Africa Twin owners and wannabes thread

**famous.spoon** · 29th March 2011, 21:18

Hey guys sorry to interupt a thread by being a new guy, but i am trying to find more info on the AT750 the UNDERGROUND was showing images of, i really wana build one and trying to gather info and pics of what was done how it was done and parts used. trying to search web but only coming back with few images. also i know i am a few years out but hey cant hurt to try lol. thanks guys

Famous.spoon from UK

**thepom** · 30th March 2011, 05:27

Try these for all your needs and the e bay search is great...

http://www.xrv.org.uk/forums/africa-twin/

**Underground** · 1st April 2011, 10:52

Fill ya boots up on this one http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=50630

**warewolf** · 2nd April 2011, 23:39

Originally Posted by buggsubique

Nothing goes to plan, so after stripping the swing arm and rear cush off the bike it turns out no one stocks the needle bearings I need (17.5x24.5x22). Jumped on the iNet to scattergun some queries out by email so will wait to see if I get some replies next week. Bloody expensive too - $US 20 odd a piece from www.bikebandit.com...which is still cheaper than my German and Netherlands options.

So anyone know anyone who knows anyone? Next step if a negative from NZ bearing supplies will be to go through one of the Honda dealers, no doubt ex Japan.

My local bearing guru mate has finally landed the job of his dreams with NSK in AKL. PM me a list of dimensions, bearing part numbers, Honda part numbers, and qtys. His parts books sometimes have OEM KTM part numbers as it does for cars & trucks & industrial stuff.

Go straight to a bearing/engineering specialist for the best range and price, as a first option at least. I still get some from KTM if it's quick & reasonably cost effective and/or possibly unique to KTM, but I can get stuff off the shelf from my mate for $35 instead of $235 and a 6 week wait from KTM... exact same part too, not a substituted/near-enough one. Scary markups! That's the cush drive bearing on the LC4.

Unfortunately though, it sounds like the .5 bearings are a custom item for Honda. KTM's lower shock mount bearing is like that, totally radical dimensions and not available on the open market. Something like $135 when it'd be $25 if not unique.

The guy who started this company is a motorcyclist: http://www.aucklandbearings.co.nz/. He's a mate of Greg Power and did discounts for motorcyclists.

These guys do a lot of KTM OEM stuff, the Nelson branch has a couple of keen motorcyclists and did me sub-retail pricing: http://www.skf.com/portal/skf/home, and in particular the Product Data. The chap there rides a road bike, gets about 10,000km per tyre and fits new wheel bearings every second tyre

When I said my Triumph Trophy had 175,000km on the original bearings he just laughed.

Although there's lots of info on the web, the specialists have more, and can find & get stuff that doesn't appear online. So it is worth firing off an email or two, or making some phone calls.

Info on needle jet problem: Factory Pro. Top service and top product.

**NordieBoy** · 3rd April 2011, 07:22

Originally Posted by warewolf

The chap there rides a road bike, gets about 10,000km per tyre and fits new wheel bearings every second tyre

When I said my Triumph Trophy had 175,000km on the original bearings he just laughed.

Dosn't trust his own product then?

I don't even try getting bearings from anywhere else. "The Front Shop" is the first stop.

**Woodman** · 3rd April 2011, 09:10

The guy who started this company is a motorcyclist: http://www.aucklandbearings.co.nz/. He's a mate of Greg Power and did discounts for motorcyclists.

I can vouch for auckland bearings. They always seem to have the really weird bearings that no one else has. Very very good ,I now just ring them first.

**marks** · 3rd April 2011, 10:10

Originally Posted by warewolf

but I can get stuff off the shelf from my mate for $35 instead of $235 and a 6 week wait from KTM... exact same part too, not a substituted/near-enough one. Scary markups! That's the cush drive bearing on the LC4.

seeing I'm about to walk out to the shed and replace the KLR's cush drive bearing (for the thrid time) I can choose between an all-balls kit of 3 bearings for $20 or a single nachi bearing at $12 (which I'm going to try this time) and not be ass raped to the tune of $235

if the nachi doesn't last I'll give these guys you are recommending a call

**Underground** · 3rd April 2011, 10:48

Interesting WW, might have a talk with you as I'm trying to fit the ktm tripples to the Dommie at the moment and dont want to have to turn the shaft down too much if I can find the right size bearings.
Those special Honda size needle rollers in the AT linkage are a shit , I'm up for a set of the same size for the Dommie as well.
The other special on the AT is in the cush drive which I standardised when I had it re-bushed...dont know why they have just a few special sizes when all else is standard.

**buggsubique** · 1st May 2011, 16:05

well I've only had a couple of weekends at home over the last couple of months so with a whole weekend this weekend, all week and all next weekend as well I thought I'd make a run for it and finally got the bike back together. Sorted out the cush, smashed the remainder of the needle cases out with a socket head, pressed the new ones in with the vice and said socket head socket and threw it all back together this morning. Only problem was a couple of bearing seals I picked up which are a mm too big on the lowest cush arm pivot so I'll pick up a couple of new ones and replace them and the collar (reused old) in the meantime. That's not a biggie though.

Didn't f*ck around with standardising the needles as BTS Taranaki sourced em in a day or so for normal prices. Highly recommend that place, the guy was dropping me emails back well after hours with updates etc etc. Always hard to go past great service.

So only 3 weeks of hell left in Waiouru then I'm back in Wellingtown and keen to ride.

Still have to rebuild the front rim but will save that for when the weather really craps itself.

Cheers, Buggs

**Underground** · 3rd May 2011, 22:59

Good stuff Buggs, you'll notice a big difference on the corrogations if those linkage bearings were flogged out .
I'd like the part numbers of those needles and seals so I can scource them locally.
Did you replace the inner sleeves ? some of mine were smashed and not easy or cheap to obtain.

**buggsubique** · 4th May 2011, 19:03

yeah I did replace a couple of the sleeves (collars). I think they might have been 20 or so bucks a piece. To be honest they were in pretty good nick, as were the bearings. I'll PM you the part numbers / dimensions. These are the two sites I use to import. THe second one is good as it lists the common parts with other models - eg some XRV stuff is the same as some CBR parts. The seals are difficult and I need to see if my naki man can get some.

Best for Price

Shows other common parts

Actually, as an aside, I'm toying with the idea of selling the Africa to go back to a trail-biased ride. I'm thinking about modding up an XR 650 to better match my offroad needs without worrying about dropping the bike in gnarly stuff.

**buggsubique** · 21st July 2011, 22:09

This is the angriest Africa I have ever seen...

**dino3310** · 21st July 2011, 22:39

Originally Posted by buggsubique

Actually, as an aside, I'm toying with the idea of selling the Africa to go back to a trail-biased ride. I'm thinking about modding up an XR 650 to better match my offroad needs without worrying about dropping the bike in gnarly stuff.

Look out Cnut

**pampa** · 25th July 2011, 20:33

INTRO, is looking that some snippets may be appropriate on the DR big threads

... funny bit when they say about dr big, they were bit shite 20 years ago