XR500 (and similar) legends and lies thread

[fridayflash]

cheers man, adv and road riding is the plan for it, part of me would like ti 'xr-ise' it but that would be a little pretenious, altho if i came by an xr headlight and rear guard/tool pouch id be tempted to fit them ive only ever ridden an xr500 but understand the main differences between the motors is the xl having a heavier flywheel and two mm smaller carby (pumper) ...adding to the torque down low you mention

[10bikekid]

cheers man, adv and road riding is the plan for it, part of me would like ti 'xr-ise' it but that would be a little pretenious, altho if i came by an xr headlight and rear guard/tool pouch id be tempted to fit them ive only ever ridden an xr500 but understand the main differences between the motors is the xl having a heavier flywheel and two mm smaller carby (pumper) ...adding to the torque down low you mention

Those things and a milder cam made the XL a lot more civilized and yes better down low, (but did cost a few HP)

Have done about 25.000 ks mostly on XR's but some on XL's and am hoping to find a good one in the next few years to revisit my youth also

PS, would fit the XR bits in a flash (excuse the pun) and if you did longer shox and a terry kit, bingo you have an XR that doesn't stall

[Sensei]

.... Love my USA import XL500s as they had the XR single speedo & a different colour way .. And with my own modifications I have done to it to fully sort for road blasting but keeping it close to stock looking I enjoy all to excellent feed back where ever I take it

[10bikekid]

.... Love my USA import XL500s as they had the XR single speedo & a different colour way .. And with my own modifications I have done to it to fully sort for road blasting but keeping it close to stock looking I enjoy all to excellent feed back where ever I take it

Nice

Boy I'm kicking myself for not getting that red one now

[Sensei]

Nice

Boy I'm kicking myself for not getting that red one now

Yea had to have this to go with my XR500 & the 2 TT500 & 1 XT500 plus my 1975 TL250 4valve trials bike life's tough !

[fridayflash]

.... Love my USA import XL500s as they had the XR single speedo & a different colour way .. And with my own modifications I have done to it to fully sort for road blasting but keeping it close to stock looking I enjoy all to excellent feed back where ever I take it

thats a hot lookin xl sensei, i like that american colour scheme..monza red huh? i had considered painting my xl185s like that. btw, are those ohlins shocks on that 500s? ive seen pics of your lineup before...frucken impressive!!

[10bikekid]

You may have seen them here http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...post1130601864

And here http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...post1130662207

Hope you don't mind me bumping those posts Sensei but we need something to keep us going

Would like to hear a twin shock XR XL comparo but will have to wait to you complete collection, I'm pretty sure I could do that from memory but it would be nice to compare notes

[fridayflash]

yes its a hot looking lineup, and seems like taranaki has a decent muster of old thumpers.i have a few thumper enthusiast contacts and friends here in hawkes bay all past and present xr and tt/xt owners so hoping to get a bit of a posse together

[fridayflash]

hey 10bikes you mentioned longer shocks and a terry kit...is the terry kit still avail? taking the forks from 8" up to 8.8" travel i understand? and when you say longer shocks...do you roughly know what length the xr500 rear shocks are? i thought they were all 400 eye to eye but maybe the xr is more than that...or the xl a bit less

[10bikekid]

hey 10bikes you mentioned longer shocks and a terry kit...is the terry kit still avail? taking the forks from 8" up to 8.8" travel i understand? and when you say longer shocks...do you roughly know what length the xr500 rear shocks are? i thought they were all 400 eye to eye but maybe the xr is more than that...or the xl a bit less

I remember when my Terry Kit arrived (about 1980), it was basically a 1" longer piston cone with holes in slightly different places, fitted it straight away and it gave a full 9.8" of travel (stock XR 8.8"). bike then became a chopper and wheelied everywhere untill a few days later when the SMW Shox arrived to add to rear travel 8.8" up from 7.8", supension was twice as good as stock for the Hare and Hound racing I was doing at the time but for ADV riding I would think the Stock XR bits would convert your XL to an XR replica and be just fine, would have to measure my mates XR to give you a shock length and E bay might be the place to get the bits ?

http://www.ebay.com/bhp/1979-honda-xr500

This is interesting no parts though http://www.cmsnl.com/honda-xr500_model380/

This is Cool http://www.genuinemotorcycleparts.co.../Honda/XR-500/

And had these bits http://www.ebay.com/itm/1980-HONDA-X.../331187506521?

[Sensei]

thats a hot lookin xl sensei, i like that american colour scheme..monza red huh? i had considered painting my xl185s like that. btw, are those ohlins shocks on that 500s? ive seen pics of your lineup before...frucken impressive!!

Yea Ohlins rear shocks as all the other Bikes have as well .... Haven't finished buying yet a couple more to go LOL.

[fridayflash]

Yea Ohlins rear shocks as all the other Bikes have as well .... Haven't finished buying yet a couple more to go LOL.

what length eye to eye do ohlins quote for the xl500s shock sensei?

[DR Girl]

Wow cool bike Eddie !!!! Well done

Must admit my softest spot was for my second hand orange '75 ? XL 175 not my brand new '79 XR 185
I agree with cassina, lower seat was great & easier to start. I'm bit of a girl LoL

You still in the warmer Hawkes Bay Ed . . . . or back in Chch ?

[400sm]

Greetings chaps

Had two new XR 500s back in the day. Great bikes...great times !

I put S&W shocks on my 'A'. ( after previous experience on my 'Z')

Geez they were Cool !
2 coil springs of different rates, on each shock.
The ride was plusher...and the damping was wonderful.

Had a new red (soon to turn pink!) Don Vesco tank as well.
Alpine Stars Roger de Coster MX boots

....ahhh....those were the days.....

Great to see you fullas keeping the faith.

[Muzz67]

Found this pic from a couple of years ago,, '79 XR500 on sweeper onto front straight Powerbuilt Chch.
'84 XR250re front forks and disc hub with 17inch 250re rear rim laced onto it.
Actually worked really well! Scraping footpegs and wearing the sides off my boots on most corners.
Probably didn't get over 150kph, but cornered real good!