Transalp (or similar) wanted

[warewolf]

1 ex rental 2002 for $8495 from Thunderbike powersports www.thunderbike.co.nz
Doesn't say the mileage but these are very well serviced and if you're not going to be using it allthe time a higher mileage one is probably OK

Local to me. I'm sure I've walked past the bike a few times in the last month!

Rental bikes are often serviced ahead of schedule, for two reasons: to avoid a service falling due while a customer has the bike out, and to give the bike the 'once over' when it comes back in. Rental bikes aren't necessarily high mileage, either. They have a lot more downtime than hire cars.

[upshift]

The mileage (er, umm? - do you guys say 'kilometerage', or summin' else?) is very low for the year. A bit pricey for an '01 though.

Hi Keith, no there is no equivalent term for "mileage", the usual term here would be to say "the kilometres are very low for the year" Or, (and more commonly used in speech), "the k's are very low". The word "clicks" is sometimes used as well but mostly refers to km/h, "I was doing 160 clicks down the motoway" What can be a bit confusing is that some people, mostly dealers, will advertise a vehicle as "90 k" or even and very incorrectly, "90 km" when they mean 90,000 kilometres. And, of course we speak English here, not American, so it is "kilometres", not "kilometers"

cheers, Neil

[upshift]

and yes, it is actually very common (perhaps even more usual) to still use the term mileage anyway despite it being km.

[Keith the Pom]

Thanks for the explanations Neil, I'm a little wiser now ...
... BUT - can anyone explain to me what the term 'JAFA' really means???????

[upshift]

haha, wonder where you heard that?. A term used by those who don't live in Auckland to refer to an Aucklander. I avoid using it myself but generally it's not taken with offence, short for "Just Another F*#king Aucklander"

[Keith the Pom]

Thanks Neil; again most enlightening. So it's really quite a 'naughty' acronym then, I'm shocked

I've misled meself for these last 9 months, into believing that 'JAFA' meant just wot the State Highway 2 safety campaign billboards say, e.g.

“Just Another Fatigued Aucklander” &
"Just Another Fatal Accident”?

thanks again

Keith

PS - Doh! And there was me figuring all the time that it could have really meant:
"Just Another F*#king Australian (or Aussie)"

[Keith the Pom]

PPS – Neil (et all), I’ve been doing some thinking [ouch!] since most of you went to bed, and whilst you’ve been asleep. NB - it’s still yesterday (Saturday) mid-afternoon at 3:13pm where I am, and the sun is high and shining brightly – a lovely late summer’s day in fact.

Hope you don’t take any offence whatsoever from my little jibe above; there was none intended. I’m still trying to gauge the Kiwi sense of humour, and I might have got it wrong. Brit [friendly]sarcasm could be different from yours.

I’m very aware that I’m just a newbie here – and I don’t want to mess up ...well not too early, anyways!

Now then, finally … y’all sleep tight down there, y’hear!

Regards

Keith the Pom

[PPS - G'nite John-boy]

[fazer]

Had a look at the Transalp at Hastings, looked ok, no apparent scrapes or dents, did think 10 thou a bit much for year tho.

[Keith the Pom]

Thanx for this effort fazer, I'm grateful.

On the strength of Ruralman's and Zukin's earlier recommendations I have today e-mailed an enquiry to Roger at Hastings Honda, specifically about this trannie + any others that might come into HH's stock between now and early/mid December.

Regards

Keith

[Ruralman]

Keith - please don't call them trannies - T/A for short is fine - that other word does have a couple of connotations I don't want anything to do with!!

Just out of interest Oldrider and I were at the Pissed Penguin rally at the weekend (great rally for those of you who missed it and we will post a report sometime this week I hope). One of the features of this rally is the afternoon group cruise rather than just sitting around once you arrive. John and I rode together and always parked the 2 T/A's together - they always attracted a heap of interest and lots of questions. People like the look of them but many had never seen one before or been aware of them - Honda could probably do more and sell more.
Interesting comment over heard by Oldrider and made by a german guy riding a GS1150 - someone asked him what those two bikes over there were (the 2 T/A's) - the german's comment was "those are the 2 most reliable bikes ever made!!" I hope he's right, only had mine about 8 months but like John I keep liking it more and more.

[Keith the Pom]

Ruralman - I gets yer drift! "T/A" it is then! Although I think you would do well to have a word with 'fazer' about all this (see his avatar )

Matters are progressing well on the ... eh-hem T/A front. I already have a few option. It all might mean quite a bit of travelling around both islands, viewing and checking-out all of these available options, but I am determined to nail down a deal before Christmas.

BTW, are accessories for T/As easy to get in NZ, or do you have to rely on imported stuff, via on-line transactions perhaps? I'm already looking to acquire a Bagster tank cover (see attached pic) upon which I can then mount my Bagster 'Athena' 15 Litre expandable ~~> 30 Litre tank bag. Would it be easier if I bought one of these covers up here before departure?

Thanks

Keith

PS - Can't wait for all this to happen. But there's just much to organise up here before the bird silver bird carries me off towards the setting sun on Wed-Nov-29.

[warewolf]

please don't call them trannies

You're on to a hiding to nothing there, methinks! They are known the world over as Trannies.

[XP@]

There was a thread on another board... where a guy was complaining about the unreliability of his TA turns out he had ridden it for 30,000 miles and then his headlight had blown... a bit crap if you ask me... my F650 would have gone through at least 500 bucks of bits in that time...

Here, we have a really limited choice of accessories and other gear, so bring it over.

BTW, How much is the baglux?

[oldrider]

Here, we have a really limited choice of accessories and other gear, so bring it over.

Hi Keith the Pom, speaking of after market thingies for TransAlps, I raised the question on another thread, if anyone new of an MRA Vario-Tourer windshield fitted to a 2000 onward TransAlp?
I have had no replies at all and Bob tried to find out something for me with no real luck but he did find some sites for me to try.
I found lots of other bikes with successful fitting of the screens but no TransAlps!
As you are still in the UK, would it be too much trouble for you to make an enquiry?
MRA are at (www.mra.de) if you are interested, they have a great range of aftermarket screens.
I think I will just take a punt and buy one but they are not cheap, I can get it through Desmodromics in Auckland.
Looking forward to meeting you when you get out here and down South, it's good to hear from others who have found faith in the T/A. Cheers John.

[Keith the Pom]

Yo, John! Whassup?

Firstly, I notice from your archived pics that your existing T/A screen is not the original stock item. It’s an aftermarket product – right? I say this because of the flip feature, which surely cannot be standard.

Incidentally, I have an aftermarket flip-top screen on my ST1300, and wouldn’t change back to the original stocker for anything. The flip really does re-direct the airflow right over the top of your lid, thus cutting down the windblast noise by at least 50%.

The site URL you posted above links to a German m/c windshield distributor. Moreover, I cannot get this site to quote in GBP £s sterling, or any other darn currency for that matter! So with the inevitable hassle of paying for the goods in € Euros, plus shipping from Deutschland to Blighty, I think that MRA are, IMHO, a complete waste of space.

Better to go here and deal with a Brit firm. As you can see, they retail flip screens for the T/A, at a cost of GBP £39.95, which converts to NZD $113.47.

Secondly, turning now to the question of a tank cover + tank bag. I must say that I wouldn’t want to be without either of these very useful accessories. Cuz you get full damage protection for the tank, and the custom-fitting tank bag that fastens on top can carry up to > 30 – 35 litres of extra baggage. Looks real cool too - see my attched pics below showing the set-up with the bag fully expanded.

There’s a new one going for auction on ebay right now from a seller who coincidentally lives just down the road from me. As you can see he’s asking GBP £55, or NZD $156.

Otherwise, full retail Bagster tank covers & bags are eazy-peazy to acquire up here. The costings are around GBP £75 (NZD $213) for each item. I simply order on-line or telephone instruct Baglux-Bagster UK today, and the items turn-up on my doorstep tomorrow.

Now John, watcha want me to bring down for ya in a couple a months’ time mate?? Send me the list!

Regards

keith