Want to upgrade from Super Meteor 650 to an ADV; What should I pick?

I plan to ride to other places wherein the road conditions may not necessarily be in my favor, I feel it’s time to move to on to something which is much more comfortable yet brings the same level of Joy as the SM650 on good roads. Which one should I pick between the Honda Transalp 750 and Suzuki V-Strom 800 DE?

BHPian Abh1nav recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

Background

I currently own a Super Meteor 650 which I have in my garage since Sep ’23. I got back to biking after a gap of about 7-8 years, and my purpose of getting back on the saddle was clear right from the start – Majorly touring / leisure. I’ve maintained that line over the course of ownership, having done a long 2-week trip on the bike (Delhi-Goa-Delhi), and a few short ones (Places <300-250 kms from Delhi). I bike to work occasionally, but that’s not the primary reason I got the bike for. Another thing is that I tour with my wife, so it’s always Two-up riding.

While I was buying the bike 1.5 years ago, I was torn between the SM650 and KTM 390 Adv. I test rode both the bikes multiple times and the heart was set at the RE, even though I knew that the KTM was a more practical choice.

Cut to 2025, having ridden the bike over 9000 KMs, I have no regrets whatsoever. The bike rides like a charm on well-made roads and I just want to keep cruising every time I’m riding on such roads. However, I also acknowledge the limitations my current bike has - whenever I hit a rough patch, I still go back to think about the KTM!

Present Day

Now, as I plan to ride to other places wherein the road conditions may not necessarily be in my favor, I feel it’s time to move to on to something which is much more comfortable yet brings the same level of Joy as the SM650 on good roads. ADVs hence, are the obvious choice.

• I was initially considering a like-for-like shift (monetary terms) to either the New KTM 390 Adv 2025 (have not done a test ride, will probably do it over the weekend) or the Himi 450 (Have done a short test ride – Love the suspension, but the refinement levels leave a lot to be desired, considering how good the SM650 is)

• As I was contemplating this change to an ADV, if also felt if I should move to a bigger ADV now which will hopefully serve me for much longer, without feeling a need for an upgrade – and on this aspect I’m considering 2 bikes now: Vstrom 800 DE and the Transalp 750

The Future?

Vstrom 800DE:
Last weekend, I went for a short (7-8 KMs) test ride on the bike and was blown away with the power the bike has (I’ve never previously ridden a big bike). The bike felt comfortable over bad roads – purposely rode over a 2 kms stretch of unpaved roads, and did not feel the need to slow down. On the heat front – Did feel some heat in city on my legs; would need a longer Test Ride to check in case it persists on the highway as well.

Weight: while it’s not much lighter than my SM 650, it does feel super nimble while on the move, and I don’t see a challenge on that front.

The seating position was good as well, albeit I found myself searching for the footpegs quite a few times, but that’s mostly because I’m now accustomed to SM 650’s forward set footpegs.

Overall, I enjoyed my time on the bike and would now want to take it on a longer test ride, closer to finalization.

On the financial front, I’ve been quoted 12.2 Lakhs OTR Delhi. Some additional accessories would add another 1-1.5L, taking the total dent to about 13.5L.

Transalp 750:
I have not ridden the bike yet, and I was not planning to as well – considering the 2025 version is on its way to India and might launch in the next couple of months. I was holding the test ride for the new version. However, I saw some handsome offers running on the current bike, which got me curious, and I called the dealer up to check. As it turns out, it’s currently being offered at about 11L OTR, which is almost 1.5-2L discount V/s the launch price!

This offer seemed too tempting; hence, I checked with them in case they have a TD vehicle available, which they do! I now plan to have a test ride by sometime next week and see how it goes.

The Dilemma

While I do the TDs over the next few weeks, I feel it’s a good time to get a POV from members on this forum! Sharing some questions I have on top of my mind:

1. Am I thinking in the right direction of wanting to get a bigger ADV, rather than making a like-for-like shift? (The budget is an obvious stretch, but I can make it work)

2. Any opinions on VStorm 800 DE V/s Transalp?

3. Considering If I like the current Transalp post the test ride, and it is being offered at about 11L OTR, does it still makes sense to wait for the new version (Some price cut may happen due to import duty reduction) ?

Any other opinion / POV from the Team-bhp community that can help make a better decision is welcome!

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