Europe gets new Transalp

[seredyns]

I love my wee but this sure looks good:

http://www.motorcycledaily.com/27september07_honda2008transalp.htm

[O-9]

That is one beautiful motorcycle.

[fl_strom]

It reminds me a lot of the never available in the States Kawasaki KLE500.


http://www.motorcycledaily.com/092707top.jpg
http://flstrom.lenzus.com/content/93536481/21374089.jpg

We are starting to see so many "European-Style" motorcycles coming stateside, I'm wondering if the trend will continue.

By "European-Style" I'm talking mid-sized displacement "Adventure-Touring" motorcycles.

We see this Honda at 680 ccs.

There is a strong rumor of the "Tiger Cub" on some sites. That would be the 675 cc 3 cylinder motor from the Street Triple in a Tiger style bike.

Of course we have the V-Strom 650 at 650 ccs.

Then there is the Versys at 650 ccs.

Might it be the $3.00 gasoline prices or can it be that Americans are starting to think about using the motorcycle as transportation?

[Forseti]

I love my wee but this sure looks good:

http://www.motorcycledaily.com/27september07_honda2008transalp.htm

I too love my Strom.. However, come time to retire my 05 650 this would sure be on the "short list" of prospective replacements.

It sure would be nice to get some variety over here in the small Strom class of bike. The Versys strikes me as more of a naked hooligan bike than competition for the Strom. Not that there is anything wrong with that, it just is not my thing.

[mtnhead]

I like how it looks. They might interest me if it ever makes it stateside.

[805gregg]

Yamaha is also intoducing a new Tenere in Europe.

[winter rider]

The idea that Honda is selling the new Transalp in Europe only is unbelievable. What the hell is their problem anyway? They've screwed the Valkyrie following (which I'm also part of) and now they've done it to the adventure touring crowd. I'd like to say I'd buy a Transalp if they ever pull their head out and bring it to the US but at this point I'm so pissed I think I'll stay a Suzuki man.

[Big B]

Honda does do some strange things.

[spongebob218]

WTF is wrong with all of these manufacturers. There are so many bikes I can think of that are awesome that are only available in Europe. Are US regulations and emissions requirement really that bad? Do they think nobody will buy them? If these bikes were available here we all know people would by them. In fact....I'm done. Wrong place for this rant.

That new Trans Alp looks absolutely kicka$$, and if it was available here, I would probably buy it instead of another Wee.

[Fatstrat]

I like the looks of it as well. I have a friend that is a Honda MC salesman and he is sick over what Honda refuses to inventory over here vs. europe.
But, when the Transalp was available here, how did it sell? I know it was a while ago, but I recall seeing one every now and then.

[chris swann]

i like the way the exhuast is tucked in , not hanging in the open like a v strom

[K1W1]

Do they think nobody will buy them? If these bikes were available here we all know people would by them.


The reality is that nobody in the USA does buy this sort of bike when you compare the numbers vs the cruiser market. It costs hundreds of thousands of dollars to get any model approved for sale in the USA and when the total market may only be a few thousand or even ten thousand sales it is simply not worth the manufacturers while either from a time or cost point of view.
Forums like this are the converted and the minority. Put a picture of the new Transalp or the Tenere or even the Wee on a cruiser forum and see what sort of response you get.
Honda, Yamaha and Kawasaki may not be making members of this forum happy but they sure are making their shareholders happy by marketing models that sell and sell and sell and not only do they sell but they have an enormous uptake in OEM accessories which create even higher profit margins.
BMW and KTM can get away with selling their dual sport bikes because they can ask whatever price they want and owners will pay. Suzuki have been able to capture a niche with two models that are very cheap for them to produce because they largely use parts already in use elsewhere in their range.
Unfortunately that is the reality and moaning here will not change things.

[chris swann]

the front calipers look to be higher quality than the stroms i see 3 pistons, also the spoked wheels ,[not that i would want spokes myself]

[winter rider]

You might make a good point KIWI except I don't believe it. And on the subject of cruisers that market is dead for Honda as well. The VTX is outdated and void of the character that cruiser buyers demand. Oddly Honda's motorcycle division reminds me of our beloved GM. GM is at least making an effort but apparently Honda is content to slide into number 3.

[seredyns]

I agree, the Honda motorcycle lineup is pretty boring these days. I would think if the bike passes Euro 3 emissions that it would not be that much more expensive to bring into the states. I don't think the original Transalp sold that well but it did have a niche following. However, I think that the adventure touring market is bigger than it ever was and is growing. Maybe we'll see it here someday.

[XLonDL650]

The reality is that nobody in the USA does buy this sort of bike when you compare the numbers vs the cruiser market. It costs hundreds of thousands of dollars to get any model approved for sale in the USA and when the total market may only be a few thousand or even ten thousand sales it is simply not worth the manufacturers while either from a time or cost point of view.
Forums like this are the converted and the minority. Put a picture of the new Transalp or the Tenere or even the Wee on a cruiser forum and see what sort of response you get.
Honda, Yamaha and Kawasaki may not be making members of this forum happy but they sure are making their shareholders happy by marketing models that sell and sell and sell and not only do they sell but they have an enormous uptake in OEM accessories which create even higher profit margins.
BMW and KTM can get away with selling their dual sport bikes because they can ask whatever price they want and owners will pay. Suzuki have been able to capture a niche with two models that are very cheap for them to produce because they largely use parts already in use elsewhere in their range.
Unfortunately that is the reality and moaning here will not change things.

Do you think you could get them to mount a Strom-like rack on the back of the new Bandit 1250 ? For me, that would have real potiential.

Seriously, though, I think you made some good points here.

[TCBronson]

I like the looks of it as well. I have a friend that is a Honda MC salesman and he is sick over what Honda refuses to inventory over here vs. europe.
But, when the Transalp was available here, how did it sell? I know it was a while ago, but I recall seeing one every now and then.

It was only a two year run 89, 90 and I think it was ahead of it's time. Sales were not good. And that's probably why it was discontinued here.