Well, this might be the weekend I end up with a XL250. Pending… updates to follow!

Got the 1982 XL250R in the garage as of yesterday. Runs pretty well. Some updating and maintenance required…

Let’s see, pulled the (chinese aftermarket) carb… bike runs very rich and burbly at top end. a few things didn’t seem right on it, like a bent bracket and etc. main jet was 124 and I think is supposed to be 110. Talked to PO and he will bring me the original carb I think.

Ordered new air filter. The boot between carb and air box is super stiff and not wanting to mount correctly. Gonna try the wintergreen oil trick of getting the boot to soften up.

Bike is missing the bracket and cable for the auto compression release. I’m in the process of trying to get that sorted. 1982 is the unicorn year for these parts so may end up making my own.

Also ordered a battery.

That’s about it! Not finding anything majorly wrong with it so far. Gonna do some cleanup, oiling, waxing, oil changing, and basic maintenance and should have a decent mid size dual sport.

This bike is definitely running too rich, not lean. Plug is black. I got the new air filter yesterday and installed. Didn’t run it yet tho. But yeah, I figured the old one was super crusty (factory, as is the new one) so the new one should run leaner. I’ll try it today and if it’s still rich I’ll swap out the jet. I had a 118 jet in my jet collection and put that in. Will see how it does, but got a 110 in the mail this week too, and a battery.

Let’s see, replacing the tail light, over-all adjustment, tightening and maintenance and found a decompression cable and bracket on eBay so am bidding on that.

Mostly sorted and a test ride!

Been putting a few miles on the bike. 40 mile ride last weekend in the mountains, etc etc. got a small issue I’m fixing with the neutral light. The copper connection inside left cover was mangled, but I think I have the right part on its way.

My son rode the 72 Suzuki too and it also did well

Happy Thanksgiving all you crazies !

L

Same to ya, lands!

That's a good looking XL considering it's almost 40 years old! Did you have to do any engine work to it?

Got it from a semi local guy who I met through ADVRider. Umm, no major work. Had a stripped bolt in the valve cover but fixed that. A few valve cover oil leaks and got those fixed too. Carb was a Chinese knockoff and really new, but had wrong jets and one of the activation levers was bent so fixed those. Hmmm. Neutral safety switch didn’t work. Have a part ordered for that. Got a battery, air filter, and put on a new tail light. Changed oil. Running very well at this point.

Got parts from eBay for the neutral safety switch. Unobtanium from Honda, but saw a shift drum from a 1981 XL500 on there with the part and the seller was gracious enough to sell me only the tiny copper contact and the special washer (mine was mangled and missing, respectively). Got it installed and working! Nice to have a neutral light.

Also, weird story, but I sold a pile o’ parts and an XR100 earlier this year to a Facebook type friend (now ‘real’ friend I’d say, and loves motorcycles and has a ton of kids that ride them). But in the pile was an XL500 skid plate I’d had knocking around the garage for about 5 years. Sold it, went up the road to his house. Well, the XL250 has (had) no skid plate on it. PO’s couldn’t locate it. So, found that the XL500 shares a lot of parts with the XL250. Asked the friend if I could get it back and sure enough, still had it, brought it to me and fits! Back end of it fit perfectly and the front needed me to drill one extra hole in it… looks factory. So, solved that problem nicely. Gave him a few $$ for his troubles too.

I’m hoping for a little decent weather this weekend, so I can go ride around a bit. We shall see. No snow in the forecast but a little rain predicted…

Finally got the paperwork sorted and got registration and tags on the XL250. Title in the mail! Woo hoo!

Did mine online for the first time yesterday for the DRZ. Felt kinda weird mailing my pink to them. The CA DMV site was actually easy to navigate and went quickly for a title transfer.
Sure am gonna miss standing in line.........NOT!

What? You don't want to hang with Selma and Patty?

We have small town DMV so usually pretty good. They were on 49 and I got tag 53 when I walked in. Last time tho, it was driver testing day and a bunch of people were in there. Then the system crashed. The good news is, the crowd left, and since I was just there for a registration I got helped… heheh.