Other 1987 XL250R electric start?

T

Tubecatgs

If i had a 1987 XL250r and the engine needed to be rebuilt..... and I am getting older and lazier.. is there an engine out there with electric start that would drop right in? Like a 250 engine from a newer (2000's) Honda TRX250ex fourtrax? Or are those motor totally different, wider and or would the exhaust work?

Or is there an easier way to add electric start to a stock 87 XL250R? Thanks
 
T

Tubecatgs

Not sure if you guys are making fun of me or the TRX250ex... :) (I have a 96 300ex and my kids love it.. I like to rid it when I'm not on my sportsman 600 or 570).

Anyway, I meant "if" because I hadn't taken possession of the bike yet. As of yesterday I now own it. Motor has good compression but needs head gasket, oil seals and carbs need rebuilt. I just thought that if there a newer drop in motor with electric start that I could find a good used running motor that I might drop it in instead.

it doesn't sound like anyone has ever done it or converted these 250's o e-start....
 
Redordead89

Redordead89

Nope Not taking the piss, it had me wondering if your name might be Denise, :poke: :smirk: Now I am kidding Soz :P Well done for getting it, you could drop in any similar motor if you can be arsed fabricating /cutting for mounts!
If it was my bike I would just rebuild it, that era honda was built to last and last and with decent maintenance you will hand it to your kids to rebuild for their grandkids later, stick in a rogue motor and that bike dies :cry::smashpc::smirk:
 
2Wheels

2Wheels

Tubecatgs:
Not sure if you guys are making fun of me or the TRX250ex...
Click to expand...
Oh not making fun of you personally, just have a love hate relationship with 4 wheelers. Hate the dust and blown out trails, love them when they hauled my broke ass to the pits... or beer coolers to the campsite.
:clap:
 
T

Tubecatgs

Thanks. Lools like those bikes weren't sold in the U.S... I see some for sale in Australia, Japan and Africa etc.... hmmm are you coming to visit the states a time soon and can shove one in your luggage :) hahaha.
I also see I think that motor is a single qcarb motor? Will that fit in the frame ok? Thanks and good luck with yours.
 
Bikelessrider

Bikelessrider

Tubecatgs:
Thanks. Lools like those bikes weren't sold in the U.S... I see some for sale in Australia, Japan and Africa etc.... hmmm are you coming to visit the states a time soon and can shove one in your luggage :) hahaha.
I also see I think that motor is a single qcarb motor? Will that fit in the frame ok? Thanks and good luck with yours.
Click to expand...

I think they were made for the British and Australasian markets. I am going to swap the head to a twin carb, it bolts straight on :thumb:
 
Bikelessrider

Bikelessrider

Hi Tubecatgs, just a quick update for you.

No pictures at the moment as the motor is still in a million pieces however I have sourced most of the hard to get parts for the bike. The only difference I can see with the CBX motor to the XL, apart from the electric start, is that there is no decompression lever on the rocker cover. I am fortunate that I have a few motors which I can harvest parts from and I will be using the XL rocker cover as it still bolts straight on and has the decompression lever which may be required when kick starting it.

Due to some other projects around the house, the bike is on the back burner at the moment (wife's idea lol) so when I make some more progress I will take pictures and update you further.

I hope your project is going well and that you have found a suitable electric start motor :thumb:
 
T

Tubecatgs

Thanks for the update. After about 6 months I finally was able to get the bike back together, semi-restored and running about a week ago. Some before and after pics below. The temperatures have been warm outside and the bike started on the first few kicks every time so I haven't been thinking about electric start :) . However, today it is cold outside and still not familiar yet with the "tricks" or right amount of choke and gas to use while starting... this means I must have kicked the bike over 40-50 times today before I could get it started...... ugh. I am 46 years old and could lose a few pounds so this took a bit of wind out of me.... haha. That being said I have been keeping my eye open for a MC12e motor with electric start over the last few months and not having any luck. There is one for sale on eBay and he wants too much for it I think. The buy it now is $500 Australian dollars. With shipping it would cost me $450 US dollars and that motor isn't tested and does not come with a head. I made three offers and all were declined by the seller and now it says my ebay account has used up all my offers.. I can still buy it but it would have to be for the full $500 plus shipping buy it now price. I wish I had another ebay account and try another offer.. haha. Please let me know if you see any MC12e motors for sale out there. Thanks again and please keep me posted on your progress...
 

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