Xr650l rebuild

[dkyacht]

I don't know if this will interest anyone but here are a few photos of my rebuild in progress.

So far I've stripped it down and checked outvwhats wrong. The engine and suspension is very strong so I'm fortunate there. Cosmetically its very rough. I removed all the plastic and chose to do linex premium vs replacing it all with new plastic. I am getting all the plastic done for $125! Next I am putting new dunlop 606 tires on front and rear along with new heavy duty tubes, also replacing both sprockets and chain. I am replacing most of the wires on the bike and adding weather proof connectors in place of the crappy free to corode terminals. I'm adding a 5.8 gallon tank for those long back country runs. Here's a few photos, more to come as I get further along.

 

[Mihylo33]

Whats a Linex Premium?
Looks like you have it under control though

 

[dkyacht]

Linex is that spray in bed liner stuff. The premium version of it adds uv protection and will never fade. The stuff is super tough and is dam near indestructible. They can color match almost any color.

 

[CDA]

I am a little confused here about the Linex. You are linexing the plastics for $125, but can buy complete new sets for less. Does the linex keep you from breaking the plastic in a crash, kind of like a skid plate for the plastics?

 

[dkyacht]

I am a little confused here about the Linex. You are linexing the plastics for $125, but can buy complete new sets for less. Does the linex keep you from breaking the plastic in a crash, kind of like a skid plate for the plastics?

I must be doing something wrong because to replace ALL the removable plastic on my bike I was looking at over $400. Yes the linex is extremely strong and scratch resistant.

 

[dkyacht]

Fyi if you have a paint code they can color match anything.

 

[Mihylo33]

I must be doing something wrong because to replace ALL the removable plastic on my bike I was looking at over $400. Yes the linex is extremely strong and scratch resistant.

Yeah you can buy a kit for like a $100.

 

[dkyacht]

Yeah you can buy a kit for like a $100.

For a 1996 honda xr650l? All the plastic, headlight cover, 2 side body pieces, front and rear fenders, the 2 lower fork pieces? Honestly I still would have done this route but I never found that deal.

 

[Emily]

All the power to you but I don't see the cosmetic roughness I think it looked good from the start

Coating your plastics with anything that has to adhere to them usually doesn't look good after some miles. The type of plastic they use to make these dirt bike plastics don't like stuff sticking to them. Just some food for thought buddy The front forks look like they have some oil on the left fork boot, might want to take a closer look and make sure the fork seals aren't dead

I don't think those lower fork pieces are from the factory. I don't even see the point in the right one really, the left one protects the disc from dings.

 

[Mihylo33]

For a 1996 honda xr650l? All the plastic, headlight cover, 2 side body pieces, front and rear fenders, the 2 lower fork pieces? Honestly I still would have done this route but I never found that deal.

now that I'm looking I can actually find nothing at all for your XR, sorry

 

[Emily]

Remove all the stickers and scrub the plastics, you'd be surprised how much it would clean up.

 

[dkyacht]

All the power to you but I don't see the cosmetic roughness I think it looked good from the start

Coating your plastics with anything that has to adhere to them usually doesn't look good after some miles. The type of plastic they use to make these dirt bike plastics don't like stuff sticking to them. Just some food for thought buddy The front forks look like they have some oil on the left fork boot, might want to take a closer look and make sure the fork seals aren't dead

I don't think those lower fork pieces are from the factory. I don't even see the point in the right one really, the left one protects the disc from dings.

The photo is deceiving, the plastic was very weathered. Plus all the stickers were bubbled and cracked. The linex adheres very well. It will never peal, chip, crack, or fade. Thanks for the heads up on the oil, its just from me spraying it.

now that I'm looking I can actually find nothing at all for your XR, sorry

Right, thats the problem I had. When I did find something it was crazy over priced.

 

[Emily]

It might not crack or chip for a while but it will eventually. If you don't really use it for dirt bike riding more of fire roads and streets it will last a lot longer than I'm thinking. But if you fall a lot, good luck brotha. In the dirt bike world putting anything on plastics is a Bed liner was designed for steel beds that don't flex, dirt bike plastics flex. MORE FOOD FOR THOUGHT.

 

[dkyacht]

It might not crack or chip for a while but it will eventually. If you don't really use it for dirt bike riding more of fire roads and streets it will last a lot longer than I'm thinking. But if you fall a lot, good luck brotha. In the dirt bike world putting anything on plastics is a Bed liner was designed for steel beds that don't flex, dirt bike plastics flex. MORE FOOD FOR THOUGHT.

I'm sure you are very experienced and know what your talking about but I know alot about linex. Don't think of it as a paint, it can not chip or peal! It's applied on all surfaces so it encapsulates the entire piece. It goes on with high pressure and high temperature and dries instantaneously. It has a 6600psi tensile strength and they even state on their website that it adheres excellent to most properly prepared surfaces not just steel. By the way most truck beds see way more abuse than most bikes ever will. Just think of the stuff that gets dropped and drug in a truck bed. In their showroom they have a soda can with 1 coat on it and you can't crush it no matter how hard you squeze.

I guess we will just agree to disagree with regards to linex. Besides it was pretty much my only option.

 

[SRAD97750]

Where can I get me some of that?!?!?!? -BIG DAN