My Recently Acquired, 2005 Honda XR650L

[FastDoc]

Bike looks good and the weather looks good too Spud! Enjoy the ride.

I'm scrubbing my planned visit to Missoula. Lots of snow and ice along 90. Can't fly due to low instrument conditions high winds and ice. My car won't go in that stuff, and my truck is too old.

Enjoy your weather! You have North Montana beat by a mile!

[SpudRider]

Originally Posted by JTCAndrew

I Think it looks good. In Fact I'm curious what the seat height on that bad boy? I Probably wouldn't be able to touch ground but I'd love to see how much power that baby has.....Sweet Ride......I like it!

Thank you, Andrew. The stock seat height for the XR650L is 37 inches. 8O I installed a 1.5-inch lowering link, and the bike is still tall for me, but manageable. :roll: The XR650L is definitely not a motorcycle for the "vertically challenged."

Spud

[SpudRider]

Originally Posted by Weldangrind

I think that header needs to be polished, but I have a compulsion when it comes to polishing metals. ...

Brother Derryk, I installed the stainless steel header to avoid extra cleaning.

Originally Posted by Weldangrind

...It never occurred to me to read performance by header colour.

I learned this technique while choosing the proper carburetor jets for my Zong. My XT225 header would not turn golden in color until I leaned the main jet to the proper size. If the exhaust header turns bright blue, your engine is running too lean.

Spud

[SpudRider]

Originally Posted by FastDoc

Bike looks good and the weather looks good too Spud! Enjoy the ride.

I'm scrubbing my planned visit to Missoula. Lots of snow and ice along 90. Can't fly due to low instrument conditions high winds and ice. My car won't go in that stuff, and my truck is too old.

Enjoy your weather! You have North Montana beat by a mile!

Thank you, Brother Bill. Montana is beautiful, but I prefer to visit there in summer. Idaho gets plenty cold enough to suit me. :roll: I don't think I'll be moving to Montana; I hate winter. 8)



Spud

[dwholler]

Hi Spud.

I have a 1997 XR650L, which i am doing some of the mods you have done (or going to do). I have an IMS tank on the way and interested in getting a lowering link.

I find that my bike ran very lean as stock and often would overheat during hot weather. It would cause the throttle to spit and sputter in the lower rpm range. That's why I am trying these changes. (i am about 300ft above sea level)

rejetted my carb (richer to the next size bigger main jet than stock)
installed KN air filter. Hopefully this will solve my overheating issue.

Some advise.... if you ever pull off the carb to clean or jet make sure not to over tighten when you put the choke cable back on to the carb. I made this mistake and slightly overtightened the collar that holds the choke down to the carb, and the threads stripped on the choke collar nut. This is deceiving as the collar nut looks metal, but i think its some sort of hard plastic. So don't overtighten!

I also have a question for you regarding the lowering link that you installed. Did it come with bearings or did you have to use the stock ones? Did you need to have to do any other mods to the suspension other than adjusting the front shocks in the triple tree?

Oh by the way.. my sons zong sierra is still running! Have had it two years now and still running great! Best $1600 I have spent in a while.

thanks,

Dave

[SpudRider]

Originally Posted by dwholler

…I find that my bike ran very lean as stock and often would overheat during hot weather. It would cause the throttle to spit and sputter in the lower rpm range. That's why I am trying these changes. (i am about 300ft above sea level)

rejetted my carb (richer to the next size bigger main jet than stock)
installed KN air filter. Hopefully this will solve my overheating issue…

It’s good to hear from you again! I hope you are well, Dave. Indeed, these bikes run lean at sea level with the stock jets. However, the stock jets are working great for me at 4,600-9,000 feet above sea level.

Originally Posted by dwholler

…Some advise.... if you ever pull off the carb to clean or jet make sure not to over tighten when you put the choke cable back on to the carb. I made this mistake and slightly overtightened the collar that holds the choke down to the carb, and the threads stripped on the choke collar nut. This is deceiving as the collar nut looks metal, but i think its some sort of hard plastic. So don't overtighten!…

Thanks for the warning, Dave.

Originally Posted by dwholler

…I also have a question for you regarding the lowering link that you installed. Did it come with bearings or did you have to use the stock ones? Did you need to have to do any other mods to the suspension other than adjusting the front shocks in the triple tree?…

I installed a Performance Design lowering link, and I like it very much! This lowering link comes with bushings, and grease zerks. The manufacturer claims his bushings are superior to needle bearings, and I am inclined to agree with him. This link lowered my bike about 1.5-inches. I did not make any other modifications to the suspension other than raising the forks 1-inch in the triple tree.

Originally Posted by dwholler

…Oh by the way.. my sons zong sierra is still running! Have had it two years now and still running great! Best $1600 I have spent in a while.

thanks,

Dave

You’re welcome, Dave. The Zong is a great little bike! I’m glad your son is enjoying his motorcycle.

Spud

[dwholler]

Thanks Spud

I finished my mods to my XR today and took small spin around town. It was a beautiful day here today in jersey.

I ordered the lowering link and it came in friday. Nice quality built item from
Performance Design. Next weekend will try to get the link installed.


Here is a pic of my 97 XR650L today, after I installed my IMS tank.

[SpudRider]

That is a nice looking bike, Dave. Since your family owns both an XR650L, and a Zong, it is obvious you are an intelligent man who also possesses good taste!

When I installed my Performance Design lowering link, I had a busy friend come over to help me. I wanted to make sure we got the job done as quickly as possible, and I did not want to forget anything; therefore, I wrote up some instructions to follow beforehand. I posted the instructions at the following link; perhaps you will find them helpful.

http://www.thumpertalk.com/forum/sho...d.php?t=937403

Spud

[JTCAndrew]

Nice XR Dave - That seat height actually looks low enough for someone my size! LOL I'm 5'4. I Had taken about 3" of FOAM out from underneather the cover of my "q" which really really helped out with feeling comfortable with touching the ground. I think in a couple of years I'll probably be looking for an KLX250 or a Honda like yours - Thats sweet. Thanks for sharing your picture.....Andrew

[JTCAndrew]

Nice write-up Spud - I'm your documentation will help others. Great Job!

[SpudRider]

Originally Posted by JTCAndrew

Nice write-up Spud - I'm your documentation will help others. Great Job!

Thank you, Andrew.

Spud

[dwholler]

thanks guys... It has been some work, but its coming along nicely.

Spud thanks for the directions! I'm sure they will help me out immensely.

Here is a pic of the bike when i purchased it two years ago with 8000 miles on it. (it has 10,000 on it now)

[Weldangrind]

That's a nice looking bike, dwholler. 8) That new tank makes all the difference.

[SpudRider]

Originally Posted by Weldangrind

That's a nice looking bike, dwholler. 8) That new tank makes all the difference.

Indeed, the XR650L looks much better without the "elephant ears" serving as air scoops.

Spud

[SpudRider]

Some of the lower trails in the mountains are becoming accessible as the snow melts in Idaho! I am discovering the XR650L is very capable in off road riding.















Spud