Honda 650 Transalp - Horizons Unlimited

**trophydave** · #1 12 May 2003

Much as I like my Triumph Trophy I am beginning to wonder if I really need such a large bike.I had a ride on a mate's Africa Twin and I liked it,that set me thinking,how about a Transalp?Can anyone with a 650 TA tell me a bit about it?I usually ride solo,but often with a load of luggage.What is the fuel consumption/tank range like?Is maintenance easy?I tend to ride at about 70/80 mph rarely any faster,will a laden TA do this O.K.

Cheers Dave

**simmo** · #2 18 May 2003

Dave
Everybody I've met who has a transalp swears by them. A few years ago I travelled from Sydney to Adelaide (2000kms Approx)in OZ with some Danish guys on 600cc Transalps they had ridden from Europe. Cruising at 120-140kph was easy for them. Better still they didn't need a minor rebuild every fuel stop like my 750 round case Ducati. Now that was junk!good looking junk but junk all the same.

**chris** · #3 18 May 2003

Dave
Why not do a search (top right of page) on the site under 'Transalp'. In the 'Honda' and the 'Which Bike' Forum there is sure to be a fair bit of wisdom on the topic.

For my grain of salt: Hondas in particular and Jap bikes in general are much more reliable/ functional (dare I say better) than European or American brands. We all regret big mistakes in our lives: One of my biggest was to sell an Africa Twin and buy a BMW for my RTW trip. I'm now older and wiser

Cheers
ChrisB

**Simon Kennedy** · #4 19 May 2003

The transalp is a proven overlanding bike.
I am in my third year of RTW on one and am very pleased with it. Briefly, you get very high reliability and easy of riding with a twin, but it is nothing like as heavy as the other multi-cylinder options. A great all-rounder.
See http://www.ta-deti.de/ta/ for lots of info.
My own small contribution can be found at http://simonkennedy.freeservers.com/

[This message has been edited by Simon Kennedy (edited 24 May 2003).]

**madeofale** · #5 20 May 2003

I bought a 98 TA about a month and a half and (so far) it's been fantastic. I did a lot of research before I decided on that bike and then a lot of looking around to find the right TA (they aren't very plentiful in the UK).

Deti's transalp site (url posted in a message above) is ace and helped me make some good decisions.

Advertised tank range is about 200 miles from 18L of petrol (you'll have to do he math yerself to get the milage!) - though I've gotten 220 out of mine before coasting to an undignified stop on the hard shoulder.

I've put about 2000 touring miles on it here in the UK on weekends and plan to spend a month on it travelling through Europe come summer. Motorway cruising up to 80mph is smooth and comfortable - tho' a higher aftermarket screen is defo on my wishlist. I also commute to central london on it every day and it's performed both tasks brilliantly so far.

Downsides? Well, after a Trophy the Alps's 55 (or so) bph will probably seem decidedly tractoresque. One up touring leaves power a plenty for motorways - two up is asking a bit much of the bike and you may find yourself struggling to pass milk wagons. Too bad as the seat and pillion position is ideal for passangers.

The only BIG gripe I have is the plastic pegs honda uses to attach the side pannels to the bike. I looked at 8 different alps before I bought mine and all of them had broken mounting pegs - nothing that can't be fixed with a carufully drilled hole or two and some plastic tie straps but a bit naff nonetheless.

**Julio** · #6 21 May 2003

Hi madeofale

Give old ernie a ring at Overland Solutions re your problem with the panels as I know he's in the process of making kits, for the F650 gs to change all the Star type bolts back to allen key styles which don't round easily. I'm sure he could sort out your issues.

Cheers

Julio

**Tony Robson** · #7 21 May 2003

Quote:

Originally posted by madeofale:
The only BIG gripe I have is the plastic pegs honda uses to attach the side pannels to the bike. I looked at 8 different alps before I bought mine and all of them had broken mounting pegs - nothing that can't be fixed with a carufully drilled hole or two and some plastic tie straps but a bit naff nonetheless.

I don't know how the Honda ones work but take a look at:

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/ubb...ML/000214.html

even if I do say so myself.

[This message has been edited by Tony Robson (edited 21 May 2003).]

**madeofale** · #8 21 May 2003

Wow - that's what I would call the definitive solution to the plastic mounting peg problem. This site is a right alladin's cave...

My solution - or rather the one employed by my bikes previous owner and followed studiously by myself - was to drill small holes in the plastic and attach the panels to the frame with plastic ties. You can get a bag of 500 at ome Depot for £1.79 ... Efficient if ugly and hardly worthy of a multi-photo step by step series!

**Tony Robson** · #9 21 May 2003

Thought about doing things like that but I wanted something a little more substantial and longer lasting... maybe i just like playing with tools (?!?)

**transalper** · #10 22 May 2003

"two up is asking a bit much of the bike and you may find yourself struggling to pass milk wagons."

Our 650 TA can easily top the ton two up and fully loaded... ridden through Germany a couple of times at these speeds... well, you need to on the autobahn don't you? ;-)

Great bike, plenty of power for the real world.
See our little site at http://transalp.dyndns.org

David