Took a plunge... trying a PP LXR250 EFI - Page 11

ChondaChondaChonda · 07-01-2017, 02:43 PM

As you can see above the FMF mounting holes are the same spacing as the stock muffler, but the Q4 FMF is much longer. So measured the difference and cut the bikes header pipe back the same amount;

Here is the "mock up" to see how things are going to fit:

I tack welded the end bell to the FMF, then pulled it all apart and bench welded the seam up with some Crown 309. The bell was extremely thin and in hindsight I should have used my tig. The wire feed welds are ok, but nothing to brag about. Here is the finished product:

ChondaChondaChonda · 07-01-2017, 02:52 PM

The bike still has that mean bark when revved, but it is about 25% quieter when cruising along. My taste is for even quieter, but this is a big improvement over the stock straight pipe.

Going for a long ride on Monday on some 5 star single track and I will have a better idea how the FMF compares.

Our fire season has been bad; we have 4-5 foot tall cheat grass on every hillside just waiting to burst into flames, so i am very happy to get the FMF and its USFS approved spark arrestor installed today. Wouldn't dare go off road without one.

Border411 · 07-30-2017, 12:30 PM

New to the forums. This is one of the bikes I have been looking at, along with with SSR XF250 and PP XTR 250 LC. Yes, I know those are more of the "Dual Sport" variety of motorcycle. Did you ever consider those? Where did you get this bike on sale for that price?!

I have always been a Honda XR kind of a guy, but in the used market you never know what you are buying. That is why I am looking at NEW in the $2000-$3000 range. Really want something that can be registered for street use, just so I dont have to put it in my truck. Wonder how hard it would be to get this listed for street use in VA? Anyone know why PP says these arent for street use (what is the hang-up)? Sorry for the quasi-thread hijack, but didnt know where else to post these questions.

culcune · 07-30-2017, 01:05 PM

I think the best road bike would be the SSR, which would include daily commuting if that is one of your uses you had in mind. Chondachondachonda can confirm, but I believe the Pitster bikes' seats are not commuter friendly. I recall a member from a few years back who lives in Alaska had the XTR model and complained about the seat. However, the Pitster bikes are the closest you will get to a Honda; the SSR's engine is a near clone of the Suzuki thumper found in their TU250 bike, if you don't mind a Suzuki.

I am not sure how easy it is to get a SSR via mail-order if you don't have a physical dealer nearby (I recall T-BoltUSA and one of the big mail-order companies Superiorpowersports or Powersportsmax used to offer them via mail-order), whereas the Pitster bikes can be ordered direct from Pitster. The SSR is 50 state legal as an 'on-highway bike' (including California, which is ironic since the actual Suzuki TU250 is NOT California legal) whereas the Pitster Pro is EPA certified as off-road. Certifying bikes for off-road is much easier process, whereas certifying a bike as 'highway legal' is much more intensive. Many states allow for 'converting' off-road bikes to street-legal status by adding a minimum of street equipment, so my guess is Pitster felt that was good enough for the majority of its buyers, and did not feel the few states which it is not legal to do so was not worth the expense and hassle to make their products street legal. That being said, you don't have to 'convert' these bikes since they already have the street equipment built in. The numerous members who bought RPS Hawks and Magicians have been successfully registering and plating them in states all over, including a Hawk or two registered in New Jersey (the Hawk and Magician are very streetable, but their importer has not bothered to get them EPA certified for on-road, so the members are plating them as 'converted' dirt bikes) so you would need to research VA members who have registered the Hawk there. Check this thread http://chinariders.net/showthread.php?t=17919 on all the states where people have successfully plated a Hawk, which might give you an indication of how successful you might be in VA. It would all depend on laws on plating converted dirt bikes.

ChondaChondaChonda · 07-30-2017, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Border411

New to the forums. This is one of the bikes I have been looking at, along with with SSR XF250 and PP XTR 250 LC. Yes, I know those are more of the "Dual Sport" variety of motorcycle. Did you ever consider those? Where did you get this bike on sale for that price?!

I have always been a Honda XR kind of a guy, but in the used market you never know what you are buying. That is why I am looking at NEW in the $2000-$3000 range. Really want something that can be registered for street use, just so I dont have to put it in my truck. Wonder how hard it would be to get this listed for street use in VA? Anyone know why PP says these arent for street use (what is the hang-up)? Sorry for the quasi-thread hijack, but didnt know where else to post these questions.

I walked right into their headquarters and asked a few questions. They let me take a demo for a ride. The demo was advertised locally as for sale; when I pushed him on the price he admitted that he would prefer that I just take one in the box so he didn't need to setup a new demo bike. At this point he offered me the new in the box bike at less than the demo bike price.

Fellow XR guy here; I told the guy at Pitster that if the 250 LC had a 6-speed it would be my bike of choice. He is going to request 6 speed version for the future. The 5 speed has been retained to keep the kick starter, but these push start so easily it's really not necessary. If you look at my other threads you find one where I put the Zong w/5 speed into my '96 CR125 chassis. I'd probably still be riding it if it had a 6 speed. Here in the mountain west I NEED a low first gear and a highway gear on the same bike.

The seats a non-issue. Every bike I've ever owned at any price needed a little work on the saddle to make things right. The Pitster seat is better than the seat on my KTM690; that might as well be a 2x4 with nails sticking out of it. I usually pull the covers off an repad with a high density carpet pad scrap- I like a firm saddle. I think the manufacturers all go soft so it *feels* good on the showroom floor. 12 hours in any saddle that is soft kills my ass.

On street legality; I know nothing about VA laws. Here it was as easy as pie. PP probably states that they are not for street use as a liability cover. Even when I asked in person, they were quite vague about the ability to license it. My guess is that their insurance policy explicitly states that they are only selling off-road vehicles. They have been around long enough that surely some lawyer has taken a shot at them.

The 250 LC and this LXR 250 seem to be built with a higher grade suspension than any of the Red, Yellow, Blue brand "play" bikes. When the 250LC has a 6 speed I will be buying one of those too.

Hope that helps.

Border411 · 07-30-2017, 02:29 PM

Thanks everyone......I am a cop and wouldnt want to piss off my brothers in blue by making them have to leave their fishing holes to pull me over to check on legality!

I am still a LOOOOONG ways off from buying. Putting money towards my daughters college, and paying off my new Honda Ridgeline will be primary. I over research literally everything, so I started early so I can start to plan money wise. Trying to sell my paintball gear now as I dont play anymore. Commuting in the DC area is like running a gauntlet, so "street legal" would just so that I can drive to the trails rather than throwing it in the back of the truck. Hoping all this OT calms down so I can actually spend time with my family, and I though a bike likes one of these and a cheap ATV/side-by-side would be perfect for my wife and 6year old. I appreciate all of information. I really appreciate the PM Chonda!

ChondaChondaChonda · 07-31-2017, 01:08 AM

ChondaChondaChonda · 07-31-2017, 01:10 AM

ChondaChondaChonda · 07-31-2017, 01:11 AM

OUTERLIMITS · 07-31-2017, 12:21 PM

Great pics!

Border411 · 07-31-2017, 04:27 PM

Really nice pictures! I went to my DMV... And they said they had no idea how to make it street legal. They advised me to call DMV in Richmond to ask how to do it. Typical DMV!

ChondaChondaChonda · 07-31-2017, 05:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Border411

Really nice pictures! I went to my DMV... And they said they had no idea how to make it street legal. They advised me to call DMV in Richmond to ask how to do it. Typical DMV!

My thoughts on titling... most all states are part of interstate compact agreements- they use this to report driving violations to each other; they also require each other to accept title documents from other states. So if you took the MSO (Manufacturers Statement of Origin) to a DMV in a moto-friendly state, they will send you a title in a few weeks; when it comes time to renew just take the official title you now have to your DMV.

Since its just a used bike purchase now, I doubt they would even blink at it. Here it would require a LEO or DMV official to verify the VIN and ensure its not on the stolen item lists.

Of course, if in Californistan forget about it. The whole green sticker thing will trip that one up.

Disclaimer; I am not a lawyer nor do I have any legal training or even much sense. All ideas above are just pouring out of my head without any critical thinkin. May cause diarrhea, vomiting, erectile dysfunction, or extreme motorcycle separation anxiety (EMSA). Consult your physician before trying.

ChondaChondaChonda · 07-31-2017, 05:18 PM

The Voyager is an awesome tool that I am moving over from my old bike. It does GPS tracks, maps, has a speedometer, tachometer, temp gauge, does trending, etcccc...

Must have item for me. Usually it replaces the stock dash. I pulled the stock dash out and unplugged everything to prep for the swap. I even test started the motor and it runs without the dash. But, the stock dash is really light and I quite like it, so I put it back in and decided to run both.

View from the drivers seat:

View from the front(headlight removed):

ChondaChondaChonda · 07-31-2017, 05:20 PM

ChondaChondaChonda · 08-01-2017, 10:36 AM

Getting into do the valve adjustment is pretty quick and easy. Pull the seat with one bolt, then pull the tank with one bolt and remove the fuel line. To get to the exhaust side, there is also one bolt to remove the horn.

Access isn't perfect, but it's far better than past bikes I've had.

It might be worth pulling the radiator fan, but I was able to get the feeler gauges in OK. This is definitely a place where small hands are better, but my thick stubbies just fit.

I recorded the as found on each, then set the clearance to .063mm , which is 0.0025" inches and as close as I had to the spec without being too tight. It is unbelievable that the clearances are so small. But if CSC and AJP both say so, who am I to question it??

It started right up and sounds good.

07-01-2017, 02:43 PM	#151
ChondaChondaChonda Join Date: Oct 2016 Posts: 547	FMF part 3 As you can see above the FMF mounting holes are the same spacing as the stock muffler, but the Q4 FMF is much longer. So measured the difference and cut the bikes header pipe back the same amount; Here is the "mock up" to see how things are going to fit: I tack welded the end bell to the FMF, then pulled it all apart and bench welded the seam up with some Crown 309. The bell was extremely thin and in hindsight I should have used my tig. The wire feed welds are ok, but nothing to brag about. Here is the finished product:
	2

07-01-2017, 02:52 PM	#152
ChondaChondaChonda Join Date: Oct 2016 Posts: 547	FMF muffler sound The bike still has that mean bark when revved, but it is about 25% quieter when cruising along. My taste is for even quieter, but this is a big improvement over the stock straight pipe. Going for a long ride on Monday on some 5 star single track and I will have a better idea how the FMF compares. Our fire season has been bad; we have 4-5 foot tall cheat grass on every hillside just waiting to burst into flames, so i am very happy to get the FMF and its USFS approved spark arrestor installed today. Wouldn't dare go off road without one.
	1

07-30-2017, 01:05 PM	#154
culcune Join Date: May 2006 Location: Yuma, Arizona Posts: 9,056	I think the best road bike would be the SSR, which would include daily commuting if that is one of your uses you had in mind. Chondachondachonda can confirm, but I believe the Pitster bikes' seats are not commuter friendly. I recall a member from a few years back who lives in Alaska had the XTR model and complained about the seat. However, the Pitster bikes are the closest you will get to a Honda; the SSR's engine is a near clone of the Suzuki thumper found in their TU250 bike, if you don't mind a Suzuki. I am not sure how easy it is to get a SSR via mail-order if you don't have a physical dealer nearby (I recall T-BoltUSA and one of the big mail-order companies Superiorpowersports or Powersportsmax used to offer them via mail-order), whereas the Pitster bikes can be ordered direct from Pitster. The SSR is 50 state legal as an 'on-highway bike' (including California, which is ironic since the actual Suzuki TU250 is NOT California legal) whereas the Pitster Pro is EPA certified as off-road. Certifying bikes for off-road is much easier process, whereas certifying a bike as 'highway legal' is much more intensive. Many states allow for 'converting' off-road bikes to street-legal status by adding a minimum of street equipment, so my guess is Pitster felt that was good enough for the majority of its buyers, and did not feel the few states which it is not legal to do so was not worth the expense and hassle to make their products street legal. That being said, you don't have to 'convert' these bikes since they already have the street equipment built in. The numerous members who bought RPS Hawks and Magicians have been successfully registering and plating them in states all over, including a Hawk or two registered in New Jersey (the Hawk and Magician are very streetable, but their importer has not bothered to get them EPA certified for on-road, so the members are plating them as 'converted' dirt bikes) so you would need to research VA members who have registered the Hawk there. Check this thread http://chinariders.net/showthread.php?t=17919 on all the states where people have successfully plated a Hawk, which might give you an indication of how successful you might be in VA. It would all depend on laws on plating converted dirt bikes. __________________ "They say that life's a carousel, spinning fast you got to ride it well..." TGB Delivery Scooter 150 TMEC 200 Enduro--carcass is sadly rotting in the backyard
	1

07-31-2017, 01:08 AM	#157
ChondaChondaChonda Join Date: Oct 2016 Posts: 547	75 miles of mixed roads, highway, and tough singletrack.
	3

07-31-2017, 05:18 PM	#163
ChondaChondaChonda Join Date: Oct 2016 Posts: 547	Installing my Trail Tech Voyager today... The Voyager is an awesome tool that I am moving over from my old bike. It does GPS tracks, maps, has a speedometer, tachometer, temp gauge, does trending, etcccc... Must have item for me. Usually it replaces the stock dash. I pulled the stock dash out and unplugged everything to prep for the swap. I even test started the motor and it runs without the dash. But, the stock dash is really light and I quite like it, so I put it back in and decided to run both. View from the drivers seat: View from the front(headlight removed):
	0

07-30-2017, 12:30 PM	#153
Border411 Join Date: Jul 2017 Location: Northern VA Posts: 42	New to the forums. This is one of the bikes I have been looking at, along with with SSR XF250 and PP XTR 250 LC. Yes, I know those are more of the "Dual Sport" variety of motorcycle. Did you ever consider those? Where did you get this bike on sale for that price?! I have always been a Honda XR kind of a guy, but in the used market you never know what you are buying. That is why I am looking at NEW in the $2000-$3000 range. Really want something that can be registered for street use, just so I dont have to put it in my truck. Wonder how hard it would be to get this listed for street use in VA? Anyone know why PP says these arent for street use (what is the hang-up)? Sorry for the quasi-thread hijack, but didnt know where else to post these questions.
	0

07-30-2017, 02:29 PM	#156
Border411 Join Date: Jul 2017 Location: Northern VA Posts: 42	Thanks everyone......I am a cop and wouldnt want to piss off my brothers in blue by making them have to leave their fishing holes to pull me over to check on legality! I am still a LOOOOONG ways off from buying. Putting money towards my daughters college, and paying off my new Honda Ridgeline will be primary. I over research literally everything, so I started early so I can start to plan money wise. Trying to sell my paintball gear now as I dont play anymore. Commuting in the DC area is like running a gauntlet, so "street legal" would just so that I can drive to the trails rather than throwing it in the back of the truck. Hoping all this OT calms down so I can actually spend time with my family, and I though a bike likes one of these and a cheap ATV/side-by-side would be perfect for my wife and 6year old. I appreciate all of information. I really appreciate the PM Chonda!
	0

07-31-2017, 01:10 AM	#158
ChondaChondaChonda Join Date: Oct 2016 Posts: 547
	1

07-31-2017, 01:11 AM	#159
ChondaChondaChonda Join Date: Oct 2016 Posts: 547
	4

07-31-2017, 12:21 PM	#160
OUTERLIMITS Join Date: Oct 2015 Posts: 75	Great pics!
	1

07-31-2017, 04:27 PM	#161
Border411 Join Date: Jul 2017 Location: Northern VA Posts: 42	Really nice pictures! I went to my DMV... And they said they had no idea how to make it street legal. They advised me to call DMV in Richmond to ask how to do it. Typical DMV!
	0

07-31-2017, 05:20 PM	#164
ChondaChondaChonda Join Date: Oct 2016 Posts: 547
	0

08-01-2017, 10:36 AM	#165
ChondaChondaChonda Join Date: Oct 2016 Posts: 547	Setting valve clearances Getting into do the valve adjustment is pretty quick and easy. Pull the seat with one bolt, then pull the tank with one bolt and remove the fuel line. To get to the exhaust side, there is also one bolt to remove the horn. Access isn't perfect, but it's far better than past bikes I've had. It might be worth pulling the radiator fan, but I was able to get the feeler gauges in OK. This is definitely a place where small hands are better, but my thick stubbies just fit. I recorded the as found on each, then set the clearance to .063mm , which is 0.0025" inches and as close as I had to the spec without being too tight. It is unbelievable that the clearances are so small. But if CSC and AJP both say so, who am I to question it?? It started right up and sounds good.
	1