Anyone ride their XS off road?

[troopthrowback]

I swapped the pegs out yesterday with these off a 1970s honda xl. They don't fit perfectly to fold like they did on the honda, but if the bike goes over they'll fold. They just don't snap back and forth, they'd need a hand to get back to position. Simple enough.

They feel a lot more positive than the rubber covered stockers. Glad I won't have to worry about slipping feet anymore.

Ideally I'd like to drop them by about an inch for better balance when standing. The frame allows it, my feet won't be below the frame. I just need to come up with an easy way to do it and since I've got this enduro rally next weekend it'll have to wait till after.

I've heard buell Ulysses are dropped an inch, they're just super expensive!

 

[alwaysmonday]

Question for those of you running 14.25" eye to eye shocks on a Special frame; are you experiencing interference between the chain and swingarm? I find conflicting reports in this forum. Maybe it depends on the sag setup on the shock...? I look forward to your comments.

Jon

 

[Growl]

Hello Jon

Mine's still not quite on the road/trail yet... but because I went with a 38 tooth rear sprocket it's looking good for chain clearance... if needed I will use some cutting board material (it's tough plastic) as a rubbing protector

 

[alwaysmonday]

Troopthrowback, those pegs look great! We're they a pretty simple bolt-in install?

Jon

 

[troopthrowback]

They were. A bit of a snug fit, I had to "stretch" the XS brackets a smidge. They don't quote pivot and snap like they did on the Honda, mostly due to the snug factor. They do fold when laid over though, which is good enough for me.

I used the honda springs, too. As get as "bolt on", I did have to purchase the grade 8 bolts and nyloc nuts myself, as the yamaha pegs had pressed rivets and the Honda had pins with keepers (and the pins were too short for yamaha brackets)

I love them. They don't vibrate excessively on the street and are much more sure footed on the dirt or wet stuff. Never looking back.

 

[jussumguy]

Back in 2012 a friend and I rode Barstow to Vegas on xs 650s. Mine is a 1982 engine in a champion frame and my buddy's is a 1971 with a big ol drum brake on front. We started before the sun came up and finished well after dark but we made it! It was pretty awesome sitting in the staging lanes on big bad twins.
My tailbone and lower back are finally beginning to hurt less now. Doubt either of us would do it again but bucket list you know. I will try to post pictures

 

[jussumguy]

Found the shakedown ride before we went

 

[troopthrowback]

Back in 2012 a friend and I rode Barstow to Vegas on xs 650s. Mine is a 1982 engine in a champion frame and my buddy's is a 1971 with a big ol drum brake on front. We started before the sun came up and finished well after dark but we made it! It was pretty awesome sitting in the staging lanes on big bad twins.
My tailbone and lower back are finally beginning to hurt less now. Doubt either of us would do it again but bucket list you know. I will try to post pictures

Find those photos! Also, what mods had you made/would you make if you knew then what you know now?

 

[jussumguy]

Skid plates for sure. In fact disposable skid plates. We put 3/8 plywood then put a layer of stop sign thickness to cushion the engines because there's no avoiding dragging the engine . I'm geared pretty low 44 on back. Jim had stock gearing. Way too high for dirt but at some point we were on I 15 going across the desert, my bike was wound up! I guess the main thing is weight.

 

[troopthrowback]

I put a thick aluminum road sign plate on mine for the sheetiron 300 last weekend. Saved my cares for sure. Stock shocks and forks? My shocks are 1" over, but I'm worried about the speeded up steering as a result. I've heard at desert speeds shorter than stock may be preferred.

My stock gearing did fine on the fire roads of the sheetiron (Mendocino natl forest) die to the high torque of the 650 twin. I may look at an extra tooth or two out back but not a huge change. As soon as I hit the graded fire roads on day two it was second and third gear ripping all the way.

 

[troopthrowback]

I forgot to post my ride report! This was last weekend.

My first Sheetiron and my first organized rally. I had a blast! Thanks to the Oakland Motorcycle Club and to all the participants that made my experience such a great one.

I had a rough first day, limping the last 40 miles into Fort Bragg on one cylinder. Happy to say that despite that fact I had a good ride and the Yambler did fine as the heaviest 325 single on the course!

I have to give a huge thanks to Street Track and Trail in Fort Bragg. Sam and his crew lent tools, time, and know-how free of charge to get my languishing Yambler back to firing on both cylinders after day 1. Turned out to be a bad point condenser on the right cylinder. Sam had one up in the rafters and refused to charge me for it. So I bought a pair of plugs and a connector.

Got a late start Sunday due to repair time so I took the freeway to the lunch spot to catch my group. Had lunch and waited an hour for them to catch me!

I hit the road with my hometown group and found the second half of day two to be a course made for the heavy twin. My Yambler was in heaven! Smooth fast fire roads all the way back to Stonyford.

Thanks again for the great time and see you next year!

Keep the Faith!
Throwbacks MC
https://m.facebook.com/profile.php?id=159697770713381

 

[oldbmw1]

Here's some pics of our Barstow to Vegas experience. My 1971 was bone stock except for knobbies and a home made skid plate my friend made for me.
We finished against the nay Sayers at the starting line if the event.

 

[oldbmw1]

More pics

 

[oldbmw1]

Desert dust

 

[oldbmw1]

Seems I can only post one pic at a time...

 

[troopthrowback]

Nice! Loving the photos. You guys rock.

 

[oldbmw1]

Oil leaks show up after 350 miles in one day .....

 

[troopthrowback]

What air filters did you run? Did you need to change them out mid ride?

And where were your leaks?

 

[oldbmw1]

My base gasket was leaky. Looked worse than it really was.
Just ran Uni foam filters with filter skins.

 

[oldbmw1]

The finish line.