New Transalp in Two Wheels only slated

[Grendel]

Decided to buy the bike mag Two Wheels only yesterday for something to read while waiting for physio appointment to find they have an article about the new Transalp Vs F800GS Vs Tenere. It didn’t fair well as an off-roader against the competition and was described as a bike for ladies, pensioners and disappointed dispatch riders. Surely Honda can’t have got it that wrong from the first bomb proof 600 off-roader?

[Raven]

Decided to buy the bike mag Two Wheels only yesterday for something to read while waiting for physio appointment to find they have an article about the new Transalp Vs F800GS Vs Tenere. It didn’t fair well as an off-roader against the competition and was described as a bike for ladies, pensioners and disappointed dispatch riders. Surely Honda can’t have got it that wrong from the first bomb proof 600 off-roader?

Very odd, since their first review against the HP2 and the KTM in Wales was quite favourable for the TA (does what the KTM does at less than a third of the price). I really don't get magazine reviews sometimes .

[RegH]

Very odd, since their first review against the HP2 and the KTM in Wales was quite favourable for the TA (does what the KTM does at less than a third of the price). I really don't get magazine reviews sometimes .

Oh yes you do - they are just the same as all the other rags (HiFi etc) and reflect how much thay are getting paid to do the review.
[/cynic mode off]

[The Pheasant]

The new Tenere is a peach off-road and super economical - 70mpg plus riding down to this year's Stella Alpina rally - and only spoiled by a poor seat. The Beemer is widely reported to be superb off-road with plenty of power and impressive economy with it. The 700 Alp has a 19" front wheel, short suspension travel, a poor bash plate and not a lot of ground clearance. Without even riding it I would not expect it to be remotely competitive off road against the other two. IMO it does not do the same job as its illustrious predecessors. You might as well buy a Deauville and get integrated panniers.

[Plasnart]

It was a terrrible review, it said that the new alp was no more off road than a Deauville which is ridiculous. On my transalp site we've had members who've taken them deep into the Australian bush and arid South African regions. I've climbed huge mining tips on mine and followed deep rutted tracks, rock trails and open hill. It's a dual purpose bike, there might be better bikes but that doesn't make it useless. The accessories are available to make it as hard as you want.

[The Pheasant]

You can take anything off road. A mate of mine once traversed the mudhole of Ranmore Common on a Honda CX500 with handlebar fairing; another did it on a GPZ1100. Someone got a CB750F to the top of the Stella this year. The new Alp is a lot more capable than any of those, I'm sure, but that doesn't make it an 'off-roader', which is what the Tenere and F800GS certainly are.

[peelerfart]

To borrow a phrase from the car world does it all mean that the new Alp is best described as a "soft-roader " ?.

Purely personally I don't care if it goes off road or not. I bought the alp 'cos i liked it , have always liked it and always wanted one.

(and it does look good in the car park at Sainsbury's )

[Plasnart]

You can take anything off road. A mate of mine once traversed the mudhole of Ranmore Common on a Honda CX500 with handlebar fairing; another did it on a GPZ1100. Someone got a CB750F to the top of the Stella this year. The new Alp is a lot more capable than any of those, I'm sure, but that doesn't make it an 'off-roader', which is what the Tenere and F800GS certainly are.

It certainly is an off roader by any practical measure you can think of, what criteria are you using to say it isn't? Plenty of us have them deep in the dirt and they're doing fine. It's a dual purpose bike, as described in the manual.

[TopMarque]

........ I think its got more to do with whether TWO Magazine is on the Honda PR "Wine and Dine" A List!!!!!!!!!

TM.

[StumpyFingers]

I thought the new TA was an Adventure bike, not an off roader.
There is a big difference between the two.
If there was one thing really wrong with the new TA, I would say it is the styling.