My new vintage Honda XLs!

[Sidecar Jockey]

I have been wanting to get into vintage enduro riding for a long time, so I finally pulled the trigger. I picked up a 1975 Honda XL250 with 9,000 miles and a 1976 xl350 with 3,500 miles:

Here is the 250, still on the trailer after arriving home:

It has a pod filter and the airbox is removed (although i got the stock airbox and sidecover too). All it needed was a clutch adjustment and basic maintinance and it rides great!

Here is the 350:

I really hate the stock exhausts on the centerport 350s. The first thing I'm going to do is remove that monstrosity and put a smaller muffler on.

I got two, so that my Dad can ride with me too. We are pretty close to the Frederick Watershed and Michaux, so there should be some good riding!

[Sidecar Jockey]

Is it just me (or my bike) but the seat on my 1976 350 seems to slide me forward so that my crotch ends up on the gas tank. This is really un-comfortable...

My 1975 250 does not do this, but obviously the seats are totally different.

Anyone else have this problem with the 76-78 XL seats and know of a cheap and easy solution?

[kubiak]

super nice hondas!

[High Country Herb]

Originally Posted by Sidecar Jockey

Is it just me (or my bike) but the seat on my 1976 350 seems to slide me forward so that my crotch ends up on the gas tank. This is really un-comfortable...

Anyone else have this problem with the 76-78 XL seats and know of a cheap and easy solution?

Yeah, soften the rear pre-load so the bike sags properly toward the back...

To the OP; those are a couple of clean bikes. As reliable as they are, they should provide decades of riding fun!

[WeazyBuddha]

Sweet looking bike.

I should not have sold my 80s XL 250.

Someone got a good deal, on the other hand not having the magic button was a pain. Kickstarting gets old.

[High Country Herb]

Originally Posted by WeazyBuddha

...Kickstarting gets old.

Funny you should say that, because I wish my Aprilia had at least a backup kickstarter (OK, the button is nice on that one). I dread the day when my starter relay goes out when I'm by myself 40 miles from cell phone coverage on a gravel road.

The XL600 was the only XL I ever got tired kicking, and now that it's sorted it never takes more than a few. The XL185 was a one kick machine always, and the XL250 only took a few easy kicks. The XL's were such wonderful simple machines...

I had a couple of rope-pull start 185 cc 3-wheelers that were the same way. Even though one of them had rings so worn that oil ran out the tailpipe, it still started first pull every time.

Originally posted by Sidecar Jockey
I really hate the stock exhausts

I had a Supertrapp spark arrestor exhaust on my XL185 that sounded great on the little thumper. I bet you could find a used one pretty cheap.

[Foot dragger]

Ive got at least 2 sets of spare XL250/350 wheels around here,look to be in good shape,maybe some other bits and pieces.

[Stretch67]

<---------- Long-time XL fan.

[High Country Herb]

Originally Posted by Foot dragger

Ive got at least 2 sets of spare XL250/350 wheels around here,look to be in good shape,maybe some other bits and pieces.

I'd be interested in an 18" rear wheel with drum brake, so I can put a paddle tire on my '83 XL600. I'll pm you.

[RED CAT]

They are both 350s. Don't remember any 250s looking like that top pic.

[MacNoob]

That 350 looks way too nice to hack up. Had a '78 XL250 myself.

[Night Falcon]

Great bike the 350. I had a K3 back in the day which I had alot of fun on but had to rebuild the top end after the the cam chain tensioner broke off from the casing. I opened it up to find the PO had the same problem and had tried to bronze the casing back together. I bought it from a honda dealer who was keen to take my money but would not contribute to the repair costs even though they sold me the bike.....that was 30 plus years ago and I'm almost over it

Originally Posted by Sidecar Jockey

[rs42sport]

What Would it cost for one of those??? Anything to look out for with the age of them???

[Foot dragger]

Originally Posted by rs42sport

What Would it cost for one of those??? Anything to look out for with the age of them???

4 to 500 dollars should fetch one that runs with luck,there's 1 small trick to watch out for,the kickstart idler gear spins the oil pump and the gear is known to break,if it breaks then no oil to top end and that's no good.
Ive taken apart a few that this happened on.
Also the frame/swingarm will break up if ridden really hard,these bikes weigh alot and are built for casual dirt use at most. A 410 kit in the 350 will really wake it up,Ive seen some set up for flattrack that run really well.

[150ron]

Is that seat as comfortable as it looks?