Transalp owners - gearing changes

[Transalper]

Just out of interest what do you take with you to fix a flat tyre out in the wops?? What have you used and what worked/didn't. I usually take a repair kit,tools, levers etc with me on trail rides but its a big job on the side of a trail compared to some of those quick patch up kits - providing they work OK

I take the same kit on Trail rides and on Adventure Rides. In some ways an adventure in to the wops has less support than a trail ride where there is a couple of hundred other helpful (sometimes) hands circulating with you. In fact on the transalp i carry a couple more tools than i do on the CRF. For flats i carry a spare 19inch (fits either wheel if needed) tube, or two if i don't have PLUG or Lemans along (who also carry spares), and all the tyre leavers, spanners, pump etc needed to change a tyre or do basic matenance on the road. When i got my flat (my first ever adventure ride flat and by myself) at Lake Tennyson i never saw another person untill i was rolling again, and he might not have stopped (except he did check on me on his way out because he saw me from a distance on his way in and i was still there when he left an hour latter)

Oh yea, and i thought those quick patch up kits were for Tubless tyres only. If you get a flat with a tubed tyre then that tubes got to come out...wether you going to find the hole and fix it, or replace the tube. And finally don't pinch that sucker... especially if it's your only spare. Taking a kit like pushbikers use, with patches and glue as a extra backup as well as a tube is also a good idea. The XT with us on the Brass got a flat in the middle of no-where and we saw no one while there patching the hole. He had a small hole so just used a patch. My flat at the Lake was a 7cm tear so had to replace the tube.

[Ruralman]

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Oh yea, and i thought those quick patch up kits were for Tubless tyres only. If you get a flat with a tubed tyre then that tubes got to come out...wether you going to find the hole and fix it, or replace the tube. And finally don't pinch that sucker... especially if it's your only spare. Taking a kit like pushbikers use, with patches and glue as a extra backup as well as a tube is also a good idea. The XT with us on the Brass got a flat in the middle of no-where and we saw no one while there patching the hole. He had a small hole so just used a patch. My flat at the Lake was a 7cm tear so had to replace the tube.

I hadn't thought about that tube/tubeless thing. Jantar has one of those kits for his V Strom but its tubeless on alloy wheels - looks like I'll have to take tubes + tools on the Passes ride and hope I don't need them.
Had a vibration problem with my KDX which I eventually took to my local to get diagnosed 'cos I couldn't figure it out - turns out the tyre must have moved on the rim during one of the rides where I had the pressure a bit lower and the heavy duty tube got lumped up by the valve. They couldn't get any air in or out and wondered whether I'd put some of that goo stuff in the tube. The big lump of tube is enough to put the whole tyre out of balance and when you get some speed up the whole suspension would start to bounce and vibrate. At least its a cheap fix!!

[warewolf]

The Pirelli we looked at was going to be $340 and the Michelin $320 just for a rear.

That sounds like it must be the high-speed radial MT90 S/T - designed for the R11xxGS and the like. Is that the correct tyre for the Trannie? The 640 Adventure uses the more dirt-worthy MT90 A/T. $180 or something like that, and that's in the biggest size they make.

[Ruralman]

That sounds like it must be the high-speed radial MT90 S/T - designed for the R11xxGS and the like. Is that the correct tyre for the Trannie? The 640 Adventure uses the more dirt-worthy MT90 A/T. $180 or something like that, and that's in the biggest size they make.

I don't do dirt with my T/A (and don't you f'ing dare call them trannies!!!!) - I have a flying KDX for that stuff. I want the T/A for gravel raods and highways so the more roadie s/T looked to be the best tyre for my needs and would have hopefully given me a good mileage - but compared to the Mitas and Transalpers experience it looks rather overpriced. Maybe the A/T was worth a look - too late now, tyres ordered.
Do you know what mileage the A/T would do?

[oldrider]

I have just had a reply back from a Denise Adlington, LMS imports, advising they have agents in Christchurch and Dunedin>
I am off to Dunedin tomorrow so will call into McIver and Veitch's and get the low down on the Mitas tyres from them, hopefully.
The prices quoted for the Mitas is just too inviting for this old miser. Cheers John.
PS: I don't mind anyone calling my bike a "tranny" just don't show it any unwarranted disrespect! I my bike, John.

[oldrider]

Just goes to show that you need to look at both sprockets (and no I haven't checked my front one) - the key thing is the revs at certain speeds. What revs is your mates new T/A pulling at 100km/hr?

Ruralman,
Hot off the press: 100kph..4500rpm. 120kph..5500rpm. No opportunity for him to go higher apparently. (locked private roads are hard to find in Oamaru)
If his front sprocket is a 15 tooth that's 500rpm difference with one extra tooth on the back!
I am very happy about that for the low gear advantage and the little bit more lively feel to the bike on the road. (IMO).
I am definitely going to do another full/dry tank run too now. Curious, John.

[Ruralman]

Ruralman,
Hot off the press: 100kph..4500rpm. 120kph..5500rpm. No opportunity for him to go higher apparently. (locked private roads are hard to find in Oamaru)
If his front sprocket is a 15 tooth that's 500rpm difference with one extra tooth on the back!
I am very happy about that for the low gear advantage and the little bit more lively feel to the bike on the road. (IMO).
I am definitely going to do another full/dry tank run too now. Curious, John.

Thats great thanks John 'cos thats exactly the same as mine - I was beginning to wonder whether the previous owner had already geared it up.

[Ruralman]

I have just had a reply back from a Denise Adlington, LMS imports, advising they have agents in Christchurch and Dunedin>
I am off to Dunedin tomorrow so will call into McIver and Veitch's and get the low down on the Mitas tyres from them, hopefully.
The prices quoted for the Mitas is just too inviting for this old miser. Cheers John.
PS: I don't mind anyone calling my bike a "tranny" just don't show it any unwarranted disrespect! I my bike, John.

My local bike shop is the Kawasaki agent in Milton - he had never heard of the Mitas but followed up and is able to get them so your local agent should be able to do likewise.
Are you staying down in Dunedin? You could come out here and I could ride with you over the back roads past Lake Mahingerangi, Middlemarch etc on Sat morning - didn't take much notice of the weather forecast tonight, what's the weekend looking like?

[oldrider]

My local bike shop is the Kawasaki agent in Milton - he had never heard of the Mitas but followed up and is able to get them so your local agent should be able to do likewise.
Are you staying down in Dunedin? You could come out here and I could ride with you over the back roads past Lake Mahingerangi, Middlemarch etc on Sat morning - didn't take much notice of the weather forecast tonight, what's the weekend looking like?

Thanks for the invitation, I have sent you a PM. The weather is of no real consequence, you gets what you gets, nothing we can do about that.
I will have to go and put my bike back tidy ready to go, I was going to go in the car with her indoors she thinks your idea is a better one, so do I. Cheers John.

PS: Edit, do I go to South Otago/ Lawrence, pubs and just ask for "Ruralman from KB?" Been down this road before at the Moto Guzzy rally at Otematata, not a good look, Skyrider can testify to that, eh Bernie. I will ask at Milton bike shop!

[Beemer]

My husband has just put a Mitas E07 front on a friend's 1994 400 Transalp and found it very good in the rain over the Rimutakas. He was still scrubbing it in at the time but didn't have one slip on it, even while passing ZXR1400 Kwakas around the outside (skite!). Also good on gravel up the Turakina Valley enroute to the Cold Kiwi.

Incidentally, the 400 is pulling 6000 revs at 105kph. Now he wants one for himself, although he prefers the power of the 650 that he swapped with on the way home.

[Transalper]

Glad to hear it's not all in my imagination...how well the tyres do that is.

[Ruralman]

Glad to hear it's not all in my imagination...how well the tyres do that is.

when you had to fix your flat out in the wops did you have a centre stand on your bike - if not how did you get on?

[Transalper]

when you had to fix your flat out in the wops did you have a centre stand on your bike - if not how did you get on?

No centre stand, still no centre stand. From what i've heard they are a bit of an after thought design wise on Transalps. My one anyway. I looked at getting one but decided it was not worth the money.
I layed my bike on its side against a bank and wipped the wheel out. Actually got photos here somewhere...on other PC. Will post em latter.
It made the job a bit harder doing it by myself like that, brake pads and stuff are harder to line up when reinstalling the wheel when it's on it's side with no help. Then I just pushed it back up. I got crash bars so no extra scratches to the Fairing. Laying it against a bank meant I didn't have to pick it back up from absolute horizontal.

[oldrider]

Got a centre stand on mine, was on it when I got it. Bloody handy but bottoms out a bit on big stones and in river crossings!
Not very worried about that as I don't do it very much, perhaps with the new Mitas tyres??????? Who knows! John.

[oldrider]

My husband has just put a Mitas E07 front on a friend's 1994 400 Transalp and found it very good in the rain over the Rimutakas. He was still scrubbing it in at the time but didn't have one slip on it, even while passing ZXR1400 Kwakas around the outside (skite!). Also good on gravel up the Turakina Valley enroute to the Cold Kiwi.

Incidentally, the 400 is pulling 6000 revs at 105kph. Now he wants one for himself, although he prefers the power of the 650 that he swapped with on the way home.

Hi Beemer, thanks for the post re Andy's experience with the Mitas tyres.
I presume he knows the importer is in PNorth, so did he get the tyre from them? The reason that I ask is because I am not finding it easy to get them, even from their stated retail outlets!
I value Andy Carl and Owen's comments so am definitely going to get a Mitas on the back (it's due now) and give them a whirl.
I reckon Andy would have really enjoyed the ride I had Friday and Saturday with Ruralman, if he enjoys TransAlps, I am sure he would have enjoyed the ride home yesterday. Cheers John.