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Honda X ADV 750 in review (Baujahr 2018)

Scooter or motorcycle? Cross-Over!

27.02.2025

Photos: Motorradtest.de

The Honda X ADV is neither a classic scooter nor a real motorcycle. What is he then? Well, something in between, so the term "cross-over" is really appropriate here. We drove an X ADV 750 from 2018 and describe here how it feels.

Fun in bags

The Honda X ADV has been around since 2017 and was developed at Honda's development center in Italy. The idea was to build a maxi scooter with the chassis of a motorcycle. Honda already had the technical basis in the stable: namely the NC 750 X. The X ADV therefore also got its engine and chassis from it. There have been four facelifts in the meantime and the current X ADV 750 currently costs 13,690 euros. Our test bike is an X ADV with the first facelift, which cost 12,000 euros new in 2018.

Significantly, Honda classifies the X ADV 750 among the adventure bikes. The smaller X ADV 350 for 6,800 euros, on the other hand, can be found on the website under the scooters. However, it also has a different chassis and smaller rims. X Adv 750 in Candy Chromosphere Red

Great color: Honda X ADV 750 in Grand Prix Red. Even more chic is our test bike in Candy Chromosphere Red!

Dimensions and seat test
The seat height of the X ADV is 820 mm. Accordingly, you sit upright and very comfortable. The seat cushion is wide and the passenger also feels welcome here. Due to the 17-inch front wheel and the front fairing, you could almost think you are sitting on a small Africa Twin here.

However, only almost, because of course the running boards and the step-through indicate that you are not sitting on a normal motorcycle. Whatever the case, the seat test is positive, which should be enough not only for the daily commute to work, but also for a longer tour.

That's what it's like to sit on the X ADV 750.

Technology of the X ADV 750 (YOC 2018)

The second series of the X ADV 750 offers two-stage traction control, which can also be switched off. A TFT color display has only been available since the third series from 2021, so our X ADV still has an LC display that shows all information on one screen. No wonder, because there is no way to immerse yourself in any menus.

Accordingly, the operation is also easy. Only the DCT transmission or its switch has to be looked at briefly to understand the function. In addition to the N/D/S modes, there are two buttons on the left handlebar to shift up and down manually, but more on that later.

Otherwise, there is a separate button for traction control - and everything else such as light control and starter/killswitch has been seen thousands of times by every motorcyclist. Small surprise: Even this somewhat older X ADV 750 has Keyless Ride on board as standard and the light is already completely LED technology. Some people even recognize the design of a Honda NT 1100 from the front...

This is how it drives

The sound of the X ADV 750 was still really gnarly, at least in 2018! Really nice and babbling and two-cylinder it bubbles out of the not so unchic silencer. When you step on the gas, the sound becomes even cheekier, it doesn't sound like a roller at all.

We drive a lap and enjoy the proverbial accessibility of this device. Sit on, start, drive off and have fun is the motto here. This is mainly due to two things: The lively engine with 55 hp at 6,250 rpm and a potent 68 Nm at 4,750 (!) Umin as well as on the DCT transmission. To be honest, nowhere does DCT fit as well as in this vehicle. You still have a little bit of a scooter feeling and therefore a classic gearshift would be somehow out of place here.

DCT 6-speed gearbox with D (Drive) and S (Sport) mode.

Unlike a variator, however, you can feel the fact that the DCT manages 6 gears and it goes forward correspondingly quickly, especially in Sport mode, of course. We particularly liked the fact that you can intervene in the actually automated gearshifts, namely with the two plus and minus paddle shifters on the left.

So you can shift down a gear or two to your heart's content and give the horse the spurs. The DCT then waits a moment (well, is there anything else coming?) and then takes over again after about 10 seconds without manual shifting. It all works wonderfully and really puts you in a good mood.

Spoked wheels and a very nice aluminum two-sided swingarm. Which scooter has that?!

But not only does the DCT work perfectly, everything else like the suspension and brakes also feels like this bike has already undergone several years of development work. Above all, the smooth engine provides a dash of extra fun. Anyone who has ever driven an NC 750 X knows what I mean. Although the X ADV 750 weighs quite a fat 239 kg (ready to ride), things are moving really quickly. Especially at the bottom and when starting off, this is really fun, the 68 Nm of torque send its regards. On top, the engine runs out of air at some point, but usually you don't notice much of it because the DCT has already shifted into the next gear anyway.

Looks kind of hard like terrain, but it's actually not. Chain instead of straps, too bad.

The X in the model name is probably intended to underline the cross-over idea. The look, on the other hand, somehow looks like a railing, but that's nonsense, of course. Although you don't have to turn around immediately with the X ADV on gravel & Co., this has little to do with "real terrain". However, we don't quite understand why Honda has given the X ADV a chain drive. Maybe this has to do with the DCT, maybe they didn't want to restrict the rear travel (150 mm) unnecessarily, which would have been the case with a belt.

Whatever the case, the driving experience on the X ADV 750 is comfortable on the one hand, but also quite sporty on the other. The small 15 mm rim at the rear lets the bike scrape through the curves almost by itself, which feels different than on a normal motorcycle. In any case, the X ADV feels very stable and still offers a very good driving comfort. It retains stability even under heavy braking, whereby the deceleration due to the three discs and the full-blown brake system from Nissin (4-pistons on two 296 discs) is correspondingly strong - great!

Braking performance like a normal motorcycle: Nissin 4-piston stoppers and two 296 brake discs.

Now a word about the practical things that scooters usually come up with. The X ADV also has an additional rotary knob "in the center console" with which you activate the ignition or activate the immobilizer. Underneath there are two buttons for opening the trunk and the tank. The trunk is almost a full-blown helmet, but unfortunately it is rather small overall. Okay, on a normal motorcycle there is no trunk at all, but we would have liked a little more than the existing 21 liters of volume.

Result

If you actually turn up your nose at normal scooters, but have somehow recognized the practical advantages of this genre, you should take a closer look at a Honda X ADV 750 - or best to test ride it right away, because it is precisely the riding that is special about this bike, which is difficult to describe. It's just a lot of fun to scrub around with this "thing". Honda's quality promises plenty of riding fun for many years to come, even with used X ADVs like our test bike. Engine, chassis, brakes and controls are top-notch, there are virtually no competitors - or can you think of a comparable two-wheeler?

By the way, the test machine is available at Motorrad Ruser for 7,790 euros. If you are interested, click here.

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