The Honda XL (and other vintage singles) thread!

Sweet scoot!! I used to have the off-road only version of that bike many years ago. What a great engine!

I'll post mine. I did the top end last year and love to blast around on it.

Is that the Nerf moto?

Not really sure if this counts as a resurrection, I am sure its not a restoration, but it is my XL500R.

Here is yet another 1972 XL250K0. I fitted the panniers last week and believe they were original Honda panniers fitted to CB900Fs. I also added the Ventura rack "L" bars and rack.
The panniers are fibreglass and I got them off E Bay for AUS$26 the pair with an original (modified) rack. What a steal!

Here's another 1972 XL250KO. Picked it up last fall. Is actually in very good condition, starts right up 2nd kick and runs great. Just too bad that at some point someone repainted it.




Haven't really decided on just what I want to do with it yet.

Thats what we like to see! None of that NEW crap... I mean, c'mon. If it was built in the '80s you can still buy it BRAND NEW TODAY!!!









sorry... couldn't resist taking a dig at Honda's BOLD NEW GRAPHICS!

Here is my scoot: XL500 Frame, Ascot FT motor (E-Start!!!!), CR250 forks, 19inch flat track front wheel, FZR600 Exhaust, Fiberglass race seat.

Because stock makes too much sense.

Bought a parts bike to help with my '76 xl250 this weekend, was supposed to be an xl250 anyway, the kid didn't even know what decade it was from the CL add said "1980s honda dirt bike project" the add went on to say it was a 250, the photos showed that funky chrome triangle in the rh exhaust and I think that's the only twin shock, '70s 250 to have that would have been a '76. After finally getting there to look at the poor neglected/abused bike it turns out it's a 350, vin plate date is 8/75, not sure if that's 75 or 76... My hope is the parts are interchangeable enough that I can make some use of it.. Actually I am leaning toward building the 350,, (more power is good power) unless there's something real bad about 350s or this one in particular.. About all I've managed so far is to evict the black widow queen and her all her entourage.. Unfroze the rear wheel, by removing the rusted stuck brake lining from the drum.. Oh, and it won't turn over yet.. Badly neglected, indeed.

pictures or it never happened

I've been tryin' to upload pix,, they keep crashing.. They're jpgs on my mac, maybe I need to put them in photobucket or something first?

If it has the same tank and muffler as your '76 250 (other than different colors), its definately a 76. '75 was a sideport- carb poking out the side, '76 was the first year for centerport- carb in the center, same as the '76 250.

Yep, that's why I went after it, I thought it'd be a parts bike for the 250. I had a decent running 76 250 long ago, it was dependable and fun, easy to start..
I'd like to run the 350,, but worry a bit about starting,, are they much tougher to kick over? As I said the 250 was cake,, easy to start..
I am sure the extra 100ccs would be a huge power bonus,, that part would be way cool. I'd prolly even paint 'er up to look like the blue 250,, (not that many folks would know the difference).

They arent hard to kick at all... Just go through the drill. Get it up on the compression stroke, Kick it slowly until its just past TDC, Wind up, and give er the boot.

Just working on learning how to upload pix.. Had to shrink this one down on photobucket and move it back to my mac,, then,,, blah blah blah,,
Anyway, I hope it shows..
"It" is a shot of my 76 xl250 the day it got home, before unloading it from the truck..

Anybody know if I can put 1980 XL250 headlight and speedo on my 1982 XL500R?

I'm pretty sure your '82 will be 12 volt, the '80 will be a 6v. Also, I'm pretty sure the '82 has the 21" front tire, whereas the '80 had a 23". Not sure where the ratios where measured (in the wheel or in the speedo), so the readings may not be anywhere near accurate...

Ill have to keep looking for a speedo then.

I was thinking I could just change the bulb in the headlight from 6v to 12v though. Not so?

Sounds like you already have the pieces,, just try it out bulb and all,, if it pops or doesn't work,, swap it out with a 6v bulb..

I was going to order it from a bone yard, but Ill just keep looking. I dont mind getting an aftermarket light either, as long as its not one of those ugly cyclops models.