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[ONandOFF]

Originally Posted by mcma111

The factory gaskets are PAPER. No need for chemicals or paint remover. WATER is all you need to soften them up to assist with the removal. That and some fresh razor blades,

I couldn't talk mine off with water, but the gooey remover softened the residue right up to scrape off easily. Looking closely at the Honda paper gaskets, I see a film of, for lack of a better word coming to mind, glue. I suspect that's the stuff adhering to the aluminum mating surface holding the paper remnants on, which water doesn't permeate but gasket / paint remover does.
But yeah scraping a lot more is also a solution.

[Sierra Thumper]

Originally Posted by kubiak

thats a good way to explain it Sierra Thumper! i was thinking the same thing but didnt explain it better. if you put the r sprocket on, it fits so tight it doesnt touch the worn spline part at all. just uses the good spline that was never used by the stock xrl sprocket. so no more wear and no need to repair. on my xrl my spline didnt wear at all after the r sprocket change. 20,000 miles and two r sprockets and no wear. the guy who bought it from me is still riding putting on the miles with no troubles too.

Actually you explained it very well there...between the 2 of us I think we got the message across pretty well
Its just sad that honda opted to set up the xrl with the front sprocket design they did

[Sierra Thumper]

Originally Posted by purpledrake

Thanks, Thumper.

I have seen the advice from Spud Rider, about the less expensive Primary Drive front sprocket (harder to install) and the more expensive PBI/Moose front sprocket (easier to install). Given that I need a new front sprocket, with more lateral surface area to take up as much of the remaining spline as possible, I decided to order both the PBI/Moose and the Primary Drive sprockets, in the XR flavor. And, I ordered a new retainer as well. It will all come down to how deeply I can get the CSS onto the splines, with or without the spacers. Stay tuned.

PD

I've got a good feeling about it

[mcma111]

Next time don't try to TALK the gaskets off. The thin film of left over gasket material will soften up when dampened with water. For YEARS I applied solvent to the gaskets only to find that water is all it took to loosen up the last traces of the stuck on gasket material.

[absoluteclint]

So I've been a good influence lately on my friends/family.. In less than a week I've influenced 3 first time dual sport purchases! 2 of the 3 are xr650l's!

My brother picked up a nice mid90's dr350 for a good deal from an inmate.. Great shape.
My brother in law got an 08 xrl with less than 500 miles for a steal.. More than $1000 less than blue book value.. Show room quality.. All stock.
A friend got a well-modded 99 xrl that's in great shape.. Fair price.

The funny part is that my brother in law and friend are very experienced hare scramble racers who ride Kawasaki.. Naturally when they started looking into dual sports their primary focus was on klr's.. They both test drove one klr.. Hated it.. then drove my xrl.. less than a week later they each picked up an xrl!

Gonna be a fun Spring!

[Sierra Thumper]

Originally Posted by Spud Rider

Red is not cheap; he's prudently frugal.

Spud

For a prudently frugal guy, he sure has a nice xrl

[ADV BUM]

Originally Posted by absoluteclint

So I've been a good influence lately on my friends/family.. In less than a week I've influenced 3 first time dual sport purchases! 2 of the 3 are xr650l's!

My brother picked up a nice mid90's dr350 for a good deal from an inmate.. Great shape.
My brother in law got an 08 xrl with less than 500 miles for a steal.. More than $1000 less than blue book value.. Show room quality.. All stock.
A friend got a well-modded 99 xrl that's in great shape.. Fair price.

The funny part is that my brother in law and friend are very experienced hare scramble racers who ride Kawasaki.. Naturally when they started looking into dual sports their primary focus was on klr's.. They both test drove one klr.. Hated it.. then drove my xrl.. less than a week later they each picked up an xrl!

Gonna be a fun Spring!

I think those are the best two AirCooled DS you can get. I own both.

[Sierra Thumper]

Originally Posted by ONandOFF

Right on :-)
This winter and last haven't been typically bad here thankfully. Î was able to go for a nice xrl day long ride week before last. Fun and didn't get cold Looking forward to the next ride though, perhaps next week si Dios lo permite. It's gonna be a while yet before the upper altitudes melt enough to ride up there but I'd rather be riding the easier stuff than waiting for the better stuff to melt.

Maybe this year I'll get to do a multi-day xrl dirt trip... with camping...

I might be able to go out tommorow if the weather holds up. All of my favorite places are snowed in here as well, but I can still hit the desert to the east, which is also a lot of fun
No lack of riding here....its just the bitter cold

[ONandOFF]

Originally Posted by Sierra Thumper

The po of my bike had just changed the oil with fresh 20-50 when I bought it......I was able to get some good rides on the 20-50.....but it was due for an oil change, so I went ahead and picked up some valvoline 10-40 full syn, and a wix filter, and put them in today......the 10-40 made a huge difference in the power, downright shocking I knew there'd be some diff because its been cold here, and the 20-50 isn't meant for cold weather riding. But I had no clue how big the difference was really going to be. On my high hp street bikes you don't really feel much diff....but on the lower hp dual sports you feel everything.
The bike literally pulled like it was in a gear lower than it really was.
I got on the gas and thought I was still in 4th and I was in 5th. And that was with the 4.6 IMS full, and heading up a slight hill. Thats never happened before on this bike
Between the thinner oil and the powerbomb/cut airbox with some fine tuning, she's really pulling strong now for an xrl at 5000ft up
The more power I'm getting the more I'm wanting tho

The only thing I miss about the 20-50 is that the motor was a little quieter and smoother......but it felt like it was chained to a post before the 10-40. And I did most of my riding in warm weather with the 20-50.....and the difference is still this big.

I just wanted to let you guys know my experience....if you're running 20-50 I'd recommend going down to 10-40, and a full syn at that
Not sure why the po opted to run 20-50 in the poor xrl
I bet a guy would notice even more of a diff if he went to a full syn 10-30....a little light for our bikes I think, but I bet it would raise the fun factor in the engine department even more And you could prolly pull it off in a colder climate for the winter riders

Fascinating! Heavier oils stand up to greater pressures, but thinking about all this has me wondering what effects various viscosities and formulations might have on heat generation and transfer. . What I do know is the 15-50 M1 seems to work very well - I am seeing good temps, wear, and power.

[ONandOFF]

Originally Posted by mcma111

Next time don't try to TALK the gaskets off. The thin film of left over gasket material will soften up when dampened with water. For YEARS I applied solvent to the gaskets only to find that water is all it took to loosen up the last traces of the stuck on gasket material.

Interesting, eh? I tried a few solvents including MEK(real), acetone, and Freon. They didn't cut it. But the gasket removal gel... it has to sit for a while... I bet if you try it, you'll like it. :-)

[ONandOFF]

Originally Posted by absoluteclint

So I've been a good influence lately on my friends/family.. In less than a week I've influenced 3 first time dual sport purchases! 2 of the 3 are xr650l's!

My brother picked up a nice mid90's dr350 for a good deal from an inmate.. Great shape.
My brother in law got an 08 xrl with less than 500 miles for a steal.. More than $1000 less than blue book value.. Show room quality.. All stock.
A friend got a well-modded 99 xrl that's in great shape.. Fair price.

The funny part is that my brother in law and friend are very experienced hare scramble racers who ride Kawasaki.. Naturally when they started looking into dual sports their primary focus was on klr's.. They both test drove one klr.. Hated it.. then drove my xrl.. less than a week later they each picked up an xrl!

Gonna be a fun Spring!

That's awesome! I'm at the other end of the BRP from you... Hoping to ride the whole length one of these days. You ever get up this way give me a heads-up.

[mendoteach]

Originally Posted by Spud Rider

Thanks for the warning, Teach. Compared to the XR bikes, the CRF motorcycles are maintenance whores. The stock, titanium intake valves usually last 100 hours, or less, before they recess into the valve seats. Fortunately, the previous owner recently rebuilt the top end of my engine. Most importantly, he sent the cylinder head to CRFs Only for Kibblewhite, stainless steel valves and machining.

http://www.crfsonly.com/catalog/prod...oducts_id/3974



Spud

One of the nice things about having an L, is if you have access to a lighter bike you will feel like a hero on it. My RM 250 at 212 dry is like a BMX bike after I have been on my L for a while. Not a bike I would want to ride for hours a day, it is in another universe less comfy than my L couch. You are obviously not going to ride this on long hauls, so it will last a long time time between rebuilds. By that time you will have had so much fun you will glad rebuild her. She will also make you appreciate the laziness of that is the L

[mendoteach]

Originally Posted by ONandOFF

These bikes are great for that! (going airborne). Stock suspension is awesome

Actually, the rear suspension can take some pretty serious air before bottoming (provided you are sub 200), but the front is woefully under sprung and damped. I think Honda wanted you to feel like the front brake was more powerful than it is

[mendoteach]

Originally Posted by mcma111

Mendo,

I just read the cam timing article. I just wish that CW made the cam to drop in like a Mega Cycle cam. None of this degreeing crap. KISS...

You know I'm not sure why he didn't grind it to drop in. He does his others. My guess is that the cam timing or lobe centers vary too much from the stock cam and he wasn't able to get the lobe centers on with the cam's stock cam shaft sprocket holes. In any case, my friend who is going to help me says any really truly high performance cam needs to be degreed as a few degrees make a BIG difference. At least the lobe centers are fixed relative to each other! How's your motor coming?

[super samurai]

Originally Posted by super samurai

Thanks, sounds like yours is just like mine minus the exhaust.
I have a uni filter.
I never rode one of these bikes before mods as my bike had this done when i bought it.
It is not super sooty but just a little.over all i am happy with it just thought i could get more with the mod but turns out i wont cuz it has been done. It is what it is, it is no ktm.

Originally Posted by Spud Rider

Notice the telltale rust on the countershaft. You were wise to correct the problem so soon, Samurai.

The PBI sprockets are manufactured in Oregon. Did you have any problems installing the PBI sprocket on your worn countershaft?

Spud

Mine went on with a slight tap for the first time. I then took it on and off a few times by hand easily.
Everyone should heed the warning or suffer later. Easy and fairly cheap. This should be one of the first things done/ looked at!
Again thanks spud for your investigations for better solutions.
My next venture. Will be the diodes for led blinkers.