They actually are ATV tank bag. They work great! The gas cap holds the top on, and the sides are velcored to tanks. Rain proof, and mostly water proof. Submerged them in a swamp last week and only a few drops got in. Cheap too, like 25 bucks I think i paid...bought them hear: http://www.shopprocycle.us/productdetail.htm?productId=6399001&catalogId=&searchProducts=tank%20bag They have a coupla differnet types.
I will assume it's a clogged jet or stuck float valve. Sitting for 3 months can gum up the gas. On all my bikes (street and dirt) i always run the carbs dry before parking, especially my IT175. Turn off the petcock and let it idle or ride until it stalls. So just pull the carb off and get a can of carb cleaner with the little straw and squirt all the little holes. Then for another measure, fill your tank with fresh gas and put in a bottle of STP complete fuel system cleaner (the one with jet fuel). Does the trick for me, even on my CB750F.
I agree with the last post. But mine also had a strange issue from day one that lasted the whole 17 years that I owned it. Anytime it sat for a while I had to turn the fuel tap off, drain the primary carb float bowl and then turn the fuel tap back on. If you didn't do that you could kick it a 1000 times and it would not start. Drain the float bowl and it would start second or third kick. The long time mechanic that worked on the bike never figured that one out. It just was. But you might want to try it before taking it apart. And DO NOT BEND THE FLOAT OUT OF ADJUSTMENT when you pull the float bowl off. There is a rubber hose on the back of the float bowl that needs to come off first so the bowl will drop straight down. If you bend the float out of adjustment you be hating life and fabbing a Yamatool to readjust it.
well, i rode my xt350 to work this morning. First time since i bought it and put it on a diet and tweaked the carbs. Wow!! im impressed. It had great bottom end to mid pull, which will be perfect in the woods and trails. It feels much different than my xt550, more.... upright. Im sure it has a steeper fork angle. My 550 feels a bit more relaxed and long. I put a 128 jet in the primary side, and had the secondary drilled out a bit larger. I dont know what size, my mechanic did it for me and i forgot to note what size bit he used. I also put in a 48 pilot jet, i didnt even need the choke to start it nor did i have to feather the throttle. It was ready to rip right away. I also have a Uni filter in it and a Cobra exhaust. I still have to swap on the knobbies, but ill enjoy motarding the roads around here for a few days. Ill get pics up soon.
After reading this enthusiastic thread on the XT350, I have new appreciation for my 1984 XT350. BUT now I have a carburator problem. It was running fine for a few years, but recently floods out when coasting downhill. Uphill and flat is no problem. If I sit for a couple of minutes, the carburator is fine again. I am guessing I need a float adjustment, I checked float height with a clear plastic tube attached to the bottom of the float chamber and visually aligning with the float chamber, but this was very rough measurment. I was told to take the carbs off and visually check the floats by turning the carb upside down and sighting along the top of the float chamber. Clymer manual shows a coaster enrichment diaphram which is rubber and visually it looks OK. I have tried carb cleaning and fresh gas, and this has helped the problem, but not cured it. Anyone solve this problem before on their XT350 ? No carb kits available, just make a guess order the next expensive part and wait a week.
After reading this enthusiastic thread on the XT350, I have new appreciation for my 1984 XT350. BUT now I have a carburator problem. It was running fine for a few years, but recently floods out when coasting downhill. Uphill and flat is no problem. If I sit for a couple of minutes, the carburator is fine again. I am guessing I need a float adjustment, I checked float height with a clear plastic tube attached to the bottom of the float chamber and visually aligning with the float chamber, but this was very rough measurment. I was told to take the carbs off and visually check the floats by turning the carb upside down and sighting along the top of the float chamber. Clymer manual shows a coaster enrichment diaphram which is rubber and visually it looks OK. I have tried carb cleaning and fresh gas, and this has helped the problem, but not cured it. Anyone solve this problem before on their XT350 ? No carb kits available, just make a guess order the next expensive part and wait a week.
I just changed the oil in the new to me 88 XT-350, The filter looked clean but when I drained the cranckcase a small black piece of plastic came out. It looks like a gear tooth about 3/16" width with a rounded top. Is this something to worry about? Oil pressure seems fine and the tach works. I was hoping to ride it for a month or two longer before tearing it down for some other maintenance.
That could be a piece from the oil pump gear (I can't think of another plastic gear in the crankcase except the tacho gear). I think it should last that time, but it'll be best to tear it apart and check it out, it's still a lesser evil than an oil pump failure. PS: After drilling a total of 5 10mm holes in the airbox cover after rejetting the bike runs almost perfect, there's just a small sputter at full throttle above 7500 rpm, but up to that the bike runs great. It has a lot more power in low and mid range (I estimate around 15-20%). Now it still needs just a bit more air to compensate for a 120 secondary jet, so another hole should be just right. Crude yet effective PS#2: I just tipped 40k km/25k miles on my XT
that's some slick tuning, Jegr. After rejetting mine, ive noticed more power also down at the bottom to mid range. Amazing difference. 25k miles is great!! Nice to know how far these bikes can go. I just bought mine a month ago with 21k miles. Previous owner had it for 17 years. BCgser, i would assume a float adjustment. Weird things can happen under certain circumstances. Keep posted if it makes a difference. It might happen to me someday.
has anyone had any success to adding a chain tensioner to their XT350? I noticed that when the swingarm moves down (extends) the chain gets looser. Id like to eliminate this before the chain pops off or slips. Check out these i found online.... http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ATV-...artsStore_W0QQitemZ380059384876QQcmdZViewItem and http://ztrproducts.com/content/view/13/27/ Do you think these could be made to fit our bikes?
That shouldn't be a problem to fit, the easiest way would be simply bolting it to the swingarm, but you'd have to drill a hole in the swingarm where the chain tensioner would fit the best. The swigarm is made od steel and very sturdy, so one hole wouldn't compromise it's strenght. Now, I have a problem with the bike. When I shift up and open throttle, the clutch slips. That happens if I shift above 5500 rpm, under that it shifts normal. What is weird is that this started over night, yesterday the bike was running fine, the only change is that I topped up the oil in the bike, about 2dcl, but that in no way should affect the clutch that much that it would slip. The clutch pads were changed during the winter, they have about 5000 miles on them so they shouldn't be worn.
ya know, it may seem over night but actually it may have been slipping a little more and more as you ride. And a little bit more each time doesnt go noticed until one day you realise, Hey my clutch is slipping. It happend that way with my XT550. One day, i rode it after it sat for a month or so and i noticed it slipping just as i released the clutch. Eventually it would grab, but that short time just as you engage it is when it was slipping. I also noticed that the lever wasnt releasing all the way or it would release slowly. As if the cable was sticking inside the cable housing. Sure enough, i sprayed some oil down the cable housing and it loosened the action and made it release quicker and like new. But, the clutch still slipped a bit. So I pulled out the plates and measured their thickness and they were fine, within limits. So i just put in new OEM springs and that did the job. So, it was a combination of a sticky clutch cable and weak/worn clutch springs. I hope this helps, Jegr. ps, i ordered that tensioner on ebay. cant wait to get it.
Now, I'm even more baffled. I rode the bike yesterday after posting my problem here again, and it ran without problems, the clutch engaged and disengaged normally... go figure:huh. I'll replace the springs anyway because I need to replace the clutch cover gasket (oozing oil beyond what I consider normal) so I don't have to open the thing up twice. I was a fool for not replacing the springs when I did the plates, well, at least we learn all the time . Now I have a question for all the XT 350 riders.... What DS tyres you run on the bike? I had to change the rear tire after 6000 miles (Michelin Pilot Activ road tire - never running that one again, although I rode it 95% on the road) and now I have Avon Distanzia AM44. My first impressions are good, the tyre handles well both on the pavement and dirt roads, and it should last ages with it's 10 mm thick running tread. Doing 65 on gravel... very interesting
Hey, I have those Avon Distanzias on my XT550, front and rear. They are great street tires and handle ok on dirt roads, almost a supermotard i think. And yes, REALLY thick tread life. But scary on the trails, atleast for me. I remember almost dropping my bike a few times when i brought it out to the woods. So for my XT350 i put on Bridgestone ED03 on the front and ED04 on the rear. They really bite the dirt good. I planned on more trail riding with my 350. But i know a guy with a huge KLR650 and he has those Avons on it, and man he RIPS through the woods and trails. It's actually quite scary watching him ride, the bike gets all wild on him. I dont know HOW he keeps it up.:eek1
I am vaccillating between an XT600 or 350 for a restore/modernize project for a TAT ride next summer. I am 6'2"/210 - is the 350 too small/underpowered for me? I am an ex-MX/enduro/trials rider, and I don't need a WR450F to do the kind of riding I'll actually be doing. An XR650L/R would probably be perfect, but I've never been a fan of big red. I found a 1997 XT350 w/ 6xx miles on it, although the owner wants $2500 (currently) for it. Should I hold out for a decent 600, or grab this w/ some rigorous arm twisting? I've found a few, but most are BEATEN. Also, I wonder if asny of the XTZ 600 stuff (fairing/tanks) would bolt on - same/different frame as the 600? Thanks for all in advance.
IMHO the XT is a great trail bike. But it's also been called a "wife's bike" and a "camp bike". It cann't be made into anything even akin to a race bike. The suspension and chain will probably be the biggest limiting factors, and there isn't much you can do about the suspension. Sometimes a "trail bike" is faster anyway, when the higher-strung pups don't hook up. Personally, I think 27 hp is plenty for trail riding. For all that, I like my XT just fine. I ride it different than MX, and it's more about getting there than yahoo riding. The biggest plus is probably the very low weight. I can ride it anywhere I really want to go, and about as fast as I really want to go. Basically, I look at it like a moped (great mpg and freeway capable -- just) that can do single track just fine. $2500 is way too much. I got mine for $2K, with just 1600 miles (bent handlebars and torn seat). I think I paid more than was really necessary.
I agree. Advantages of XT350, low seat height, dependable, fairly light weight, easy to fix. Disadvantages, not enough power to cruise on highway for long, not enough to get up really long steep hills. But for single track on mountain trails, it is just fine. So unless you are going back to your motocross days and doing a race, this 350XT is just great. In my area, interior of British Columbia, dual sports are hard to come by and so $2500 sounds like a good price to me.
The frame between early 600's and the 350 is similar, but still different (the 600 has oil in the frame if I recall correctly). The Tenere fairings would IMO fit, but it wouldn't be just a simple bolt-on operation, it would require modification of the existing brackets and probably fabrication of new ones. The other problem with fitting the massive 6 or 8 gal Tenere tank would be that the tank would encase the engine too low, which would most likely result in overheating, like in the early Teneres. Like Nails said, the 350 has got enough power to get you anywhere you want, both on and off the road, but it won't be perhaps as fast as the big bikes. + it's very low maintenance with great mpg and low weight :)
ive been really riding my xt350 these past few days in the woods near me and i have to say what a joy it is to ride. It's WAY easier than my Xt550. And easier makes the riding more fun. I even like the powerband better than my IT175. Lots of low end to mid grunt. The suspension is working great for me with 15 weight oil in the forks and a few pumps of preload air and the rear is preloaded all the way. I also notice that since it is shorter than my 550, it carves through the trails sharper. (5'11" and 145 lbs suited up, Yeah im a light weight and i think that's why this bike is great for me. A friend told me before i bought it that he didnt like them when he rode one years ago. Well, he's an inch taller and upwards of 200lbs, if not more. So i can understand his experience. he was too much for the bike. I think the XT350 is the perfect midsize dual sport for people between 135 and 170 lbs. Also, here are the fotos of that atv chain tensioner i got on ebay. It took a little figuring out but i got it on perfect. It almost seems like it was made for this bike, though it wasnt. It bolts on where the rear foot peg bar bolted to the frame. I even used the original bolt. The only thing i added was the wide washer to keep on the spring, and i had to bend the spring so it would fit into where the kickstand ignition kill switch WAS. I tried over and over so many combinations to make it fit but the kickstand kept getting in the way. Then i realised,.. hmmm take this bolt and reverse it, add some shims here, move this thing over there, pre heat to 400 and cook for 20 minutes. Done!!! I highly recommend this part to anyone with an XT350. The chain really changes tension as the swingarm moves up and down. I adjusted the chain snug with the rear suspension compressed as hard as my brother and i could push down. Then as it relaxes, the chain loosens alot, so this roller tensioner takes up the slack. The fotos will explain alot, notice in the underneath foto how the spring is located. I dont use the holes drilled for the original spring setup. I rode for hours in rough conditions and had not a single problem. Look on ebay for atv chain tensioner from quadpartsstore. $50 shipped, not bad.
