Howdy

Jim here, in San Francisco. I recently bought an XR650R without knowing a whole lot about it. Learning as I go. I just took a bunch of stuff off of it last night. Starting to get to where i'm not sure where everything goes again!

So I'll be posting in the maintenance section for a few weeks, I suspect, then over to ride reports. Appreciate everyone's help and knowledge here. Cheers.



Ps - thanks for that lovely noobie pic

welcome

Welcome mang

Thanks friends! Would love to see your bikes....

You asked for it

Opps thats not my XR!!!




Here she is. Mostly original. Making mods as I can afford it.

Let me just say, , , and , in that order!


And how is everything in Lyon, FR this time of year? Europe is a dream ride for me.

Winters starting to fade. Yay!! Been a real shock this winter for me, being a New Zealander i'm not used to the cold. Got bucked off my piggy in the weekend and twisted my knee, so two weeks off work Ahh I was being a silly bugger pulling wheelies up a track and landed straight in front of a big rock. Came off second best, the pig only a few scatches and crimped cupling for the front brake cable. I actually squashed the cable between the cupling causing a small leak brake oil.

Glad you got a pig Jim.

I'm here in Sonoma. I have a 2002 BRP with a lot done to it. I don't ride as much as I'd like because we just had a couple of kids in the last couple of years. But I'm good friends with the Team Honda people and can help you with advice and stuff if you'd like.

Where do you plan on riding?

I posted some of what I've learned here: http://www.xr650rforum.com/xrr-main-discussion-f1/where-to-start-on-making-my-pig-the-best-t126.htm

I'm slated to do some high desert rides outside Reno later this year. There's a group in Redding that is VERY active. And a few other smaller groups around. Not many that are all-dirt though. Supposed to ride to some ghost towns in Nevada too.

Lemme know if you are interested and I'll PM you my phone number.

Again,
Greetings to the new guy!

SFXR wrote:Jim here, in San Francisco. I recently bought an XR650R without knowing a whole lot about it. Learning as I go. I just took a bunch of stuff off of it last night. Starting to get to where i'm not sure where everything goes again!

So I'll be posting in the maintenance section for a few weeks, I suspect, then over to ride reports. Appreciate everyone's help and knowledge here. Cheers.



Ps - thanks for that lovely noobie pic

Thanks Big Boar, Bump.

My bio: I'm new to dirt. I rode my KLR up to Alaska and back in summer 2005. Totaled 16,500 miles, maybe 3500 of it dirt roads, including Denali out and back, Cassiar, Canol, McCarthy-Kennicott, parts of the Dalton, some Utah/Colorado washes. Changed my life, that trip. It was hard, but that wasn't really dirt-dirt. At no time was breaking traction on the rear wheel a good thing when fully loaded like that.

I sold the KLR when my girlfriend came along and wanted to ride double. So I got a GS. Fine tourer. Woudn't take it on loose dirt if I could help it. The thumper fire still burned, so enter the BRP (a plated 2002)--my treat to myself for a very hard year. Impractical for the city, but I'm fixing it up to ride the TAT with a buddy in August. We're shipping the bikes east and then riding west for a month.

I was about to say my new-to-me bike is bone stock, but I have several aftermarket goodies on it. My bike is dual sported (joe racer perhaps?) uncorked and jetted, with FMF Q2 pipe. Louder than I like, but not terribly obnoxious. I have a 6 gal acerbis to install, a clarke probably, on it now. Need Hodakaguy's brace (soon, he promises!) and some rubber-sheathed bolts to hook it all up. Also put on a higher handlebar and submount triple clamp (no dampener). A bigger stator is installed, but don't know where to go from there. Looks like I have power to use--as soon as I figure out how to do that.

There seem to be no end to things I need upgraded, but really they are just things I want upgraded. Right now I'm just proud to overcome my fears and jump back in to wrenching on it like I did my KLR. i WILL learn how do the valves myself. I will learn how to fix it if it dies mid-Cassiar, like my KLR, going 75 mph, in the rain, on the side of the road, with the bike stripped and everything on the ground, up to my knees in the creek blowing water through clogged breather hoses! The greatest feeling I've ever had on a motorcycle was fixing it myself.

I'm actively looking for parts and know-how. Reading everything I can, tinkering when I have the time. I need handguards. Cycras with mounts are $110! I liked my KLR tusks for about $30. wonder if tusks would fit the XR? another question to ask in the forums ...


damn i'm chatty today.

Welcome dude and congrats on the purchase. You won't regret it

Welcome

When I got mine buddys told me I was nuts, thats to big of a bike. I have found some tight places, yea its to big and wears me out but when we get to a wide open place its the best

Thanks bakeray, Back40.

Hey BTW, the other day I was noticing a dip in my front tire as I rolled fwd slowly. Thought I lost a nob and was just dipping down when the tire came around to the gap. Checked the tire and it was fine. Thought nothing of it until I went to check the air pressure and found zero. WTF? I tapped the spokes and ... six completely loose spokes floppin' around. That wheel could have collapsed on me with tragic consequences. Luckily I've only got a punctured tube. Took the front wheel off and I'm taking it in to my local shop to be trued. So my first tip to everyone here is check your spokes!

My poor bike is in pieces right now. Gonna take some time to clean it and get to know it, install some parts.

Spring is almost here, people! The best time of the year.

Hey welcome mate!

Jim here, in San Francisco. I recently bought an XR650R without knowing a whole lot about it. Learning as I go.

Me too! I knew I wanted a fkn badass bike, one that didn't need a whole lot of work to be fast. One that could handle my dirt jones, and one that was bulletproof, simple, and could haul my fat ass around.

I grew up on dirt, but have not rode dirt since I was 15. (other than MTN biking)

Every time I ride my bike I feel like a kid again that just rode a mini bike...it's the same feeling. The grin factor on this bike is simply amazing.

My only regret is that I waited this long.

My pig is in the shop right now getting the springs upgraded and an Edelbrock carb put on.
Yeah yeah I would do it myself, but with 2 jobs and grad school time is a commodity I do not have much of.

Hey thanks, Off the Grid.

Your bike looks sweeet! oversized tank, integrated lights on the back, cycras, seat, skid plate, mirror, footpegs, and new shocks and edelbrock? Me likey. Any dirt where you live? Going to put street tires on it? What else are you riding?

I've got two bikes now and no car. Almost 4 years carless! Fun's over if I have a kid, but no danger of that soon.

Hey thanks SFXR!

There are no legal areas of Long Island to ride, but there are over 220+ acres of woods that the club I belong to owns....going for my first "club ride" this Sunday! Will take some pics for sure.
There is a TON of riding within 2-3 hours of my house in CT, NJ and upstate NY.

Regarding hop-ups you forgot.......

1. FMF Full System - Q2 muffler, Power Bomb Headers (stock headers included)
2. EBC Oversized Front Rotor (stock rotor and hanger included)
3. Full Baja Designs Kit - Analog Speedo < 2300mi
4. Pro Bend Guards with Plastic Spoilers on Renthal Honda Hi Bend bars, Pro Grip Gel Grips
5. Eibach Springs front and rear for 200lb rider (putting on same for 280+ lb fatass)
6. Clarke 4.3g tank Red (stock tank included)
7. Baja Designs Gel Seat (stock cover and pad included)
8. XR's Only Fender Bag and Temp Dip Stick
9. IMS (Moose) Pro Stainless Pegs
10. MT21's with < 100mi on them

Got it all for 3200 with the Edelbrock carb included but not installed.
Bought it sight unseen from a guy in CO off ADV, had it shipped to NY for $560. Waiting those 10 days was agonizing.

So far I bought:

1. Wolfman tankbag and front fender bag.
2. 301244 Bridgestone M403 80/100-21 1 $67.95 $67.95
301255 Bridgestone M404 110/100-18 1 $64.95 $64.95
Shipping: SWMT Shipping: $0.00
Sales Tax: $0.00
Total: $132.90
3. Borrego Rack
4. XRs only case saver
5. Titanium trail iron BRP specific with rear wheel wrench built in.
(only got one, they are 30 bucks each so going to use a "normal" set with it)



Planning on:
Better mirrors.
Rear bag for rack
Stator upgrade
Fork brace
GPS
etc etc etc

It's a sickness I tell ya. But once that front wheel leaves the ground it's all worth it.

Sorry to hijack your thread mate.

SFXR:

Welcome, and nice pig!

I like the unobtrusive saddle bags.

Dave

Off the Grid wrote:
Got it all for 3200 with the Edelbrock carb included

Steal of the year!

Not a threadjack at all--glad you posted. I've got a pair of motion pro tire irons/wrenches like those wrenches you have there. Only they fit a KLR axle, not the 17/27mm of the Honda. I'm gonna hafta reach out to craigslist or adv to see if i can get someone to trade my 22mm and 24mm for the honda sizes. Super tools to have.

And hey, Dave P! Those bags are ortlieb dry bags, bought off of aerostich, i believe. I strapped them over my KLR and rode to Deadhorse with them. They were awesome. I don't know why more people don't use them on the XR--they stay off the pipe, hold a lot, have a reflective patch on the back, and sit close enough to the rider so as not to strain the subframe too much. Instead of adding stickers to my bike, I just took a paint pen and added a state or territory every time I crossed a border. Behold the "Voyage of the Beagle," summer 2005:


[img][/img]

SFXR:

Thanks for the heads up on the bags. They look simple, rugged and highly functional.

It's time to transfer ~10 lbs of "stuff" from my back to the bags, for sure!

Dave