Unveiling the Surprising Truth: Tenere 700 vs. Honda Transalp XL750 - Is the Top-Heavy Myth Busted? 

The best and most scientific 'top heavy' test I have ever seen. Well done.

Wonderful video. It helped me decide what to buy. Transalp 80/20 road/off-road. Exactly what I need. I'm a tarmac guy mostly.

excellent testing, thank you!

Top stuff! Would be great to see both fully on the scales to show total weight 👍

I think the test reflects nicely the nature of the T7 and how hard it is to lift the initial bit of the travel. Great video Thanks!

super epic! please make more on your xl750!

Thank you for your effort to make this happen, it is relatively easy to just talk about how a motorcycle feels but how many took a deeper dive to actually check? Imagine a world without thermometers where we would only say "Feels like 50 degrees today"! . I have my tenere for selling right now and i also thinking of trying the TA. We'll see. Keep up providing us great videos!

How it feels is important mate. Congrats on the new bike. GREAT job on this 🙂

very interesting results

Hi Maybe a versus series on both bikes would be good? How easy to do some of the service items etc.

I keep looking this video and it never mentions the crash bars of Tenere. Those easily are 5kg. Also, I think the final weight of Tenere was higher position than Trasnalp thus making it lower than it should. Great video, thanks for making one!

Crazy how much bigger physically the T7. Almost like it’s made for super tall guys like Pol and myself lol.

Im about to read through all your comments, but glad to see your results agree with mine. The T7 is NOT top heavy. I had a metric ton of commenters telling my my scales were wrong, but now you have proved it also. It is just a rumor that started and now people run with it. My results were at about 30cm off the ground and I had the T7 at 73kg and the KTM790 (with its magical low slung tanks) at 74kg. Basically no difference. The real reason people think the T7 is top heavy is the high seat height. It is harder to hold something up on your tippy toes. Cheers.

The height is the reason I like the T7 (World Raid) so much. With my 6'2"/1.90 m I'm average height here in the Netherlands, all other bikes (Transalp / KTM 890 / Norden 901) seem too small for me. Too bad you can't get motorcycles like you can mountainbikes, with different frame sizes.

Great video. I like this 'seat of your pants' physics test. All that fulcrum and scientific jargon is great for peer reviewed lab work, but out in the bush is were it really matters. I think with good lifting techniques, the bikes are about even. I also think the greatest take away in the video was something you didn't mention - dirt tires on the T7; street tires on the TA

Great work Professor Martin. 25Kg difference on the initial lift from the ground is going to make a huge difference to any bike taking a Dirt Nap.

Great job, cheers.

Not sure of the science, but the literal seat of the pants feel is much better on the Transalp. It is easy to balance at standstill and to push around when parking. Don't know why people rave over the T7. I didn't like it at all so bought a Transalp.

interesting presentation, thanks for the work and the info, you have a nice helper - is he a GSP?

I tested both bikes extensively, also 173cm tall/short 100% agree, you know what you're talking about! In the end I bought the T7 cause I ride a lot offroad..

Great video. I would like to have this data on all adventure motorcycles before buying!

5' 6" is way to short for the T7, I'm 6ft and it is a perfect fit for me ergonomically but still a tall bike. I also have a GS 650 BMW which is great for shorter riders and easier to manage when parking etc but it's to cramped for me and I get a very sore back after only 20 minutes riding even though the seat is very comfortable to sit on in the shed. Even a KTM 890 feels cramped to me after a while. I tell people a T7 is for people 5' 10" and above and coming from a dirtbike background. We should buy what fits us best and suits our experience, I love my T7 and won't ever sell it, hope you love your Transalp as well. Happy riding.

I didn’t have to wait long to get your answer. 😜

Great vid

👍 Could you tell me what make the sat nav mount is on the Transalp. Looking for one at the moment. I like the mid position like that one. 👍

Science aside, this demonstrates the challenge of lifting a bike after a lay down. Of course, a “how not to lay down your bike” video would make this a valuable series!

This OBVIOUS from the first second what is the difference between Transalp and Tenere. I cannot even imagine what's in heads of those asking such questions.

Nice try, but the geometry is not correct in your lifting measurements. The fulcrum is 5cm higher on the T7 when you are taking weight measurements. Also sitting on the Tenere is 5cm taller, your legs remain the same length. Therefore when sitting on each bike your trying to hold the T7 weight with you leg closer to the centre line. On the Transalp your able to have your leg further from the centre line. That's why the T7 is harder to hold up. Hopefully that made sense.

The question is would you still be able to lift those bikes alone in bad position in the trail? Sometimes its even more difficult than in the garage. Though this video gives lot of information of comparaison between those two bikes. Thumbs up for the Transalp!

Top heaviness is relative.....all bikes are top heavy. All horses are top heavy too. So its a matter of relativity in regards to size of rider, strength of rider, and the idea that having the weight higher in some instances creates a handling characteristic which is unique. i find that the T7 works remarkably well in corner transitions, its a mystery but I believe it may be in regards to top heaviness. Some would call my DRZ top heavy, but nothing in comparison to a T7. Hmmm. As a man with horse riding experience coupled with dirt riding I can't help but see the T7 is similar in ergonomics. High neck, long flat back behind the saddle. Tall etc. So I believe that a good strategy for T7 riders is think like a horse...In other words....horses don't go everywhere a human wants it to. It thinks for itself. So don't go places that will inevitably lead to a dropped bike. For example.....using this thinking...I have not dropped my T7 after 20 000k. I take the DRZ instead, and have some actual fun riding. As a veteran rider, racer, enduro street experience etc, lightness is still the rule for off road...so all the top heaviness aside actual dirt riding still requires light weight, proper ground clearance, narrowness, etc. Anything that deviates from that will lead to drops and crashes more so. I mean the consequences of dropping are not about lifting back up, its about what happens to your many bones that may get in the way of the ground.....You Tube is evidence of that. Its nice to see after some time the reduction of the T7 from its glory status, a bike certainly not for everybody, probably actually very few people actually "are one" with this bike. Fortunately for me, I am one of those, and it gave me something to think about when I first got two years ago, but now...I am one....this is a unique bike...unusual for sure...top heaviness is apparent. The chain side lift test is a little inaccurate as the angle of chain must match the angle of the bike...as it moves through the lift arc....and because its not those readings are easily off by a significant degree. Not an easy test as you need the chain anchor point to move down to horizontal...as you pull up. Sorry, but I am Canadian and that stood out to me as a problem with the final numbers. It would be interesting if you refined that test in that fashion somehow. The chain needs to be attached to top of the wall, then slid down as you go if you get my drift.....Cheers and good riding on your new Honda....can't go wrong with that bike either......

Is there a local weight bridge nearby for all up weight?

Great effort, you would have to take the 5kg of crash bars into account, but it actually shows the T7 is less likely to fall in the first place at partial lean angles, both bikes are heavier than a person should be lifting by themselves.

Would be nice to test the weight ofthe ktm 790/890 to compare with those two.

I hoe you will have a chance to do the same comparison with transalp and Kove800x. I think you will be surprised😉

Great video, to get rid of the ambiguity of lift height and angles etc, if you stand on scales tare them and lift each bike to your measurements points and hold this will give real world values 👍👍(and destroy your back 😂)

we have a GSP - great dogs

Something doesn’t add up, how are both these bikes around 50kg lighter than the published numbers?

Ruger is a legend!

So you’re telling me a taller bike is harder to lift if they weigh the same? NOOOO!

Thanks for putting in the pounds for us Americans.

HONDA has the best feel and controls 2nd is Suzuki

Good video thanks finally some body realize the ten is junk . !

5ft 6 is 167cm not 174cm

Makes no sense to me. How does Honda weigh less at full lean and more at 45deg lean? Flawed methodology or you've invented a new diet aid. 😅

I wont never own one . even the bmw gs is not that tall unrideable

I have tryred hundres of bikes and the tenere bilongs to the dinasour type in my book !

Nonsense….

The yamaha ten. Is a rally like bike . not for real life !!!!! They can keep it and re desing it . people are starting to sell them ! And they wat too much $$$! Good luck

The tenere sucks is build for giants is very silly !!! Yamaha needs to lower that bike 6" and is undr power . honda rules .. All this tall adventure bikes don.t sell for a long time !!!!!