I see some here thinking of selling their xr250's! Sacrilege! Heretics! Someone mentioned the xr250 is a great dual sport, I concur. Mine I punched to 280 had it 5, 6 years.. I've trusted it so much, moab, even crossed Death Valley with it, Mengel Pass, all hard stuff. Did fine! Gets you home! I recently picked up a plated 1990 kdx200 been working thru.. more sporty but I don't think I will sell any more xr's. Older I get the more I appreciate how it rewards finesse over power and works ..reliably. my xr650r also. Modern stuff too high tech.
They used to overheat from running too lean, and that's what will crack the head. Better to run a little rich in my book. Don't run synthetic oil, you will stuff up your clutch as it is a wet clutch. I use Caltex Delo 400 in all mine. Change the oil every thousand kays or so, it only holds a litre, so easily done. Oh, and watch for the grin on your face as you wring its' neck......
Advice needed. I'm about ready to install a 77mm Wiseco piston but I'm not sure of the ring gaps. Someone posted on TT that Honda recommends a different gap than Wiseco. Can anyone give me the correct ring gaps for the Wiseco piston on a 2004 XR? Thanks.
They is not very much difference, you should have a a spec sheet with the piston. I think usually .004 per inch of bore is the norm. So at 3.031 inches of bore. 3.031 x .004 = .012
Thanks msteward, I finally found it on the Wiseco website. It's about what you suggested but there is a slight difference between the top ring and the second one. I couldn't find it on the spec sheet.
Being a taller rider, I needed higher handlebars. I had these on my 1996 XR-280 but gave them to my cousin eight years ago when I sold the bike. He had never used them and they were still laying on his work bench. I retrieved them from him and installed them on my 2004 XR2. They not only raise the bars, they move them forward. Makes a comfy fit.
It's a monster !! The quality seems very good,it just so happens that I have a new translucent Clarke tank on my IT490 to compare it to.The Clarke tank is hi gloss and the Acerbis is a mat finish but they seem about the same quality. Live life,be yourself !!!!.
I had that same tank on my XR600. Originally I was concerned that because the tank was so wide it would be hard to stand up and move forward but it was actually better than the stock tank (and IMS or Clarke I had on the bike) because I'm bow legged and it made gripping the tank with my knees much easier. The triple clamp bolts hit the tank on one of my USD swaps (CR125) but not the other (CR500). Wheelies with a full tank (50lbs!) of gas was more difficult... it was like a 5 year old boy was sitting on the handlebars. I had reservations about the two petcocks... they felt cheap and plasticy. Had I kept the tank I would have replaced them with OEM Honda metal petcocks if the bolt patterns were the same. In the end I sold it realizing that while I had 200 mile range... I still had a 100 mile ass.
I doubt I will ever fill it all the way. I also have a 100 mile butt !! The problem is that it's 50-75 miles just to get to the trails/dirt roads,then you ride 100 miles of dirt roads and you need gas.I like to be able to ride a 100 miles of dirt,camp and ride 100 miles back. Live life,be yourself !!!!.
You are traveling a long way. I would probably stick with a 4 gallon tank and carry a rotopax on the rear. The IMS tank is hard to ride offroad due to its shape- it hurts my knees. I had a 200 mile range with the Acerbis 5.7 on an XR650L. You should get more like 250-300 on a properly tuned XR250! I would think at 50 miles per gallon you would get 200 miles out of a 4 gallon tank.
Already have a Kolpin on the bike and don't like it,it hits my back pack and makes hauling a tent,sleeping bad and stuff to difficult.I have the 5.3 so that's what's going on the bike. Live life,be yourself !!!!.
It looks good. So how is the clearance on the blinkers? That would get the saddle bags up a little higher for me. Let us know your take after you get a ride in for the comfort level with your knees and sitting position.
Lookin good. Does the mounting hardware allow you to switch back to the stock tank easy? I have this tank on my xr650l and love it.
Just the rubber bushings from the stock tank are used.You would just need to pop them out of the new tank and into the stock one. Live life,be yourself !!!!.
