Yeap I'm up. Maybe even an overnight at jamo pub. Look back at ride reports for a high country ride we did on April 18. Was awesome. Need to wait for snow melt now though. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2
How about 4-500 clicks one way, o night, return Melb ? {Perhaps Jamo too close to Melb for overnighter?
soft spot on XR's seem to be the side stand- frame starts cracking etc. any ingenious ideas on how to solve this problem (apart from just trying to weld up the frame or take off the sidestand)
Hi Squily, my sidestand tore right out of the frame and left a rather nasty looking hole. I got a local bloke to weld it up again and then properly reinforce it, no trouble since at all. I also stopped kickstarting it on the sidestand, which leads to the original problem. The bloke I used does fabrication and welding for a former national championship rally team, so he's pretty good at what he does eh.
I can't comment for whoever had the bike before me, but I've never started the bike on the sidestand (knowing XRs have this problem). That said- suffered the same fate as you after about three years. by the time I realised it (bike fell over by itself one day), the hole was there. Had it welded twice: always seem to crack as a result of the vibration. And did it myself the 3rd time and took off the sidestand completely- using trees now . Seems I'd have to strip the whole bike to get in thoroughly, because just welding it from the bottom/side, is very difficult to get in everywhere and proper (did I mention I'm a lazy shite). And I think once it's cracked, you also have the wee problem of rusting from the inside.
It shouldn't be too difficult to get a bit of bar stock the right size and shove in the frame before welding? This would give it a bit of reinforcement and something solid to weld to. Should be able to repair it so that you can't see where it happened. My .02
It looks like there could be another cause for breakage. I have noticed on this run to WA on the 650L that horse mounting and dismounting on the stand is bending it out towards breaking the frame as well. Trouble lifting the leg through the gap in the seat for goosestepping onto the seat is that i keep snapping the airhawk straps. When i bought my 600 it was cracked so i got some chromoly tube from the local airframe fitter and tigged it in, tough now. Ken is mobile.
1 how wide of a tyre can I run on the front of my 88 BRP? I want better traction in sand mostly. How much airpressure do you guys recommend? F/R 2 how are you guys starting your bikes without being on the sidestand? Mine starts easy but,,,, it has to be kicked hard, any half hearted attempts from a seated position and she no go.
I run 140pka on a 140 in the rear all the time. works fine for me in sand. You can stand next to the bike and kick from the side if you're tall enough (either left or right leg). Or just balancing nicely, jumping up on the pegs and down on the kick-starter if you're a short shite
Fronts, I usually run a 90/90 (?). Michelin Starcross HP4 tyres work extremely well on XR600R's, they have a strong sidewall. Pressure depends on where I'm riding, but just for an average I tend to run around 17psi. Softer would give more grip, but I hate punctures, and that pressure seems to work on tarseal too. Rear, I run a 120/18, the bike turns and steers well with that size, 140 gives a fatter-looking tyre but turn-in and such is negatively affected, and the benefit of a wider contact patch is dubious. Rears I run in general usage around 15psi for same reasons as above. Kickstart technique. XR's are tall in the saddle so it is tempting to use the sidestand, especially if you are a bit short, but don't do it. Don't bother trying it from a sitting position either, they are not a girl's bike. Use the kickstart to turn it over until you hear the decompressor "click". Use the decomp lever to push the kickstart lever maybe another quarter turn or so (another "stroke" in the motor.). Then return the kickstart lever to the top of the stroke and kick it over firmly using a full kick stroke, no throttle. In good nick, it should fire first or second time, every time. If it floods, hold the throttle wide open, pull the decomp lever, and give it around 10 kicks to flush it with fresh air, then repeat the original procedure. State of tune and setup makes a difference to ease of starting, but a well setup XR should go first or second kick, every time, using "the technique". My favourite technique is to stop on a hill or incline, and roll away in second gear for a bump-start - dead easy.
Thanks guys. I had a 90 michelin on the front and hated it so my mate had a mate that got me a good deal on a new front, 80 continental. Not really liking it ether so I was hoping there was something better. I have been all over on pressure from 10 psi up to about 25, lower seems better but I wasn't too sure how low I could go. I got starting down pretty good, same thechnique, I just have been doing it from the side stand. After I rewound the stator it has been easy. Not many "hills" in Mildura, did drag it behind a Ute a couple of times after flooding, much easier.
Hey Gentlemen .Nice project bike there empireOk so when bought xr, a 250xr thrown in ,thought to fix oil cooler to 600 .Anyone done this?Loked on web tacking some nut s on stem seems the go, with little mount at front.Some people just hoseclip line together but comes with all the oil lines from 250.So anyway thinking braided lines etc. Found a list of fittings needed so pretty good there Any help appreciated.Never had much luck with that flatslide carb ,so taken it off for now
I've got an XR400 oil cooler on my XR600R, I had it fitted up by Nick Dole at Teknik in Penrith. It uses all standard Honda parts apart from one line/fitting, which is a simple customisation of a standard part anyway. It makes a big difference in summer. I haven't melted the grease out of the steering head bearings since it was fitted.
Braided lines ?Yeh cant see why that wouldn't work. any photos ?Or can send mobile no you can send me mms Cheers
greetings just read about this thread for Aussies :) checking in from Taree NSW Mid North Coast been doing some abrasive blasting on the old girl today and snapped a quick shot
Some more bits were waiting for me when I got home from work. A new headlight surround (minus the red sticker) and a pair of OEM handguards. 'scuse the fat finger.
Voltz and lookfar, loving the pics of each of you individual project's progress! Can't wait to see them when you're done (but who will finish first?) In other news, lets talk RACKS Who, what and where? Don't think ballards make them anymore, same with Whipps, manracks aren't yet producing one for the XR600...which seems to leave me with the pro-moto billet one as the only option? Would an XR650L fit, since there are a heap for that bike...or the XR400, XR250 or XR650R etc? Cheers, John
Hi John, i reckon this manrack on my 650L will go straight on my 600 with spacers in lieu of indicator stalks, thats the only difference as far as i can tell. Ken is mobile.
My XR600 New 1985, first one off the boat in Oz according to Honda's Butch Trevena. Now I'm considering a nut & bolt resto one day.
