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[mrfixit54016]

Originally Posted by mcma111

My bike has a Wiseco 102.4 piston with the standard carb mods, Uni, XR600 muffler. I had the 55/160 jets in it as I thought the 160 would be OK with the bigger piston. Well I installed a 162 the other day and it is MUCH better. So much so that I got a 165 that I am going to install it in the next few days. The difference between the 160 and the 162 are pretty remarkable especially at highway speeds. I really didn't notice it before as most of my riding is around town. Seat of the pants jetting I call it and NO I don't look at the plug color. It looked fine before. Go figure.

I just installed my replacement engine that I had built up earlier this summer. It has a 102 piston from JE, nx second gear, and a kickstart and valve cover fom an XR600. My carb has Daves mods with a 55/160. The bike has a UNI filter, snorkel removed, and stock muffler.

Tonight I rode it for the first real ride. I seem to have a knock when I accelerate hard at speed. Off the line it feels good and sounds good, and the valves have been adjusted properly twice now.

I just ordered a 58/165 combo from Rocky Mountain ATV to see if it is just a slightly lean condition that is producing this sound at high speed. I may end up keeping my 55 pilot, and just bumping up the main jet to 165.

[Jud]

Originally Posted by mrfixit54016

It has a 102 piston from JE, nx second gear, and a kickstart and valve cover fom an XR600.

What's the gain from using a XR600 valve cover?

[mrfixit54016]

Originally Posted by Jud

What's the gain from using a XR600 valve cover?

Ever try kickstarting one of these motors without a manual decompression lever? It is pretty tuff.

[Jud]

Originally Posted by mrfixit54016

Ever try kickstarting one of these motors without a manual decompression lever? It is pretty tuff.

Ahhh, the XR600 valve cover houses the decompression do-dads. Doooh.

[Jud]

While I'm here, getting the XR ready for a long trip and need to get sprockets and a chain. I saw that Superlight made a low weight STEEL rear and front sprocket for my DL650 but apparently, they don't offer anything for the XR. I will be using a XR650R front for the added width, was just hoping to save as much reciprocating weight as possible with a steel sprocket.

Has anyone ever tried
http://www.sidewindersprockets.com/index.html

They are worlds higher in price than the super light sprockets but dang, a lifetime warranty for wear????

[zen rider]

Sold my XR650L about a year ago and missed it bad. My Wee wasn't cutting it off road. Just added an XR400R for off road as a play bike/trail bike. The XR400R cost about 1/3 of what I sold my XRL for but this is a dirt only bike.

On the street the XRL is slightly better. The XR400R wheelies off throttle in third but has a slower top end.

Off road on tight single track all I can say is WOW! After muscling a 325lb (dry) XRL then a 425+lb (dry) DL650 around the XR400r truly feels light. At 257lb (dry) it is 68 lbs lighter than the XRL and on single track it feels it. Rather than creeping in first I am cruising in second with nimble steering and a suspension that soaks up everything. It climbs like a goat, lugs well due to great torque and excellent traction. Off road a wheelie is still just a twist away regardless of gear or RPM. The stock XR400R is geared much lower than the XRL and the seat height feels at least an inch lower. All making the bike very easy to ride. Anyone that is too weak to muscle around an XRL will probably also complain about a 400R as their spaghetti arms and anorexic weight will require a smaller bike. But XRL owners tend to be pretty tall and strong in my experience. After an XRL, the XR4 feels just right.

Do I miss the XRL? Yup, but only on the street. And sometimes I miss the e-button. For dual track and open areas the XRL is just as awesome but it was a handful on tight woods riding. But my tuned XR4 starts in 1-3 kicks hot or cold. Yesterday, I forgot to put the choke on and it even started in 3 kicks totally cold. There are good tricks to starting but the valve adjustment, NGK iridium, and sparkplug resistor mod gave me a head start.

[mcma111]

Originally Posted by mrfixit54016

I just ordered a 58/165 combo from Rocky Mountain ATV to see if it is just a slightly lean condition that is producing this sound at high speed. I may end up keeping my 55 pilot, and just bumping up the main jet to 165.

Since I installed the 162 it is much better (than the 160) and only has a very slight knock on hard, freeway speed acceleration. I have a 165 on the bench that will go soon. The 55 pilot seems fine so far. When cold I still need the choke. Now cold in SF is in the 50's to low 60's. Which is pretty much ALL of the time...

[taco250]

Originally Posted by zen rider

Sold my XR650L about a year ago and missed it bad. My Wee wasn't cutting it off road. Just added an XR400R for off road as a play bike/trail bike. The XR400R cost about 1/3 of what I sold my XRL for but this is a dirt only bike.

On the street the XRL is slightly better. The XR400R wheelies off throttle in third but has a slower top end.

Off road on tight single track all I can say is WOW! After muscling a 325lb (dry) XRL then a 425+lb (dry) DL650 around the XR400r truly feels light. At 257lb (dry) it is 68 lbs lighter than the XRL and on single track it feels it. Rather than creeping in first I am cruising in second with nimble steering and a suspension that soaks up everything. It climbs like a goat, lugs well due to great torque and excellent traction. Off road a wheelie is still just a twist away regardless of gear or RPM. The stock XR400R is geared much lower than the XRL and the seat height feels at least an inch lower. All making the bike very easy to ride. Anyone that is too weak to muscle around an XRL will probably also complain about a 400R as their spaghetti arms and anorexic weight will require a smaller bike. But XRL owners tend to be pretty tall and strong in my experience. After an XRL, the XR4 feels just right.

Do I miss the XRL? Yup, but only on the street. And sometimes I miss the e-button. For dual track and open areas the XRL is just as awesome but it was a handful on tight woods riding. But my tuned XR4 starts in 1-3 kicks hot or cold. Yesterday, I forgot to put the choke on and it even started in 3 kicks totally cold. There are good tricks to starting but the valve adjustment, NGK iridium, and sparkplug resistor mod gave me a head start.

XRL is a big handful on ST, trails. Makes me want a trail only bike cuz the 650 is staying around for street, dirt road use.

[mcma111]

SINCE MY DIRT BIKE IS A XR600 I HARDLY NOTICE THE DIFFERENCE WHEN ON THE XRL ON TRAILS

[Onederer]

Originally Posted by mrfixit54016

Ever try kick starting one of these motors without a manual decompression lever? It is pretty tuff.

The manual (auto on those equipped) decompression is also there to lengthen the life of the kick start lever and associated parts.

Without the decomp system, it still isn't that difficult to start if the rider knows what they are doing but clearing a flooded engine without a manual decomp becomes a real problem.

[sc-razor]

Was the gearing recommendation for Colorado 15/52?

[mcma111]

Originally Posted by sc-razor

Was the gearing recommendation for Colorado 15/52?

That's +7 on the rear sprocket!!

[sc-razor]

Originally Posted by mcma111

That's +7 on the rear sprocket!!

Somebody posted that I swear!

[sc-razor]

15 front and leave the rear alone?

[taco250]

Originally Posted by mcma111

That's +7 on the rear sprocket!!

A few extra links on the chain too.