Pictures: Building an XR650R for Mexico.

[simon@vic]

Me and 2 other friends are doing a 7000-10 000km trip in Mexico and i didn't think my 450 was up to it. bought an XR650R for the trip. the other 2 will be on a drz400 and a 950 adventure.

the bike was "like new" with org brake pads @ about 95% and no worn out anything or scratched parts.

200-600km by my guess

Here is what it looked like when i got it.

First thing to go was the standard style aluminum handle bars for pro tapers and risers.

Stock pipe gone for FMF TI.

I have been let down highly by Baja designs, electrax, and trick dual sport kits......but the bike needed to be inspected and plated for the trip. i built my own kit with a "moose stock + 2x 100w stator" as the heart. stock style {50w?} windings are powering a Baja style 2 phase REG/REC and a battery for the DC system {turn signals and horn}. #1 100w AC lead is running my 80/80w pia H4 superwhite headlight, tail light, and brake light. #2 100w lead is an AUX power source. the picture is my wiring ideas in the planning stage.

Coolant temp and tach sensors for vapor computer.

Moose Titanium pegs. way too expensive but well worth it!

Glass lens, metal bucket, plastic shell hand made AL brackets. Ugly but no melting! and yes the horn is loud!

works connection rad braces

moose rad guards

New oil and stiffer settings for the forks and shock. also cleaned and greased steering head bearings, swing arm, and linkages.

Bash plate i fabricated from scrap 6061 plate.

turn sigs from a 950 adventure. ugly but legal.....

My view for this winter. from left to right: KTM EXC left hand bar switch, useless plastic LH mirror, gps, Back lit computer with all the goodies, and the "go fast handle".

Also done:

-desert gearing 15/48.........

-heavy duty tubes, off road tires, balanced.

-Valve adjust

-jetting

-spark plug

-synth oil

-full service

-chassis tare down and cleaning

Still to come:

-25L fuel tank

-cargo bag supports

-some kind of seat mod or upgrade....... open to any ideas

pigs can fly!

I finished my cargo system today.

not flashy but very strong.

my $12 saddle bag supports. vice, drill, and a zip disk.

[frankstr]

Nice pics...Sounds like a fun ride......

?

[BRPXL600R]

Bike looks like a lot of time and effort went into this build!

[RJC]

What didn't work for you with these other guys? And, where did you get that horn? Mine sounds like a kid's kazoo.

[BRPXL600R]

What brand front fender is that on your bike?

[gaspipe]

Your bike is probably late enough of a build to have the updated clutch bushing, but you may want to double check to see if it's the 2 window one.

Also, I'd recommend spending the $3 and putting in a new countershaft sprocket seal before the big ride. Carry along a spare clutch cable too.

A KX radiator cap would probably do a lot of good since you're running the factory radiators. Elevating the boiling point would probably be a help in the slow stuff.

Have fun in Mexico!

[simon@vic]

i always carry an output shaft seal with me.

wont a 1.5 cap crate allot of pressure in my cooling system. wouldn't it be better for it to blow out and me let the bike cool down?

[gaspipe]

wont a 1.5 cap crate allot of pressure in my cooling system.

That's exactly what you want it to do. Increasing the system pressure elevates the boiling point of the coolant. If your hoses, clamps and radiators are in good shape, the 5-10 psi change in pressure won't make a bit of difference, except that the coolant will boil at a higher temp and hopefully minimize hot spots in the head.

I think the little KX's have a 1.8 bar cap.

[calxi]

I went with the 1.6 cap with fluidynes. Haven't boiled over since. Most 650's I ride with run a 1.6 or 1.8. Have you considered a mousse tube for the front?

[Beyond The Pale]

i always carry an output shaft seal with me.

wont a 1.5 cap crate allot of pressure in my cooling system. wouldn't it be better for it to blow out and me let the bike cool down?

As far as I know boil over is only an issue in slow going. On the highway or when ever your speed is enough to get some airflow, boil over isn't going to happen. Nasty long first gear hills when it's hot will do it. Airflow is key. The best thing is to rig up some kind of recovery bottle. One of my friends did this on his CR500. Those bikes are known to boil over frequently. He has it setup so that when the engine cools down, the coolant is sucked back in.

[simon@vic]

The best thing is to rig up some kind of recovery bottle. One of my friends did this on his CR500. Those bikes are known to boil over frequently. He has it setup so that when the engine cools down, the coolant is sucked back in.

the 650R has a coolant res bottle stock...............

its on the left lower side of the engine...............

[Miguel159]

Have you checked your stock thermostat? I pulled mine out after some boil overs only to find that it was bent and locked open. I replaced it with the SRC high temp model. I'll probably go to a 1.6 rad cap too. It's supposed to be quite a common problem with the XRR.

http://miguel159.smugmug.com/photos/102073703-M.jpg

[simon@vic]

so the thermostats stick open or closed????????

open is fine by me {like my WR} but stuck closed could be very bad!

[Miguel159]

It's stuck open. The coolant wasn't spending any time in the rads that way and she over heated. I was doing some pretty tight, steep hill climbs so I was on the gas pretty hard. She seems to be running ok now though. The stock thermostat is a flimsy stamped unit. The SRC is quite beefy in comparison. And it was only about $25 shipped to my door. Do you need any maps or books prior to your Baja trip? I have lots. I have Garmin, Baja GPS maps too.

[pburke]

As far as I know boil over is only an issue in slow going. On the highway or when ever your speed is enough to get some airflow, boil over isn't going to happen. Nasty long first gear hills when it's hot will do it. Airflow is key.

air flow seems a bit restricted by all the funky radioator bracing and protection shown in the above pix. I would thing that a bike "protected" like that will run hotter than the stock bike (which is what I still run, and does it ever get hot when you hit the first gear stuff...engine ice and rad cap don't really help that much - I am adding a fan this winter)

Peter

[simon@vic]

Do you need any maps or books prior to your Baja trip? I have lots. I have Garmin, Baja GPS maps too.

yes i need all of the above!

[Zapp22]

gaspipe or other: when did that clutch bushing switch over? and what do I have to tear down to inspect it?

z

[simon@vic]

I finished my cargo system today.

not flashy but very strong.

my $12 saddle bag supports. vice, drill, and a zip disk.

[NavyNuke]

looking to take mine down to baja this winter some, just looking to setup some bags for it. Thinking about dirtbags, do I need the subframe brace with those too? or just the brackets/bags?

Ken

[simon@vic]

Thinking about dirt bags, do I need the subframe brace with those too? or just the brackets/bags?

QUOTE]

sorry, i don't know about the dirtbagz supports.