My XR650L conversion

[lilgsxr1000]

Sorry you had a prob with the swinger, when built I had no plans of ever riding it in the dirt. It was a test swinger that just stayed. As for the kick stand mount, I never removed it because I wanted to be able to show any cop, where the original kick stand bolted. I think it couldn't have went to a better person and I do miss riding it.

[fabiodriven]

No worries on the swinger Bob! The price was right and it's been worth every penny bud. The template was there, that made it a lot easier for me to work with! Thank you!

[cochran]

Resurrecting this thread. Would love to find out what front tire that is on the Tecate rim. I would like to put it on one of my T3s and see how it works on a flat track.

[fabiodriven]

I'll get back to this hopefully later today. Had a lot going on lately.

[fabiodriven]

Resurrecting this thread. Would love to find out what front tire that is on the Tecate rim. I would like to put it on one of my T3s and see how it works on a flat track.

http://www.eccarts.com/22x10x10-RHOX...xsr-street.htm

[fabiodriven]

So as an update to this bike post Trikefest, it performed quite well there, when it wanted to. Not long before Trikefest the XR had shown a bit of stubbornness on hot starts from time to time. It was so soon before Trikefest that I hadn't much time to spend looking at it, so in the trailer it went. I bought a set of dirt wheels for it and had finished mounting them right before we left. This would be this machine's maiden voyage with dirt skins, ever as far as I know. When we got to Indiana I went for a couple of street rides straight off. I'd get 15 or twenty minutes from Haspin then double back and go a different way once I knew where I was. At one point I just happened to be riding past a trailer as a young guy on what appeared to be a mid to late 70's KE125, or it could have been a 100, was pulling out for a rip. He had a butt in his mouth and was classic Americana, as far as who you would expect to be ripping around on a KE. I was watching him pulling up close in the mirrors probably trying to figure out what I was riding, especially with a Massachusetts plate on it, haha. Haspin is in a VERY rural area, so it's surely not that often that any vehicle with a Massachusetts plate goes through there. That was Monday. So Tuesday I put the hiking boots on 'er and was all revved up to get 'er out on the trails. Crank, crank, crank, no run. I was slightly disappointed, but I still had the 'ol DR and the Zinger (friggin DR hauls the mail and runs like a Swiss watch btw). A little later Captain Weezy decided we should look at it, so we did. Not long after that Jonny Swinehart stepped in, so now we've got some heavy hitters. Bike appeared to have spark (which is under review), fuel, and compression. I was able to adjust the valves at home before we left for Haspin in a last Ditch effort, but they were all right in spec. I also thought it may had been as simple as a spark plug, as her jetting is certainly off. I threw one in at home and rode it a bunch with no more start failures, so I thought that may have been it. I brought extra plugs to Indiana, but that didn't fix the problem either. After a fairly decent amount of time with the three of us scratching our noggins, we had come up with nothing.

Fast forward to possibly Wednsday-ish... It was late, one or two a.m., and I had been at the Shoe Tree thoroughly enjoying the time and place the universe had me in at that moment, and also those that were there with me as well. It was a celebratorious time, as most times at Haspin are, and I had returned back to my camp. As I walked past the XR, I turned the key on. I knew the battery was dead after having labored to turn over the over half litre Honda quite a bit earlier that day. I hit the start button and the starter gritted its teeth and gave one good push which got a very decent "thunk" of combustion, more life than she's shown in a long time. I hit the button again, but just no juice. In a frenzy I dug out my jumper cables and hooked them up to my truck and then the bike. Instantly she came to life running perfect. I whipped the cables off and blazed into the night like a madman. Instantly I was amazed at how well the bike handled and how sure footed it was. The 650 seems tame on the roads, which was the only other place prior I had ridden it really, but it's a whole different ballgame in the dirt. You want to go faster, no problem. Grab the next gear up and throttle it in. I buzzed the Shoe Tree multiple times that night doing hot laps around Haspin until 3 a.m. or so. You really have to hand it to that place, I can't think of many other places you can do that. That bike is loud, very loud, plain and simple, and I was not taking it easy.

Once I got it on the drag strip I was extremely surprised. I beat more than one 250R (including Sam) and it stood right up on the 1-2 shift every time. I actually was right with a bike I would have never imagined it would hang with, a very fast first gen R that I have ridden myself quite a bit (thanks buddy!). It then decided to be a little jerk-arse again and not start at the drag strip. At that point Garry Crum stepped in and spent A LOT of time looking at the bike. He was stumped as well. (Thank you Garry!) When Garry Crum can't figure out your 650, it's time to do some homework. To his credit though, my bike has some ugly wiring and a lot of it. So when it runs on the strip it runs awesome. It handles great on Haspin's trails as far as cornering and control, but any kind of racing other than drag I wouldn't say it shines at. I ice raced it and got smoked pretty much. I was going to run it at Ashtabula but in retrospect I'm glad I wasn't able to make it there. These guys mean business these days and my bike is a dinosaur compared to what honkies be running currently. As a street bike and play bike, yes, do the conversion. Even as a trail bike it does well. I know it looks low in the pictures but I didn't need any more ground clearance than what is shown. The main trails in Haspin are not aggresive, and that's what I was riding with it. The rear suspension is adjustable and it can be brought up very easily. It was never intended for competition however and I'm behind the times for racing anyways, but it is still a fantastic bike when it runs.

Currently it is in my garage resting. The last time I went to start it the bike decided it wasn't running that day, and it's not started since. My work schedule has been very hectic and on top of that I've been very sick for about a month. I've missed some work and just began an extended leave of absence today to get this figured out. I can't concern myself with the bike right now but it's not going anywhere.

Special thanks to Jonny Swinehart, Captain Weezy, and Garry Crum for looking at my bike with me!

[HairyJR]

"fabiodriven" with all that brain trust ( great guys ) I'm sure ya'll know about the common cdi module problem and the known test of tapping with a screwdriver handle. Did you try tapping? Had happen to me a couple times before discovering the problem.

"HJ"

[fabiodriven]

I'm completely unaware Hairy, but I'm all ears. I'm all for learning. I was under the assumption it may have a CDI problem, but there really was no basis of that theory, more of just a guess. :-)

[HairyJR]

While at Glamis the first time it happened out in the dunes to my TRX250R XR650L motor hybrid, no spark, towed back to camp. Next morning started right up no problem. The next time it happened was a year later while setting at the bottom of Oldsmobile Hill, wouldn't start. A stranger looking at my quad saw I was having a problem with spark and told me to hit the back of the cdi module with a screwdriver handle and if it then starts its the solder connections inside the module. Went on the say a temporary fix was to put it in an oven @ 300 degrees for thirty minutes. After hitting it a couple smacks, fired right up. I don't know where your module is mounted, under the seat by the battery I believe give this a try and if it works there's a better way to fix than the oven.

"HJ"

[fabiodriven]

Awesome Hairy, greatly appreciated. Unfortunately I lack the health to attempt anything at this juncture but I will most likely order a CDI and replace it as soon as I can. Thank you very much bud.

[honda atc guy]

I finally got the XR up to Vermont last weekend. The weather was cold but the rain held off long enough for me to get a few hours in. I rode through town to Okemo Mountain, which is where I had the photo shoot. After descending from the mountain I stopped in at Dunkin Donuts in downtown Ludlow, Vermont. I was standing in line when I noticed the police officer parked next to my trike outside and I wasn't surprised. As I approached the officer sitting in his cruiser he told me that he had gotten a lot of calls about me. I told him I didn't doubt it. They all ask if I go through this a lot and I always tell them yes, every time I ride. They've all been very brief and apologetic lately for wasting my time and usually send me right on my way. This guy was really nice. He introduced himself and we shook hands and he told me he knew it was legit before I came out but he just had to be seen checking it out, just doing his job. Nothing wrong with that I'd say. The bike has been great. It's not "perfect" right now but it's ten times the machine it was when I first started dating it, errr, bought it. The swing arm is an absolute work of art if I do say so myself. I'm mighty proud of Stephen and myself for accomplishing that. Thanks for looking.

Don't know how I missed this thread until now, but love the trike! Awesome!! If I had only known you were going to be in Ludlow, I would've went there to check it out as Ludlow is extremely close to me.

[onformula1]

While at Glamis the first time it happened out in the dunes to my TRX250R XR650L motor hybrid, no spark, towed back to camp. Next morning started right up no problem. The next time it happened was a year later while setting at the bottom of Oldsmobile Hill, wouldn't start. A stranger looking at my quad saw I was having a problem with spark and told me to hit the back of the cdi module with a screwdriver handle and if it then starts its the solder connections inside the module. Went on the say a temporary fix was to put it in an oven @ 300 degrees for thirty minutes. After hitting it a couple smacks, fired right up. I don't know where your module is mounted, under the seat by the battery I believe give this a try and if it works there's a better way to fix than the oven.

"HJ"

They have tons of problems on that bike, did you- replace it with a new OEM, buy a aftermarket set-up or reflow the solder yourself?

[HairyJR]

"fabiodriven" there's a member on another forum who tells you step by step how to repair your cdi module, re-soldering, or you can send it to him to fix. He's located in New Brunswick, Canada, a neighbor to you. I could copy and paste the url to the thread on another forum if it's allowed, not sure of 3ww rules.....

"HJ"

[lilgsxr1000]

Just so you know that bike did it to me a year before I sold it. If I smacked the cdi it would run fine the rest of the day. I did replace the cdi with a new factory replacement right before you purchased it. If I was a betting man, and I am I would say it is about to die again.

[HairyJR]

They have tons of problems on that bike, did you- replace it with a new OEM, buy a aftermarket set-up or reflow the solder yourself?

"Milner" sorry I missed your thread posting back then as I must of been typing my rely and posted only minutes after yours. I performed the oven trick and have had no problem since, but I am lucky enough to have another complete NX650 bike so I robbed its OEM module and carry it in my back pack just in case.

"HJ"