This is a British Haynes Manual. It goes to a level of detail that we don't often see on this side of the pond. It's an education in motorcycle maintenance, repair and storage. The text is good. The pictures are excellent. Every section is profusely illustrated, often in color. After you read it you will not only be able to keep a Transalp on the road, but you will be confident that you can rebuild it.
Model Development: Honda designed the Transalp right the first time. It took 4 years to replace the drum at the back with a disk, 10 years to add twin disks and Brembos on the front and 13 to add 50 cc to the engine. Changes by model and year for the Transalp and the Africa Twin.
Specs: Dimensions and Weights by Model and Year.
Pre-Ride Checks: 5 pages. The pictures show you where all the caps, reservoirs and wear indicators are hiding.
Maintenance: 28 pages including the clever bits that don't follow a schedule. Every procedure includes pictures of what is unclear in the text.
Repairs and Overhaul: Broken down by Engine, Transmission and Associated Systems, Chassis Components and Electrical System. There are 20 pages of wiring diagrams, in color.
Reference Section: Tools and Workshop Tips, Security, Lubricants and Fluids, Conversion Factors, MOT Test Checks, Storage, Fault Finding, Fault Finding Equipment, Technical Terms Explained. Every section is appropriately illustrated. Do you know what a cable oiling clamp looks like? Would you ever think of using a sink of boiling water to aid bearing removal? These are clever people. The MOT Test Checks would make an excellent pre-purchase checklist.
This is a repair manual that you will read like a novel. The only downside to this book is that you will wish that Honda had continued to import the Transalp after 1989.
If you own a TA, buy this book.
If you want to own a TA, buy this book.