Anyone who knows me, knows that I have a thing for Honda motorcycles. I’ve only owned two, by I’ve ridden about ten models so far in my life. Honda’s engines and their reliability, not to mention their smoothness has always held my attention. While there are some who like vibration and noise, it has never been something I was enamoured with. My average riding day to get where I want to go is usually ten to twelve hours, even today. Do that on a thump bucket and by the end of the day you’re exhausted.

So for me the question is simple. What does the Transalp offer that I’d be willing to give up my inline four, its smoothness and speed for? That’s the $49 question. On top of that, I haven’t rode the bike to date, but will this spring.

The big hook is becoming the fact that it is an off-road adventurer that only weighs 458 pounds, wet. For me, with a bum leg, it makes the difference of being able to take my bike down to a trailhead, rather than hiking in all that extra distance, which in the places I like to go, can be quite a few miles.

One other change, is making this decision more likely. I will be having the steel plate and screws in my leg removed before spring. Based on the information from my surgeon, it sounds like I can anticipate a full recovery, which will then give me back my mobility.

If that’s true, then getting an adventure bike makes a great deal more sense than it did just a month ago. Being able to climb, though not technical once again, will make all the difference in where I can go and how I will get there.

So, back to the Transalp. It seems to have all the necessary power with 91 bhp, a quickshifter, slipper clutch, large TFT screen, 100 litre luggage capacity (which is huge for me) and can handle highway speeds without any issue. On road, the bike delivered 67 miles per gallon, with a range of 249 miles. Now, being retired, and putting on about 6,000 miles on my trip, that reduces my costs for fuel by about $325 over the 6,000 miles.

So I suppose it will all come down to the next trip I take, assuming my leg is intact and back to strength. If I find that walking the extra distance, having the extra comfort, speed and amentities of my Kawasaki Ninja 1000sx proves to be what keeps me on a Kawasaki, or if the walking distances into the outback are too far to walk comfortably, then I’ll make a decision.

What do you think? Weigh in, if you will. For those of you who motorcycle camp and who travel into the outback, let me know what you’ve chosen to do.

Ciao.