My new score

[mister laugh]

Well i saw an ad for an xr500, it went something like this " 1983 Honda XR500,needs help to get running $300". I figures what the hell i need a project. I went to go take a look, and plated with the choke decomp, and fuel valve. I got it started right in front of the guys eyes, just after he was done telling me a mechanic was over to look last night and couldn't get her to fire. Great I give him $250 load it onto my truck and get the hell away before he realizes he just gave me a bike.

Keeping in mind this bike is just going to be a beater for me, not my main bike. What do these old thumpers need for basic maintenance? What should i take a look at or change, besides the plug and clean the carbs up a bit? And lastly what can i do to quiet this thing down on the cheap?It is louder than all hell itself.

Thanks
-Matt

 

[Ol'89r]

What do these old thumpers need for basic maintenance? What should i take a look at or change, besides the plug and clean the carbs up a bit? And lastly what can i do to quiet this thing down on the cheap?It is louder than all hell itself.
-Matt

Matt.

Check the valves and change the fluids and filter. Those old thumpers are pretty bullet-proof and don't require as much maintainance as the new thumpers.

Try to find an old Super-Trapp muffler. You may be able to find a used one on that online auction site for cheap. You will probably have to repack it but, they work very well on those old thumpers.

 

[mister laugh]

Well i started my initial tear down. It appears the difficult starting/weak running problem was reasonably simple. There was a mouse nest in the air box. Took that out, shot some carb cleaner into the carbs though the air box and she now runs like a champ. Still working on stripping it down and cleaning it all up. Im also working on sanding the weathered plastic down to make it look less ghetto.

 

[oilspot]

I've got a 83' xr500. I love the damn thing. I just do casual desert riding and it does everthing I ask it to.
Biggest problems I've seen are with the valvetrain. Keep the valves in adjustment! They tend to start to pit the rockers and round them off so that the cam doesn't even lift them. Change the oil and filter very often.

 

[oscaman]

the quietest muffler I have found for my xr350r is just the stock unit. I tried a 3" super trap one time and the noise level drove me nuts after about ten minutes, and It didnt run as well as the original (no weight advantage as well)