Firts Enduro build Up For Long Trip. Russia .

Hello guys! My name is Mikhail I'm from Russia Saint- Petersburg, for the last year I have been reading some threads from this great forum ! I appreciate your experience and great work on your bikes)
My english is not very good) i'm sorry for this, but I will try to find the right words)
My short story about the way to this forum is my love to Journey) and of course to two wheels as well) For the last 5 years I have been riding Harley with Harley and around Harley) I Love your country and true bulletproof manufacturing! we lost it after Soviet fall.. and now we can use US or some old USSR good stuff for work and life in a big city..I'm a mechanic and I like making things by hand, repairing and for the last 7 years i have been working with motorcycles at a workshop.
So about The journey, yes) The last time i was in US a year ago, i bought a Softail custom '88 year from craigslist from a guy in Albany, I bought a tent and some stuff and went to the south along to the westcoast and back across the north to New York. It was an awesome trip with great places , friendly people..with opened hearts) and other nice meetings with great experience )it was about 3 month by the bike)


And this long trip was a start for a thought about a real trip.. not as long as the diameter of our planet but a little bit more than was the last. I was thinking about deep Russia or Asia..and i understand that my bike should be more landed and ready for a detailed territory research along my way..It didn't take me too long to understand where i should be looking for...I took notice of your choice of XR650R)
After reading , thinking, comparing I understood that you know the best way) So I give my trust to you, to Honda.
So I bought a 2001 Xr650R from Michigan via craigslist in summer 2012 and received it several months ago. The condition of the bike was average, although its seller said that it was in good shape, but ok, it's all our karma) as I could notice the bike didn't go through any service for the last 3 years : the wheels were '08 year and had no wear . The bike had some extras like damper, fat bar, t4 exhaust , vector gauge and other stock which looked like it didn't have a lot of miles on them ..I think the engine was opened at one of the last maintenance sessions..but I'm not sure. The compression gauge showed 120 psi. I didn't know if it was good or not..i believe not bad ) because it is my first kickstarter bike like a Dual Sport bike.
Ok I rode it for about a month until the first snow, now I started a full rebuild around the engine getting ready for the Adventure..
This thread will be about my build up, preparation and planning of the trip to Indonesia from Saint-Petersburg, Russia in nearest future!
have a good time! Peace

Welcome aboard!

Welcome Mikl.

Much information and support to be found here... http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=409774

Thank you Guys! And yes i'm reading Xr650r thread!...i'm at 850 pages ))

About first things that i installed on XR...it was Eddy..after third day riding stock carb began to leak, i took it off and found a bad fuel needle...prior the bike arrival I bought some stuff like bags, a tank and an Eddy..which I installed when it came. Several days of tune up and I kept on riding with more fun))
Then there was a present from my friend who works at continental dealership which I'm very grateful for! I changed tires, Front Escape and rear TKC 80 on 140-80... Nice tires with good grip on the road at 0 - 10 degrees..



thirdly there was a LED tail light the first one I could find in my stuff boxes..

Good stuff.
Welcome to the forum. Looking forward to following your journey from buildup to adventure ride. Great start.

Wow, your US trip was almost the same one I did in the 80's on a Triumph Bonneville.
I just added Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Parkway.

It sure is great to live in BIG countries! Russia must have lots of great riding!

That front tire looks very scary

Nice bike

I chose a special old harley for deeper feelings of the old US..and I think it was the right thing to do, though tough.

Now I'm taking all around frame off, changing bearings, seals and cleaning...






Installed 200w RM stator... wanted to buy BD stator very much, but they said that they are rewinding old ones only..


I Also bought used full XR's only exhaust on ebay for good price, wrapped it .



Rebuilt caliper


Insulated the tank for better airflow and to prevent overheating..


Installed BRP submount



Looking Strange)



I was rebuilding the shocks for several days and had to face a problem that'd never come up before. It was a rusted slider in the fork...only after drilling through the slider i could take off the tube from leg.. neither the air heater nor my heavy kicks could do it..



I also bought new neo covers , Has anybody used it!? how long may it work!?


Each fork had 350cc oil.. I guess this is not right,?! because according to the manual i filled them with 640cc each...

Hello Brothers!
Several Days ago I came back from Moscow where I got Carnet De Passages, Afgan and Pakistan visas..The Start is coming..


Just finished with rear fender support and installed HDB Led turn signals)
The support was made from an old USSR Ski Pole and other various aluminium irons..

Looks great and you are doing it right.
Rebuild everything and you will know it is correct before you go.
I am looking forward to your adventures!

Thank you! I Use much of your experience and respect it!
I believe there will be the right time for it.
Will keep the thread!

Большая работа, Вы очень удобны. Хорошая поездка к Вам.

Благодарю!)



And Hello again! Time goes very fast..the whole week passed..I had a chance to build skid plate and do some work on the next steps..

Building something is best for imagination) Usually I make it only in the present time like freehand or improvisation..
so lets see)
made a pattern


Cutting it from 4mm Aluminium


cut both sides and bent them.







made ties holders for the left side


and thought about pump storage for full use of free space...I thought about some big storage but the skid plate I made was not wide enough, but it's okey too.

Nicely done!

Dont forget to add some rubber/silicon along the edges, the vibration and the sound of metal on metal might make you miss hearing other important noises along the way.

Mikl,
5 years ago I rode across Russia from Vladavostok to Latvia and then through Europe. You can see my KTM in the pictures. I had good luck and only one failure in Mongolia(a head gasket).

I met many Russian people and motorcyclists.

Who can not love the ISH.









I think you will grease the wheel bearings, steering head bearings and swing arm bolt and put on a new chain and sprockets.

I used this chain oiler.

http://www.pro-oiler.net/

I made it around the world on one chain but I needed two countershaft sprockets. Maybe you will take an extra countershaft sprocket with you.

Keep having fun!!!!

bill

Great thread, can't wait for the ride report!

Guys, Thank you for good advice!

Bill, I heard about your trip ) It is great) I'm always glad to hear about deep russian and 3rd world countries trips without comfort because it's trust, experience and karma)) Peace.

That skid plate looks crazy :eek1 Good luck

Nice job!