Honda Transalp - Fatal design flaw?

In this little ride and chat vlog style video I discuss the reason behind having to rebuild Alp's engine from the ground up. And is this a big design flaw of the first gen Honda Transalp or is it something you have to get used to as another quirk of owning and running a 30 year old motorcycle.
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[@RideWithAlex]

Made a mistake in the video, the transalp engine is a 52 degree V-twin with off set crank pins.

[@roy993]

Thank you for this crucial information. I am just in a process of buying a 1991 Transalp and I am learning everything possible about it. Cheers from Colombia!

[@RideWithAlex]

Glad it was helpful!

[@roy993]

Is there anything else that you recommend that I should pay attention to when checking a Transalp 1991?

[@RideWithAlex]

Compression test and leek down test and an oil pump test, these should be a must. I just taking it to a certified garage to do these tests before you buy.

[@roy993]

@@RideWithAlex Thank you!

[@chrissheets8209]

I know this is going to sound bad, but you are lucky that at least you are in Europe where the TransAlp was more popular and you could still find parts for the bike, my father and I were extremely lucky that we found three trans Alps and no the previous owners of our bikes here in the US but they were only imported for two years in 1989/90 until their recent reintroduction in 2023/24 here in the states. When I have tried to find pretty much any part for these things that is specific to the TA, I have very little luck, and usually the only option is trying to order from a European website, trying to figure out the exchange rate for the USD to the euro or whatever currency is used and then waiting 3 to 6 months for international shipping, which usually cost more than the part itself! I will say, though we have figured out that Corbin saddle still has the tooling and capability of making brand new seats for these things which are extremely comfortable as we were given two Corbin seats when we bought the bikes along with the stock seats, but again the cost for these is Extremely high ($900+ per seat plus shipping) just because it is not very popular and there is not much demand for them. So consider yourselves lucky over there in the European market because here in the states we do love these old girls, just struggle to find parts, and unfortunately, in the near future may have to make the hard decision. Is it worth riding them solely because if something happens, we cannot fix it.

[@RideWithAlex]

I feel the pain, it's kinda of like that with the TW200 here, I really like the bike but yamaha stopped selling them in Europe in 2000 and parts are getting rare and expensive. I still want one but I'm really struggling to find a way to make it worth it.

[@Crosshatch1212]

An on off tap would work bro .back cylinder runs cooler

[@rolacook222]

Yep, the older I get the more I like new technology, (generally speaking, kinda sorta, within reason, maybe)? The one thing I don’t like is “systems” starting anything?! “Systems” is trouble, (at some point as you experienced).🫤 Still, was interesting listening to your odyssey with the Transalp, (meaning time, aggravation & $$$$). Best, Rola (Oregon / USA)

[@vydwka]

Mersi de info. Se pare ca si TA de 650V 2001-2005 are aceeasi problema.

[@RideWithAlex]

De 650 nu stiam dar daca are acelasi sistem de vacum atunci da.

[@ManitouCat97]

are sistem de vacuum si TA 650, ba chiar se "bifurca" cu un stut in T si trage din ambele cilindre@@RideWithAlex edit: nu are robinet in schimb, are senzor electric de nivel in bord.

[@thatscrazy4487]

Super bine de stiut lectia asta ! Eu vreau sa imi iau un Transalp 600 ca prima motocicleta. Am vreo 1000 km experienta offroad prin padure cu un ebike de 15 Kw, dar ala are vreo 80-100 de Kg. intentionez sa explorez cat mai mult offroad prin tara cu Transalpul si sunt curios daca crezi ca e alegere buna sau ar trebui sa imi iau un dual sport gen Honda CRF 250L ? Pe mine ma incanta la Transalp ca pot lua pasager si bagaj, are sea confortabila, rezervor mai mare, viteza de autostrada buna si nu prea ma incanta greutatea mult mai mare decat ce sunt eu obisnuit si e mai greu de manevrat pe offroad. Am un prieten care isi ia o Aprilia Tourag 660 noua si trebuie sa ma si tin dupa el pe sosea cand plecam prin tara. Chiar sunt super curios daca ai avea o alta recomandare mai potrivita decat Transalpul. Mersi

[@RideWithAlex]

Incearca sa mergi pe un Transalp mai intai. Da tehnic prinde peste 130-140km/h dar sincer orice peste 100 mie nu mi-a placut de loc. Vibratiile motorului la peste 100km/h pentru mine cel putin sunt insuportabile. Intradevar ca si un vehicul de off-road e fenomenal dar ca si touring pe autostrada nu e. Transalpul e cel mai fericit la viteze de pana in 100km/h.

[@thatscrazy4487]

Cam ciudat asta. Sigur așa sunt toate sau se poate să fie de la anvelope, jante descentrate sau altceva? Că pe YT ii vezi pe ăștia că le duc la top speed și nu a zis nimeni de chestia asta.

[@RideWithAlex]

@@thatscrazy4487 vibrațiile sunt ale motorului. Pe personal ma deranjeaza vibrațiile foarte mult la orice motocicleta. Si ce mai uita lumea sa spuna este ca transalpul cu un singur disc pe fata, frână fata este o gluma proasta. Recomand daca iei macar cel de 600 facelift cu 2 discuri pe fata

[@thatscrazy4487]

Da, de asta cu frana zic câțiva, dar pe site-urile de specificații scrie 42 de metri de la 100 km/h și la altele tot așa scria, cel mai bine am văzut 38 de metri.

[@RideWithAlex]

@@thatscrazy4487 nu conteaza masurat in regim controlat. Conteaza pe strada. Iar pe strada feelingul franei e de parca strangi uj burete plus ca initial bite sa zic asa este 0 chiar trebuie sa strângi maneta aia bine si mereu aveam frica ca nu stiam cand se va bloca roata fata, nu aveam nici un fel de feeling in frana sa imi dau seama de aderenta rotii si cand urmeaza sa se blocheze. Comparând cu GS-ul pe care il am acum care e din 96 deci tot vechi diferenta e de la cer la pământ.

[@magneticvision999]

This guy is talking nonsense. There is no need to start a Transalp like he does. There is no design flaw in the Transalp, it's just a worn petcock membrane. Also, his rev counter isn't working, which probably means one of the the bike's CDI is faulty.

[@RideWithAlex]

Nope, it was the dash, that's why the Rev counter is not working. And I'm sorry the posibility of grenading your engine because of f-ing membrane is a design flaw, Honda should know better.

[@Crosshatch1212]

Yep I’d have to do this with my bandit 600 ,that had a rotten seal on it n dumped the petrol in the motor ,I then fixed it .I bhought a new one to rebuild as a flatracker that tank breather was blocked .yep it would do about 4 mile then dughhghgh ,oil in engine .no need to sniff pipe .lolthoudands off bikes run on this system bro .peace

[@metastas100]

Вечный мотор

[@yamomsballs]

So.... Don't leave your petcock on when you're not riding? I thought this was common sense.

[@RideWithAlex]

The honda manual said to put it on off only when you put in storage. As this at the time was my very first motorcycle I went with the manual word for word. Now, I know better :))

[@yamomsballs]

@@RideWithAlex I'd go with what old timers have been doing for years vs a manual lmao, glad you rebuilt her and kept her on the road instead of tossing her in the trash.

[@arnoldaszlt]

These motorcycles are buletproof.

[@RideWithAlex]

Myne certainly wasn't 😂