Tag Archives: travel

Transalp Transformation

So what happens here? We had a normal Transalp with the normal tank, someone we met in the endless Internet had an Africa Twin Tank installed but she didn´t really need it and on top of it her legs have been a bit toooooo long so she touched the tank with her knees, we decided to swop everything… A super Win/Win situation, everybody is happy! Life can be so easy sometimes!

 

Maintenance on our veranda – shocking noise and a pale looking Sascha

Two weeks ago after work we brought Kerstin’s Honda Transalp on to our veranda to work on our `to do list´: new brake lines, revision of the fork, new horn.

When we finished the fork revision and front break line it was nearly sunset and we decided to continue the next morning before we go for a test ride. The weather forecast was great, finally spring is coming and we were really looking forward to enjoy the most of the weekend driving. When Sascha was tightening the fork bridge there was suddenly this horrible sound: “KRACK!!!” and his face turned immediate pale. The fork bridge was spit in two pieces and the Torque Wrench which Kerstin lent from a colleague was lying unused in the living room… what to say?!? Sascha was telling me: `OK, we won´t get this part ever… from now on you have to sit behind me again´ and he was totally serious (no I was NOT, just totally fu…Up!!!).

Rotational he started to shout and running around like a headless cock. It was UNREAL! Few moments later he was in the internet and placed help calls all over. Thanks to the great community all around we managed to find a used fork bridge on Saturday noon and already Monday it arrived via DHL Express and we were able to fit it (This time Sascha used the Torque Wrench!!!). Hurray! I will not have to be a pillion again, hihi! The time in-between we couldn’t spend driving but we fixed the Steel Flex Break lines and I cleaned the bike in all corners and I got a new great sounding exhaust and a dog fighting horn (110dbz+ ;) – yeah, here I go now!

Two weeks ago we asked our neighbor to use his garage for 3-4 hours. The task list on Sascha’s AT was: fork oil change, Oil change etc… nearly finished he recognized… the steering bearing was totally wracked. Kerstin hopped in the car and picked one up at the nearest dealer – all went well in the end even though it took us 9-10 hours instead of the planned 3h.  puhh

Now we nearly finished most of the main tasks and knock on wood we hopefully not have much more surprises. Last weekend a big tank for Kerstin’s´ Transalp was scheduled – if everything goes well we will just swop it with somebody who wants her bike back to original and both sides will be happy… this appointment was one more reason needed the bike running again quickly. Cross fingers! In the near future we have to have a look at Kerstin´s boxes – the plan is to exchange the plastic Givi against some Aluminum cases… but we will see what we can find.

But this is another story which will follow soon…