The Gun Counter

A rather unusual looking motorcycle turned into traffic on my drive home today; he followed or paralleled me nearly all the way. I got several pretty good looks at it--a Honda Transalp, white fairing with a red and a blue stripe, v-twin, both pipes coming up high on the right side. There was also a sort of cage around the engine area. I looked up the bike when I got home, the web says the Transalp hasn't been imported into the US in over 20 years. The bike looked brand new, though. Again from the web, it's billed as a dual sport bike. Latest versions have a 700cc engine, I think. Didn't have full knobbies on it, but not road tires, whatever that would be called. Had a low front fender as well. Anybody know anything about them? I assume the rider somehow imported the bike.

Here's the wikipedia article on the bike--the pic also shows a white fairing w/red/blue stripes, but the one I saw had thinner stripes with a little space between them:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_Transalp

And here are a couple of fan sites about the bike:

http://www.transalp.org/

Again, the pic on the front page shows the white fairing and stripes, but the one I saw looked a little different. Here's another site:

http://www.honda-transalp.com/

I found the bike to be rather intriguing.

It's pretty much a KLR 650, with a V-twin engine instead of a thumper engine.

Never rode a Transalp but plenty of bikes in that class.
I can't really work out what they are for, they are compromised on-road and much too heavy off-road.

Fun with lowered suspension, proper sized wheels and sports tyres, super moto style.

Highspeed wrote:I can't really work out what they are for; they are compromised on-road and much too heavy off-road.

Well, they are sort of like the primarily adventure touring bikes(such as Chris's VStrom or a Triumph Tiger), but better on gravel, dirt roads, sod, etc. They are not serious motocrossers.
However, they are nowhere near the road bike that the VStrom or Tiger is. Do 6-7 hrs on a KLR 650, and you will need a hot tub........