Honda X-ADV, the Japanese invented the two-wheeled SUV! [ROAD TEST VIDEO]

Honda X-ADV – From the idea of ​​Daniele Lucchese, the one who firmly believed in this project, Honda X-ADV was born, a completely new concept, it is not a scooter, it is not a motorbike, it is not an enduro, but it is all of these together. Perfect for the city or for an off-road route, practical like a maxi and with the characteristics of a "real" motorbike. The suspensions are astonishing, capable of digesting any surface, the long-stroke twin-cylinder engine confirms itself, with all its advantages, including the DCT gearbox to which it is combined, here with dedicated settings.

Designed by the pencil of the Italian designer Maurizio Carbonara, from the Honda R&D center in Rome, it is both rugged and sophisticated at the same time. The undeniable off-road attitude is confirmed by the chassis, the biconical aluminum handlebar, the handguards of the same design present in the CRF1000L Africa and the vertical rally-style instrumentation, but everything goes hand in hand with the functionality of the under-seat compartment capable of containing a full-face helmet (compared to the Integra the rear wheel is smaller), a windscreen adjustable to 5 positions and the very practical Smart-Key opening and contact system, which allows you to keep the device in your pocket and works by proximity within a radius of 2 meters.

From a technical point of view, the 4 cc Euro 745 twin-cylinder engine with 6-speed DCT sequential gearbox is confirmed. It uses the 750 range as its mechanical base. The power and torque values, equal to 55 HP at 6.250 rpm and 68 Nm at 4.750 rpm, guarantee burning acceleration, vigorous acceleration and excellent top speed, also thanks to the gearbox DCT with mapping dedicated to this new model. Its advantages also include low consumption, with 27,5 km/l in the average WMTC cycle, which we essentially confirmed during our test. The 13,1 liter tank determines a total autonomy of over 300 km.

The steel tube frame of the Driving the behavior when descending corners, even at high speeds.

At the same time, maneuvering in confined spaces and heavy traffic are not a problem, because the steering angle is a generous 39° and corresponds to a turning radius of just 2,8 m. And on potholes with uneven road surfaces? There's absolutely no need to worry, as the adjustable 41mm upside down fork does its job really well. The rear shock absorber with progressive adjustable Pro-Link linkage completes a chassis worthy of an important motorcycle. The long-travel suspensions are in fact able to absorb every bump, even the most pronounced, aided by the spoked rims, 17" at the front and 15" at the rear, with tires with an on/off groove.

The braking system consists of twin 296mm floating discs at the front, bitten by Nissin 4-piston radial calipers, with dual-channel ABS and a single 240mm disc at the rear. We would have preferred more aggressive braking, the front braking is appreciated with a very sweet and well-measured intervention; as regards the rear one, during sudden braking it feels a little spongy and you have to act forcefully on the control.
The instrument panel is attractively arranged, as on racing motorcycles, showing all the information useful to the driver around a large central digital speedometer and a circular tachograph. The windshield can be adjusted to 5 positions using a practical control. As on enduro motorbikes, solid hand guards are also installed which protect the hands from wind, bad weather and moving obstacles that can be hit off-road.

You are comfortable in the saddle; the seat surface is 820 mm from the ground and the large handlebar grip is 910 mm high, thus giving a dominant riding position that guarantees full control and excellent visibility. Those who venture off-road will be able to choose resistant shock-proof tubular bars and LED fog lights, but above all, to ride standing up "enduro" style, optional footrests positioned in the right place, which facilitate the management of the stresses coming from the motorbike, also precisely to be faster and more effective in load transfers, which are somewhat of an off-road vehicle.

Three colors are available, including the aggressive Tricolour HRC of the example we tested on the streets of magnificent and wild Sardinia. After a journey of around 250 km, between asphalted and unpaved roads, the innovative crossover with the golden wing turned out to be a great surprise. The engine output is very linear and it is really pleasant to drive. The declared weight in running order and with a full tank of fuel is equal to 238 kg, but the Only when moving with the vehicle stationary is it, in our opinion, a little demanding, but it's all a matter of taking its measurements and managing it correctly. The center of gravity is low and it is not difficult even for the smallest people to move it and hoist it onto the central stand. The qualities that immediately catch the eye are the handling and the feeling with the front wheel. In S3 mode, both at low revs and when accelerating, the engine progression is constant and there is no uncertainty, while in D (drive) mode it uses low gears and has the limitation of not offering much engine braking.

In short, the Honda The price starts at 11.490 euros, while the first thousand customers, included in the price, will have the top case and the TomTom Vio satellite navigator which was designed for scooters and can be controlled from your smartphone.

Test clothing:
Jacket – Alpinestars
Boots – StylMartin
Glove – Alpinestars
Helmet – Shark Vancore
Pants – OJ