Honda XL600V Transalp, XL650V Transalp, XRV750 Africa Twin 2002 Service Manual – OEM Factory Specs

If you are cracking open the engine on a Transalp or Africa Twin, you either have the factory book or you’re guessing. Guessing costs you time and parts. This Honda XL600V Transalp, XL650V Transalp, XRV750 Africa Twin 2002 Service Manual (291 pages) gives you the actual specs used on the assembly line. No aftermarket shortcuts, no rewritten junk from someone who never touched a bike. I’ve been turning wrenches for 28 years, and I’ve seen what happens when someone uses a third-party manual for a valve adjustment on an XRV750 – bent pushrods, stripped threads, hours wasted. Don’t be that guy.

Engine Overhaul Coverage – What’s Inside Chapter 2

Chapter 2 of this manual covers the engine, clutch, and transmission. That is the heart of these bikes. The manual walks you through removing the cylinder head, inspecting the valvetrain, and torqueing the cam holder bolts to the factory spec. Need the oil pump clearance? It is listed in the specifications at the start of the chapter. I tell every home garage guy: if you skip the torque sequence on the Transalp’s head bolts, you are buying a new gasket and possibly a warped head. This manual does not let you guess – page 26 shows the exact tightening pattern and values for the XL600V and XL650V.

Cooling System: Factory Procedures for the Radiator and Thermostat

Chapter 3 is the cooling system. On the Africa Twin, the radiator is tucked tight, and removing it wrong bends the fins. This manual shows the step-by-step removal and installation, including the hose routing so you don’t cross-thread the thermostat housing. The coolant capacity is given in Imperial units. If you are flushing the system on a 1998 XRV750, you need the bleed procedure on page 3–8 – not something you find in a generic download.

Does This Manual Cover the Fuel System and Ignition?

Chapters 4 and 5 cover fuel/exhaust and ignition. The carburetor tuning specs for the XL600V Transalp are there – float height, pilot screw settings, and vacuum sync procedure. For the XL650V, the manual includes the different jetting used after 2000. The ignition system chapter gives you the pulse generator resistance values and the CDI pinouts. If you are chasing a no-spark on an Africa Twin, you can trace the wiring through the diagrams in Chapter 9 – but the diagnosis starts with the ignition tester specs in Chapter 5.

291 Pages of OEM Data – Why Aftermarket Manuals Fall Short

This manual was published by Haynes in 2002 under license from Honda. It is not a photocopy of a pirated PDF. Every page number referenced – like page 0•16 for the pre-ride checks – matches the original print layout. The wiring diagrams in Chapter 9 (page 9•34) are full-color and labeled. I tell my apprentices: if you use a reprint manual, the torque values might be for a different year. This one covers the entire production run from 1987 to 2002 for the Africa Twin and Transalp. Compare that to the aftermarket CDs that cut out half the chassis section.

Suspension, Brakes, and Electrical: The Full Chassis and Wiring Breakdown

Chapter 6 deals with frame, suspension, and final drive. Need to rebuild the forks on a 1990 Africa Twin? The manual shows the oil volume and air gap spec. Chapter 7 is brakes, wheels, and tyres – including the brake pad replacement sequence for the linked braking system on later models. Chapter 8 – bodywork – includes the fairing removal for the XRV750. And the electrical system (Chapter 9) covers everything from the starter relay to the turn signal flasher. The suspension section in Chapter 6 gives the shock removal procedure without the usual Haynes ambiguity.

Why is this manual better than a generic CD-ROM that claims to cover the same bikes?

Because a generic CD-ROM may only have one model year and miss the differences between the XL600V and XL650V. This manual was written specifically for these three models, with separate specs for each. The wiring diagrams are correct for the North American versions, not some European mix. OEM torque specs for the engine and chassis are printed in imperial units – no conversions needed. And the fault-finding section at the back (Reference section) covers the common issues with the vacuum-operated fuel petcock on the Africa Twin, which aftermarket manuals never mention.

Can I use this manual for my 1990 Africa Twin?

Yes – the manual covers XRV750 Africa Twin from 1990 to 2002.

You want to work on these bikes without pulling your hair out? Stop chasing specs on forums and get the real thing. Download the Factory Manual now from AutoRepairManuals and keep it on your tablet or print it for the shop. It beats paying a dealer $150 for a photocopy service bulletin.

Related manuals you might need: Honda VT600C 1998 Service Manual – Factory OEM Repair Guide, Honda VFR800/A 2002 Service Manual – OEM Factory Repair Guide, 1994 Honda Civic Service Manual OEM Factory Specs. For background on this bike family, see Automotive Industry Overview and Manual Transmission.