[kojak]

hey guys new to this site.i just bought a 1982 xl500r an when ya let it run for 2 minutes or so the Exhaust is so hot ya can touch it...also doest idle worth a dam...idles high till ya crack the throttle then it slows right down...any an all help will be great.
thanks everyone

[Horri]

Well if I left my 82 XL500 idling for two minutes and touched the headers I'd no doubt get burnt fingers..Sounds fairly normal to me.As to the other check the cables for free movement..Check the throttle assembly for the same..Make sure the throttle isn't hard up against the handlebar end.

[roymid]

Yep the insid of the throttle sleeve will bind on the tip of the handle bar. It's not good to leave an air cooled bike idling too long once it is warmed up it needs to be moving so that air can pass over the cooling fins. Also... A lean fuel/air mixture will cos it to run hot.