Yes, ThumperTalk will provide all the info and opinions you need on accessories, etc. More than this site, although there is a lot of real-world riding advice here. There are a lot of new people in this thread. It's great to see more people getting into dualsport riding. "Welcome to the asylum". Most people here are really very good-natured, friendly, and helpful, but make sure you have thick skin and put on your flameproof underwear if you venture into "Jo Momma".
The XRLUG group on yahoo also has a lot of info on the L. I think the lowering link will drop it up to 2", but I can't remember. The only vendor for the larger tanks that I have looked at is BajaDesigns . I can't remember what brand(s) they sell or the price.
O.K. thanks for the insight! I've got a 93 XRL with close to 20k. I'd like to have a 650R but not bad enough to spend a grand for an E-start kit or the hassle of getting one plated. For my needs the XRL is perfect, relatively inexpensive, simple, reliable, low maintenance and good suspension for mildly aggressive dualsport riding. The seat height isn't much of a problem for me, but there was that one time on Colorado's rainbow trail:eek1 To some it might seem like polishing a turd, but a mild cam, 10.5 to 1 comp piston, mikuni flatslide and Big Gun exhaust makes for more fun per mile without losing reliability. I never haul a passenger, and run dot knobbies so very little highway. Some walmart atv tank panniers and an old tankbag on the luggage rack haul everything I need for daytrips. Good Luck with whatever you decide.
I wave to all riders, although I have owned like 11 jap bikes before my HD, and still ride dirtbikes, although when on the dirtbike...I get absolutely no waves from HD riders, even though my dirtbike would lay waste to 90 percent of them stoplight to stoplight, kinda amusing. Don't lose too much sleep over the non HD wave, alot of those guys are credit card riders with little or no skill and are probably deathly afraid to take a hand off the bars.
I would be to with no helmet! Really I don't understand when it's 45 degrees and not wear one is it to hot?
What kind of distances can you folks with the 4 or 5 gallon tanks run before you have to start worrying about a refill? Gerg
I was going to mention that. Pillshovel, Jimbo and I went to the same place that fstrnu took the pics in that thread. I rode my NX, Pill on his 625 and Jim on my KLR250. A guy showed up on an XR650L and we got to talking. He hesitated a bit when I asked him if he knew of advrider. He kept talking about how tough the (groomed!) trails were, and how he couldn't get out of 1st gear, even though he had put on a smaller front sprocket. We just nodded, seeing as how Pill and I were running 2nd-3rd 95 percent of the time, jumping he waterbars. He politely declined when we asked him to join our group. I haven't ridden an XR-L, but my NX has the same engine. Shakes a bit, but has plenty power for anything I want to do offroad with a 390lb bike. I would like the extra suspension travel of the XR, though.
If you need a lowering link for the 650L, Devol makes a great one that lowers the seat 1". That doesn't seem like much, but 1" really made a big difference. White Brothers sells them for around $80.00.
I rode White Rim in 2001 with the 4 gallon IMS, I had a extra gallon tied on the back that I lost about 40 miles in. I salvaged maybe a quart and got back to Moab with 154 miles on the odo. My engine is 675ccs and then I was using a modified CV carb. I run 14/49 vs 15/45 stock gearing. I had some problems with the CV carb a few times so got a flatslide mikuni. Since I did the cam I'm usually on the gas fairly hard so I figure 30-35 mpg on two track. My buddys DR650 sips gas and runs great, I had to do the motor work to equalize the extra load my bike has to carry.
I have the Clarke 4 gallon tank shown in my picture in an earlier post. It is fairly slim, not much wider than the stock tank. Clarke makes a 4.7 gallon tank that looks like a pumpkin. - The problem is that tanks with one petcock do not deliver the rated capacity. Gas sits in the right lobe with no way to get to the side with the petcock. I wish there was an in-tank siphon that could fix this. - I get 3.3 gallons out of my 4 gal. before hitting reserve. At 50 mpg, that's 165 mi. (I have done this), or 130 when pushing hard. Typically 150 mi. range. - The Clarke 4.7 gallon pumpkin one might allow more flow from side to side, but it looks wide. - Acerbis makes a 5 gallon tank with dual petcocks. Solves the right lobe problem. But it is large, 5 gallons are heavy, petcocks are expensive, and you have to add more fuel hose (just takes $). - All these tanks stain. Mine doesn't look as pretty as the picture anymore. - The petcock barely cleared the head on my Clarke. Not a problem, until I rode hard, then it rubbed. The petcock started leaking where it rubbed. . A dremel to the head, and liquid metal to the petcock eliminated the rub. Tradeoffs. What is your gas mileage? What range do you want? How much do you want to spend? What shape tank do you want? I'm satisfied with the ~150 mile range, it's much better than the 100 mile range (before worrying) of the stock tank. YMMV.
I have a 1988 NX650 which is almost a 650L. It has a 3.4 gallon tank that hits reserve about 3.0 gallons. At high speed (80-85 indicated) and aginst a strong head wind I can assure you it will bone dry at 97 miles (past experience). Normal range is about 110-120 miles to reserve. The bike works well for me and looks different than the other Honda 650's on the road. Just Ride,
a buddy was storing his 650L at my house for a while, its was bored to 700, higher comp, big cam, pipe, etc wheelie machine, fun bike , i took it up to BC , van island , I only crashed it once, bent the sub frame, my friend picked it up soon after
Well, It's now running again! The rebuild went fine, and it started on the second revolution! runs like a sewing machine too. I have 56 miles on it as of today. By the time I get back home from work, I'll have 80+ miles on it. I'm Happy as a Lark. The 650L is my around town, zipp through traffic, back and forth to work, pack up and hit the mtns. bike, and it's a Great Bike! It had 16,300 on it when something got into the countershaft sprocket and stripped the sprocket & shaft out. I do NOT know how it happened, but to that point I had ZERO trouble with this bike,.....ever. Boojum!
The Clarke 4.7 is actually made for the XR600R. Check to see if it will work with the "L". The "L" has a bit more "stuff" around the backbone. I have the Acerbis tank. It's HUGE, I only use it on LOOOOOONG trips with few opportunities for fuel. The jetting I changed to is GREAT for throttle response but I only get about 45mpg and reserve hits at ~155 miles on the road. Much worse in the deep sand whoops and ignorant tight that passes for trail here in south Jersey. While working the Greenbriar Natl. Enduro last year I had to fill up twice during a day of pre-running, arrowing and trail clean-up. 6:00 am. to 6:00 pm and totally POOPED. The bike, however, came through beautifully. deerslayR PS Way to go Boojum. Glad to here your back to "L".
I bought the Clarke tank from Baja Designs, but honestly, the seat damn near killed me aftyer an hour on a ride from Boston to D.C. I was thankful that I had to stop every 75-80 miles to re-fuel. That was about the mileage I got the entire trip running about 65-70 mph. I figure it equated to about high 40's mpg. I just bought the silencer insert for my FMF exhaust, rather than jumping to the Big Gun system I mentioned in my earlier post. I will see if it's good enough. I like the FMF system, but it was loud enough that I worried about attracting unwanted law enforcement attention (though the great thing about a dual purpose bike is that they ignore you for the most part and spend their time chasing crotch rockets! ) I am interested in hearing about tire choices others on this thread have made. My stockers are probably past their prime, and I am interested in Avons or Michelins. Any advice? Thanks - I am really enjoying this site!
I'm running the Kenda K270's right now. I'm very happy with them in the dirt, can put up with them on the street but they are somewhat what noisy, and they're kinda spooky on a wet road. I always get the feeling that the rear is getting ready to slip out. I've heard good things about the Michelins so maybe I'll try them next. Most tires seem fairly inexpensive and wear out fast enough that I'll probably try out most of the other's in the near future and see which ones work best for me. Good luck!
There are a couple of other upgrades I have been wondering about, and if anyone has any feedback, I would appreciate it! 1. The Corbin seat. At first I was turned off on this idea, but it seems they will color-match it to your bike so it does not stick out like a sore thumb. 2. Front brake upgrades. It seems to me that if they offier super-motard upgrades for the XR600, there should be something out there for the XR650L, right? The standard front brake is a little lame (esp. compared to sport bikes), and I would be really interested in hearing what others may have done (e.g., braided brake lines, pad upgrades, etc.). 3. Rack or luggage choices. When I first bought my bike, it seems Baja Designs offered all sorts of cool stuff for it - now their site seems a little thin, especially for this bike. What have others been using for racks and/or luggage? Thanks! I look forward to reading what you have been doing to your XR-Ls!
I have been researching the rack/luggage topic for my XR650L. I have concluded that the best choice for me is a set of Pelican cases which I will mount to a Happy Trails rack. I like the Pelican cases because they are water-proof and unbreakable (important for off-road). As for the rack choices, Summers Racing, Baja Designs, Happy Trail all make a rear rack for the XR650L. I am still looking for other options. I have found that Happy Trail seems to have the most available for the "L". When I eventually get this set-up completed, I will try to post some pics.
So I bounced around a couple of dealerships today looking for an XR650L, and all I heard was "not even Honda has them". If dual-sport bikes are'nt popular with the masses, why do they sell out so quickly? This bike might have it's issues, but apparently nobody cares, since there are none to be found in N.C. Plenty of 650R's, but I'm not in the mood to spend that much extra to make it street legal. I'll admit it, I'm lazy and proud of it. One stop shopping is great, that's why I've been checking out the 650L for a while now. Go figure, when I'm ready to buy, there's none to be had. Bummer. Love what you ride, and screw others opinions.