Found my next project bike! 1990 Honda Transalp

[VanRiver]

I need to stay away from Craigslist! Found and bought my next "project" a few days ago. The poor girl was dying a slow death in the Hot Hot Arizona sun. She has been parked in the previous owner's backyard for the last 13 years and hasn't moved since 2005. The previous owner had a flat tire at high speed on the bike back in 2005....scared him so much that he parked it and never rode it again.....and never even put a tarp over her to protect it from the killer Arizona sun and monsoons!

 

She is a 1990 Honda Transalp with 23,000 miles on the clock. A rather rare bird here in North America as they only were sold in the USA for 2 years (1989 and 1990)..only 1 year in Canada I believe. To be honest, I have never personally seen one on the road in the wild before.....but they are more common over in Europe where they were even used as police bikes. I guess you could call this bike the Great Grandmother of the new Honda Africa Twin.

 

I actually had a Honda dealer propaganda poster of this bike hanging on my bedroom wall back when I was in Highschool....a teenage dream bike for me. So mark another dream bike off my motorcycle bucket list as she has officially joined the herd.

 

Let the restoration begin!!!!! Lots of work to get this one back on the road......but the type of work I really enjoy!

 

Here are some "Crime scene photos" of the poor girl sitting neglected in the previous owner's backyard before I saved it! Such a shame, but from this day forward her life will change, including always being stored in a garage.

 

 

 

She already looks happier in her new home Garage!!! Now I just need to recruit the help of my buddy and professional motorcycle namer @cowpuc to giver her an official name. But that will have to wait until he gets back from California. "She" will have to wait!

 

[Freebird]

Cool old bike. Should be a fun project.

[luvmy40]

Let the Spending( and wrenching) commence!

 

Keep us posted!

[BlueSky]

Seems parts would be scarce but it definitely is a cool bike! What size engine does it have? Never mind. I just googled and found out more about it, 600cc.

Edited August 1, 2018 by BlueSky

[RandyR]

Great project bike. She should make a great rider when restored.

[Patch]

The last Venture I work on took a couple of weeks to get to a safe riding point.

Remember well saying "man this is a big bike to work over and around" all the freaking other side, other end..

 

Will be nice to work on a unit you can actually reach over.

 

Enjoy the project

[RedRider]

OOOhhh, nice. 600CC engine IIRC. Shares this engine with a few other models so engine/driveline parts should be fairly easy to source. Bodywork? That will be a little more difficult to find stateside. Seen some parts for sale on ADVRider for the old TransAlps.

 

Good find. Had I found that, it would be in my shop, for sure.

 

RR

[tz89]

Great bikes. I tried to find one a few years ago. Keep us posted.

[VanRiver]

Finally found some time to head back to Phoenix where my Honda Transalp project has been patiently waiting for me.

 

Frame painted, Motor painted, new tires, new chain, lots of plastic prep and paint. This basket case that was left for dead in the desert is slowly coming back to life!

 

Yes, I'm breaking the cardinal rule of restoration....I'm changing the color from the "Fighting Honda Red" to the classic "Honda Red, White, and Blue" which matches the Honda Promo poster I had in my room when I was a kid dreaming of someday owning this mighty enduro back in the 1980's!

 

This is what she looks like after the latest wrench turning vacation:

 

 

Here is what I'm hoping she will look like once I finished.....a boy can dream!

[RedRider]

 

 

That is coming along beautifully.

 

RR

[Patch]

Wondering if you chose to strip the panels then repaint?

I have found 2 or 3 additional clear coats go a long way in protecting the base color and finish; easy to touch up or buff out abrasions from add-on's (tank bags....) You can also mix a touch of flake in the first additional coat which will catch the sun and step her out of the crowed a bit yet be barely noticeable up close. Very easy step to do..

Was there much drive line work needed?

I like the tread you chose, tough tough choice. They can be tricky when hot above 60 mph but certainly a versatile choice for enduro's.

You're missing some nice weather here Calgary. Hope you're back before the deep chills pass or risk loosing your Canadian fur and mutating into a SnowBird;)

[cowpuc]

WOWZY WOW WOW WOW,, no idea how I missed this Riv but :scared:WOWZY WOW WOW WOW,, she's Ia dandy and ya got her looking dandier !! GREAT FIND IMHO!!!

If you still havent named that sweetheart yet PLEASE let me know and I will put on the ole thinkin cap... It maybe old but I betcha we can come up with something honorable for that gem!!!

[VanRiver]

Hi @Steven G,

 

I'm back to snowy Calgary

 

Yes I prepped the Plastic as well as I could, striping, sanding, filling, and application of all the hard core plastic primer and plastic adhesion products I could find over the counter. Sounds like you know how hard it is to make paint stick to plastic! The plastic on this bike had a very rough life of sun damage and some pretty big scrapes and scars. Unfortunalty buying used panels is a rather difficult and expensive venture for this old bike, so I decided to make the best with the old ones. She will never be a beauty queen, but at least if I take her out in the desert and take a spill no tears will be shed if a panel gets scratched. Thanks for the heads up on the clear coats! I did go for the standard white paint (no flake) as it it is easier to repair/touch up in the future as well as I'm no pro painter to be honest.....just a hack who thinks he can use a paint gun and/or rattle can. But I agree, a shiny flake paintjob glistening in the Arizon sun always looks awesome!!!

 

As for driveline, she was in really good shape! All is running A-OK now after some new CDI packs and general maintenance, but I will be doing a carb clean/rebuild as she was sitting alone and unloved for a very long time with gas in her. The Previous owner had a highspeed flat tire incident on her that scared him so much that he parked it in his back yard and just walked away never riding her again for years until I bought it.

 

I agree, tires were a tough choice. I'm not the dirt rider I used to be (too old and crippled now) so I opted for more of a street tred, but enough that if I want to take a rip off road she will be ready!

 

Thanks for your interest and comments on the Bike! Maybe we can hookup for a ride and icecream this summer in Calgary when all the white stuff is gone! I will never lose my "Canadian fur". Ha HA!

 

Wondering if you chose to strip the panels then repaint?

I have found 2 or 3 additional clear coats go a long way in protecting the base color and finish; easy to touch up or buff out abrasions from add-on's (tank bags....) You can also mix a touch of flake in the first additional coat which will catch the sun and step her out of the crowed a bit yet be barely noticeable up close. Very easy step to do..

Was there much drive line work needed?

I like the tread you chose, tough tough choice. They can be tricky when hot above 60 mph but certainly a versatile choice for enduro's.

You're missing some nice weather here Calgary. Hope you're back before the deep chills pass or risk loosing your Canadian fur and mutating into a SnowBird;)

[VanRiver]

Hey cowpuc so nice to hear from you!!!!

 

It would be a total honour and privledge for me if you could name my 1990 Honda XL600V Transalp! You are a bike naming ledgend, and I always think of you brother when I hop on "AZZI" and "FiFi" the other 2 bikes that you provided names for. I'm sorry I neglected to get your advice with the naming of my last 2005 BMW K1200LT aquisition. I named her "Goldilocks"(because she is gold) which is rather uncreative compared to your excellent names, and I don't think the bike likes the name either! So if you have a better suggestion for the Beemer as well I'm all ears!!!!

 

Here is a pic of FiFi and "Goldilocks" making friends in the Garage. AZZI is under the cover taking a winter nap. Other members must think I'm crazy talking about my bikes like this!!! Ha Ha!

 

Thanks Buddy and Have a very Merry Christmas too!!!

 

WOWZY WOW WOW WOW,, no idea how I missed this Riv but :scared:WOWZY WOW WOW WOW,, she's Ia dandy and ya got her looking dandier !! GREAT FIND IMHO!!!

If you still havent named that sweetheart yet PLEASE let me know and I will put on the ole thinkin cap... It maybe old but I betcha we can come up with something honorable for that gem!!!

[CaseyJ955]

Loving that project, it's a bike that may always have a following. A real classic anymore.

 

Solid choice, keep us posted on progress!

[Patch]

Well I live on the South side of the street so no snow for me;) true I pay for this come July August.

 

Assuming you base coated then cleared over, you will still realize the advantage of adding extra clear coats.

 

For panels that factory finish has been completely removed, House of Colors has the best binder I have experienced and reasonably priced.

 

Sounds like a Cochrane ice cream plan then a Bragg Creek coffee or visa versa..

Till Then Cheers

[RLM]

Looks like a fun project happy wrenching