2025-on Honda X-ADV 750 Review | when adventure bike meets maxi-scoot!

The 2017-2024 Honda X-ADV has sold an astonishing 76,000 units globally, and the firm say it was their second-best seller in Europe last year and the fourth biggest-selling adventure bike overall.

Not bad for a unique blend of adventure styling and maxi-scooter convenience that has traditional British bikers scratching their heads while our Italian, French and Spanish counterparts snap up X-ADVs as fast as Honda can build them, using them as a kind of ubiquitous urban GS. “NC500? Mais non, I’m off to do the shopping.” Maybe it’s the Mediterranean climate.

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For 2025 the updated X-ADV 750 refines the leftfield concept with a few, but very welcome, improvements. Its low-revving, 58bhp 745cc parallel twin motor, shared with the NC750X and new-for-2025 Forza 750 maxi-scoot, remains unchanged, as does its low-slung frame, Showa suspension, Nissin brakes and 17in front and 15in rear wire-spoked rims.

Updates are limited to a smoother and more manageable DCT auto gearbox at low speed, the addition of cruise control, a reshaped front profile with new LED projector headlights, a deeper, comfier seat, new clocks and switchgear, and a revised screen mechanism, now adjustable with one-hand.

While these aren’t headline-grabbing changes, they’re the kind of upgrades owners will appreciate every time they ride the bike – and might even be enough to convince a few more UK riders to reconsider the X-ADV.

Brakes, suspension and wheels remain the same for the 2025 X-ADV, engineered for conventional motorcycle-style performance rather than be compromised by the X-ADV’s maxi-scoot design – which partly explains the X-ADV’s 17in front and 15in rear wheel sizes; the 17in front helps confer a traditional handling and steering dynamic. Tyres are 120/70 and 160/60 Bridgestone Adventurecross Tourer AX41T.

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Front suspension is, as before, Showa’s 41mm SFF-CA usd forks with adjustable rebound on the right fork leg and preload adjusters on both. A Showa shock lives at the rear, with adjustable preload only via an included C-spanner.

Wheel travel on maxi-scoots is usually limited by the nature of the design of the bike, which has implications for ride quality – but the X-ADV boasts generous 150mm wheel travel front and rear; as much as (or more than) a conventional road bike. However the X-ADV’s canted forward engine dictates either a long wheelbase or a short swingarm, or a compromise of both – which then potentially impacts steering and/or ride quality.

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The Honda’s general handling dynamic is pure motorcycle – steering is stable in long corners, and the bike rolls into tighter turns and heads for the apex with a steady sports tourer roll (rather than flick like a sportsbike) thanks to the X-ADV’s low centre of gravity.

But it’s also nimble enough to hustle around traffic with a decent steering lock – although the bike’s length and width gives pause squeezing through gaps in urban traffic. Slimmer scooters have an easier time.

Suspension springing is soft and gives a floaty feel to the ride quality over smoother roads, and damping balances the bike well under acceleration and braking. But on bumpier back roads and over uneven surfaces the X-ADV passes more chop and chatter through to the rider – and big bumps and potholes can be jarring. It could be as much as the way you’re sitting, with feet flat on the floorboards, as much as anything.

Brakes are Nissin four-pot radial calipers on 296mm discs with linked ABS – as per scooter-style, the rear brake is on the left handlebar and it only takes a few seconds to reprogram your brain to stop trying to use it as a clutch.

In use, it’s perfectly natural to balance braking with both levers at the same time, and the Honda’s ABS means you can’t lock either wheel – so you can use as much lever pressure as you need to haul up the X-ADV’s not inconsiderable 237kg (up a kilo on last year’s bike). The X-ADV stops very quickly, efficiently and without any drama.

The X-ADV’s ride comfort is all about its riding position – feet-forwards on running boards means the rider’s weight is all on their bum, which on the previous bike could start to ache after only a couple of hours. On the plus side there’s a lot of space to shuffle about and leg room is never an issue.

The new bike has managed to cram an extra 10% of urethane padding into the seat, but remains at the same 820mm height as before, as well as tapering the seat more – allowing easier ‘standover’ reach to the ground. It’s definitely an improvement, but there’s also a comfort seat option which is even more plush (although I never understand why comfort seats aren’t just fitted as standard; would anyone ever specify the less comfortable ‘standard’ seat if they did?).

The X-ADV is powered by Honda’s 745cc, SOHC, 270° parallel twin which also powers the NC750X and Forza 750 maxi-scoot. It started life as the 2012 NC700, when it was said to be derived from half a Honda Jazz car engine – and, unusually in modern motorcycling, it’s undersquare, with 80mm piston stroke longer than its 77mm bore is wide.

This dictates a low rev limit, which means the engine is tuned to produce peak power and torque at lower rpm – in the X-ADV’s case, a claimed 57.8bhp at 6750rpm and 50.9 lb.ft at 4750rpm. The relatively tall motor is canted forward in a low-slung steel tube frame, which allows the X-ADV (and its Forza 750 sibling) to have a semi ‘step-thru’ look (reinforced by the X-ADV’s enclosed final drive, imitating a scooter’s CVT drive).

Engine performance is gently perky rather than outright funky – the bike bustles forward with enough vim to scoot in and out of overtakes, easily keeping pace with traffic on any road including motorways.

It’s never a thrill, but it’s always rapid enough – with a chug that turns into a whistle as the engine revs out. But there can’t be many X-ADV owners who wouldn’t fancy just a bit more zasp in the engine department – an X-ADV with the performance of Honda’s other 750 parallel twin, the 90bhp Hornet, would be deeply entertaining and just as practical.

Drive is passed through Honda’s DCT Dual Clutch Transmission system which allows for almost seamless automatic gear changes up and down, making the engine impossible to stall and doing away with a clutch lever.

A pair of up and down finger-operated paddles on the left bar allow either for either fully manual clutchless gear changes, or for overriding the auto gear selection (ie changing down into corners for extra engine braking). All the rider has to do is remember to choose a drive mode before pulling off.

For 2025 Honda have modified very low speed operation of the DCT system, making first gear engagement and clutch operation smoother and giving it a more natural feel. They’ve done it by adding an algorithm-based element to ECU calculations that were previously based solely on a clutch oil pressure sensor – it allows the ECU to more accurately manage the automatic clutch and give the rider the impression of nuanced and finessed low-speed control over the bike.

The upgrade is especially noticeable pulling away from standstill, riding at walking pace, and performing first-gear U-turns – the previous X-ADV could be hesitant and stutter, as if clutch operation couldn’t quite match speed and throttle demands. The 2025 DCT set-up is a significant improvement – feet-up U-turns and low-speed control are now smooth and almost flawless, without hesitancy or a sense of discomfort.

But it's a shame Honda stopped short of adding 6-axis IMU control to the X-ADV (seen on the 2021 Africa Twin and 2025 NT1100), which allows DCT to also factor lean angle (cornering) in its gear change choices.

In normal cornering, DCT is so smooth it usually doesn’t upset the bike (or rider) if it shifts mid-corner – but on rare occasions – say, sweeping into a U-turn – the bike can drop from second gear into first and cause a momentary unnerving stumble mid-U. But, overall, the new DCT set-up is a big improvement that new owners will might not notice, but will appreciate.

During our test ride, the X-ADV recorded an average of only 43.2mpg and after 111 miles was showing a quarter of a tank left – but that was with some fairly aggressive riding. Honda claim up to 78mpg, which also sounds unlikely, so the reality is more in-line with mid-60s mpg – a figure backed up by long term reviews. With a 13.2-litre tank, that would give the X-ADV something like a 190-mile tank range, with reserve at 140 to 150 miles.

With an under-stressed engine and Honda’s usual excellent fit and finish quality, the X-ADV should give no problems with durability in long-term ownership – despite its technical complexity, DCT has proved itself sturdy and pretty much unbreakable over the last 15 years, so you’ll not have a problem with the transmission (although there was a recall in 2018 to correct the ECU going into limp mode).

Similarly, mechanical issues with the NC750 parallel twin are almost unheard-of. The only potential for problems will come from owner neglect – even the hardiest of finishes will struggle to survive a British winter unaided.

In terms of quality feel, if the new X-ADV doesn’t quite capture the glamourous lustre of its predecessors it’ll be because the colour schemes for 2025 aren’t the most exciting; a matt grey, white or black options are understated. Honda UK aren’t importing the Goldfinch Yellow version of the X-ADV, which is much brighter and more interesting – perhaps they’re saving it for a special occasion. Or edition.

The 2025 X-ADV costs £11,249 – only £50 more than the previous model, despite its upgrades. It’s hard to measure where the X-ADV sits in terms of value; on one hand, over eleven thousand pounds for a big-bore scooter sounds like a lot compared to the DCT version of the NC750X at £8799 – on the other, it’s several thousand cheaper than, say, Yamaha’s current £14,011 T-Max (with a smaller engine).

Judged purely on its componentry – electronics, engine, DCT and chassis parts – you’d guess the X-ADV should be closer to £10,000. And if it was, perhaps riders in the UK might be more willing to take it up for a PCP period to find out if it fits their riding lifestyle.

X-ADV insurance is only slightly more expensive than for an equivalent NC750X – the main difference being the greater value of the X-ADV. Servicing costs are also equivalent.

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Equipment spec is where the rest of the 2025 X-ADV’s updates appear. Working from front to back, the Honda has a new face – the front end of the fairing has been reworked to provide a more angular, but also a more coherent, look. LED projectors replace stacked headlights, and a daytime running light strip above incorporates the indicators – for the first time on a production bike.

The X-ADV’s adjustable screen is now operable by the left hand only – previously, it needed two hands to move up or down, meaning it was only practical at standstill. Now, a simple clip frees the screen, and a knob lifts it up or down. The size of the screen remains the same, as does its range of adjustment (139mm up and down, 11° change in angle) – in use, the system works well and although the X-ADV’s sibling Forza 750 has a new electric screen for 2025, in practice it’s quicker and easier to use the X-ADV’s manual set-up.

The screen is part of Honda’s commitment to create a more sustainable business – it’s made from Durabio, a biomass ‘plastic’ produced from corn pellets. That doesn’t mean you can compost it or eat it, but Honda say it’s less environmentally harmful. They also say some plastic parts of the X-ADV are made from recycled plastics, and some from recycled Honda car bumpers.

The X-ADV has a new 5in TFT dash and redesigned switchgear. The previous X-ADV clocks and switches were based on the Africa Twin’s layout and style; the new clocks have brighter, fresher graphics with a better colour palette and less cluttered and confusing layout.

It relies on icons to convey riding modes and other information, but looks clean and concise – there are three different styles of display to choose from: ‘Bar’, ‘Circle’ and ‘Simple’.

The switchgear is partially backlit, and has been compressed with fewer, but smaller, buttons and rocker switches. Room has been made for cruise control, fitted to the X-ADV for the first time – the cruise activation button is on the right handlebar, the set and resume modes are on the left bar where they can be accessed without altering throttle position.

Changing gear manually using the paddle shifts will interrupt cruise, but in auto mode the gearbox will scoot up into top gear if cruise is selected in a lower gear.

The X-ADV’s electronic rider aid options remain as per last year’s bike, with a deep menu of options that, in truth, feel a bit overkill on a 58bhp maxi-scoot. There are six rider modes – Sport, Standard, Rain and Gravel, plus two User modes – which each alter the level of power delivery, traction control, engine braking level, ABS setting and DCT gearchange mapping. All can be adjusted in a deep menu setting.

As before, the X-ADV also comes with remote keyfob starting, push-button access to the filler cap flap – the cap itself is untethered, so you have to find somewhere to rest it when you’re filling up. The X-ADV also still comes with 22-litre storage compartment under the seat, with an LED interior light and a USB-C charging point.

The X-ADV also comes with a centrestand – it’s not an accessory because it carries the bike’s hero-blob lean angle ‘indicators’; a legal requirement, and the centrestand is the only place Honda can mount them. The X-ADV also has hand guards and an aluminium bash plate for occasional forays off-road.