[SpudRider]

Originally Posted by FastDoc

I decided to design my own oil cooler.

I love it Spud!

I was going to suggest a fender-ectomy or fender-otomy. Maybe a wide opening with a screen or mesh of some sort to keep rocks from breaking an oil line. Maybe a 'dry' and 'wet' season fender? Nothing wrong with running a full fender in the wet season as it's by it's very nature going to be cool enough AND even with reduced airflow to the cooler it will not be any worse than stock.

It stinks Honda cheaped out on this longevity increasing feature.

My 1996 XR250L did not have a cooler and cracked the head at 25,000 miles, I think due to overheating. I frequently ran that poor thing at 65-80 MPH on the San Francisco Bay Area freeways all year long...

Thanks for the good tips regarding "winter" and "summer" front fenders, Doc. Indeed, I plan to install wire mesh over the holes in the front fender, as shown in the photograph below.



Can anyone recommend a good size wire mesh, and a good place to purchase it? I guess I will start looking at the local ranch supply stores, Home Depot, and Lowes for suitable material.

I didn't research when Honda implemented the oil cooler for the XR250R. I assumed Honda added the oil cooler in later models, but I guess Honda eliminated the oil cooler for the later models, as a cost cutting measure. :roll: Hondas are still good motorcycles, but "Mother Honda" makes a lot of decisions that way.

XR650L engines will drop valve seats when they get too hot. 8O I'm hoping my oil cooler will allow me to gear up my XR650L, and make some freeway runs at high rpms later this year, without fear of toasting the engine. I am adding a Trail Tech TTO Temperature Gauge to my oil line so I can constantly monitor oil temperatures.

Spud