Show us your TransAlp modifications!

Hey guys, I've got a friend whos passing his licence next week and who want's to travel a lot on his new bike. Now I told hil to get a TransAlp as a first bike because it's easy to learn on it, if you drop it you don't care and after all there no major problems with it. My only question is, is there a big difference between the 600/650/700? I only rode the 600 Transalp and loved it for what it was, but as my friend is reliyng on me to buy the bike I don't want to force him into anything bad if he can better for the same price.

good move, i went through the hassle of fitting xr 600 forks and it totally changed the character of the bike on the street. A set of progressive fork springs and a big front rotor kit with braided steel line was best bang for the buck and simple install

Like most manufacturers, the longer the bike stays in the model line, the displacement goes UP.....and the off-road emphasis (and effectiveness) goes DOWN. The original design team goes on to other projects and the "newer" bikes are re-designed by the stylists and accountants.

IMO, the new 700 is nothing more than a glamorized street bike that LOOKS like it might have once been related to a real off-road bike. It's kinda like rich families where the original people work hard, take risks, go to war and come back with loads of money.....then the subsequent generations get more and more lazy until the fortune is wasted on silly crap and gambled away.

The 600 model that was built just before the 650 with disc brakes all round and a more modern front fairing (don't remember the model designation since they never made it to the US anyway)is truly the pick of the TA line.....after that....

Just a bit over an inch more travel and almost an inch of ride height increase...see photo (TA leg is RED).



It's a great compliment to the Africa swingarm and particularly effective and not too costly with Ricor Intiminators or RaceTech emulators fitted with better springs to suit rider and conditions. But it is still a damper-rod fork so....nothing really better in the internals.

Greatest advantage is the ability to re-use the AT or TA front fender since the mounts are the same.

Greatest dis-advantage is the necessity to build a brake adapter for the TA wheel. Or....find a SM brake kit for the Dommie with larger disc and adapter for the caliper....Dunno if those are available or not.

Ok all this talk of forks gets me wondering, I see the stock TA fork is a damper rod fork...whatever that is...and I see some forks are cartridge forks, I'm assuming that's better, My question is are the XR forks cartridge? they are already on my TA, not sure of the year but I think they are XR650 forks

Isn't that simpler just to use longer tubes from nx650? And everything else from TA- no hassle with brakes, but forks are longer. :)

650cc TA have rear suspension linkage from... CBR.... Honda's marketing deparment was even kinda proud of that.
But 700cc TA still have same simple crappy leading axle fork like TA in 88, when released.

I've sort of had this same impression, but never really had anything solid to base it on. Can you tell us some specifics of what has gone down in quality or has taken on inappropriate design or priorities?

FWIW I have an 89 600.

First, if you're making a recommendation for a buddy in the States, you really only have a choice of thte 89 or 90. There are a very few later models around but they are very rare.

In general, when the bike was designed, the team was trying to emulate some of the characteristics of Hondas Dakar winners.

See Deti's interview here: http://hanzw.home.xs4all.nl/alp-ten2.htm

Starting here, there are 2 directions Honda can go.

(a) Make the bike more true to the original concept.

This would mean adding components to improve off-road performance. Things like better suspension...easily done by adding bits from the XR series being developed at the time. Cartridge forks, better shocks etc.

(b) Listen to the dealers voicing buyer complaints/opinions
Remember Pari-Dakar was virtually unknown in the US at the time, land closures were happening but one could still ride around on a dirt bike and have a good time. We in the States just didn't understand a bike that was a compromise at many different types of riding. We wanted Ninjas, Harleys, BMWs or dirt bikes.

The seats were too tall, the suspension too long etc.

Look at the modern incarnation of the TA, 19 in. front wheel, Cat converter hanging down at the bottom, same forks as in 89. Look at what's happening to the Wee-Strom this year....same focus, lower seat, more street emphasis.

Really, BMW is the only major builder who actually EXPECTS their riders to get the bike dirty and sells you stuff to do it. Triumph MAY be starting... we'll see how they do over time.

r u serious? go to any ds ride and its all orange, you dont see bmw or triumph. 950/990 are the top of the class and far beyond any at or ta honda ever built. KTM and husky are the only makers who sell a full line of competive 50 state legal bikes. Yes the gs 800 bmw is a start as is the the triumph but nothing compared to what ktm offers in agregate

Yeah, I knew I'd leave someone out. I really want to like KTM but all I ever hear are problems, strandings and breakage.....and, NO, I don't really want to start "that" debate again.

Try CMSNL - I got a replacement for my 87 model last year from them. I changed it as it got noisy and the new one stayed quiet for all of a couple of days. Now I've learnt to live with it! :huh

Is that chain noise in the right hand side of the rear cylinder, just above the small exhaust guard?

thanks a lot! will tell him to go with the 650

)

My suspension seems okay for the back roads. The acceleration and braking are good. The bike got a lot of attention at a dualsport ride, where most of the bikes were orange. I have some xr forks, but they lack some of the attachment places that the stock TA forks have, so I bought the aftermarket springs for the stock ones. They seem okay.
http://tomsavage33.blog.com/files/2012/05/DSCN1009.jpg

Nice looking bike with interesting mods. How bout more pics and info, please.

Very nice Bike and side panels!

My new to me '89 was running to 170+ without hitting reserve. suddenly it starts hitting reserve anywhere from 140-150. Mileage hasn't changed (45-48). I installed the Honda petcock rebuild kit with no change
All hoses and connections look good.

Anyone else have this issue? I remember a guy who added a fuel pump, I'm not ready to do that.

I am heading out for a week long trip and am contemplating doing the diaphragm "flip" to make it a gravity feed sysyem.when you do this is it just the diaphram you flip, or the entire plate it sits in?

Been away for too long from this wonderful site doing the work thing etc, Still have 3 TA's and the AT but the fleet has been reduced. I've been planning my trip to Tierra Del Fuego for years and now it looks like we will be departing the end of this year. Have a buddy here who going to go with me, but looking for at least one other. Prefer someone riding similar equipment and capable of usable Spanish. We will be riding 2 of my TA's, yes I sold one! Current plan is to leave the LA area after Christmas and try to get down there in 2 months. My old TA will be left there or flown back if we have too.