Honda Philippines, Inc. (HPI), the No.1 motorcycle manufacturer in the country, rolled out show-stopping surprises at the 2023 Makina Moto Show last April 14 to 16 at SMX Convention Center in Pasay City. The motorcycle brand unveiled three new big bikes sure to delight riders and draw more into the Honda lifestyle.
XL750 Transalp
Leading the trio of launches is easily its most anticipated new middleweight adventure bike, the Transalp. This falls under Honda’s Adventure Series of motorcycles. The all-new XL750 Transalp was designed to be simple, sleek, and tough. It’s built on a steel diamond body frame and an adjustable windscreen.
It’s powered by a 755cc liquid-cooled, four-stroke, OHC, eight-valve parallel-twin with a 270° Crank and Unicam engine. It produces 90.5-hp at 9,500 rpm and 75-Nm of torque at 7,250 rpm. It’s paired to a six-speed manual transmission with an assist/slipper clutch.
The Transalp rides on 21-inch front and 18-inch rear spoked wheels. Its livery (when in white) feature retro Transalp decals as a tribute to the older model.
It’s available in two colors: Ross White and Matte Ballistic Black Metallic. It’s currently priced at P598,000, making it a more accessible proposition than the Africa Twin.
CL500
Another attractive new model is the all-new CL500. Honda has placed it under its Tourer category, though many will easily recognize it as a scrambler. This new model boasts of a sculpted shell, 12-liter fuel tank resting on a a tubular diamond-structure steel frame and a scrambler seat design.
Powering it is a 471cc liquid-cooled, DOHC, four-stroke, four-valve, two-cylinder engine with a six-speed manual transmission with an assist/slipper clutch. It produces 46-hp at 8,500 rpm and 43.4-Nm of torque at 6,250 rpm.
Despite the scrambler style, the seat height is still an accessible 790mm. Tank pads and knee pads as standard.
The new CL500 is priced at P409,000 and available in Mat Laurel Green and Mat Gunpowder Black Metallic.
Rebel 1100
Honda’s final surprise is a true-blue tourer, the Rebel 1100. It’s unmistakable style has the rider sitting much lower to the ground and in a more relaxed riding position.
It may look like a wider Rebel 500, but this one is powered by a 1,083cc SOHC liquid-cooled, parallel-twin engine. It’s a Unicam engine with a 270° crank. It comes paired to a six-speed manual with a slipper/assist clutch or a DCT (same as the Africa Twin). This automatic option (with manual
shifting mode) will surely make it a more appealing daily rider.
The new Honda Rebel 1100 is priced at P650,000 price tag. All three new Big Bikes are exclusively available at Honda Flagship Shops nationwide.
Besides the new Big Bikes, HPI was excited to introduce the new President, Sayaka Arai. With her extensive experience and leadership skills, Ms. Arai is poised to guide the company towards a future of innovation and growth. HPI welcomed her at the Makina Motoshow, where she made her first public appearance as President of Honda Philippines, Inc.