2,700 Miles – 1989 Honda Transalp

In Dual-Sport, Japan by Abhi1 Comment

Post-Sale Update: After 6 bids on eBay, this Honda Transalp sold for $2,700.

The Honda Transalp was a dual-sport that was truly ahead of its time. A slightly less off-road biased cousin of the Honda Africa Twin, the Transalp was first released in 1987. This was one of the odder bikes that Honda ever sold – truly a jack of all trades sort of bike. The US only got the Transalp between ’89 and ’91.

Honda Transalp - Left Side

Powered by a liquid-cooled V-twin, the first generation of the TA produced approximately 50 horsepower and was capable of 110 miles per hour. An original MSRP of $4,498 is actually rather similar to what you’ll have to pay for a nice example nowadays. Weighing 450 pounds, the bike was a little heavy for single-track, but if you could only have one bike and wanted to tackle a multitude of terrain, a Transalp with some luggage was tough to beat. Looking for more information? Motorcycle Classics comes to the rescue with a good explanation of why this will be a classic in the future. The dual-sport craze has really taken off in the states in the last few years, but bikes like this Transalp and the BMW R100GS were some of the first to bring the joys of dual-sporting to the US.

Honda Transalp - Gauges

This specific Honda Transalp (VIN: jha756efh0000vlnh) has been sitting in a garage for years, with an oxygen scavenger in the tank to prevent rust. It comes with a new battery, grips, Transalp Euro mirros, Shinko tires, and more. The flaws seem limited to aftermarket sidecovers (as the originals were lost by the original owner), poor paint on the fairing, and a bit of rash on the skid plate (but that’s what it’s for, right?)

Honda Transalp - Front Right

Find this Honda Transalp for sale in Des Moines, Iowa with bidding up to $2,222 and the reserve not yet met