The Honda CRF250L Adventure Traveler Thread

[Lost Rider]

Originally Posted by Woody2627

I wouldn't be too keen on fitting a tool tube, I put one on my BM and it didn't last the first dirt road I took it on. Got home with 2 bits of plastic and no BMW tool kit. Seriously pissed orf.

Hmm, maybe you didn't mount it securely, I had this same tube mounted on my 800gs for tens of thousands of miles of rough terrain. Many many people on this forum have and do use this exact tool tube with no issues. Sucks you lost you stuff, I think your case is rare though, it takes a lot of sudden force to break one of those tubes in my experience.

[Lost Rider]

Originally Posted by Kankujoe

Lost Rider,

What kind of saddle bags are you using?

Like he said, giant loop Mojave, with the tool pouch cut off . That's a Kreiga US 10 strapped to the Mojave and a wolfman Rollie on the seat. Tent poles are on the outside on the right also strapped to e Mojave. Good to go to camp in winter temps off the bike with this pack.


Mobile ADV Fix Complete

[roundtripping]

[Tnutt]

Has anyone mounted aux lights on their LRP? If so where did you mount them

[roundtripping]

Finn, have you gotten around to messing with the Scott's damper?

[Lost Rider]

Originally Posted by roundtripping

Finn, have you gotten around to messing with the Scott's damper?

I have not, it's not been in the budget yet.... soon hopefully.

Originally Posted by Tnutt

Has anyone mounted aux lights on their LRP? If so where did you mount them

I have not, but when I do I'll mount them where the OEM turn signals are and use HDB integrated signals instead.

[Lapchik]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RB13W...Ra3wXR&index=6

[tilliejacques]

B installed a PDM 60 power distribution module (and got another to put on his DRZ) to power the heated grips and the GPS. It has 6 circuits with circuit breakers--no fuses!

Right now it's on the left side of the bike but he thinks he'll move it more inside (and protected) once he removes the smog canister.

Here's the pdm installed with the ignition key turned on (to power the heated grips).


cheers

[Lost Rider]

Clutch replacement DIY.


Long story short, a friend fried the clutch while learning how to ride off road and in sand.... luckily loosening up the clutch cable gave us just enough friction to get home from Death Valley, with the clutch slipping in high gears for the last 20 miles.

After some research I found that EBC makes replacement friction pads and springs for the CRF250L, available locally direct from manufacturer but I have to place the order though this company, then pick up at warehouse:

http://www.perfectbrakes.com


Part # CK1313 for the friction plates and #CSK188 for the springs, which they say are 10% stiffer than OEM.
The steel plates are looking fine and are not warped so I wont be replacing them.
I'll be going by the warehouse to pick them up later today, $65 for plates, $10 for springs.


Here's a DIY of getting the clutch apart, it's pretty straightforward and took me about a half hour to get it open.



Drain oil, drain coolant through drain plug on intake, not much coolant will come out until you loosen the cap on the radiator, then it sprays out all over the place 2-3 feet out from the bike.













Remove hose







disconnect clutch cable, I used a screwdriver to push the lever back to slide it out







Remove brake lever, kick plate, and brake switch bracket.









Remove bracket that holds clutch cable, then oil tube or whatchamacallit.






Remove bolts holding engine case on, in a crisscross patten, Rotate clutch lever counterclockwise to disengage lifter arm spindle while removing the cover.









Remove bolts holding clutch plates in crisscross fashion and then slide out clutch plates.












And for you folks who like to stress/obsess about keeping the LRP tip top, I found this screen hidden behind the cover with plenty of metal flakes and what looked like pieces of case sealant from the factory. I guess there's a pre filter in our bikes.











here's the new springs vs the old ones, I decided to keep the old ones in to make the clutch lever pull easier for Nancy.





In reassembly I found that the EBC kit comes with all the same size plates, the OEM plates has one with a smaller inner diameter and a couple of spacers that go inside the smaller platethat's the first plate in line. I removed these spacers and went ahead with the install, the clutch feels great and have had no issues. I'm not sure why those spacers are there with the smaller single plate, but from the looks of it it wont make any difference, the new full size plate is still resting on the smooth clutch basket.
Be very careful when tightening the bolts that hold on the springs, they are very soft and easily broken. I was better for me in the end to use feel of my hand vs a torque wrench that has not been calibrated lately.



The old and slightly smaller clutch plate;




the rings I removed:





New plates getting soaked before install, as specified in the directions:








Don't forget to change the oil @ 600 miles just like when new, the contamination from bedding in the new clutch plates is one of the main reasons for that first oil change.


Good luck, and stop burning out your clutch!


-Finn

['Flagger]

Would changing to the stiffer springs be a suitable option for preventing future problems?

[Lost Rider]

At least in my case I don't believe so, it was surely caused by operator error (trying to start out in second gear in sand dunes while high revving the bike) not from normal use or slipping of the clutch with the lever fully released.
Since our bike has low miles I figured the OEM springs are not worn out and making it harder to pull in the clutch wouldn't be more beneficial for Nancy vs having stronger springs, but that's just me.

[Ed@Ford]

Originally Posted by 'Flagger

Would changing to the stiffer springs be a suitable option for preventing future problems?

I would think yes

My OPINION is that Honda may have made an incorrect assumption that this bike is for the "newbie" rider and the clutch was designed to have some slip for riders not really used to clutching a bike. Soft springs to make clutch effort low. Also to make it slip a bit rather than choke, gag, and stall. $10 for some springs is a cheap bit of insurance to allow current riders who ride a little more aggressively to "cover their ass" in the event of a nasty climb or sandpit, and they HAVE to slip it a bunch to get out of it then get home. A REAL cheap fix is to use some washers to shim up the preload on the springs....but you have to be sure the springs don't go to coil bind. I think there are some CRF riders that are on the limit of aggressive riding that was expected for this bike. For what it's worth, I bought the first year (1996) the Honda XR400R came out.....the carburetor had to get completely reworked, and the clutch springs had to be replaced (Honda gave them to me FREE) almost immediately.....so this kind of screw up is not unknown!

[Lost Rider]

Originally Posted by Ed@Ford

I would think yes

My OPINION is that Honda may have made an incorrect assumption that this bike is for the "newbie" rider and the clutch was designed to have some slip for riders not really used to clutching a bike. Soft springs to make clutch effort low. Also to make it slip a bit rather than choke, gag, and stall.

Really? I've never felt the clutch slip when not trying to do so.
You're saying Honda purposely used weak springs and built in some clutch slipping like a Rekluse for newbie riders? I believe that's over thinking Honda's design and that's a whole lot of wild speculation. I think Honda designed this clutch action to suit the bike's OEM power while making the pull easy on the hands, but that's just me.
It just doesn't make sense, I've done a bit a hill climbing and when the lever is fully released there is no slippage at all for better or worse depending on what gear I'm in, even with a bit more HP than OEM from our mods.
No slipping = no heavier springs needed IMHO.
In our case of wearing out the clutch, stiffer springs wouldn't have made any difference since it was the operators fingers modulating the lever that caused the slippage and subsequent failure.

[Ed@Ford]

Originally Posted by Lost Rider

Really? I've never felt the clutch slip when not trying to do so.
You're saying Honda purposely used weak springs and built in some clutch slipping like a Rekluse for newbie riders? I believe that's over thinking Honda's design and that's a whole lot of wild speculation. I think Honda designed this clutch action to suit the bike's OEM power while making the pull easy on the hands, but that's just me.
It just doesn't make sense, I've done a bit a hill climbing and when the lever is fully released there is no slippage at all for better or worse depending on what gear I'm in, even with a bit more HP than OEM from our mods.
No slipping = no heavier springs needed IMHO.
In our case of wearing out the clutch, stiffer springs wouldn't have made any difference since it was the operators fingers modulating the lever that caused the slippage and subsequent failure.

Well, like I said....OPINION....but consider this as well...have you EVER seen this "judder spring" crap on ANY motorcycle?.....it's not on the CBR version of this powerplant....however, if it ever stops snowing in MI and breaks above 29F, I'll get some time on my CRF before I head for the southern portions of the Blue Ridge Parkway to break in mine!

[Lost Rider]

Originally Posted by Ed@Ford

Well, like I said....OPINION....but consider this as well...have you EVER seen this "judder spring" crap on ANY motorcycle?.....it's not on the CBR version of this powerplant....however, if it ever stops snowing in MI and breaks above 29F, I'll get some time on my CRF before I head for the southern portions of the Blue Ridge Parkway to break in mine!

No I haven't seen those before, upon a quick Google search it seems they are used in a wide variety of vehicle, MC and ATV's, with various points of views of course.

http://www.thumpertalk.com/topic/864...judder-spring/

http://www.thumpertalk.com/topic/935...ch-engagement/



Thanks for putting a correct term to those judder springs too.

Guess I might be the first to do the Judder Spring Mod on a CRF250L, albeit out of necessity with having aftermarket clutch plates!
Maybe that why my new clutch feels good and has a more definitive feel...

I hope the weather changes soon for you, it has to be torture not being able to ride the CRF!