kgs, which is pretty much on par with its competitors despite having a larger displacement engine. Powering the Transalp is a 755 cc, liquid-cooled, parallel twin with four- valves per cylinder and a 270-degree crank. In Canadian showrooms, that motor spools up 83 horsepower and puts down 55 pound-feet of torque. That may be down from its European cousin, but it never really feels like a hindrance. The engine revs up quickly and boasts a much gruntier soundtrack than I had anticipated. It sounds and feels a lot like the bigger, beefier Africa Twin – which is a good thing – and will easily outhustle the traffic around you. Peak torque doesn’t hit until fairly high in the rev range (7,270 rpm) but nearly 80% of that is available right off of idle, so it certainly doesn’t dawdle when you’re not wringing its neck. There is a small but noticeable torque dip around 3,500 rpm but I wouldn’t say it's any real cause for concern. The six-speed transmission is smooth and the slick-shifting bi-directional quickshifter works extremely well, especially when you’ve got the engine on boil. Of all of the new features that modern motos boast, the quickshifter is easily my favourite – punching through the gears is extremely addictive. The ergonomics of this bike are also surprisingly accommodating. I expected things to feel a bit compact, given the slightly smaller dimensions that the Transalp has but the reach to the bars was spot on, and I had plenty of comfort in my legs too – even more so than the Africa Twin Adventure Sports affords (review incoming). I also found that on this fully- farkled model (that boasted additional engine guards, panniers, top box, heated grips, wind deflectors and ADV pegs), I could reposition myself in a myriad of ways to relieve any pressure points and extend time in the saddle between stops. The Transalp also packs five different riding modes that can be toggled between while on the roll: Sport, Standard, Rain,
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