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[ShooterDave]

Originally Posted by ThumpnRed

Your trip was inspiring. Folks like you who can say "screw it" and do stuff like that have always fascinated me. I am too much of a planner to just take off and go.

Ya, my girl hasn't quite gotten the hang of "come on lets go, we'll just make it up as we ride". We took a weekend trip a few weeks ago and there wasn't much room for the whole "just go" thing. We only did 520 miles, I did make up the camping place, on the spot. She thought that was pretty cool. Hopefully soon we will do another trip thats longer. The four day one got postponed a bit.

[super samurai]

so i was looking at all the fmf mufflers on ebay and wandered??!!
there is the q4
there is the power core 4
and one other i cant keep them straight anymore!

the power core 4 is only like $250
the others are like $350!

so which is the one most xrl owners use? the $250 one is in my price range but wander if it is the right one for my bike.
i like the stock one just lookin to shed a little weight.
i would mod mine if i knew exactly what to do to it. i have the tools just not exactly which parts to modify.
thanks

[mcma111]

I have the FMF Power Core 4 on my daughters bike. I wasn't worried about the noise not being a Q4. It has a bit of a bark when you get on it. Not bad really.

[therealbigman]

Originally Posted by super samurai

so i was looking at all the fmf mufflers on ebay and wandered??!!
there is the q4
there is the power core 4
and one other i cant keep them straight anymore!

the power core 4 is only like $250
the others are like $350!

so which is the one most xrl owners use? the $250 one is in my price range but wander if it is the right one for my bike.
i like the stock one just lookin to shed a little weight.
i would mod mine if i knew exactly what to do to it. i have the tools just not exactly which parts to modify.
thanks

I know a 1 inmate in here has the Vance and Hines , He loves is , ( 3girlsdad ) he will give some insight ,


I have a powercore 4 , a litte loud with throttle is WO , but other that that , not to loud at all ,.

[Badger]

Had a rear tire blow-out yesterday. Dunlop D606 with about 1300 miles. Haven't pulled the tire to see where the tube failed. This tire was almost all road miles. 9 of the 22 center lugs were torn. Too hard on the acceleration?

[Spud Rider]

Originally Posted by super samurai

so i was looking at all the fmf mufflers on ebay and wandered??!!
there is the q4
there is the power core 4
and one other i cant keep them straight anymore!

the power core 4 is only like $250
the others are like $350!

so which is the one most xrl owners use? the $250 one is in my price range but wander if it is the right one for my bike.
i like the stock one just lookin to shed a little weight.
i would mod mine if i knew exactly what to do to it. i have the tools just not exactly which parts to modify.
thanks

I agree with you; I like the stock muffler. I enjoy the stock muffler for it's quiet operation and minimal maintenance. Your bike only sheds 2 pounds by switching to any aftermarket muffler, so it's a very expensive way to lose weight. However, an aftermarket muffler certainly will increase engine performance, and also looks better than the stock muffler. In addition, a lot of riders enjoy the sound of an aftermarket muffler much better than the sound of the stock muffler.

No aftermarket muffler is anywhere near as quiet as the stock muffler. The FMF Q4 muffler is the quietest of the aftermarket mufflers, but one pays a premium price for this feature. Also, unlike the FMF PowerCore muffler, the Q4 muffler has internal baffles to help reduce exhaust noise. Unfortunately, the internal baffles tend to deflect the exhaust flow, and more quickly degrade the muffler packing. Therefore, the Q4 muffler needs to be repacked more often than the PowerCore muffler.

http://www.wrrdualsport.com/tech-gui...packing-fmf-q4

Here are a few photographs showing how the deflected exhaust gasses damage the packing.







Here's a photograph of the internal baffle which deflects the exhaust gasses, reducing the noise level, but blowing a hole in the muffler packing.



If I were going to buy an FMF muffler, I would follow the example of McMa111 and TheRealBigMan; I would get the PowerCore muffler. The PowerCore muffler has a freeflow core without baffles, so it will make more power and not blow out the packing as quickly as the Q4 muffler. In addition, you can buy an inexpensive, quiet insert for the PowerCore muffler which will reduce it's bark. The PowerCore muffler and quiet insert will cost much less than a Q4 muffler, and will require less frequent repacking.

However, a better deal might be the DG muffler sold on eBay for $159.99.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/DG-O-Series-...300#vi-content



This muffler has received good reviews from several XR650L owners, but it is very loud. Fortunately, you can also buy an inexpensive quiet insert for the DG muffler.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Quiet-Core-I...31d082&vxp=mtr

If you are primarily concerned about making the XR650L lose weight, the least expensive, most effective way to achieve this goal is the Shorai battery relocation. My Shorai battery cost about $100, and allowed me to shed 9 pounds from my XR650L.

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=666195



If you wish, you can easily remove, or modify the baffle in the stock exhaust. I'm sure others will soon provide the details for those procedures.

Spud

[Spud Rider]

Originally Posted by Badger

Had a rear tire blow-out yesterday. Dunlop D606 with about 1300 miles. Haven't pulled the tire to see where the tube failed. This tire was almost all road miles. 9 of the 22 center lugs were torn. Too hard on the acceleration?

Egads! I hope you and your bike weren't damaged during the blowout!

That tire failure has got to be a manufacturing defect. I'm betting the tube was abraded at multiple spots where the center lugs wore down. I've never seen a D606 tire fail that way before. Did the center lugs wear down at an even pace, or did the wear occur suddenly, during one, or several rides?

Spud

[ThumpnRed]

Originally Posted by Spud Rider

If I were going to buy an FMF muffler, I would follow the example of McMa111 and TheRealBigMan; I would get the PowerCore muffler. The PowerCore muffler has a freeflow core without baffles, so it will make more power and not blow out the packing as quickly as the Q4 muffler. In addition, you can buy an inexpensive, quiet insert for the PowerCore muffler which will reduce it's bark. The PowerCore muffler and quiet insert will cost much less than a Q4 muffler, and will require less frequent repacking.


Spud

The Power Core is quite a bit louder than the Q4, but not obnoxious.

[Spud Rider]

I've got to go see the motorcycle rooftop chase in the 007 movie, Skyfall.



They weren't riding XR650L motorcycles, but they did use Honda CRF250R bikes for the stunts.

Spud

[Spud Rider]

Originally Posted by ThumpnRed

The Power Core is quite a bit louder than the Q4, but not obnoxious.

I'm sure the PowerCore is much louder than the Q4 muffler, Red. However, I would install the quiet insert in the PowerCore muffler, which is reported to lower the sound level quite a bit. The combined cost of the PowerCore muffler and quiet insert is still much less than the price of the Q4 muffler.

http://www.fmfracing.com/Products/MX/599

Spud

[Spud Rider]

Red, your bike looks great.



I'm thinking of adding a tool tube to my skid plate, as you have done. Did you use 2-inch, or 3-inch, ABS pipe for your tool tube?

Spud

[ecubed]

wow, that bike does look great!!!!

other note on muffler packing: I used rock wool from McMaster Carr in the two strokes where the oil would deteriorate the packing rapidly, which changed the tuning,,,change often, change early....large slabs and cheap....takes the heat. Wrap with safety wire. http://www.mcmaster.com/#9328K41 what do you guys think???

Right now I am using the Moose pillow in the e-series by White Bros.....that pipe is LOUD.....I am in the process of making a new end with a turned down tip. Will report next week...

[Redclayrider]

Hello all, Newbe to the forum. I have a 2003 XR650L that I picked up used this past winter. (2011) The biked had been flipped down a hill several years ago (2005 according to the P.O.) and just sat in his garage. When I went to look at it the bike would not cranked but would turn over. Had good static compression and he was ready to deal, so I bought it.
I have been out of the dirty side of riding since 94 so I thought this would be a good bike to get back into it. Plus it was cheap.
The coil had a low reading so that was replaced. It would crank and run....sometimes. After checking all the useless safeties in the starting circuit and jumping most of them out :) I replaced the brain box. Fires up good now.
Once I got it reliable I started in replacing some of the crashed items and adding a few goodies. The headlight, the plastic shroud around the headlight, handlebar, clutch and brake levers, speedo, mirror, both handguards, gas tank, shift lever, left foot peg, tail light, and of course 3 of the 4 turn signals were all broken, dented, smashed or missing. The headlight, shroud, and tail light were replaced with slightly used stock items bought at a swap meet. The only mods there are a headlight grill I made out of some expanded metal and attached to the shroud with rivets. The mirror was replaced with one from my long gone Yamaha XT 500. Gas Tank is an Acerbus, levers are a cheap aftermarket type, speedo is a Trail Tech (for the tach), footpegs are IMS (?), shifter is the type with the hinged foot peg, handguards are moose, so is the bigger skid plate, and turn signals are the cheap Cycle Gear type. The dry rotted tires were replaced by Michelin Cross Competition XC front and rear. I did the Daves Mod to the carburetor and the muffler is a FMF type.
Rode it this spring and summer. It felt good to ride in the dirt even though I am not as good (as I thought) I use to be.

The bike is down now for new chain and sprockets. (15 front, 48 rear), new brake pads, rebuild of front and rear calipers, new fork oil, boots, rear lowering link, new tires, and some other stuff.
Looking forward to getting it back up and running. Looking forward to getting some new ideas on here to.

Some pictures of my pig;










I also ride a Harley XR1200 on the street;

[ecubed]

Welcome Red....

[RedRaptor22]

Originally Posted by therealbigman

I know a 1 inmate in here has the Vance and Hines , He loves is , ( 3girlsdad ) he will give some insight ,


I have a powercore 4 , a litte loud with throttle is WO , but other that that , not to loud at all ,.

I have the V&H as well, love it!

With the spark arrestor in it's about the quietest bike in my local circle of five or six XRLs, but when it's out its just about the loudest.

I usually run with it in not because of noise but it really does push the power curve way down and gives it quite a bit more bark on the bottom end, but if I'm doing more street riding I usually take it out for more top end and passing power.