Honda XL 650V Transalp (MY2005) Buyer's Guide

The Machine's Character

The XL 650V Transalp is Honda doing what Honda does best: a mid-weight adventure bike with nothing to prove and very little to go wrong. The 647 cc 52-degree V-twin, shared with the Deauville, makes 55 hp and 41 lb-ft and delivers them in a soft, linear stream rather than a punch. It sits in an aluminum twin-spar frame on a proper 21-inch front wheel with 7.9 in (200 mm) of fork travel. There's no ABS, no ride modes and no screen full of menus. In its class, this is the honest, uncomplicated choice.

It rides with a calm, neutral balance that flatters new and returning riders, and it stays planted on fast, open roads. The Transalp is more at home on pavement than in the dirt. Gravel roads and forest tracks are fine, but 6.8 in (172 mm) of rear travel, 7.6 in (192 mm) of ground clearance and a non-adjustable fork set real limits. It ages well. Running costs stay low, and the one thing to budget for is a cam chain once it gets noisy past roughly 40,000 mi (65,000 km). This is a bike for riders who want a partner, not a project.

Hard Numbers

Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.

Show full specs & equipment Hide specs & equipment

Key specifications
Power	55 hp (40 kW) @ 7,500 rpm
Torque	41 lb-ft (56 Nm) @ 5,500 rpm
Displacement	647 cc
Engine	52° V-twin
Cooling	Liquid-cooled
Gearbox	5-speed
Final drive	Chain
Fork	Telescopic
Front brake	256 mm
Front tire	90/90-21
Rear tire	120/90-17
Wheelbase	59.3 in (1505 mm)
Ground clearance	7.6 in (192 mm)
Front travel	7.9 in (200 mm)
Rear travel	6.8 in (172 mm)
Seat height	33.2 in (843 mm)
Wet weight	463 lb (210 kg)
Fuel capacity	5.0 gal (19 L)
Top speed	110 mph (177 km/h)
Fuel economy	38 mpg (US)

Equipment check

Chassis

Rear Suspension Adjustable Standard

The Truth on the Street

What follows comes from years of listening: paddock conversations, chats with owners, club-night talk and the messages Transalp riders send me directly. For the XL 650V the pattern holds steady. Owners mostly talk about how it handles, how long they can sit on it and how it keeps running. The complaints are few, and they come up less often.

Forgiving when the road bends

Riders consistently describe a chassis that is easy in town and agile once the road starts to twist. The point that keeps coming back is how forgiving it is when a line goes wrong. Owners credit the wide bar and low center of gravity for that confidence, and both newcomers and seasoned riders say so. Many also talk about long days in the saddle: plush suspension, a supportive seat and weather protection that works. Plenty report trouble-free high mileage with nothing more than basic maintenance. One experienced owner goes further and says the soft suspension and linear power let a skilled rider carry real corner speed and keep up with more powerful machines on back roads.

Brakes that want a firm hand

The criticism is thin and not widely echoed. Some owners say the twin front discs lack bite and feel, and that this takes the confidence out of hard stops when the bike is fully loaded or ridden briskly.

Known issues

Cam-chain noise at high mileage

engine occasional

The cam-chain can become noisy at higher mileages (above 40,000 mi (65,000 km)), indicating the need for a replacement to prevent further engine damage.

The Expert Benchmark

Where this Honda XL 650V Transalp pulls ahead of — or falls behind — its rivals on the numbers, and the typical bike in its class on character.

What kind of bike this is — character vs. the class

Long-Range Trust

Offroad Credibility

Suspension Range & Load Control

Luggage-Ready Escape Value

Low-Speed Balance

Rider Command While Standing

Torque in the Dirt

This bike Class average

The shape of the Honda XL 650V Transalp — numbers and character vs. the average Adventure

Head-to-head: Honda XL 650V Transalp vs. its rivals

Power

55 hp This bike 50 hp BMW F 650 GS Dakar 67 hp Suzuki V-Strom 650 50 hp Aprilia Pegaso 650 Trail 46 hp Kawasaki KLE500

Torque

41 lb-ft This bike 44 lb-ft BMW F 650 GS Dakar 46 lb-ft Suzuki V-Strom 650 45 lb-ft Aprilia Pegaso 650 Trail 30 lb-ft Kawasaki KLE500

Displacement

647 cc This bike 652 cc BMW F 650 GS Dakar 645 cc Suzuki V-Strom 650 659 cc Aprilia Pegaso 650 Trail 498 cc Kawasaki KLE500

Wet weight

463 lb This bike 421 lb BMW F 650 GS Dakar 474 lb Suzuki V-Strom 650 408 lb Aprilia Pegaso 650 Trail 430 lb Kawasaki KLE500

Top speed

110 mph This bike 99 mph Aprilia Pegaso 650 Trail 106 mph Kawasaki KLE500

Seat height

33.2 in This bike 34.3 in BMW F 650 GS Dakar 32.3 in Suzuki V-Strom 650 32.3 in Aprilia Pegaso 650 Trail 33.5 in Kawasaki KLE500

The Long-Haul Verdict

Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the XL 650V Transalp is actually built for.

Aerial view of a winding asphalt road cutting through volcanic terrain on La Gomera, Canary Islands. The road curves through sparse green vegetation with rocky volcanic peaks visible in the background and a settled valley to the left. Clear lane markings, dry climate, partly cloudy sky.

Best touring motorcycle for long distance?

For long days through the parks with a passenger, it's comfortable and it won't strand you. Skip long fast interstate stints fully loaded, though. That's where 55 hp runs out of breath.

Made for Beartooth Highway · Blue Ridge Parkway · Going-to-the-Sun Road

Best motorcycle for BDR routes?

On the easier BDR sections it makes real sense: close to 190 mi per tank, simple mechanicals and rock-solid reliability. Pick your routes carefully, because the suspension sets the limit.

Made for AZBDR — Arizona Backcountry Discovery Route · California BDR South · COBDR — Colorado Backcountry Discovery Route