xr650l wheel swaps?

Different discipline.... same Hoon behavior
Post Reply
User avatar
louis mielke
Posts: 96
Joined: July 15th, 2009, 7:08 am
Location: Maryland

xr650l wheel swaps?

Post by louis mielke »

Anyone attempt to use a CR500 rear wheel on a late model xr650l?


I may do some investigation on my won but just checking to see if anyone has tried it?
I would think it would be manageable with some custom spacers. I guess I'll find out.
"Don't worry, it will grow back!"
User avatar
louis mielke
Posts: 96
Joined: July 15th, 2009, 7:08 am
Location: Maryland

Post by louis mielke »

Well don't know if it interests anyone but I did get to try this out. I'm trying to have a set of rims with nobbies and then my stock rims with street tires. I happen to be parting out this 89 CR500 for my AF build and figured hey, why not see if I can kill another bird.

Looks like a bearing change and or some bushings and this swap is pretty possible. The brake disk and caliper all but line up perfectly, and the sprocket side looks pretty close.

Stock bearings on the 89 CR500 rear wheel are 20mm x 47mm x 20.6mm on the sprocket side, 20mm x 42mm x 12mm on the brake disk side.

XR650l stock bearings are both 17mm x 40mm x XXmm, (got lazy with my measurements)

I found a 17mm x 47mm x 14mm bearing that should work out fine with the seal and a new spacer turned down on the driven side.

Finding a bearing for the brake side seemed to be problematic but I ended up ordering some brass bushing stock and plan on making a bushing for the stock bearing + new spacer.

Orderd a 48t sprocket so I should end up with 15/48 for my dirt tires and the stock 15/45 gearing for my street tires.

I also just installed a 40mm FCR on the big red pig and man on man what a difference this carb makes!
"Don't worry, it will grow back!"
User avatar
jbird_710
Posts: 551
Joined: August 9th, 2007, 5:37 pm
Location: League City, Texas

Post by jbird_710 »

I just bought another set of wheels off of eBay. Of course, when I got them, the clown who had them before spray painted them (don't know why) and they had something blue on the outer edges of the rims. Got both complete wheels with usable disk rotors for $300.

And, yeah, I did the FCR carb change and you have to wonder why Honda doesn't do that from the factory. It's a whole different bike with the FCR, even if you did the Dave's mods on the stocker.
'87 CR500R / (2) '01 CR500R / '02 MPS CR500R AF / '06 XR650R / '06 XR650L / '01 XR400R / '01 FLHTCUI / '04 CRF 450R / '84 CR500R / '89 Transalp /'05 CRF450X / '02 XR200R
Jay Birdsong

Don't you know about the Bird?
User avatar
louis mielke
Posts: 96
Joined: July 15th, 2009, 7:08 am
Location: Maryland

Post by louis mielke »

A little update I was able to succesfuly put the 89 cr500 rear wheel on my xr650l. I had to order two bearings, made a brass bushing, turn two new wheel spacers on my buddies mini lathe and ordered a new sprocket for the CR wheel. I geared it to try and retain the stock gearing of the 650 with the new larger knobby tire. (I run 90% street tires most of the time.)

Didn't really get many pics during the project but here's a pic of the cr500 rear mounted up on the xr. Sprocket and brake disc lined up perfect once I had the new spacers made.

Image

New spacers.

Image
Last edited by louis mielke on March 10th, 2014, 1:17 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"Don't worry, it will grow back!"
User avatar
louis mielke
Posts: 96
Joined: July 15th, 2009, 7:08 am
Location: Maryland

Post by louis mielke »

Here's a little info on my bike.

Image

09' xr650l leftover bought in 12'

ims 4 gal tank (oldschool tank)
super trapp slip on
striped a lot of dead weight off the bike
ceat concepts seat
pro taper bars + risers
xr600 front fender (I love the orange)
Aluminum skid plate (I think msr but can't remember)
40mm FCR MX + crf250 throttle and cables, retained xr choke cable
uni foam filter/typical uncork mods
moose bar ends
smaller tail light, home made plate mount
shinko 705 trail masters front and rear (90% street/10% dirt tire)
various stickers to add horse power

future plans include an oil cooler setup and more compression. 10:25:1 JE I believe. Possibly some fork/shock work.

I know I could have started with a much more modern machine, or even a liquid xr650r but I just have a soft spot for the old dinosaur and I can't help but adding farkles. It gives me little "projects" for my bike. lol
Last edited by louis mielke on March 11th, 2014, 7:31 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"Don't worry, it will grow back!"
User avatar
jbird_710
Posts: 551
Joined: August 9th, 2007, 5:37 pm
Location: League City, Texas

Post by jbird_710 »

Image

'06 bought new off the showroom floor in July of '06

Clarke 4 gal tank
White Brothers E2 slip on exhaust
IMS De-smogged
40mm FCR MX + stock throttle and cables
K&N filter/typical uncork mods
RSW top triple clamp and fork brace
XR's Only foot pegs, anodized chain guide, billet disk guard/shark fin, skid plate, and anodized front brake reservoir cover
Seat Concepts seat
Pro Taper bars (not sure of bend, came off of another bike I bought)
Pro-Grip grips
xr600 CeMoto rear fender (was red - faded to orange)
Baja Designs tail light - marker light rear blinkers
Cycleracks rear rack
Manracks case saver
Acerbis folding mirror
Moose XR650R countershaft sproket (15 t)
cut-out countershaft sprocket cover
IRC GP110R front and rear (80% street/20% dirt tire)
Heavier springs front and rear
Second set of stock rims with Dunlop 606's

Couldn't resist putting old racing number on the plates. This amazing thing hauled my big butt + 60 lbs of gear up and over several mountain passes last year in Colorado; even with one of the slide plates upside down in the carb (long story - too ashamed to share) and before upgrading the stock springs. Wore more off the knobbies rubbing the rear fender than being eaten up by trails and street.
'87 CR500R / (2) '01 CR500R / '02 MPS CR500R AF / '06 XR650R / '06 XR650L / '01 XR400R / '01 FLHTCUI / '04 CRF 450R / '84 CR500R / '89 Transalp /'05 CRF450X / '02 XR200R
Jay Birdsong

Don't you know about the Bird?
User avatar
louis mielke
Posts: 96
Joined: July 15th, 2009, 7:08 am
Location: Maryland

Post by louis mielke »

How do you like that rear rack? Any better pictures of it? I really do love these pigs even if there are plenty of bikes that are way more modern.

I'm also curious about the hisortory of my tank. It has IMS stamped in it and it's a universal fit for the xr650l and xr600r. Xr600r minutes bolt on to brass inserts in tank. The mold of that Clarke looks really close to mine. I wonder who borrowed who's design or if they just are really similar in coincidence.
"Don't worry, it will grow back!"
User avatar
jbird_710
Posts: 551
Joined: August 9th, 2007, 5:37 pm
Location: League City, Texas

Post by jbird_710 »

Got the rack from Cycleracks.com: https://cycleracks.com/ProductDetail/ta ... fault.aspx

I was a little leery of it at first, thinking the parts that arc down the sides would be in the way. But, they are no problem and make a great handle for moving the bike around or picking it up. It's absolutely solid as you can see from the web page pictures. I wanted to keep the rear tool bag and most racks require removing it.

Don't know a lot about the tanks. I can tell you a lot of XR600 stuff will bolt right on the 650L. I've always heard IMS was a little better quality Clarke and have noticed it seems more folks complain more about Clarke quality on the forums. I guess there was a run on IMS's when I bought my Clarke because I couldn't find one; everyone was waiting on shipments. I had the opportunity to go on a trail ride through Colorado and didn't think the stock tank would make it between gas stops. I bought the Clarke mostly because I couldn't find an IMS at the time. So far, it's worked fine; just hate having to unbolt the front supports that hook to the shroud mounts every time I take the tank off. The way it mounts, I have to take the bolts out of the brass fittings molded into the tank and I know I'll cross-thread or somehow screw those up one day.
'87 CR500R / (2) '01 CR500R / '02 MPS CR500R AF / '06 XR650R / '06 XR650L / '01 XR400R / '01 FLHTCUI / '04 CRF 450R / '84 CR500R / '89 Transalp /'05 CRF450X / '02 XR200R
Jay Birdsong

Don't you know about the Bird?
Post Reply