughts on the new AT sooner or later knowing Honda.
Good decision, I was expected that from you knowing your preferences but certainly was good for your chanel. Cheers!
Did you wind up not liking the "gurgling" sound of the aftermarket muffler? You never did say it that was part of the problem with the Transalp. There is also the air filter changing issue. That one bugs the fuck out of me, but I've warmed up to my transalp, and it will do now that I can no longer pickup my AT.
Still love My Aprilia Tuareg 660 ..with Cruise control Included ..will never buy a bike without it ..unless strictly dirt
and tubeless..lol
Buy a used DR650 and build it. It's cheap, you can build it your way, and make more content. It's a "between bike", as it fits in between your CRF300Rally and an Africa Twin.
I have had a couple of them. Actually just built out a 23'
Veridian cruise has an aftermarket cruise control solution now
Tubes I agree are a huge problem. I had to deal with tubes on the 390 adventure and regretted not getting something tubeless
Huh...both deal killers were present and obvious when you bought the TA. No cruise, and tubed tires. Baffles me why you bought it knowing that.
My Africa Twin is indeed something, this 70 years old man is unable to attempt..like dropping it in the dirt. It is an awesome street ride, and occasional dirt is fine. Love it.
As said in the video, for content.
Vast Majority of riders are just touring. Could be high speed or low speed touring but it’s still just humming along with cars. Big adv bikes do sport touring great.
Anyone who mods their bike with all the bling I immediately think there's a guy who doesnt like his bike.😢
Or a guy who wants to protect his bike from drops
Honestly, I don't want to get into any remote place with a liquid-cooled bike, and I prefer it to be carb'd and not PGI because the failure potential is far far less with aircooled/carbed. But I do like the CRF300L Rally though, I just wouldn't take it on a serious remote adventure because I'd always be worried a stick would go through my radiator or my thermostat would stick closed or my fuel injection pump in the tank would go bad, or something else I can't do anything about way out in the middle of Nowhere.
I refuse to buy a $10k+ on a motorcycle without cruise control and tubeless tires. I'm also set on a 2024 AT. Really hoping they come to the US soon! Seems like the perfect bike to hop on the highway for 4+ hours to do different adventure routes
Because your limp wristed and too stupid to mend a tubed tyre?
Veridian cruise control put it on my Transalp works great and is inexpensive
I went from a ( too heavy) GS 1250 to a triumph tiger sport 850 ,and never looked back......
Tubeless conversion for the rear looks really easy tbh.
Thanks for your honesty. I can rely to your logical thinking.
U put together best looking transalp for sure. Im sad to se her go.
I started watching when you bought the 890 Adv because I had ordered one. You said you were swapping the AT because it was too heavy, you then swapped the 890 for a Tiger because you sat on it, not in it, wrote the Tiger off riding off road with ABS enabled, bought a DR650, then a Transalp which you've just sold so you can buy an AT. IIRC youve also owned 4 CRF300s? The problem with this approach is it can come across as you don't know what you want rather than there's actually anything particularly wrong with the bikes and so your opinions can start to carry less weight.
I get that YTers need to make content, but how about doing a series on keeping a bike and investing in training and experience to get the most out of it?
That read rather funny , I didn’t realise the hosts history with the bigger bikes , but I think he isn’t Robinson Crusoe in his wavering bike desires.
I recently sold a CRF 300 rally after dreaming of it for over 2 years prior to buying it , it was the perfect bike for me, and I own a Versys 650 for more sporty road touring , but then I got a Honda Transalp , and now saying it’s too heavy for off road if I drop it riding solo.
But the Honda 750 is great on the road and back roads er just like my Versys 650 , but I sold the lighter off road biased 300 rally , because it wasn’t fast enough on the road.
Sort of stuffed up , now figuring out which bike to sell to get another rally.
I have been thinking about the transalp to trade my klr adv for it but I'm still not sure. Biggest benefit of this trade is the multi cylinders of the honda and the lighter bike. I hate the tube tires of both bikes though. My dilemma is do I go africa twin or super tenere.
Both fairly expensive. Having owned 2 KLRs, I'd definitely reach for the Transalp...actually fun power, which the KLR has zero.
Odd people feel so strongly about tubed tires. Have had 1 flat in the last 40 years! Certainly not a deal killer.
I have owned my Transalp for 5 months now and never wanted to flip on a cruise control. I’ve never had a bike with it and don’t even use it in my cars.
Iva had it on almost all my bikes, ands car (self driving on teslas) and I love it!
But I also prefer taking long rides, so it really helps out with that.
Throttle lock...good enough.
I find a 15 dollar cramp buster adequate for longer distance rides. Have not wanted for more for some years now.
The transalp is an awesome motorcycle. It is versatile, light, easy to control, did not break the bank and is a pleasure to run. If you wanted cruise control or doing something like that then open up your wallet and get a big V-Twin and start doing some real mileage. Let's stop comparing apples to oranges and things that are not that realistic on a bike like this.
Love your luggage choices. We have some new for 2024 stuff that you might be interested in... If so, reach out.
You're doing a great job as owning and putting a bike through it's paces is the only credible review.. you should do an upload on the nuts and bolts of buying, riding and selling (w/o losing your shirt). 😲
You could've toured just fine on the Transalp.
for long days in the sattle throttle lock is a no brainer. But I don't get why tubed tires are more difficult to change than tubeless?
I wish I could say the same, lol
If you are over 6ft tall and not a small guy the best adventure bike for the money is hands down a KTM1090r you can get them for 7 to 10 grand on the used market and holly shit its fun. Great motor, great clutch very good stock suspention and its pure fun on tap. I know they are heavy to pick up but not much different than these bikes and they are more capable and way more fun to ride for less money.
Tube tires should only exist on pure dirt bikes. Should be banned from road bikes :)
100% agree
You can easily change the tube out, they are easy. Simple tire irons with tire lube like NoMar - light amount put in TUBE with valve stem (LITTLE bit of air) then work it in. Honda needs to put TUBE tires on the redesigned NX500 - and offer it in the Colors in Europe - at least RED to be seen than being invisible some terrible flat color. Need to be seen.
@@mt1885 Ive ridden nearly 400000km on motorcycles. Not once did I have a flat tire on tubless wheels and wished they were tube tires. Every single flat I had with tube tires, I wished they were tubless, as I would have been up and running under 10 minutes. I currently own a DR650 and change my oen tires, Ive repaired it in the trails, and in 99.99% of the time youre better off with tubless unless you run crazy low psi. The only reason they are still on road bikes is to reduce costs. My 2 cents ;)
Complete nonsense
You road warriors completely forget that tubeless rims are easily damaged offroad because of their exposed design. Let's not even talk about a tyre puncture that cannot be fixed with plugs. Don't you think that there is a reason that even Ducati changed from tubeless to tubed tyres on their DesertX Rally? If you do serious offroading on adv bikes, which I do, you should at least acknowledge the advantages of tubed tyres, stop whining and learn how to change a tyre.
It makes the tyre less of a struggle to put on, making it easier to manipulate your tube and levers into place. Got anything positive to share?
Yes. Tubeless is better and way safer on the road, which is where this bike will spend most of its time. Tubed is great if you carry spare tyres with you, they are easier to swap over. How many buyers will be carrying them ?
Tube tires... yeah - 3rd countrie problem... can't change them.. just train more... tubes have some advantages in off-road riding....
@@janisvinters8797 I actually just changed my first tube set with now issue 🥳 I’m so excited, lol.
Now did use my Rabaconda, made it a bit easier
In my barn is a 1200RT for the road....a G310GS as my small bike [it is tubless]. Had an 19 AT DCT, no cruise with tubes....sold it with only 1500 miles on it. Liked it but with no CC and with tubes it had to go...!!! I too was to accustomed to CC + I realized I was NOT gonna stop on side of road and patch a stinkin tube...!!!
100%
@@adventureundone ....just a poor attempt at humor here...!!! I guess thats why they call it UA-cam not MeTube...🙄😏😆
@@Kiyoti😂
Judging by the views on the click bait title... well done sir.
Playing the game! Long live the little 300 Rally😅
How is it click bait? I sold it
I recently sold my Vstrom 650 and bought a KTM 390 Adventure . Simply because I wanted to do a little more (Not a lot) of off road riding and didnt like the idea of picking up a heavy semi off road bike. But, the 390 a bit like your Transalp isnt really warming up to me. I find it too small and feels like a cross between a dirt bike and motard. I only have 746KMs on so maybe I am still getting used to a smaller CC bike. I do plan on test riding the new CFMOTO 450MT when it comes out. Thanks for your video!
I have a 390 Adventure too. I love it more as a city commuter than anything else. It's fun to zip in and around town. I look for the traffic circles now. Haha! Highway it keeps up but not quite enough power for passing. Haven't done much off-road with it yet as only picked it up last fall. Thinking my next bike might have to be something like the TransAlp or VStrom 800. I prefer more on-road than off-road but like having the option.
What GPS app are you using?
As you get older Cruise Control is a must.(Take a look at the new 900 RP thats coming out?)
The interesting thing is, at 60 years old, I find a slight disagreement to that, I tour/travel 7-9 months (consecutive) per year and don’t have (never had) CC … been doing this for 14 years now, last two on a carbureted KLR …
Maybe when I turn 70 … 🤔
Convert to tubeless and get the cruise control kit. New owner will figure that out for you I suppose 🧐
What song is that at the beginning? " Something in the air is changing"
Snap. Sold my 2020AT bought an 850gs because of the weight. 6 months sold my GS bought the 24 AT which is now sat in the garage. (Also have the 300 rally).
Totally agree, needs cruise and tubeless, we get the KTM 790 here, and I can get cruse on that and comes with tubeless wheels, but the Suzuki 800RE (Not DE) looks interesting for the UK
this is not tubeless ?
@@ed.t.hansen6499 No the Honda is a tubed wheel, the KTM 790 is tubeless, but spokes and well I have not that good, the Suzuki 800de is also spoked and tubed, but the "new" 800 RE is road focused, with cast wheels 19" front
Honda Transalp is a keeper!! 👍
Has Honda announced that the AT is coming in ‘24? I waited all year for a ‘23 and they never arrived.
I have been waiting with you man :(
YES YES .. Im planning on getting new twin also-- but would you get the DCT again?
I probably would get DCT again. Because I don’t plan on to much off roading with it, and dct is amazing for touring.
I’m thinking of sell my 3xCRFs & VTX1800 and getting a R1250/1300 GS
I really miss my R1200GS 😢
Every word you just said makes 100% sense. I have a GS for touring and the odd fire road and the CRF450L for dirt and light adventure.
I get it this video is old, and I don't even see how you can compare a 9000+ bike to those kitted out bikes, for the money the transalp is a great deal. Throw on the panniers, skid plate and light bar and you've got a bike that is plenty capable. I'm currently riding a 2023 Honda CB500x, it's a great bike but just not capable enough for real freeway and off road riding. I'm considering the Transalp because 1 i don't want to break the bank and 2 I don't need more.
The T7, vstrom 800, and transalp are all interesting to me. However, my realistic use case would be to get a 2018 vstrom 1000, which is lighter than the new 800! My DR handles all the middleweight work, but not so great for distance/passengers though. My fear is the novelty wearing off of the new stuff after I pay dealer fees. Your transalp content was great though. Thanks for giving it a whirl! 🤟
I investigated both bikes and noticed the 800 is better in off road corners. Definitely think Suzuki's overlook this generation. However the colors are kind of meh, like the 800 full yellow.
Running the 300L without cruise all day? Kinda the same as running the 750 all day without cruise. Still the 750 should have cruise or an option.
You should try the Honda NT1100 it's a great touring machine more road oriented
I wish it would come to the US
Not with you on the cruise control since I've been riding for 50 years and never had a bike with it. But with tubes, I'm 100% with you. I can, and have, dealt with flats in tube tires many times. I don't have any reservations about it, But WHY? It takes 10 times longer, requires a SHIT ton more stuff, and lets face it, flats always happen in bad places and at bad times. For SERIOUS off-road, I get tubes for multiple reasons. But, for a long distance traveling bike that not gonna be used as a hard core off-road pounder, give me tubeless any day of the week!
Agree wholeheartedly- tubeless on a spoked tyre is a practical thing. PS the airbox change on these bikes are deal breaker. Check the YT post on how to do it!!!!!!
I just don't understand why bikes like the Transalp and T7 don't have tubless tires.. deal breaker for me.
I am a new follower of your channel
Greetings from Sweden 😊
You're saying you're not a snob, but the truth is that you are :-) You clearly want and can afford a top end ADV bike, with all the bells and whistles. More power (pun intended!) to you for buying a bike that makes you happy, you are fortunate to be able to afford multiple bikes.
Living in a city as expensive as Vancouver, Canada means there's less money to spend on luxury items so I need one bike that will do it all for less than $12k USD max. My current options are a Tenere 700, a Transalp, and a V-Strom 800DE - everything else is too expensive and not providing the value of the Transalp. Besides that, I don't want a bike that's heavier than 210 kgs, which pretty much rules out the 800DE.
I currently own a 2022 Honda CB500X and the Transalp XL750 will do everything better for my needs vs the CB500X. Once I buy a Transalp, I fully expect it will be the last bike I own - it's my unicorn bike. I have never had cc on any bike I have owned, so for me it's a luxury I can do without. I would definitely prefer tubeless wheels though - come on Honda!
being able to afford something isn't a snob. Work hard and earn what you want.
@@adventureundoneYou said that you didn't want to come off as a snob, then immediately compared the Transalp to other pricey bikes you have owned including an African Twin, Tiger 900 and KTM 890.
That's like saying that you bought a Honda CRV but then realized that it's not as good as the Acura MDX or Lexus GX that you owned before. I only chose the word snob because you mentioned it, I don't think you're a snob and my comment wasn't intended as a personal attack. My apologies.
But it is unfair to compare the Transalp to those other bikes, so I called you out for that unfair comparison - they aren't in the same market niche so the comparison isn't relevant.
With respect to working hard to buy things, I do work hard and I have a six figure income. My reality right now is that my kids in their twenties both live in Vancouver and until they get a place of their own, I'm going to stay in Vancouver and live a modest life style (an income of $100k - $125k in Vancouver is just enough to buy a house and not much else, for perspective). I fully expect to live elsewhere in British Columbia in the future, at which point I will be able to afford any bike I want. But honestly, I would still pick the Transalp, it offers such compelling value and Honda reliability.
@@alozborne if your already at 10k I would save up 4k more and get a better bike.
I guess some get bored if they don't have enough buttons and gadgets to fiddle with. At least the new owner is going to be happy.
I just want one more button, thats it
*throat clearing sounds *
Moto guzzi stelvio.
Shaft drive, NO CHAIN MAINTENANCE EVER.
Adaptive cruise control. If you think that you like cruise control.....try adaptive cruise control once and find out how much constantly adjusting normal cruise control actually bothers you. Game changer.
Plus,
It's a Guzzi.
Myself I'm probably going with the V85TT because I only use the highways if there is no other choice and I'm old school. More tech, more problems.
But that dct.....that's also a beautiful thing.
Actually, if the Africa twin had shaft drive.....I'd order one today.
The 2024 AT has me intrigued too. I’d go with the lightest, base model, non-DCT, but with a quickshifter :)
Yeah that’s what I’m thinking also. But maybe dct again
You non DCT folks are simple. Stay in the dark ages.
@@adventureundone Honda did everything I hoped they would to the base model: adjustable windscreen, heated grips, tubeless wheels. And it weighs the same as the Suzuki 800DE. Only problem is it won’t come to the USA until Fall 2024.
@@2wheels.are.better.than4 its out
@@TraveladvRajanSRai Not in the USA. We always get bikes a year after they are available in Europe.
Been following Ian at BRM, Ben Dork in the Road & this. Thought you may have been critical when I 1st saw this, test rode a TA this afternoon I’m the cold ready to buy. And…, it’s just ok, not exciting, not that fast, suspension is not great, brakes aren’t like my other bikes Brembos. Was really hoping to save some $$$, but bike feels cheap like it’s price. Can’t say it’s better than any of my past or current bikes in anything
yeah, and thats why I parted with mine. Great bike sure, but nothing special.
I know exactly what you mean.....after riding BMW's I got spoiled. I love my Africa Twin though especially on the interstate.
Its this very reason i don't follow ANY channels that just buy the bike to review, then sell it. I want to see someone buy a bike because its what they perceive is the best, then go and put 25K miles on it. Maybe this is not realistic, but its just my opinion, I've been there done that, listen to some dude go on about how great a bike is and then sell it for the next latest greatest thing. Average guys can't afford to do that, i would love to but its just not feasible, sorry.
Tubliss 2.0 I put 8,000 miles on the set that was on my CRF300L. I am not sure if it would fit on the TransAlp wheels but there are other options like rim tape and aftermarket wheels. That and a throttle lock would have it setup for plenty of adventures.
What size is your Rally, 250 - 300?
300
Hard to go from a premium Tiger to a Honda because it’s“more reliable” and cheap and nothing more.
?