Show us your TransAlp modifications!

Thanks for the welcome! Couple of days of experimenting mean I'm going for a higher spring rate on the front (WP progressive), and gonna add a Hyperpro prog spring to the rear. Seems that the original springs on the 640 adv are way on the soft side in the first place. Hopefully that'll have her fully dialled shortly. Royce, you're absolutely right, we are very lucky with parts over here - I've picked up from the UK, Germany, Austria and Italy to get my bike fettled on a tight budget - what did we do before fleabay?!

On that note, I was going to open up some parts to offers - might be easier as a job lot, though I don't know how cost effective it would be to have parts shipped to the states or even if there would be that much interest. Anyhow, I'll probably try and list on the flea market when I get the chance as I'm aware this thread is probably not the right place to do this!

Parts (97 ta600):
https://www.advrider.com/advrider-photobucket-images/images/d/daveski1000_photo.jpg

You are right about the shipping being a little pricey, but in a lot of cases there is no choice. I have found a few cooperative riders over there that have shipped me RD04 parts ( clocks, and a nice Rothmans jacket ), but some won't, and of course, I understand. Right now I need a rear RD04 suspension link and mounting bolts, already have the swing arm, but it's hard to tell if you are looking at the correct part on ebay, so haven't pulled the trigger yet. If it was easy, anybody could do it, Right.

I do not believe there is any difference between the RD04 and Transalp suspension links other than the large allen bolt that attaches it to the AT swingarm and I think that can be sourced from other US Honda parts..

Thanks Ladder, I remembered ravelv and some others trying to work through this a long while back, and thought there might be a geometry problem. I'll try to source the bolts. What did you wind up with for front suspension? Think I remember you changed from the xr forks. ---too tall/tippy?

The XR long forks just did not fit the kind of riding I use the TA for. If I routinely took trips to Africa or the Nevada desert, I'd have kept the long legs.

As it is now, I'm using NX forks and a Ricor rear shock. About 8 inches of travel on both ends is plenty for the fire/gravel roads I routinely ride. The 11 in. travel front and tall rear just made the bike too much of a handful in tighter riding.

I think that special allen bolt is the same one used for the XR250. I think I have one still in the parts bag with number. I'll have a hunt through the spares box.

OK, Thanks. That's kinda what I suspected. I got a DR350 and selling my KLR for the same reason. Really like the seat/ride heigth of the TA. Probably will use the RD04 swing arm and switch to disc brakes, and I've got a really clean XRL front end, but if I can't figure a way to set it up pretty close to stock height, don't think i'm gonna use it.

Getting a decent front brake and mounting a low front fender are the "problem" areas with the XR front end.

You can move the tubes up the triple clamps to lower the ride-height.....but you MUST then have the forks rebuilt to a shorter travel length.....otherwise you will most certainly push the front tire into the fender/frame/crashbars on full compression and find yourself airborne without the bike.

That's what I figured. It's an '08 with 800 miles on it and I got the whole thing, brakes, wheel and all. Thought about changing out the works, if I can do what you said, and get the height/ travel sorted. Don't like the airborne thing, did that already, took several months to rehab form dislocated shoulder. Seems like I remember someone cut the tubes shorter. Don't remember exactly how it was done though. Got time for that, still working on a new exhaust, side racks for Givi 21's, and changing out the RD07 clocks for the RD04's.

Hi,

I have to fix a couple of wires (kill switch; 87 TA) but unfortunately left the house this morning and left the assembly sitting on the counter. Can someone confirm the wire size used throughout the harness? Is it 20 AWG?

thanks,

rick

I'm sittin here lookin at mine and it's hard to tell. There is so much difference in the thickness of insulation on different wires and number and size of individual internal wires, that compareing is hard. From my experience, 12 ga is probably over kill, and 20 ga is pretty small. I like something in between. Probably 16 ga, but in wireing size matters. Bigger is better.

Thanks. I'll leave the confines of my office and scavange around the plant for a few feet of 16ga.

cheers,

[





I sure do like the way your transalp lookes!! If I still had one, this would be the look I would go for.

Thanks Petrus,
When I got the bike it was in pieces and the plastics were so smashed up (and replacements hard to find) that I just did a cheap and cheerful makeover.
The front radiator shrouds are aluminium from an old road sign!
The high front mudguard is purely aesthetic, and was me poking fun at the BMW beak.
Only later did I find out that Suzuki had sone something similar with the DR Big many years before BMW.
Transalps of this age are pretty rare in Australia, which is strange because we have a lot of opportunity for ADV riding down here.
Unlike the professionals on this board (Ladder, Mas, Locorider) I have done nothing to the suspension and brakes other than change the oil in the front forks. Instead, I ride the bike in country that the suspension can cope with (mostly!), and if I want to try more technical stuff, I use my DRZ.

I have three bikes:

1. 2009 Yamaha TDM 900 (90% road use)
2. 1987 Transalp (50% road/offroad)
3. 2009 DRZ 400 (90% offroad) (that's it in the lower photo; 17 litre tank so a range of about 350 km - also an ADV bike)

so I'm lucky enough to have the right bike for every occasion, and all for less that $20,000 AUD.
Cheers
Tim

As you may all know, when finding euro model parts, its a matter of doing a cross reference. Find the part number and then see if there is a model in the US that uses the same part. There are some sources that you may use, like this one http://www.cmsnl.com/honda-xrv650-africa-twin-1989-germany_model7020/partslist/F__2400.html#results

Find the part number, then go to a US based provider to see if the have it. In the case of the hex bolt, the EU provider states a part number 90128mv1000.

Go to www.hdlparts.com ( I dont have any business relationship with them, other than being a very satisfied customer) and enter the part#. on this case, they do have the bolt under this part number. Hope this helps. But I can tell you, its not always a happy ending. Apart of that, you can rely on fellow riders in EU or ebay....Good luck!

I bought most of the AfricaTwin parts @.fr and .de .

Further research will tell you that part# 90128mv1000 hex bolt was used on the 1987 xr600r. :)

Thanks, Carlos. I'll get one on order. I've used both of thoes sites and others. Sometimes it's hard to figure out just what your looking at. Just wasn't sure I could successfully use the TA pro link with the AT arm. I guess there is a clearance problem that necessitates the socket head bolt ? Haven't got into that yet, working on solving other puzzels.

I think the "Professor" ( Ladder) out shines us all when it comes to suspension knowledge. I just know where the parts go, Ray knows how to make them work better.

The front radiator shrouds are aluminium from an old road sign!
The high front mudguard is purely aesthetic, and was me poking fun at the BMW beak.

Yes those mudguards are the fashion thing now. toke me a while to get used to them.






I have three bikes:

1. 2009 Yamaha TDM 900 (90% road use)
2. 1987 Transalp (50% road/offroad)
3. 2009 DRZ 400 (90% offroad) (that's it in the lower photo; 17 litre tank so a range of about 350 km - also an ADV bike)

I have 2 at the moment, Buell uly and a old HD shovel. I used to have all semi dirt bikes and allroads, one way ore another I ended up on the buell. 95% road hahahaha but its suits the purpose I'm using it for at the moment.
But.. TA's are still old love and I have spent alot of km's on them.

Cheers
Petrus

Been lurking here for a while. My Alp's now somewhat complete, so here's a pic from today.



Modified quite a few bits and pieces. Half the SW-Motech catalog. Sump guard, crash bars, luggage system, tank ring, etc. The Givi high wind screen works okay, but is a little noisy. Just put her on Heidenau K60 tires, which came highly recommended. I concur. These are better than the TKC80s which I had before, except in sand. And there's a custom one-of-a-kind GPS mount:



Doesn't look great, but works like a charm.

Not sure about the RD04 but the RD03 and 89 TA links were quite different.
I found that when I used the TA link I just blew thru the suspension stroke.
Just changing to the RD03 link made for a more progressive feel in the spring rate.
I think it made all the difference on my bike.