650 transalp weak spots
 

Hi not long got Transalp 650 with 26k on clock -no service history but has been well used. Any ideas on weak spots to check/replace/carry spare before month long trip in the summer.

No obvious problems so far except smoking a little from exhaust on start up, but once warmed not too bad. Done about 500 miles with liberal throttle use and doesn't seem to have used oil :thumbup1:. Suspension on the soft side but still handles well one up with no luggage. Will load her up and give test run with heavy luggage when weather picks up above 10 degrees consistently!

Appreciate any advice

Cheers

Hi,

Well smoke at the start usuarly means its burning oit but the transalp can do 200.000 easily anyway. Check chain and break pads and tires the transalp is known to be very long lasting so no weak points :D

Enjoy it http://afrikamotorrad.eu/?report=en_westkueste

http://afrikamotorrad.eu/small/westkueste_017.jpg

Cheers for advice Ta-rider.

No weak real spots that I can think of.. Very solid bikes.

There are a couple of things which have put some people off though.

Tank:

It's only about 18L and gives you less than 200 miles. There is no replacement available that I know about.

Suspension:

You can't lower this bike due to the linkage design. Well, you CAN but it's expensive and requires more than dog legs.

Rust:

The fasteners rust quickly quickly on this unless looked after.

Servicing:

It's unnecessarily complicated. Lots of bits have to come off to do routine maintenance. No worse than a V-strom, BMW etc though. On the plus side, the maintenance schedules are VERY long. Valves hardly EVER need adjusting.


Apart from these minor things its a VERY capable bike and I'd happily go RTW on one.

Did a lot of adventure miles on 400 and 600 TransAlps back in the 1990s. The 600s were built in Japan, the 650s I think in Italy or Spain and the build quality is lower.

The engine is excellent.

The plastics are very brittle (wrong type of plastic used). It cracks and breaks instead of bending like more modern plastics.

The brakes are poor.

The suspension is poor.

Ground clearance is low.

The weight is more than ideal.

If you buy a Transalp, you are buying it for the engine. Its quality Honda engineering. The rest of the bike is not great and there is very little you can do to fix those issues. Suspension could be remedied at considerable expense. Brakes and weight and plastics you are stuck with.

A good, inexpensive, solid, capable bike for asphalt and light gravel road work anywhere in the world. The relatively poor brakes and suspension are nevertheless surprisingly durable. The bike is a bit out of its depth on more tricky off road or 4WD tracks. It'll do the job for sure, its just hard work.

With regards to suspension I have found progressive springs for front and rear suspension. Do you thinks these are good enough mods or is replacement of forks and rear suspension unit a much better (although much costlier) option.

I am about to add goodridge braided hoses for front brakes (as you said they are weak). Model is '02 so original hoses are not great.

Cheers:taz:

I have a 2005 Transalp (650cc). The front suspension has never given me a problem and therefore I’m still running on the stockers. The Honda rear unit has definitely been an issue – i.e. bottoming-out over rougher ground, road humps, ditches, etc. – BUT in the main only when riding 2-up with a ton of luggage.

Ground clearance is not the best as colebatch (above) has rightly pointed out.

I have, therefore, recently replaced the whole rear shock with a progressive-spring Hyperpro unit, which has solved the problem. Not a cheap alternative though .. :(

Braided hoses are always a better option IMHO.
.

I've had a 600 TA for a few years now and I'd agree with pretty much everything that's already been said. Progressive springs in the front help quite a bit, as do braided hoses & genuine Honda pads. If your too tight (like me) to replace the entire rear shock, Hyperpro do a replacement progressive spring. It won't improve the suspension much but it does stop it bottoming so readily when two up and loaded. The best way to improve the mileage on the 650, if it's not already been done, is to remove the cat from the exhaust. Takes the mpg from high 30's to mid-50's-60. AFAIK the dreaded wheel rot doesn't afflict the 650.

They are great bikes, underrated because they don't excel at anything-apart from being as durable and as reliable as they come.
Enjoy...:thumbup1:

CAT removal
 

Cheers for info., but is this right? Removing CAT from exhaust increases MPG, I'd have thought it would do the opposite. If it is in fact better to remove the CAT will it still pass MOT on emissions?
Cheers
Steve

Hi Steve,

The thing is, the 650 engine was designed back in the 1980's before cats came along. Fitting one got it through the ever-tightening emissions regs but completely strangled the motor. Removing it, along with a couple of other mods lets it breathe properly and thus return more mpg.

Don't worry about the MOT, emissions aren't part of the test for bikes.

All the info here: Transalp

Re Transalp reliability.
 

I have a 04 xlv650 alp it has done near 150,000km with the only issues brake pads.. gear and chains every 60,000 tires every 40,000 an oil change every 10,000 the only repairs are a lead resoldered on the fuel tank sender. Main shaft drive which was probably bad when I bought the bike. two clutch cables nothing else.
The bike has been through the worst weather that Australia can throw at it.. over 40deg heat.. down to -4 the worst storms that we have had the bike has ridden through including 30cm hail. The bike is a work horse. it was bought as that and has been used as that. The bike has never let me down, it starts first time on time the original spark plugs were replaced at 100,000 and had been checked each service but never needed changing this was also the case when they were changed. Tappets and valves also checked and never had to be adjusted.
I am getting around 240km on 10 litres of fuel with total range just a tad under 360km with an 18 litre tank. To get that I have changed the drive train to a high ratio at 100km it is doing 4,200rpm I do not recommend going higher as you get into fourth at 160km.. 60km at 3,300rpg in top gear, If you want reliability in a bike. the Transalp configuration is certainly bullet proof I ride mine hard and soft. It is taken to the redline at least once an hour and is ridden every day in all weather as my daily ride. try getting that on yr Harly ever ridden.

Does the FI of a transalp 700 pose a real pb ?
 

dear bikers of transalp,
Riding currently a gtr 1400 kawa, I am about to buy a transalp which should be more convenient for a trip to Central asia. But which one ? a xlv 650 with carburators (but with no ABS, front tires of 21) ? a xlv 700 with FI (and ABS, front tires of 19) ?
I need some advices from those who are riding transalp 650 /700.
I am tempted to buy the XLV 700 because of the ABS. ABS served me well few times on my own bike. This is an added value for me. However I have read that the 650 should be more appropriate for such an adventure because of the lack of FI. No all posts share this view though.
I have read many posts on this point and I do not get the feeling that the FI poses a real pb even when riding in such countries.
Could you share your experience with me ?
Thanks a lot in advance.

I ride Suzuki DL650 (2006) with FI. I've been to Central Asia (Pamir mountains, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan etc..). We poured fuel into the tank from bottles, from cans and many other things that can hold fluids :) I didn't have any problems with FI during the trip. I had a problem with clogged fuel filter though. When I came back to Kazakhstan I fell with a totally empty fuel tank (I was going on vapours) and I think I got some dirt into the filter.

My fuel pump was making noise and I had to take it off, clean the filter and it is still going strong! :)

So don't worry about FI.

journey in Central asia
 

thanks a lot for the info.

By the way do you have any blog on your journey in Asia? I would be interested in readin it and know more about your trip...

Finally I bought a Transalp 650...

Stephane

Keep an eye on your output shaft, the splines have a tendancy to wear down.