Think you’re underselling them a bit; they always seem to be outgunned on paper but they consistently deliver platforms that are competitive and are fan favourites.
I've done sections of the CABDR , miles of technical single track in the sand and rock , I've treated it like a Superbike In The canyons . The 800DE is the most underrated ADV bike on the market , I went from a 1290 to a 690 and then a Tiger , I now have the 800DE and I am truly impressed.
@@ultimatist not really a gripe but the same soft suspension as most offroad bikes . I ordered a 18" rear wheel conversion, fork springs/ shock spring for my weight through Hessler Ralley Team and I have the cruise control on order through Veridian . The bike feels like quality and you have suzuki reliability
As always, beautiful production quality, and insightful commentary. Love what you do. I also love both of these bikes. I could not pick a favorite either!
@BigRockMoto I saw on your channel how you drove a Transalp in offroad, but I would see destiny like this: -If you drive more on roads, choose a Honda (weaker suspension for offroad and access to the filter is difficult in dust, but it is light and the engine likes high revs). -If you like to push strong off-road, choose Tenere 700, preferably in the Extream version, but you have to be tall and strong (top heavy) and it is not comfortable for long road trips. Suzuki... combines both features, it is very comfortable on the road, but thanks to its good suspension it handles well off-road and is easier to drive offroad than the T7 (better balanced)... I chose suzuki 800de also thanks to your reviews
Great review comparison and very enjoyable to watch. I own a Transalp 750 and I've test ride a V-Strom 800 DE and although I truly respect the solidity of the VStrom and the engine's precision, the Transalp 750 it's the best compromise money can buy for 95% of the casual "adventure" segment customers, myself included. With proper experience and skills, Transalp can take you whatever place you dream.
And with a touring screen and spring upgrade for ~300€ you can get Hyperpro front and back springs for the Transalp to make it the best and most reliable allrounder bike in the price range. It's also the most economical from my research.
I have a 2009 VStrom 650. It runs well. It does highway all day at 130kph. It does forestry roads. I can two up. I can haul camping gear. It’s good on gas. It’s easy to work on. With a bit of body protection I started taking it down rockier trails too. 15 years in it’s a good bike. If you are looking for a long term bike you can’t go wrong with the Suzuki.
Really enjoyed this. It's so good to get such an honest and unbiased real world opinion of two bikes that many will discount just because they're not a T7 or 890 Adventure and it's just what the average adventure rider needs to hear. Cinematography was spectacular too. Without doubt my favourite Motorcycling channel!
I have been questioning you about the vstrom 800 de video for a while. Oh well, i got a transalp review and comparo as well as a bonus. I love how you keep your content fresh and different in style than other youtubers. For exensive reviews, i have big rock moto, for short quick videos that are just informative MotoBob, for the best balance videos we got your channel. You dont beat the deadhorse like the other channels talking about the same bike over over and over. Love the video. You deserve way more susbcribers.
After 6 months of research and being as i value dependability over all else i picked the best Japanese mid bike i felt would suit my 80/20 riding, the 800de. Love it and will always be as open minded as possible but i dont want to constantly be working on any bike i have other than mods and accessories...accessories...
Next level cinematography as always. Beautiful stuff man. I think either of these two bikes are the ideal machine for most adventure riders if we're being honest about our riding abilities.
Fantastic video. I love the topic of “need not want” I have a WR450F that’s street legal and I’ve owned many single cylinder dualsports but I finally decided to sell my Goldwing and concours 14 and get a REAL multi cylinder adv bike. My type of riding was going to be lots and lots of highways. I live in Texas and it’s 1,000 miles just to get to Colorado. Sure I WANTED a T7 or Africa twin. I want that 21in front wheel but the more I was honest with myself the more I started to favor a shaft drive (coming from shaft drive street bikes) and a 19/17 wheel. So I looked at the GS1200 and read the horror stories of electrical gremlins and shaft drive failures and ended up with the humble Super Tenere 1200. The super tenere is a land barge. Massively heavy but it still gets the job done off-road at a slower pace and it’s great on the highway. The S Ten is arguably the most reliable motorcycle ever made. So many forum posters with 200,000 miles on their bikes. It feels more like farm equipment than a motorcycle. Tractor like. To me it’s the Toyota Land Cruiser of motorcycles
The Transalp handles just like a CB500X, but slightly slower to tip. It’s just a lot faster and slightly heavier with a wider stature. The Transalp is closer to a CB500X than people might expect, in a great way.
I walked into a showroom to buy a CB 500X. Threw a leg over the TA and couldn't believe how light it felt. Bought a TA. Figured I may as well have the extra power, engine note, ground clearance, 21" front, TFT and modes if it felt as light to handle. But the biggest thing to me is it's balance. It's one of those bikes that will make a rider way more confident. From moving it around the shed to tight single track, it flatters the rider. I also believe a lot of the testers criticisms of the TA are unfounded. I took it into enduro bike territory last weekend and only bottomed the forks twice... when I messed up two erosion mound take offs and didn't get the front up, hitting the upslope on the landing. A combination of poor timing with the throttle on my part and a slight lack of grip from the stock Dunflop mixtours..... Yeah yeah...I know... what was I doing on an enduro ride with mixtours...... I was told it was easy dirt by the KTM 500 riding leader....😁
I actually thought the transalp was a lot closer to the Africa twin in width and weight vs the 500x. The 500x seems more like a 125cc bike to me it's very narrow indeed. And it just doesn't seem to have any weight to it. My girlfriend really wants a 500x the TA scared the he'll out of her the weight and the size.
Good review. The best advice I ever received was to make a choice and enjoy the bike. You can customize it as needed, and you can always change your mind later. Or you can sit behind a computer screen or phone and compare and complain about specs until your head explodes. The people that want something to meet every little, tiny requirement before they go and do so something or delay living life until everything is perfect are never happy anyway.
Great review as always, but I'm most impressed with your little icons indicating how the products used in the video were acquired. Hopefully that level of transparency spreads throughout the online motorcycle journalist/youtuber world.
Great review Llel, Id love to try one of these modern adventure bikes. I was in at the beginning, I bought an R80g/s in '83 and ive had it ever since. Ive done a bit of trail riding with lads on T7s so i see the difference that the years have made to suspension etc.. Nice to see that manufacturers are still supporting this class of bike.
Glad to see someone treating the transalp like a transalp, and not going on and on about how if you just put $6,000 of parts on it you can turn it into the ADV bike "it was meant to be." 🤮 Transalp is a transalp, not a GS, for the better.
An excellent balanced review. Personally I decided on the suzuki, it's base inclusions, better and simpler electronics, and more sophisticated and capable suspension made it a better value proposition for me. The flexibility of the engine is icing on the cake. However I couldn't adjust the shock to my preferred rider sag, even with the preload wound all the way up, I guess slightly heavier spring for the shock at least is in my near future.
I don't know which of these bikes is better.... but I DO know which moto-journalist has the best hair in the industry. I love that you're responding to the comments with the right amount of Sass they deserve. Keep on trucking, mate!
Too funny!!! I did a search for comparison reviews on these two bikes just a couple hours before this video was launched. I intend to buy one of these, probably the Suzi
Watch OnTheBackWheel ride the 800DE, then tell me again what the bike can't do. For me it was an easy choice, I prefer off road and the 800DE is the clear winner.
I think you misunderstand. It can do a lot, it’s just not as easy as some other bikes, like the Transalp. Andy is less experienced than me and when it got tricky he struggled more on the DE than the Transalp. Not saying the Suzuki is bad and I get why you love it. Great bike.
Yet another great review from you guys, epic scenery, quality birds eye photography and as always commentary that understands the audience and provides food for thought. Thank you 🙏
This has to be the best review and explanation of what these bike are and intended to be. Far too many reviews wishing either were a t7, 790 etc we already have those, definitely needed a couple of true do it all comfortable machines at great price points. Thank you again for another phenomenal review.
Kudos to your video editor- the little touches like the frame connecting as a timer for your commercial- really great little touches. Content is always a smash hit !!! Editing is like the icing on a cupcake
I had zero interest in the transalp but after watching various review videos I'm actually starting to become interested. Everybody loves the V-Strom and I've never met an unhappy V-Strom owner. And I've ridden with some guys who are on V-Strom who can ride the heck out of those things and they seem to take all of it and continue to run smoothly
Thanks for a great video review of these two machines. Probably one of the more sensible tests I have seen of these two bikes. That is: ridden how most people would probably ride them. 👍🇦🇺
@@BrakeMagazine I really enjoy your videos. I just prefer to hear what a bike can do rather than what it can’t do. I can figure out what a bike can’t do on my own.
Great work & a fair assessment - Dropping the front that smidge on the 800 exactly the same idea as myself after a couple thousand miles.. And as for the great engine, think what a tune / ECU will do ... (a couple others out there already have it tuned up in GSX-8s and I look forward to doing this sometime later this year, the gains throughout powerband are huge). Cheers and keep it up.
I personally feel like I'd be perfectly happy on the T7, Vstrom, or Transalp. Each having their own strengths and weaknesses and needing upgrades or parts swaps but all 3 appear to be great bikes. I went with the Transalp as I'm more on-road than off and prefer the better wind protection and more comfortable seat than the T7 and I like the extra power and lower weight than the Vstrom, and I also personally think it's the best looking although I do wish we got the gold wheel option in North America I need to find some old Africa Twin wheels to try out :)
Excellent review video! Well shot, funny, and with unique insights into the bikes that so many others don't cover. This channel is definitely top tier and I'm excited to see what you come up with next. Keep up the great work!
Great review! As usual great quality video, I watch your stuff even when I have no interest in the bikes reviewed, they are that entertaining and interesting. I'm in the market for one of these, I will have to go test ride them, I like the looks of the Honda better but that Zuzuki seems to impress everyone who rides it.
Great video, I can say that after testing BMW, KTM, Aprilia, Yamaha, Honda, Suzuki and Husky; these two(in the vid) were the ones that actually gave me the best on/off road feeling, welcoming my inexperience. Only 1% of the users will actually bring any ADV bike to the AfricaEcoRace or similar, so no actual point on having a super specialized machine when your skills are no match fo it, ride humble!!! 🤗
If you haven't already, you seriously need to thoroughly test the Tuareg660. Slightly less comfortable on the road because of the narrower seat, but makes up for it with the stock cruise control. And off the road significantly better suspension than even the Vstrom. The T7 isn't even in the competition anymore.
T7 extreme edition is 11 800 euros Tuareg 660 is 12 800 euros The T7 extreme is definitely better then the tuareg 😅 maybe not on the road but everything else it is.
I think the Tuareg looks very good, for me definitely better than the T7 but altogether not such an impressive bike. Mainly, I found it’s lacking a few cc. Found the induction noise too loud, the catalytic converter bizarrely located, and unconvincing (cheap?) in some components. All in all I’d prefer the vstrom.
1. New Transalp is the best Transalp 2. Glad to see Outback M. As a sponsor. They grew so much these years, absolutely deserved 👍 3. Thanks for the review
I’ve now changed to a tracer 7 with some Pirelli str tyres for my green landing and off road adventures, it’s much “easier” to handle off road than the tenere and I’ve only done one lane 😂 roll on the weekend and lots of testing to be done . Keep up the great vids fella 👍🏼
Excellent video, great production and I like your delivery style. Its great to have a UK based channel that is up their with BRM, Dork in the Road and dare I say it... Fortnine??!!! Great work guys.
I rode the Tenere 700 WR at this year's ABR with a view to swapping my old Super Tenere 1200 for it, I wasn't impressed. If you're a pro you're bound to get more from it than me, but for me it was gutless and lacking any heart. The engine was dare I say dull... Then I rode the Transalp and what a bike! Great for me off road, capable and friendly on/off the throttle, and really well balanced. Honestly I think I'm sold and will be getting one. P.S we tried a few bikes, and that Transalp was my favourite
Great video, thank you! I only tested the transalp out of the two, and only on road. Significantly lighter and more nimble than my Tiger 900 Rally Pr (although I love my bike). Transalp is great for do it all bike in my opinion. It is good for London traffic, touring and some off roading. If I had to have 1 bike only, this would be the choice for sure. I am only a bit scared of tubed tires in case of trouble somewhere in Pyrenees or Alps.
I just don't understand why would you go through the effort of removing the wheel (caring more tools..) and waste time and energy, when you may just put the plug in and go? @@marksimpson5218
I love that we are having mid weight arguments around ADV again, used to be only two manufacturers really filled that role, but now we got a whole hot market to argue over. T7 vs Transalp, 890 against the Pstrom 800 (jokes), and all the other lively conversation on the trail, an exciting time for our market and our sport.
@@iangriffiths9930 you know, people tend to highlight the issues, and if you google for issues you only find news about them. As far as I got the 2024 model year has solved the issues. The dealer network could be a point of concern, though.
Have had the VStrom 6 weeks now ... a very fair review you've managed 👏👏. We loved the TA too, and in Australia it's 3 grand cheaper ... but the electronics and the awful airbox access were the clangers for us.
It’s about the same price cheaper here until you spec any extras to bring them to a similar . The extras on the Honda are pretty pricey and they brings them inline. I now just think of them at the about the same.
Guys, this is the absolute best comparison of these two bikes I’ve seen. Your descriptions tell me the transalp wins for me and the 800 is best suited for others. Heading to dealer tomorrow…but if only we could switch the instrument gauges. One thing you didn’t mention is the Honda does not have a fuel range readout. Even the lowly versys 300 has that. This is 2024 right? Come on Honda!
Great video quality and a refreshing honesty and look at the topic. For me despite this, find my motorbike riding and choice of the motorbike on which to do it is driven by passion and the heart.... not the brain..... These bikes are like a Skoda.. ( of which I have had several). solid, functional, good value and get the job done..... but I have that in my daily life. I want something that makes me go "phwoarr!!!" and stirs the cockles...... neither of these do that.... A Norden however......
Love the review and the comparison but the only reason I would stay away from both of them would be tubed type rims which means not having tubeless tyres and a lot of hassle to change them ... I would take my scrambler 1200x or XE or the tiger 900 over these two any day, it would do the job just fine.
It would be great to do one but putting a budget together to do it is nearly impossible for us at the moment. Even these two bikes ones the cost is a lot.
If my 890 Duke didn’t steal my heart before I jumped in the dirt with the Adventure, I would’ve ended up with a Transalp I think. Unfortunately for me I’ve caught KTMitis but someday I hope to be able to take a spin on a Transalp. Can’t wait to see more of both these bikes around in the US. It’s lonely off-road in my neck of the woods.
indeed for me too brand loyalty matters. Yet ktm has disappointed me with the way they honour warranties, so I’m trying to cure myself from ktmitis. Sold my 890R, still moan the loss of it, but it’s early days, it’ll pass and I hope to find something out there that will fill the void in my heart.
Easy to work on, easy to fix, easy to upgrade, and reliable...it will do everything you ask whether it is a daily commute or around-the-world trip. That's all I can say about all V-Strom Models.
My guy, you've got the voice over thing DIALLED.😉 And we both know that's the hardest part. Seriously though, that is a top notch video. Oh and that '91 Africa Twin at 00:44 is a thing of beauty.
Great great great and to the point .. It always comes down to the rider knowing themselves and understanding what kind of riding brings them the most joy . I have a 30 " inseam .. It's the Transalp for me .. I would love BMW to jump in with a Earles front fork and a good mono shock in the back on a 800 boxer with a 5 USgallon tank and great brakes ...
I wasn't brought up with this, my words exactly, I watched Carl Fogarty "Foggy", I've had mostly sports bikes the 02 R6 is still my favourite bike that I've owned, so switching to a bike that's around twice as heavy, I feel like I'm learning to ride a bike again
IMO this video proves that there isn't everything in race with figures sheets, bikes can seem awful on paper but when you ride them you realize the point. I think these bikes are good for people who will buy them and if they outgrow them with the skills they master on them they could either update the bikes or change bikes for the more specific style of riding they want to do.
Excellent video with great real-world perspective. As someone with Desert-X remorse ( great bike when its operational), I actually look at these as a less fragile, less worrisome and more fun option. Your video convinced me even more of this.
Agree with your summary bikes the Adventure Bike Market needed. Bought the V4 Motool suspension tuner based on your recommendation, great work Thankyou 😂 Ewen…
Well done Llel, I love your straight forward practical take on these bikes, ones that some may turn their noses up but most would find suits them best. Bought my GS before these came out would like to have had them as an option but that’s life. Looking forward to fitting my Tailmax Raids with my Rabaconda too. Cheers Llel.
Yew! Hope that goes well. it took me a few uses to really get my head around it. Once I got the technique and order down it's been great, but it might take a while to learn!
All of these machines will be a slight compromise as they have to fit so many riders weight, height, riding styles and abilities. Having tried both extensively i felt the 800DE has the best motor/power delivery/ suspension with more potential to tailor to suit individual preferences. As much as i love my Hondas (and i have a few) the TA motor is more akin to a revvy sports tourer lacks low down punch. If you feel the need to test the 800DE off road, i would recommend go to Suzuki Live at Cadwell Park June 22/23. The off road test couse at the circuit that Suzuki set up is excellent and a great test for the bike and rider.
I would select Transalp if I want lightweight motorcycle . And, I would select V-Strom if I want mile cruncher as it has bigger fuel tank capacity. Rest other features and functionalities are mare decorations.
Really loved these video, as always, everything is top-notch. The one thing that I just cannot love about the trans out. Is that front end, like you said if it was Dakar’d it would be a completely different story for me. Am hoping that Honda brings out a 2025 model with that new NX 500 style front end and it would be a peach.✌️
Agreed. Although the transalp front end doesn’t bother me as much as it used to, I still think it would look better with a rectangular headlight. Check out the CRF 190L. Honda nailed the styling on that one.
@@BrakeMagazine the profile of the bike with some more aggressive tires is amazing, it’s just that Honda parts been headlight that they use across so many models let it down
Both with TT rims and tyres. Better refine your puncture repair skills pronto. Just beautiful video with that rural scenery and cows sitting on the track.
I love your videos. so good that I've added to my favorite video list. thank you. I have the super limited 2024 KTM 890 rally, and yet as a second bike I'm getting a transalp... love it
I can attest that Outback Motortek are above and beyond. My Africa Twin got hit by a drunk driver, and against all odds it completely protected the bike
Great review Llel. When I'm ready to trade-in my F750GS, I'm fairly sure it will be for the Transalp. The only thing that puts me off is the tubed tyres. Not easy to repair when you're a long way from home.
You can convert them to tubeless if you want. There is a company called BART Tubeless that do it or you can DIY convert pretty easily too. That'll be an awesome upgrade of your bike.
Interesting review, thanks. It looks like the Suzuki is a bit better as the Honda has a few issues like not remembering settings and placement of the horn button where the indicator is supposed to be, as well as more difficult air filter replacement.
I actually agree with you on button placement. Honda's are a bit confusing to my thumbs. I definitely mashed on the horn multiple times when trying to cancel the indicator.
In other words: buy a T7. I was really excited for the Transalp and the DE, so much so that after the T7 was introduced, i actually waited all these years for these two to come out before i bought a new bike. But at the end of the day i did end up going with the T7 for multiple reasons. Mainly being: these bikes dont do anything necessarily better than the T7, but the T7 does do offroad way better than these two, and from factory the suspension is miles ahead. I went with the World Raid version that even with 23L in the tank (!) It still weights LESS than the DE. Yes its down on power but in this class who cares, the CP2 engine is just simply amazing. I feel like the Trans and the DE are missed opportunities. Specially the Transalp. The DE serves its purpose of being a (mainly) on-road bike with offroad capabilities really well, it has a fat 800cc engine and is super comfortable. An honest bike that is not trying to please Pol Tarres. And even though i am a Honda fan, the Transalp just isnt what it should be. The engine is very "revvy", the suspension is a joke if you weight anything above 75kg and are taking luggage with you. The ground clearance issue isnt just small, but what most pictures hide behind the exhaust, is that the lowest part of the bike is the very unprotected OIL PAN! Thats just ridiculous. The electronics are rather bad, very intrusive, not really usable offroad. Accessories are typical honda extremly expensive, and if you are heavier you will have to cash out for better susps right from the start. Plus only about 16L in the tank? For an ADV bike? No thanks honda, youve made way too many compromises with this bike. I went Yamaha on this one and dont regret a bit. In fact the more i ride my T7, the more i like it. What a great bike...after 20+ years riding and over 40+ motorcycles owned, i can confidently say the T7 is easily in my top 3 best bikes ive ever had. Its not just hype, the bike really is that good...
@@BrakeMagazine yes the regular version. But at least you can opt to go with the WR that has 23L. Ive ridden 600+ Km on my WR with one tank. Dont know any other bike in this category that will do that
Oh and by the way: good luck removing the whole tank of the bike everytime you want to clean the air filter on the transalp, another design flaw that makes me wonder what the heck was honda thinking of...
@@davidgrunklee8407 no more than any other bike in its category. This is your typical youtube trend of complaining about something that no one truly understands. A bunch of "influencers" that have never ridden proper off road bikes complaining that a tall off road bike with a crap load of susp travel and ground clearance is too top heavy is just ridiculous. Guess what, they all are...
Its really interesting watching this :) ive been trying to work out what to get my dad ive gone from a 1200gs te rallye (himmy rejected)- 300 Rally to a 2004 1150GSA for ease of maintenance an it really fitted my needs for the riding i wanted Im no Pol thats for sure! I think for most of us even the Suzuki an the Transalp are still big bikes id love to see more sub 200kg ones the difference between the Himalayans weight and 300 rally was huge to me as someone that gave green laning a whirl. Ive got alot of seat time on older stuff from 1927 to the 60s n 80s an the seats an seat heights were so much better! Id love to see some more lighter 500 twins on the market especially a boxer 500. I feel like stuff like that would suit alot of us, with simplicity at the core of the design ethos and ease of Maitinece 10-12k is still a hell of alot of money to alot of us really like the transparency of the review style inc the graphics ive been watching review videos all evening an some are so so vague on whether they are paid or press bikes. Awesome video as always 👌
@@miro_s think Nathan did a video on one of those a few weeks ago, we’ve been looking back at the Suzukis again instead of the T7 with my dads stage 3b/4 prostate cancer it’s changed a lot of things
I’m afraid that I would always go for the Transalp because… because it’s a Honda. Hondas have been the backbone of my six decades of bike riding and their bikes have always shone for me. In a competition as close as this the Honda badge would be the deciding card. To show some impartiality I have had bikes from other manufacturers along the way and even now only one of my three bikes is a Honda. There’s a Suzuki in my shed as well. 🙂
Test rode the V-Strom and loved it. What an engine! But, it feels way too heavy for a technical BDR like the one in Oregon. With luggage, it'll be tipping the scales at over 550 lbs.
only issue which I have with this motorcycle is that there is real heat coming from engine, above 25 C is very annoying, unfortunately is not only in traffic stop and go but heats up in highway as well, but beside this very good bike, maybe could be 20kg lighter ;)
Both really nice bikes. If you live in a sparsely populated country with lots of (good quality) dirt roads the new V-Strom seems like a perfect pick. Living in densely populated Central Europe featuring many nice tarmac roads I naturally opted for a road going bike (in my case a Tracer 900).
@@BrakeMagazine Well, if you mean Eastern European countries like Hungary and Romania you are right. But again, I live in Central Europe, meaning i.e. Austria and Germany. Please try riding on gravel roads there for a while without getting into (serious) trouble. Cheers
Congrats to the Suzuki team for coming out of nowhere with such a great bike/platform!
Couldn't agree more!
Think you’re underselling them a bit; they always seem to be outgunned on paper but they consistently deliver platforms that are competitive and are fan favourites.
I've done sections of the CABDR , miles of technical single track in the sand and rock , I've treated it like a Superbike In The canyons . The 800DE is the most underrated ADV bike on the market , I went from a 1290 to a 690 and then a Tiger , I now have the 800DE and I am truly impressed.
@@bradfuller1667 nice! I'm pondering one... what's your single biggest gripe with the bike?
@@ultimatist not really a gripe but the same soft suspension as most offroad bikes . I ordered a 18" rear wheel conversion, fork springs/ shock spring for my weight through Hessler Ralley Team and I have the cruise control on order through Veridian . The bike feels like quality and you have suzuki reliability
As always, beautiful production quality, and insightful commentary. Love what you do. I also love both of these bikes. I could not pick a favorite either!
@BigRockMoto I saw on your channel how you drove a Transalp in offroad, but I would see destiny like this:
-If you drive more on roads, choose a Honda (weaker suspension for offroad and access to the filter is difficult in dust, but it is light and the engine likes high revs).
-If you like to push strong off-road, choose Tenere 700, preferably in the Extream version, but you have to be tall and strong (top heavy) and it is not comfortable for long road trips.
Suzuki... combines both features, it is very comfortable on the road, but thanks to its good suspension it handles well off-road and is easier to drive offroad than the T7 (better balanced)...
I chose suzuki 800de also thanks to your reviews
Spoiler alert!
More 800de please! Maybe spice it up with the 800RE model vs the transalp or something :)
Thanks Ian. Appreciate that. The feeling is mutual! I’ve watched a ton of your stuff now and I feel like we have the same feeling about bikes 😂
Cross Atlantic bro-mance maybe ? I love both your contents! Keep it up guys!!
Well said. We’ve all become so stuck in the spec sheet that we’ve forgotten that we don’t actually need the spec sheet.
🙌🙌 I’m as guilty as anyone of this.
Great review comparison and very enjoyable to watch. I own a Transalp 750 and I've test ride a V-Strom 800 DE and although I truly respect the solidity of the VStrom and the engine's precision, the Transalp 750 it's the best compromise money can buy for 95% of the casual "adventure" segment customers, myself included. With proper experience and skills, Transalp can take you whatever place you dream.
And with a touring screen and spring upgrade for ~300€ you can get Hyperpro front and back springs for the Transalp to make it the best and most reliable allrounder bike in the price range. It's also the most economical from my research.
for a few grand less id go with the vstrom
I have a 2009 VStrom 650. It runs well. It does highway all day at 130kph. It does forestry roads. I can two up. I can haul camping gear. It’s good on gas. It’s easy to work on. With a bit of body protection I started taking it down rockier trails too. 15 years in it’s a good bike. If you are looking for a long term bike you can’t go wrong with the Suzuki.
Really enjoyed this. It's so good to get such an honest and unbiased real world opinion of two bikes that many will discount just because they're not a T7 or 890 Adventure and it's just what the average adventure rider needs to hear. Cinematography was spectacular too. Without doubt my favourite Motorcycling channel!
"and with suspension that actually works"
Fantastic.
I have been questioning you about the vstrom 800 de video for a while. Oh well, i got a transalp review and comparo as well as a bonus. I love how you keep your content fresh and different in style than other youtubers. For exensive reviews, i have big rock moto, for short quick videos that are just informative MotoBob, for the best balance videos we got your channel. You dont beat the deadhorse like the other channels talking about the same bike over over and over. Love the video. You deserve way more susbcribers.
Thanks man! Nice to be talked about in those circles. I’m getting there 🙌🙌
@@BrakeMagazine which one do you thinkt suits you better?
After 6 months of research and being as i value dependability over all else i picked the best Japanese mid bike i felt would suit my 80/20 riding, the 800de.
Love it and will always be as open minded as possible but i dont want to constantly be working on any bike i have other than mods and accessories...accessories...
Best review of these two bikes. Great job! I went with the Suzuki :)
Same here. Got mine two months ago and no regrets, just fun. 👍
Do you have any problem with heat when ridding in heavy traffic?
Yes unfortunately it does get warm at stops or slow movement.
@rockenjoshy Thank you. I love everything about the new vstrom, but I ride 120km per day, and I need to wait in traffic sometimes.
Yeah it’s a bummer all these new bikes run hot.
Next level cinematography as always. Beautiful stuff man. I think either of these two bikes are the ideal machine for most adventure riders if we're being honest about our riding abilities.
I think if you’re honest about the type of riding you wanna do too. If you wanna mash some gravel roads and get your feet down they’re great.
Michael .. you are correct ! a 701 would be a far better choice.
Fantastic video. I love the topic of “need not want”
I have a WR450F that’s street legal and I’ve owned many single cylinder dualsports but I finally decided to sell my Goldwing and concours 14 and get a REAL multi cylinder adv bike.
My type of riding was going to be lots and lots of highways. I live in Texas and it’s 1,000 miles just to get to Colorado. Sure I WANTED a T7 or Africa twin. I want that 21in front wheel but the more I was honest with myself the more I started to favor a shaft drive (coming from shaft drive street bikes) and a 19/17 wheel. So I looked at the GS1200 and read the horror stories of electrical gremlins and shaft drive failures and ended up with the humble Super Tenere 1200.
The super tenere is a land barge. Massively heavy but it still gets the job done off-road at a slower pace and it’s great on the highway. The S Ten is arguably the most reliable motorcycle ever made. So many forum posters with 200,000 miles on their bikes. It feels more like farm equipment than a motorcycle. Tractor like. To me it’s the Toyota Land Cruiser of motorcycles
@BrakeMagazine your videography, storytelling, and evaluations/observations are stellar. Thank you from middle America.
The Transalp handles just like a CB500X, but slightly slower to tip. It’s just a lot faster and slightly heavier with a wider stature. The Transalp is closer to a CB500X than people might expect, in a great way.
Totally agree. Massive surprise tbh.
I walked into a showroom to buy a CB 500X. Threw a leg over the TA and couldn't believe how light it felt. Bought a TA. Figured I may as well have the extra power, engine note, ground clearance, 21" front, TFT and modes if it felt as light to handle. But the biggest thing to me is it's balance. It's one of those bikes that will make a rider way more confident. From moving it around the shed to tight single track, it flatters the rider. I also believe a lot of the testers criticisms of the TA are unfounded. I took it into enduro bike territory last weekend and only bottomed the forks twice... when I messed up two erosion mound take offs and didn't get the front up, hitting the upslope on the landing. A combination of poor timing with the throttle on my part and a slight lack of grip from the stock Dunflop mixtours..... Yeah yeah...I know... what was I doing on an enduro ride with mixtours...... I was told it was easy dirt by the KTM 500 riding leader....😁
I actually thought the transalp was a lot closer to the Africa twin in width and weight vs the 500x. The 500x seems more like a 125cc bike to me it's very narrow indeed. And it just doesn't seem to have any weight to it. My girlfriend really wants a 500x the TA scared the he'll out of her the weight and the size.
@@chrishart8548 It weighs about 20 - 25 lbs more than the cb - maybe the size was intimidating.
Good review. The best advice I ever received was to make a choice and enjoy the bike. You can customize it as needed, and you can always change your mind later. Or you can sit behind a computer screen or phone and compare and complain about specs until your head explodes.
The people that want something to meet every little, tiny requirement before they go and do so something or delay living life until everything is perfect are never happy anyway.
Amen
Great review as always, but I'm most impressed with your little icons indicating how the products used in the video were acquired. Hopefully that level of transparency spreads throughout the online motorcycle journalist/youtuber world.
Thanks Brant. It’s something I hope spreads too.
I don’t think anyone minds ads or that stuff but a little honesty goes a long way 😊
Great review Llel, Id love to try one of these modern adventure bikes. I was in at the beginning, I bought an R80g/s in '83 and ive had it ever since. Ive done a bit of trail riding with lads on T7s so i see the difference that the years have made to suspension etc.. Nice to see that manufacturers are still supporting this class of bike.
Get a test ride going! I recommend the Aprillia if you really want a night and day experience
I watch everything on these bikes and I think this is the best video on them - to the point!
Thanks!
Glad to see someone treating the transalp like a transalp, and not going on and on about how if you just put $6,000 of parts on it you can turn it into the ADV bike "it was meant to be." 🤮 Transalp is a transalp, not a GS, for the better.
I'm glad you think it was the right approach!
An excellent balanced review. Personally I decided on the suzuki, it's base inclusions, better and simpler electronics, and more sophisticated and capable suspension made it a better value proposition for me. The flexibility of the engine is icing on the cake. However I couldn't adjust the shock to my preferred rider sag, even with the preload wound all the way up, I guess slightly heavier spring for the shock at least is in my near future.
I think you’ll likely wanna do both front and rear to keep them balanced 😌
I don't know which of these bikes is better.... but I DO know which moto-journalist has the best hair in the industry. I love that you're responding to the comments with the right amount of Sass they deserve. Keep on trucking, mate!
Wow, thank you! 🤩 Lucy cuts my hair and was very happy about this comment too 😂😂
Amazing video, which explains these two bikes so well. Thanks for the shoutout too!
🙌🙌 thanks for supporting making these video man! 🙌🙌
Too funny!!! I did a search for comparison reviews on these two bikes just a couple hours before this video was launched. I intend to buy one of these, probably the Suzi
You won't be disappointed.
Watch OnTheBackWheel ride the 800DE, then tell me again what the bike can't do. For me it was an easy choice, I prefer off road and the 800DE is the clear winner.
I think you misunderstand. It can do a lot, it’s just not as easy as some other bikes, like the Transalp. Andy is less experienced than me and when it got tricky he struggled more on the DE than the Transalp.
Not saying the Suzuki is bad and I get why you love it. Great bike.
Man, I love your videos. You get it down to the point so well.
I appreciate that!
This is the first video I've seen from you guys. Really impressed with the production quality. Subscribed.
Awesome, thank you!
Yet another great review from you guys, epic scenery, quality birds eye photography and as always commentary that understands the audience and provides food for thought. Thank you 🙏
Glad you enjoyed it!
This has to be the best review and explanation of what these bike are and intended to be. Far too many reviews wishing either were a t7, 790 etc we already have those, definitely needed a couple of true do it all comfortable machines at great price points. Thank you again for another phenomenal review.
Kudos to your video editor- the little touches like the frame connecting as a timer for your commercial- really great little touches. Content is always a smash hit !!! Editing is like the icing on a cupcake
Glad you liked it! It was a mix of myself and editor Joe on this one!
I had zero interest in the transalp but after watching various review videos I'm actually starting to become interested. Everybody loves the V-Strom and I've never met an unhappy V-Strom owner. And I've ridden with some guys who are on V-Strom who can ride the heck out of those things and they seem to take all of it and continue to run smoothly
Thanks for a great video review of these two machines. Probably one of the more sensible tests I have seen of these two bikes. That is: ridden how most people would probably ride them. 👍🇦🇺
Glad you enjoyed it!
@@BrakeMagazine I really enjoy your videos. I just prefer to hear what a bike can do rather than what it can’t do. I can figure out what a bike can’t do on my own.
😂 Thanks. I enjoy making them too, and it's rad to hear that people get something from them.
Great work & a fair assessment - Dropping the front that smidge on the 800 exactly the same idea as myself after a couple thousand miles.. And as for the great engine, think what a tune / ECU will do ... (a couple others out there already have it tuned up in GSX-8s and I look forward to doing this sometime later this year, the gains throughout powerband are huge). Cheers and keep it up.
That has been living in my head for an age. A little re-fuel, a little Yoshi exhaust. Holy crap would that be fun.
TST Industries is one of the shops working on this.. FYI @@BrakeMagazine
Just wanted to say that lots of your shots are amazing and the production quality as a whole is incredible!
Appreciate that, thank you
I personally feel like I'd be perfectly happy on the T7, Vstrom, or Transalp. Each having their own strengths and weaknesses and needing upgrades or parts swaps but all 3 appear to be great bikes. I went with the Transalp as I'm more on-road than off and prefer the better wind protection and more comfortable seat than the T7 and I like the extra power and lower weight than the Vstrom, and I also personally think it's the best looking although I do wish we got the gold wheel option in North America I need to find some old Africa Twin wheels to try out :)
Doubt they would fit. Maybe get the wheels rebuilt and at the same time make them tubeless.
Excellent review video! Well shot, funny, and with unique insights into the bikes that so many others don't cover. This channel is definitely top tier and I'm excited to see what you come up with next. Keep up the great work!
Kind words. Thanks!
Another excellent vid. Those 15 minutes just flew by. Thanks.
Glad to hear it!
Great review! As usual great quality video, I watch your stuff even when I have no interest in the bikes reviewed, they are that entertaining and interesting. I'm in the market for one of these, I will have to go test ride them, I like the looks of the Honda better but that Zuzuki seems to impress everyone who rides it.
Great video, I can say that after testing BMW, KTM, Aprilia, Yamaha, Honda, Suzuki and Husky; these two(in the vid) were the ones that actually gave me the best on/off road feeling, welcoming my inexperience. Only 1% of the users will actually bring any ADV bike to the AfricaEcoRace or similar, so no actual point on having a super specialized machine when your skills are no match fo it, ride humble!!! 🤗
I’m not surprised. I think they’re great bikes when used as intended
If you haven't already, you seriously need to thoroughly test the Tuareg660.
Slightly less comfortable on the road because of the narrower seat, but makes up for it with the stock cruise control. And off the road significantly better suspension than even the Vstrom.
The T7 isn't even in the competition anymore.
Don’t you worry 🙌🙌
@@BrakeMagazine awesome
T7 extreme edition is 11 800 euros
Tuareg 660 is 12 800 euros
The T7 extreme is definitely better then the tuareg 😅 maybe not on the road but everything else it is.
I think the Tuareg looks very good, for me definitely better than the T7 but altogether not such an impressive bike. Mainly, I found it’s lacking a few cc. Found the induction noise too loud, the catalytic converter bizarrely located, and unconvincing (cheap?) in some components. All in all I’d prefer the vstrom.
1. New Transalp is the best Transalp
2. Glad to see Outback M. As a sponsor. They grew so much these years, absolutely deserved 👍
3. Thanks for the review
Thanks for watching!
I’ve now changed to a tracer 7 with some Pirelli str tyres for my green landing and off road adventures, it’s much “easier” to handle off road than the tenere and I’ve only done one lane 😂 roll on the weekend and lots of testing to be done . Keep up the great vids fella 👍🏼
A well produced and thoughtful review. This is a great market segment with strong competition from nearly every make.
Thanks! Totally agree. A lot of good choice!
As always, love your work. Great cinematography and thank you for toning down the background music. Perfect!
Glad you enjoy it!
Excellent video, great production and I like your delivery style. Its great to have a UK based channel that is up their with BRM, Dork in the Road and dare I say it... Fortnine??!!! Great work guys.
Much appreciated! Really kind words!
I rode the Tenere 700 WR at this year's ABR with a view to swapping my old Super Tenere 1200 for it, I wasn't impressed. If you're a pro you're bound to get more from it than me, but for me it was gutless and lacking any heart. The engine was dare I say dull...
Then I rode the Transalp and what a bike! Great for me off road, capable and friendly on/off the throttle, and really well balanced. Honestly I think I'm sold and will be getting one.
P.S we tried a few bikes, and that Transalp was my favourite
I'm not surprised tbh. It's a superb bike and everyone who rides one likes it.
Your reviews are top shelf. Practical riding and elegant prose in one! 👍
Great video, thank you! I only tested the transalp out of the two, and only on road. Significantly lighter and more nimble than my Tiger 900 Rally Pr (although I love my bike). Transalp is great for do it all bike in my opinion. It is good for London traffic, touring and some off roading. If I had to have 1 bike only, this would be the choice for sure. I am only a bit scared of tubed tires in case of trouble somewhere in Pyrenees or Alps.
I mean, tubes aren’t perfect but it’s not mad hard to learn to change them. If you prep them well then they should be pretty reliable.
Tubed tires are what real adventure riders use. Itchy boots the most travelled women on the planet.😂
I just don't understand why would you go through the effort of removing the wheel (caring more tools..) and waste time and energy, when you may just put the plug in and go? @@marksimpson5218
I love that we are having mid weight arguments around ADV again, used to be only two manufacturers really filled that role, but now we got a whole hot market to argue over. T7 vs Transalp, 890 against the Pstrom 800 (jokes), and all the other lively conversation on the trail, an exciting time for our market and our sport.
I totally agree. The thing is, they’re are all genuinely good bikes. Don’t forget about the Tiger and potentially fixed F 900 GS.
@@BrakeMagazinehe forgot possibly the best one: the Tuareg.
I’ve been looking at the Aprilia but there seems to be a lot of issues with it when you look at the forums. Nothing major but still.
@@iangriffiths9930 you know, people tend to highlight the issues, and if you google for issues you only find news about them.
As far as I got the 2024 model year has solved the issues.
The dealer network could be a point of concern, though.
He doesn’t know yet. He will 😂😂
Have had the VStrom 6 weeks now ... a very fair review you've managed 👏👏. We loved the TA too, and in Australia it's 3 grand cheaper ... but the electronics and the awful airbox access were the clangers for us.
It’s about the same price cheaper here until you spec any extras to bring them to a similar . The extras on the Honda are pretty pricey and they brings them inline. I now just think of them at the about the same.
Here in Europe 800DE is 500euro cheaper than the base Transalp. Are you saying that in your country the Transalp is 3k cheaper than the 800DE?
@@DJRomaM yes, that is correct.
@@pigmeal2224 that's strange
@@DJRomaM Yes.
Guys, this is the absolute best comparison of these two bikes I’ve seen. Your descriptions tell me the transalp wins for me and the 800 is best suited for others. Heading to dealer tomorrow…but if only we could switch the instrument gauges. One thing you didn’t mention is the Honda does not have a fuel range readout. Even the lowly versys 300 has that. This is 2024 right? Come on Honda!
Got my transalp 2 months ago. It's really enjoyable to ride! ❤
It really is!
Great video quality and a refreshing honesty and look at the topic. For me despite this, find my motorbike riding and choice of the motorbike on which to do it is driven by passion and the heart.... not the brain..... These bikes are like a Skoda.. ( of which I have had several). solid, functional, good value and get the job done..... but I have that in my daily life. I want something that makes me go "phwoarr!!!" and stirs the cockles...... neither of these do that.... A Norden however......
Well said! That’s what these videos are for and I totally get that feeling!
Love the review and the comparison but the only reason I would stay away from both of them would be tubed type rims which means not having tubeless tyres and a lot of hassle to change them ... I would take my scrambler 1200x or XE or the tiger 900 over these two any day, it would do the job just fine.
I agree, I would like them too. I much prefer it and those are great bikes.
You may have missed the point he made about the Suzuki engine....being...amazing....take a test ride one day and see what you think
A middle-weight category comparo with a few riders of different sizes and skill would be amazing!
It would be great to do one but putting a budget together to do it is nearly impossible for us at the moment. Even these two bikes ones the cost is a lot.
Transalp for me.
If that was Barmouth area, you had a good day out.
👊
Full loop around that area! Hereford to Hereford loop 😀
If my 890 Duke didn’t steal my heart before I jumped in the dirt with the Adventure, I would’ve ended up with a Transalp I think. Unfortunately for me I’ve caught KTMitis but someday I hope to be able to take a spin on a Transalp. Can’t wait to see more of both these bikes around in the US. It’s lonely off-road in my neck of the woods.
That’s hilarious. You’ll recover eventually
indeed for me too brand loyalty matters. Yet ktm has disappointed me with the way they honour warranties, so I’m trying to cure myself from ktmitis. Sold my 890R, still moan the loss of it, but it’s early days, it’ll pass and I hope to find something out there that will fill the void in my heart.
Easy to work on, easy to fix, easy to upgrade, and reliable...it will do everything you ask whether it is a daily commute or around-the-world trip. That's all I can say about all V-Strom Models.
My guy, you've got the voice over thing DIALLED.😉 And we both know that's the hardest part. Seriously though, that is a top notch video. Oh and that '91 Africa Twin at 00:44 is a thing of beauty.
Thanks 🙏 It was a pretty one for sure!
Great great great and to the point .. It always comes down to the rider knowing themselves and understanding what kind of riding brings them the most joy . I have a 30 " inseam .. It's the Transalp for me .. I would love BMW to jump in with a Earles front fork and a good mono shock in the back on a 800 boxer with a 5 USgallon tank and great brakes ...
You and me both. Wouldn’t a mid sized boxer be incredible
Great review I will definitely try the v strom before I decide what to buy. Ps great to bump into you again on the ox drove. R Adam
Please do! You too Adam!
I wasn't brought up with this, my words exactly, I watched Carl Fogarty "Foggy", I've had mostly sports bikes the 02 R6 is still my favourite bike that I've owned, so switching to a bike that's around twice as heavy, I feel like I'm learning to ride a bike again
IMO this video proves that there isn't everything in race with figures sheets, bikes can seem awful on paper but when you ride them you realize the point. I think these bikes are good for people who will buy them and if they outgrow them with the skills they master on them they could either update the bikes or change bikes for the more specific style of riding they want to do.
Excellent video with great real-world perspective. As someone with Desert-X remorse ( great bike when its operational), I actually look at these as a less fragile, less worrisome and more fun option. Your video convinced me even more of this.
Love the film quality, love the honest and fair review, top marks mate....top marks 👍
Thanks 👍
just bought the 800 the quick shifter is insane!
Agree with your summary bikes the Adventure Bike Market needed. Bought the V4 Motool suspension tuner based on your recommendation, great work Thankyou 😂 Ewen…
Right on! Let me know how you like it!
Excellent review and beautifully shot. I loved the no BS nature of it. Kudos.
thanks a lot. great comments !
Well done Llel, I love your straight forward practical take on these bikes, ones that some may turn their noses up but most would find suits them best. Bought my GS before these came out would like to have had them as an option but that’s life. Looking forward to fitting my Tailmax Raids with my Rabaconda too. Cheers Llel.
Yew! Hope that goes well. it took me a few uses to really get my head around it. Once I got the technique and order down it's been great, but it might take a while to learn!
All of these machines will be a slight compromise as they have to fit so many riders weight, height, riding styles and abilities.
Having tried both extensively i felt the 800DE has the best motor/power delivery/ suspension with more potential to tailor to suit individual preferences. As much as i love my Hondas (and i have a few) the TA motor is more akin to a revvy sports tourer lacks low down punch.
If you feel the need to test the 800DE off road, i would recommend go to Suzuki Live at Cadwell Park June 22/23.
The off road test couse at the circuit that Suzuki set up is excellent and a great test for the bike and rider.
Totally agree and great shout!
I would select Transalp if I want lightweight motorcycle . And, I would select V-Strom if I want mile cruncher as it has bigger fuel tank capacity. Rest other features and functionalities are mare decorations.
Good summary.
Really loved these video, as always, everything is top-notch. The one thing that I just cannot love about the trans out. Is that front end, like you said if it was Dakar’d it would be a completely different story for me. Am hoping that Honda brings out a 2025 model with that new NX 500 style front end and it would be a peach.✌️
Agreed. Although the transalp front end doesn’t bother me as much as it used to, I still think it would look better with a rectangular headlight. Check out the CRF 190L. Honda nailed the styling on that one.
I agree. It’s not my flavour of design but from some angles I like it.
@@BrakeMagazine the profile of the bike with some more aggressive tires is amazing, it’s just that Honda parts been headlight that they use across so many models let it down
Wonderful channel. Absolutely fabulous reviews too. The love of bikes shows through.
British fortnine. Very nicely made.
Well shit, that’s high praise!
Great review. But … how dare you call a V Strom boring! You must not diss the legend and great bike that is the V Strom
Everyone can call it "boring", but when I'm RIDING my V-Strom, I'm having a wonderful time.
This is a great review, guys. Take a bow.
Nice to see a reference to the F650GS single. I have an ‘04 and it’s great.
It sure is!
Honda is the bike i would recommend. Suzuki is the one i would ride.
🙌🙌
Both with TT rims and tyres. Better refine your puncture repair skills pronto.
Just beautiful video with that rural scenery and cows sitting on the track.
Two great real world bikes. The sort of bikes that do everything that 90+% of the people who buy them will want and need.
Agreed
I love your videos. so good that I've added to my favorite video list. thank you. I have the super limited 2024 KTM 890 rally, and yet as a second bike I'm getting a transalp... love it
Wow! That’s a collection! Thanks for the kind words 🙏
You're one of the very very few who actually tell things how they are. UA-cam needs more people like you@@BrakeMagazine
Thanks!
Nice one guys. This is exactly what's needed
The humour is coming together-good stuff
Cheers man. Tryna let it leak in there slowly 😅
I can attest that Outback Motortek are above and beyond. My Africa Twin got hit by a drunk driver, and against all odds it completely protected the bike
Not surprised. I couldn't believe how tight and strong the whole system on the TA is. It has so many mounting points. Such a cool testimony!
Great review Llel. When I'm ready to trade-in my F750GS, I'm fairly sure it will be for the Transalp. The only thing that puts me off is the tubed tyres. Not easy to repair when you're a long way from home.
You can convert them to tubeless if you want. There is a company called BART Tubeless that do it or you can DIY convert pretty easily too. That'll be an awesome upgrade of your bike.
@@BrakeMagazine Useful info. Thanks.
Overall Suzuki it's better allrounder!
Interesting review, thanks. It looks like the Suzuki is a bit better as the Honda has a few issues like not remembering settings and placement of the horn button where the indicator is supposed to be, as well as more difficult air filter replacement.
Horn button- really? It is 50lbs lighter and overall more agile and tactile. The Suzi is more stolid. Depends on what you like.
I actually agree with you on button placement. Honda's are a bit confusing to my thumbs. I definitely mashed on the horn multiple times when trying to cancel the indicator.
@@anxiousappliance in France, "moto journal" compared the two bikes in the same configuration and the difference was only 6kgs (12lbs I think).
@@anxiousappliance50lbs that can’t be true, either the vstrom would be unmarketable or the ta would be the unicorn we’re all looking for.
@@miro_s it is true - and it is marketable etc.
Awesome video Llel & Team, well done! 👍👍
Thank you! 😁
In other words: buy a T7. I was really excited for the Transalp and the DE, so much so that after the T7 was introduced, i actually waited all these years for these two to come out before i bought a new bike. But at the end of the day i did end up going with the T7 for multiple reasons. Mainly being: these bikes dont do anything necessarily better than the T7, but the T7 does do offroad way better than these two, and from factory the suspension is miles ahead. I went with the World Raid version that even with 23L in the tank (!) It still weights LESS than the DE. Yes its down on power but in this class who cares, the CP2 engine is just simply amazing. I feel like the Trans and the DE are missed opportunities. Specially the Transalp. The DE serves its purpose of being a (mainly) on-road bike with offroad capabilities really well, it has a fat 800cc engine and is super comfortable. An honest bike that is not trying to please Pol Tarres. And even though i am a Honda fan, the Transalp just isnt what it should be. The engine is very "revvy", the suspension is a joke if you weight anything above 75kg and are taking luggage with you. The ground clearance issue isnt just small, but what most pictures hide behind the exhaust, is that the lowest part of the bike is the very unprotected OIL PAN! Thats just ridiculous. The electronics are rather bad, very intrusive, not really usable offroad. Accessories are typical honda extremly expensive, and if you are heavier you will have to cash out for better susps right from the start. Plus only about 16L in the tank? For an ADV bike? No thanks honda, youve made way too many compromises with this bike. I went Yamaha on this one and dont regret a bit. In fact the more i ride my T7, the more i like it. What a great bike...after 20+ years riding and over 40+ motorcycles owned, i can confidently say the T7 is easily in my top 3 best bikes ive ever had. Its not just hype, the bike really is that good...
Glad you like the T7. Also, pretty sure the T7 has a 16l tank no?
@@BrakeMagazine yes the regular version. But at least you can opt to go with the WR that has 23L. Ive ridden 600+ Km on my WR with one tank. Dont know any other bike in this category that will do that
Oh and by the way: good luck removing the whole tank of the bike everytime you want to clean the air filter on the transalp, another design flaw that makes me wonder what the heck was honda thinking of...
T7 is too top heavy.
@@davidgrunklee8407 no more than any other bike in its category. This is your typical youtube trend of complaining about something that no one truly understands. A bunch of "influencers" that have never ridden proper off road bikes complaining that a tall off road bike with a crap load of susp travel and ground clearance is too top heavy is just ridiculous. Guess what, they all are...
As always, a perfect video and very well explained. As a V-Strom 800 fan, I can only agree with your assessment.
Thanks! 👍
Its really interesting watching this :) ive been trying to work out what to get my dad ive gone from a 1200gs te rallye (himmy rejected)- 300 Rally to a 2004 1150GSA for ease of maintenance an it really fitted my needs for the riding i wanted Im no Pol thats for sure!
I think for most of us even the Suzuki an the Transalp are still big bikes id love to see more sub 200kg ones the difference between the Himalayans weight and 300 rally was huge to me as someone that gave green laning a whirl.
Ive got alot of seat time on older stuff from 1927 to the 60s n 80s an the seats an seat heights were so much better!
Id love to see some more lighter 500 twins on the market especially a boxer 500. I feel like stuff like that would suit alot of us, with simplicity at the core of the design ethos and ease of Maitinece 10-12k is still a hell of alot of money to alot of us really like the transparency of the review style inc the graphics ive been watching review videos all evening an some are so so vague on whether they are paid or press bikes.
Awesome video as always 👌
Maybe watch for that CF Moto 450MT coming soon. I believe it'll make a lot of folks happy ...
I’m with you, I don’t understand why it’d be impossible to make a 500 twin eg on the 690/701 platform at say 160kg.
In answer to my own point, I wonder whether the 175kg twin cfmoto 450mt is what I was looking for…
@@miro_s think Nathan did a video on one of those a few weeks ago, we’ve been looking back at the Suzukis again instead of the T7 with my dads stage 3b/4 prostate cancer it’s changed a lot of things
@@adaptableadventurerider 😣😢
Nice video. I think you described these bikes perfectly.
Glad you think so!
I’m afraid that I would always go for the Transalp because… because it’s a Honda. Hondas have been the backbone of my six decades of bike riding and their bikes have always shone for me. In a competition as close as this the Honda badge would be the deciding card. To show some impartiality I have had bikes from other manufacturers along the way and even now only one of my three bikes is a Honda. There’s a Suzuki in my shed as well. 🙂
It’s okay to be a Honda fan boy 😂
Test rode the V-Strom and loved it. What an engine! But, it feels way too heavy for a technical BDR like the one in Oregon. With luggage, it'll be tipping the scales at over 550 lbs.
I’m looking at buying a bike for BDR riding. What bikes are on your shortlist?
I love my Transalp it’s hard to beat the versatility of adventure bikes
🙏
And we were bought up with Paris Dakar haha.
only issue which I have with this motorcycle is that there is real heat coming from engine, above 25 C is very annoying, unfortunately is not only in traffic stop and go but heats up in highway as well, but beside this very good bike, maybe could be 20kg lighter ;)
Both really nice bikes. If you live in a sparsely populated country with lots of (good quality) dirt roads the new V-Strom seems like a perfect pick.
Living in densely populated Central Europe featuring many nice tarmac roads I naturally opted for a road going bike (in my case a Tracer 900).
Depending where you live, there is aTON of gravel road in Central Europe! From the UK, we head to Europe for the good riding!
@@BrakeMagazine Well, if you mean Eastern European countries like Hungary and Romania you are right. But again, I live in Central Europe, meaning i.e. Austria and Germany. Please try riding on gravel roads there for a while without getting into (serious) trouble. Cheers
I mean more in France, Italy, Spain, Portugal. I get that Austria, Switzerland and Germany are off limits :)@@intensegamer7559
@@BrakeMagazine Yes, Spain is really empty when it comes to people. Good country for offroading :)
The T in ADV is silent. It stands for touring.
These are supposed to be touring bikes.
It’s almost like you’re trolling for the fun of it 😂
@@BrakeMagazine Why else would I do it?
😂😂
Very impressive video quality guys. I subscribed!
btw... SUZUKI FTW!
Thanks for the sub!