Could use a little advice from the Dual Sport crowd (XT225)

Pretty cool! Good luck with phase 1!

 

Thanks, man. I'm guessing I'll have everything in Stage 1 done by Mon-Wed of next week except the air filter. Stock one isn't bad at all now that I've seen it so I'm waiting to order the UNI until I actually need it.

 

The three tires that I've found that come in the sizes I need are:

1.) Bridgestone Battlax BT45
2.) Michelin Pilot Activ
3.) other
4.) Avon Roadrider AM26 ?

It's pretty much down to Michelin vs. Bridgestone.


Just tracking my research progress as well as opening everything to suggestions.

 

Hey, that was my bike years ago!
I'm the one who made it into a supermoto.

This is the supermoto kit I assembled.



It worked great!



I ride a 400sm now... with the same milk crate.

 

Small world! I guess those with great taste in bikes have a higher probability of having great taste in Pickups. Nice SM. I can't afford one so I'm converting the XT like you did.

So, what say you, Battlax or Pilot Activ? haha I may just pick one since they're seemingly so similar.

 

Found it. Here you are haha back in 05/06:

http://www.thumpertalk.com/topic/244039-cheap-xt225-motard-conversion-pic/

 

Holy crap! What are the odds?!?!?!

OP: Three things...

First, God I love ya for serving. Thank you sir.

Second, Semper Fi.. I was supposed to be the fifth generation marine in my family. Broke my grandfathers heart when I wanted to go track and kill enemy ships in a submarine on the SECF program. That didn't work out the way I planned.. lol. I am happy to say I have made a nice little career/life for myself in the medical device manufacturing industry and am pretty darned happy 10 years later. Stay focused and you will succeed.

Third, I didn't care much for ADVrider. Tons of posers/posturing. I had a R1200GS as my primary vehicle for a few years and went on a lot of dual sport trips. The forums were a bit too...fake salty for my taste. The Tacoma crowd is much smarter/cooler than those ass-clowns. They flame any post that doesn't involve a trip around the world with Ewan Macgregor. Although I did learn that the Arai dual sport helmets really are the only ones worth buying.. had to spend a lot of money before I finally realized that one was true. As for the rest, ONLY buy Michelin or Metzeler tourance (not tourance exp) tires if you can find them to fit your ride.

Good luck!

 

This was my third and (maybe) last two wheeled vehicle..

Here is Heidi. (sexy little German thing isn't she?)

 

I just wish they sold the Yamaha Tenere XT660Z here haha

I was leaning toward the Michelins between the two simply due to the name that I know and trust, however reviews have the Bridgestones equal or better than for sticking to the road. I'm sure the Michelins will get me more miles out of them though so that may be the deal sealer if they pan out to be too similar. I still have a TON of time. I'm still in stage one of getting my bike running, then I have some little things to worry about, then actually buying the rear wheel and getting it laced to the front hub at which point I will finally have to have chosen tires haha I just like to work ahead so I don't run into delays when the time comes. I'm a planning kind of guy.

 

Just in case, I searched and found the full story on my xt225 motard conversion. It has every single detail with lots of pics:

http://www.xt225.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=5824&page=1

 

Those kinds bikes are really cool, but they were totally out for me because they're way too heavy and I'm only 130 pounds. I lowered and lightened my 400sm down to 301 pounds running weight with a full tank of gas. Bought it brand new in 2007. It has 28,000 miles on it.

 

The bridgestone is good but will wear relatively quickly. I don't know anything about the michelin, but the avon I have had also. I liked my roadrider tires while they lasted, but unfortunately mine only lasted a single year. Over winter they developed sidewall cracks so severe I had to get rid of them at the start of this season, don't know if I just got a bad batch or what but it was a waste of about $150.

Many people look down on them because they are new and cheap, but I have Shinko tires on my bike now and they are great, mine are the 777's but I've read good things about the other versions also.

 

From what I've read the Battlax have an advantage in grip and Michelins in longevity.



In other news: when I bought the bike in 06 I didn't register or license it or anything because I was just wheeling it and was leaving for boot camp soon. SO . . . today I went and paid all the late fees and whatnot and got it licensed and registered and the Title will be in the mail soon

Still isn't running but that needed to be done eventually.

 

Thanks so much for that, man. I'll give it a read through and keep an eye out for details I may have missed. My goal is basic, simple, nothing extra, and fun




EDIT: Could you link the exact spokes you went with if you get a moment? I'm having a hard time nailing down the exact ones I need for lacing the rear 18x2.15 to the front hub.

 

Should have these all done this evening or tomorrow at the latest

Stage 1:
New battery [done]
42.5 pilot jet [done]
130 main jet [done]
Idle jet screw 2.5 turns out
Shim jet needle with 1mm washer
Adjust air screw
UNI air filter
Flush fluids [done]
Clean carb [done]
Grease chain [done]

Edit: I've decided on the Michelin Pilot Activ tires in 130/80 and 110/90.

I'm also likely going to drill a hole in my exhaust (known as the Z1 mod) for a little more pep after I drill out the brass plug to get to my idle screw. I don't think I'll be taking out the snorkel though. We'll see.

 

Here is a picture of the front and rear Michelin Pilot Activ tires I'm going with:



Only downside is that they only come in the size I need (same with BT45s) in a V speed rating rather than H. Considering I'd be lucky to break 80+ mph I really don't need that and would prefer the H rating, but oh well. From what I can gather I shouldn't run into any issues because of it.


I may skip stage 2 and jump directly to stage 3. It is much more exciting

 

I went digging around in the basement and found two of the exhaust inserts I designed and built for my XT225.

Here's some old pics of the various designs...



They're the two long ones next to the stock spark arrestor. Those are the ones what worked the best. There's a small diameter and a large diameter insert, and look like this...







They sound really cool and the engine runs really good with them.

I also have a tooltube that I designed and built. It bolts onto the opposite side of the exhaust and can carry a good amount of tools and such.



Almost looks like a dual exhaust.



It tucks in nicely right under the handle and doesn't stick out.



The threaded end plug unscrews to open and doesn't vibrate loose.







PM me if you're interested. I don't need them, and you can have them for the shipping cost.

Greg

 

PM sent for info on the exhaust inserts I just wish you still had that front wheel and spokes haha can't find them cheap . . .

 

Got it running and the front sprocket done last week. Inside of the tank was rusted and nasty and a couple tubes were corroded/cracked so I'm hoping to get the tank back from being cleaned and the parts in by tomorrow and be up and running. We shall see . . .

 

Well, I haven't updated this much . . . Because I've been riding

Not much to show, I did trim the fender today just because I felt like it . . .

I drew in the new lines pretty similar to the old, but right how I wanted them:


Here's the rough cut before filing it down nice and smooth:


Stocker profile . . . derp:


Rough cut, before final shaping and filing:


I liked the stock shape and wanted to keep that widest point so I just bent some lines to make it work and look the way I pictured it in my head.

Here's the final product :