Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

IOthODV ~ODlDlission ~ 00 0") • DleetIng • By Mike Bishop Pro-Comp II Uni filter replaces stock; airbox has top cut open. side vents installed to improve breathing. 40 carburetor, a 150 main jet replaced the stock 135 jet. With the suspension hopefully dialed in and the pipe installed, I was extremely anxious to ride it. I was a little apprehensive about how it was going to start and run with the jetting changes. I've been through hassles before trying to get projects dialed in. But low and behold, the XR fired right up and settled into a smooth idle. After warming the bike up, I took it ou t for a test ride and boy was I impressed. The motor ran like ga~g busters, throttle response was cnsp and jetting seemed to be spot·on with no flat spots anywhere in the power· band. The bike was definitely faster than stock and would fly down the trail. The suspension was mu.ch improved, especially in the whoopdee-doos. Subsequent testing in more enduro·oriented terrain still found room for improvement in the forks on hard-edged obstacles and rocks. I think going to five weight fork oil will decrease the compression damping enough for this type of terrain. I want to experiment with the front forks further by installing a set of Progressive Suspension's progressive rate fork springs as I can still bottom the stock springs on occasion. Ratings: Gator Products front suspension mods - 9.5; Gator Products rear suspension mods - 9.5; Gator Products carb and airbox mods - 9.9 (very cost effective); Gator Products pipe - 9.5 (j ust too loud). The next and final step was to install an oil cooler. I felt a cooler was necessary as I knew how hot the motor got on those long summer h~t days in the desert. The Lockhart 011 Cooler came highly recommended from a number of sources, so I ordered one for the XR. COntruction utilizes space-age technology in cooling and assembly. Instructions were. simple and thoroiJgh. They even supplied the washers to space the front fender out to clear the cooler. The oil line from the frame reservoir had to be cut and a section removed from it. The cooler bolted onto the front down· tube with a supplied bracket and oil lines hooked right up. Installation was straightforward and took less than an hour. I used the clamp-on lines suppl.ied in the kit but I may opt for the optional stainless steel lines in the near future. An additional benefit of the cooler is that it requires about a half quart more oil. More oil capacity makes for cooler-running oil in addition to the cooler transferring heat out of the oil. Rating - 9.9 (It would get a 10.0 if it came stock with the stainless steel lines, but that would also drive up the price). NITS: Had to replace the speedometer thTee times. The unit is made mostly of plastic (even on the inside) and is not a quality item. But it should be mentioned that the warranty covered the replacement. When the bike is out of 'warranty I will probably replace the speedometer with a different, sturdier unit. The dual carburetor set-up is a pain to work on. Removing the shock 'is not easy. Honda could have made things a lot easier if they had made the rear sub-frame removable like they do on the CR series. PICKS: Excellent O-Ring chain. The Japanese have finally started building chains that last. In eIght months, I have adjusted the chain once. All in all, I am extremely pleased with the modifications made to the XR500. I wanted to retain the reliability of the bike, and with the oil cooler I feel I have extended it. The bike is faster yet still tractable like a big four-stroke should be. Now the suspension is up to the task where before I would have been afraid to push it. Most modifications were of the bolt-on variety allowing the stock equipment to be re-installed if desired (except for the air box). Without resorting to expensive customframes or very expensive internal engine modifications, we ended up with" a very nice, fun, motorcycle that is much improved over stock at a reason· able price. • WHERE TO GET IT Countdown Engineering 22102 Covello Ave Canoga Park, CA 91303 818/348-8381 Progressive Suspension 15661 Producer Lane Unit N Huntington Beach, CA 714/898-2951 International Motorsports 1189 La Cadena Dr. Riverside. CA 714/781-5849 Gator Products P.O. Box 240 4954 Duncan Rd. Phelan, CA 92371 619/24.!1-3974 Malcolm Smith Racing Products 756.!1 Indiana Ave. Riverside, CA 92504 714/687-1300 Lockhart 15555 Texaco St Paramount, CA 90723 213/774-2981 The Frame Shop 11074 Mercentile Stanton, CA 90680 714/89.!1-6700 PISMO BEACH, CA, SEPT. 27-28 The California Off Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Commission had its 10th meeting. in Pismo Beach on September 27-28. The Policy Committee chaired by Jim Livermore met on Thursday afternoon and hammered out policy recom. d mend.atlons that were adopte unammously by the full commission on Friday. Policies that were adopted included grants and cooper, ative agreements, citizen participation, information and education, resources management, state wide trails plan, legislative, and public safety. We still have to formulate poltcy for planning and will undoubtedly have a few other items to straighten out. The Commission was asked to review 'the '83-'84 annual.report to the legislature and to comment on It at the November 17 meeting in Ukiah, California. Due to numerous problems regarding rental ATVs at Pismo Dunes, the commission adopted a motion directing staff to send letters to t.he rental units strongly encouragmg them. to provide safety equipment and an 10terpretive lecture before the rental goes out. Rentals comprise nearly 50% of the aCCIdents and cJtatIons Issued lD the park. If thlS rate contmues, rentals WIll have to come under concession controls. In a continuing search for ·safety programs, the commission requested Mark Anderso~ of the Mot~rcycle Industry CounCIl to fo~ard hIs pro· posal on the counCIL s educatIonal and safety program to staff for a study and report to the CommIssIon on November 17.. . ~he Coml~llsslOn adopted a resoluuon dI~ecu~g sta~f to pursue two access pomts mto PIS,:"O Dunes. The northern entrance WIll be. ~orth. of Pier Avenue and offer a

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