Thanks to well-damped CV carburettors rather than the currently more fashionable fuel-injection, the motor revs gently, without sudden jerks or surges, in the lower half of its rev range. That makes it easy and comfortable to ride in traffic.

The wide handlebars and hand guards, although they help to control the bike and make it stable down to walking pace, can cause problems in really tight situations; once or twice I found I couldn't get through a gap which a sports bike would have split with ease

But the upright seating position is infinitely more relaxed than any sports bike, lifting your head so you can see several cars ahead and plan your moves through the rush hour. This engenders a less stressed attitude that might get you home a little later – but at least you won't want to kick the dog when you get there!

The tall, narrow bodywork has the unexpected side benefit that it lifts the instruments to just below the rider's line of sight, making it easier and safer to keep an eye on the bike's vital signs.

Hard riding

On the open road it keeps the wind off the rider's chest up to the national speed limit but over that you'll want to lean well forward and tuck your elbows in to present a smaller target, reducing the wind pressure on your upper body for an easier ride.

The TransAlp topped out at a genuine 174km/h; it held that speed for the entire length of our six-kilometre test straight without any problems.

Although above 5000rpm the bike picked up a distinct secondary vibration, it ran true and the engine stayed cool - although it became predictably thirsty at full chat; that's what most bikes (especially V-twins) do.

In normal use it averaged out at just over 6.6 litres/100km, which should give you a tank range of around 285km; the rather pessimistic fuel gauge, however, started getting agitated at about 190 and by 210 the needle was deep into the red– even though it would only take 14 litres of unleaded!

Canyon carving

The supple suspension handled some enjoyable canyon carving without any hassle, once I had learned to do my braking early. One thing this bike is not good at is diving inside your friends' sports bikes into corners – not because the brakes aren't good enough but because they're too good.

A decent handful would compress the long-travel front forks to the point of unsettling the chassis geometry and the Honda would become twitchy under braking – enough to make me back off a little.

On steady throttle, however, I could take advantage of the bike's seemingly unlimited ground clearance to maintain enjoyably high mid-corner speeds and keep up a respectable point-to-point average - at least on roads I know well - while the wide bars gave plenty of leverage for quick S-bends and the narrow front tyre delivered remarkably accurate steering.

The long, moderately stepped seat of the TransAlp, with its low-slung pillion foot pegs offered better than reasonable comfort for a passenger, although the steering tended to lose the edge of its accuracy – as it did when the cast-alloy rear carrier was overloaded.

While it'll be great for a solo trip, the TransAlp is no more than adequate as a tourer when loaded with pillion and gear – for that you need its bigger brother the VL1000 Varadero.

The little off-roading I did during the review period was on wet grass – for the photos – and on some muddy, flooded gravel roads. Predictably, considering its performance at the seriously muddy launch, it handled those with no problems at all.

Wet roads

The major feature of my time with the TransAlp, however, was rain – sheets of it. It seemed that every time I was ready to go anywhere, the heavens would open.

Nevertheless the bike never missed a beat and remained sure-footed on some very treacherous roads, quickly engendering total confidence in its ability to get me there and back.

In real-world terms, all-rounder doesn't necessarily mean a red-hot sports bike with a big enough tank to get you to the next town – still less an overweight slingshot with more mass than manoeuvrability.

It's a bike that'll take you to work year-round; it'll keep its feet on less than ideal surfaces and take you (and your partner) to the beach at weekends and to one or two rallies a year.

It's not glamorous but, let's face it, that's what most middleweight bikes do. Measured thus, the TransAlp is a remarkably successful all-rounder.