73 replies to this topic

[jpswift1 TT Member]

I've always loved the Honda XR's and even before I could drive a car I wanted one. Fast forward about 10 years later, I'm done with college, I landed a good job, and now is the time for more toys. I bought a super nice, low mile (2,8XX miles), one owner, meticulously maintained XR250L for a really great price. But enough of the background info, here's the plan. I love bikes, dirt, street, and now supermotos after reading about them online and seeing what they can do.  I love things that are "different" too. I wanted to build a XR250L into a supermoto bike without paying more than I paid for the entire bike itself.  After a lot of research and reading here through the forums I signed up and am going to describe how I'll be going about this.

I love a clean look. I also love the color white on bikes, cars, and trucks. I am going to do the bike up in black and white with a silver frame and black rims with polished stainless spokes.  I decided on doing a MX style rear fender with a LED taillight and turnsignals that will mount under it, and a supermoto front fender.  I got a really cool seat cover and matching tank graphic off ebay that is made with 3M stuff, no cheap junk.  I did a lot of searching online and I now have all my aftermarket mods and ALMOST every other part I need, so reassembly will begin soon.

As the performance goes, the XR250L is tuned down compared to the XR250L for emissions as you guys know. The guy I bought it from did everything to change the performance of this bike.  He put on the larger XR250R header and pipe, a Mikuni flat slide carb on it, the Wiseco 280 Big Bore kit, K&N air filter, stiffer fork springs, and a stiffer rear spring.  I only rode it once before I started the tear down and I was very pleased with the performance.

I've spent a lot of time on here and Supermotojunkie and I just wanted to thank everyone for posting all this useful information. I wouldn't have been able to even think about beginning this project without you guys.  I think this is going to be a fun little bike that's also extremely nimble, and extremely durable. Plus it'll be very unique and it'll be a blast to ride to bike nights and still be able to carve up the canyons.  The guy before me (original 1st owner) did a lot of stuff to this bike and was extremely meticulous about keeping the paperwork and maintenance up on the bike, so that saved me a lot of money and headaches.  This is the list of mods, some which were on before, but most of the others I'll be installing.

-Wiseco 280 big bore kit
-Ported and polished head
-Mikuni flat slide carb
-Progressive brand performance springs all around and heavier weight fork oil
-Cobra exhaust (this may change)
-Big tube Thumper Racing header
-K&N filter with the "XR airbox mod" and snorkel removed
-Emission components all removed
-XR600 intake boot
-Maier rear MX style fender
-Tusk LED taillight/underfender
-LED turn signals
-Summers Racing aluminum fork brace
-EBC 320mm front full floating rotor
-Galfer braided stainless steel brake lines, front and rear
-RK 520 gold XW ring chain
-Sidewinder sprockets
-17" Excel supermoto rims with stainless steel Buchanan spokes all around
-140/70/17 and 120/70/17 Avon Roadrider tires
-Renthal aluminum handlebars with Renthal grips and Acerbis hand guards

Here's a pic before the tear down:



And then the progress I've been making:






Then fast forward to this week.....the frame sandblasted and getting dropped off at the powdercoaters to have it done in argent silver metallic.

[jpswift1 TT Member]

Filling dents in the tank, removing the decals, and getting it ready for some fresh white paint.


Painting parts:




The old wheels and tires:

[jpswift1 TT Member]

And some of the aftermarket goodies!

Maier MX style XR fender with LED turn signals and Tusk LED taillight and underfender:


New seat cover installed with the Maier fender:


Matching tank graphics waiting to be installed:


Galfer stainless front and rear brake lines:


Summers Racing aluminum fork brace:


New Excel Supermoto rims and new Avon Roadrider AM26 tires:



And just a quick pic of some of the parts installed on the frame before I had it sandblasted:



Lots more to come on this, stay tuned.......

[Rokon TT Silver Member]

Uh what can I say...Nice hardwood floor in the shop?

[michigan400 TT Platinum Member]

Sweet! Looks like it will be a fun bike when your done. Cant wait to see pics of the finished unit, should look real nice.

I love these project threads. Gives me more ideas for my XR in the future.

[RedRider3141 TT Platinum Member]

Keep us updated, looks like it will turn out pretty nice when you are done!

[jpswift1 TT Member]

Thanks for the kind words, everyone!  Here's the EBC 320mm supermoto rotor and caliper relocation bracket.  This should stop the bike quite well!



I'll be getting the frame back from the powdercoaters this week and then some of the reassembly will begin.

[jpswift1 TT Member]

Today I got the frame back from the powdercoaters and I"m really happy with it!  I also started some of the reassembly.  

[Yokomo TT Titanium Member]

I like the looks of those bikes in stock form too.
Can't wait to see how this turns out.
I'd be interested to see how much you have invested in it when finished.

[125rider1 TT Silver Member]

Looking killer! I am doing a similar build but it looks like you started with a much nicer bike that was taken care of... Should turn out super nice and let me know how that built motor handles street duties. I am still debating which route to go with my motor. Your bike being ahead of mine is making me motivated to start getting to work on mine more!

[jpswift1 TT Member]

Yokomo said:

I like the looks of those bikes in stock form too.
Can't wait to see how this turns out.
I'd be interested to see how much you have invested in it when finished.

Thanks.  It's looking like I'll have around $1500 into the bike.  I did most of the work myself and got lots of parts cheap off ebay.......I never would have been able to, nor would I have spent the money, if I had to pay retail for all these parts.

125rider1 said:

Looking killer! I am doing a similar build but it looks like you started with a much nicer bike that was taken care of... Should turn out super nice and let me know how that built motor handles street duties. I am still debating which route to go with my motor. Your bike being ahead of mine is making me motivated to start getting to work on mine more!

Thanks for the kind words, and I'm glad my project can help you motivated to get yours going!  Do you have any pics of your build?  I'd really like to see it.  I love building projects........I don't just go and shell out a bunch of money for something brand new, anyone can do that and make payments on something.  Thus the little sticker that will be going on the bike to finish it off, "built not bought".

Here are some pics of my Excel rims that I just got done lacing up with Buchanan stainless spokes.  Before I installed each spoke I polished them just for a little extra shine.  I never laced a rim before, but after I got the first one done, the second wasn't difficult at all.  If anyone is looking for a good site that helps you along with lacing up a rim, check this out:  http://www.sheldonbr...wheelbuild.html

[xrgoat TT Newbie]

how much money is in this build so far? i too love the xr line

[125rider1 TT Silver Member]

Ya check out the dual sport build thread in this forum... its my thread that im trying to keep updated as much as possible... hard to find a lot of time between work and with the holidays!

[jpswift1 TT Member]

xrgoat said:

how much money is in this build so far? i too love the xr line

It's looking like I'll have around $1500 into the bike. I did most of the work myself and got lots of parts cheap off ebay.......I never would have been able to, nor would I have spent the money, if I had to pay retail for all these parts.

125rider1 said:

Ya check out the dual sport build thread in this forum... its my thread that im trying to keep updated as much as possible... hard to find a lot of time between work and with the holidays!

Cool!  Glad to see another XR build!  I love these bikes, but I know what you mean about the time seeming to be so limited.  I work on mine a little bit at a time everyday after work and whenever I have some time off.  I'm hoping that it should be ready by the end of January.....I'm getting really anxious to try it out!

[jpswift1 TT Member]

I've been busy working on the bike and made some good progress on it.  The wiring has been run, the wheels and tires are all mounted and trued up, and more accessories have been bolted up.  More pics to come.




The tires are Avon Roadrider.  The tires on the front are 120/70/17 and the rear is a 140/70/17.  These look like they're going to be a great all around tire, and nice and sticky in the twisties.

[mcdirtclod TT Bronze Member]

Here's a "heads-up" for you ... I have that same front rotor setup on my XR400 SM conversion.  Unless your front caliper is significantly smaller than mine (doubt it), you'll find that you have to unbolt the rotor so you can "angle it" and allow enough clearance to install or remove your front wheel.  With the big rotor and 17" rims, the caliper won't fit straight on.  Great looking project - looks like you're doing everything right.

[jpswift1 TT Member]

mcdirtclod said:

Here's a "heads-up" for you ... I have that same front rotor setup on my XR400 SM conversion.  Unless your front caliper is significantly smaller than mine (doubt it), you'll find that you have to unbolt the rotor so you can "angle it" and allow enough clearance to install or remove your front wheel.  With the big rotor and 17" rims, the caliper won't fit straight on.  Great looking project - looks like you're doing everything right.

Thanks for the heads up on that.  I'm just about to be bolting everything together for one final time, so I'll be sure to keep that in mind for when I do.  Until then I roughly bolted together the rolling chassis.  I still have to get the tank painted, but other than that it should be smooth sailing for the rest of the build.  

I also bought another 1992 XR250L off Craigslist on Saturday.  It only had 2400 miles on it and it runs really well.  The sun faded the color out on it, and it'll need some cleaning up, but I think this will be my next project after this one is done.  I'll probably do that one up as more of a dual sport rather than a supermotard, but I'll worry about that later.

Here's the other 250L that I picked up:

And here's the progress I made on my supermotard:

[crazyfast TT Bronze Member]

Groovy dude !  

Nothing like a winter project in the kitchen.  

Reminds me of a few buddy's with Harley's ,wifes just don't understand ,I'm in the basement ,luckily I have a walk-out.  
What year is that L  ?

[jpswift1 TT Member]

Thanks for the kind words.  Putting bikes together in the house is fun!  Both the supermotard and the other 250L that I just picked up are 1992 models.

[crazyfast TT Bronze Member]

Heres a pic of my 94 ,just might sell it this spring and plate my xr400 .
I ride the roads with a buddy thats got a 650 and I can't keep up with the L