The Honda XL (and other vintage singles) thread!

I would rather spend the coin and get a good secondhand one or a new one.
If the engine gets a gutful of dust it will cost a whole heap more than the $25+ shipping.....

My .02

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I'm stumped on this one. A few days ago, I rode about 5 miles on the bike without a problem. Today I went to start it up and it started (with choke), but died with a little puff when I twisted the throttle. I started it back up, let it run for five minutes, but it still died when I gave it even a tiny bit of throttle. I'll clean the carb and check the fuel filter. The air filter is good.

I'm afraid it could be the timing. Listing to it, there is a click on each stroke. Here's an MP# of the bike running until I give it a tiny bit of throttle: http://brownelearning.org/tmp/puttputtdies.mp3

Any other ideas?

Sounds like the valves need adjusted.

valves..or bad cam chain / chain tensioner be my guess

I just ordered the Haynes manual. Once that comes in, I'll go over the valves and the chain tensioner. Thanks for your help. I really want to get this bike road worthy by spring.

While I wait for the Haynes manual to arrive, I turned my attention to less mechanical issues. I had epoxied the headlight case back together, but there was a large chunk missing off the front. Someone recommended QuikSteel epoxy putty, so I gave it a try.

First I mocked up the patch with my sons' Pay-Doh.

<img src="http://i1247.photobucket.com/albums/gg621/cvd6262/headlight01_zpsa636071a.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo headlight01_zpsa636071a.jpg"/>

This gave me an idea of how much epoxy putty I would need.

<img src="http://i1247.photobucket.com/albums/gg621/cvd6262/headlight02_zps7f26eff3.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo headlight02_zps7f26eff3.jpg"/>

I know, it doesn't look good. This is a very rough job.

<img src="http://i1247.photobucket.com/albums/gg621/cvd6262/headlight03_zps8098b45d.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo headlight03_zps8098b45d.jpg"/>

But once I sanded it down (thank you rotary tool), it doesn't look too bad. Any suggestions on the type of spray paint I should use? I'm going matte to hide the uneven surfaces.

<img src="http://i1247.photobucket.com/albums/gg621/cvd6262/headlight04_zpscfd6799e.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo headlight04_zpscfd6799e.jpg"/>

- - - - - -

These little rubber things hold the rear turn signals. They're like $50 OEM, so I decided to fab my own.

<img src="http://i1247.photobucket.com/albums/gg621/cvd6262/rubber01_zps9fefee70.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo rubber01_zps9fefee70.jpg"/>

I originally planned to use these cutting boards I picked up for $20 at IKEA, but my wife laid claim to them and gave me an old one of hers. I figured that was a fair exchange since she was letting me work in her kitchen rather than in my freezing garage.

<img src="http://i1247.photobucket.com/albums/gg621/cvd6262/rubber02_zps4119a2bd.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo rubber02_zps4119a2bd.jpg"/>

<img src="http://i1247.photobucket.com/albums/gg621/cvd6262/rubber03_zpsf87064a9.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo rubber03_zpsf87064a9.jpg"/>

It was more difficult than I had anticipated to shape the pieces so they would fit snugly in their brackets. So I decided to heat up the bracket on the stove, and then use the bracket to mold the piece.

<img src="http://i1247.photobucket.com/albums/gg621/cvd6262/rubber04_zps8d9d2243.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo rubber04_zps8d9d2243.jpg"/>

<img src="http://i1247.photobucket.com/albums/gg621/cvd6262/rubber05_zpsff0c1664.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo rubber05_zpsff0c1664.jpg"/>

Here's the finished bracket.

<img src="http://i1247.photobucket.com/albums/gg621/cvd6262/rubber06_zps3e24cf81.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo rubber06_zps3e24cf81.jpg"/>

<img src="http://i1247.photobucket.com/albums/gg621/cvd6262/rubber07_zpsa2bede1a.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo rubber07_zpsa2bede1a.jpg"/>

I do worry that they might melt in the hot summer sun, but I figure this cutting board had been through the dish washer 100 times in 100+degree water, so it *might* work.

That's a pretty big typo, but the cutting boards were *not* $20.

Pretty ingenious fix.

Doubt they'll melt, but how much do they flex?

Nothing's going to prevent the signals from breaking in a
hard crash, but I bet the rubber mounts prevent a lot of damage
when Ya drop the bike in the mud or rub 'em against a tree.

Just picked up this '74 XL250 that looks pretty ugly but has a really nice engine and rides really well.
So, I added a big tank, a rack and a windscreen and I'm planning a trip very soon.
Also, have the correct front end on the way.

Hi guys. I'm looking to pick your brains here.

I have a '84 XL250 RE . Its become a running restoration as it serves as my winter commute and summer traillie, its too much fun to take out of action.
My ongoing problem is trying to find a decompression cable, kickstart to exhaust cam.
The part No. is 28291 KL 4000 and seems to be discontinued, certainly here in the UK and Europe and the original is missing so I have no pattern either.

So.... Does anyone know a source or an equivalent cable I could make fit?

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/84-HONDA-XL2...Parts_Accessories&hash=item5895f0d0d3&vxp=mtr there ya go

BOO!!!!

Awfully quiet in here...anybody about??

Your shout..mine's a rum...

I sat down with my brother-in-law to work on our 1980s XLs. (He's got a 250 that needed the kill switch replaced.) I pulled the carb on mine so I could install my "fixed" air tube, and when we were putting it back, a small spring fell out.

Oops.

At first I thought it was the spring for the choke hand lever, but it was too small, and that spring was still in place. After looking around a bit, I found that it was the spring that opens the choke valve. This means that when I turned off the choke, the valve wasn't opening.

Here's a pic of the spring back in its place:

<img src="http://i1247.photobucket.com/albums/gg621/cvd6262/choke_spring_zps749f3738.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo choke_spring_zps749f3738.jpg"/>

I could tell there was a cap missing, and I found it on my garage floor. (I had found it earlier, but didn't know where it went, so I had put it in my toolkit.

<img src="http://i1247.photobucket.com/albums/gg621/cvd6262/choke_spring_cap_zps358178ab.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo choke_spring_cap_zps358178ab.jpg"/>

I tapped the cap back in place, but I wonder if that will hold it. Should I do something to make sure it doesn't come loose in the future?

Who would have thought putting an XR front end onto the old Moto Sport would be so easy!!!
Half an hour on the lathe for two bushes for the XR bearing cups, and bolts straight in!
Now to get ten inches of travel out of the rear!

Could these bushes be used to convert a Motosport headstock to use tapered roller bearings?
I've had a look around and can't seem to find any to fit the early XL250

Now my question is with the XR front end on it the clamps most likely have way less offset. Most likely increasing trail ? How much ?

...it now has leading axle forks ... so probably a wash ... and he still gets to jack up the rear and/or run the tubes up the clamps.



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just picked up this 76 xl100. its got a wrong tank and seat on it, but otherwise original-ish with 550 miles on the odometer



once i get the plate for it, the plans is to make a mini street tracker out of it, something i can run around on the oval tracks of so cal with, and use it as a to work/trail/fun bike as well.

i know i could have built a better flat track mini out of a "normal" xr100, but this can be street legal in california.

That looks like an SL, check the date on the Steering head yolk.

the date is a 7/75 it says xl100 on the headstock label.

sl's had flat fenders with no "bob tail" in the rear.

the tank on it is off a CB125 from about 76, its pretty beat up. but i have found a couple tanks i can make work (not going original here)