HONDA X-ADV (2021 - on) Review

Although undoubtedly a Marmite bike, there is something strangely appealing about the Honda X-ADV automatic motorbike. It’s not an off-roader, not by a long stretch, but it is a cool-looking super-scooter that is fun to ride and also practical (for mainly solo riders).

• Related: 2022 Honda ADV350 scooter revealed

The big sticking point is the price tag, however if you are into maxi-scooters but don’t want a 'traditional' scooter look the X-ADV is your only option to be different. If we are being picky an IMU would have been nice, and a better connectivity system, but really that’s about it aside from maybe heated grips and cruise control.

If you like the idea of an SUV scooter, this bike won’t disappoint. Believe it or not, 32,000 have been sold to date and in 2019 it was Honda’s second best-selling bike – so it certainly appeals to a lot of riders.

The 2021 model replaces the 2017 Honda X-ADV, which was lightly upgraded again a year later. Honda announced the updates to the model in late 2020 alongside the NC750X sibling.

Under the 2021 Honda X-ADV’s bodywork lurks an all-new chassis that helps trim 1kg off the bike’s wet weight while also increasing (marginally) the underseat storage. The geometry is unchanged and so is the wheelbase, so it handles like the old bike and the 3kg total saving over the outgoing version is negligible.

On the road the X-ADV is surprisingly agile and sure-footed in bends (helped by its fat tyres) and its radial brakes deliver more than enough bite. Off-road? Well, don’t let its looks deceive you, that’s not really its speciality...

With a seat height of 820mm it isn’t too much of a stretch to the floor but the 2021 model’s new seat is slimmer to help reduce this a bit. The screen is adjustable in its height and offers a reasonable amount of shelter and you get brush guards as standard to keep your hands protected.

Although the Honda’s parallel twin remains the same 745cc capacity as before, changes to the valve timing sees it gain 4bhp as well as Euro5-compliance while the DCT’s gearbox’s first three ratios are lower and the final three taller. So in theory that’s more poke when you need it and better economy once you are up to speed.

Not a radical change, you spot the extra acceleration in ‘Sport’ mode or using the manual gearchange option but it is when overtaking at 50-60mph that it is most noticeable. When the DCT ‘kicks down’ to get an extra zap of speed in response to a wide throttle opening, third gear is sprightlier than before, giving far better acceleration than fourth and making overtakes much faster as a result.

Is it at the sacrifice of economy? Honda claim the X-ADV can record 78mpg and squeeze 227 miles from its 13.2-litre tank and during MCN’s test ride on a mixture of roads we saw an average of 68mpg, so that bodes well.

If you stick to ‘Sport’ however, the economy drops as it holds the revs higher for longer than ‘Standard’ mode. A new ride-by-wire throttle brings with it four set power modes - Rain, Standard, Gravel and Sport – with an extra User mode that is customisable.

The modes are linked to the HSTC (Honda’s traction control system), which has also been refined and now has three levels of intervention, and the DCT gearbox. Although not quite as good at predicting the gear you require as the latest Africa Twin’s DCT, which has an IMU helping it make its decisions and takes into account lean angle, the scooter’s system is now pretty fluid and doesn’t cause any annoyance.

The DCT engine is very solid and Honda have lavished a reasonable attention to detail on the level of finish and fit on the X-ADV. You would expect this on a bike that costs over £11k and is backed up by our Honda X-ADV owners' reviews - where there are no indications of any specific issues with the bike.

Honda have a great reputation for building solid and reliable bikes and this model is no different. With a little love and care it should power through as many winters of grime and road salt as you can throw at it.

And that price tag is backed up with a finish that's more motorcycle than scooter with proper brakes, mid-size wheels and USD forks.

The 745cc parallel-twin engine has been used in loads of bikes including the Forza 750 and NC750X and it should be solid and reliable - especially with an under-stressed 58bhp on tap.

At nearly £11,000 when launched (it's £11,199 in 2023) the Honda X-ADV represents quite an outlay for a bike that is so leftfield, especially when you compare it to prices for a ‘traditional’ motorcycle. However in the big scooter world it isn’t actually that badly priced.

Yamaha’s TMAX 560, which is the best-selling premium maxi-scooter, was £11,999, Honda’s own Forza 750 was £9,999 and the Kymco AK550 was £8899. It is a shame the X-ADV lacks a few features but while it is undeniably expensive, it’s not horrific in the grand scheme of things (2022 prices included).

Prices get even spicier in the three-wheeled world where a Piaggio MP3 530 hpe costs £11,500. And even more than that, an electric BMW CE 04 starts from £12,270.

A brand-new 5-inch TFT display comes with connectivity as standard and includes Honda’s Voice Control System, which links the rider to their phone – although there are also separate bar-mounted buttons.

Annoyingly you need to download the Honda RoadSync app to get the system to operate and it only works on Android and not iOS, which is ridiculous as other Honda models use Apple CarPlay! The good news, however, is that finally Honda have built not only a dash that is relatively clear to read – they have also developed a set of switchgear that isn’t a myriad of jumbled buttons!

A keyless ignition is standard, as is a USB-C slot under the seat in the 22-litre storage area, and you get ABS, traction control (HSTC), four set power modes plus one user-defined one, engine braking control, the DCT gearbox, DRLs, a bit of adjustability in the suspension and even a lockable glove box.

What’s missing? Cruise control would be nice and there is no IMU so the electronics aren’t angle-sensitive but that’s about it. Five-level heated grips are a £285 extra, which would have been nice as standard.