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XJ Dualsport?

Discussion in 'XJ Technical Chat' started by Orange-n-Black, Jul 20, 2011.

  1. Orange-n-Black

    Orange-n-Black Well-Known Member

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    Saw a Sportster turned Dualsport build in American Iron magazine and wondered if anyone had done this or thought about doing this to an XJ?
     
  2. bigfitz52

    bigfitz52 Well-Known Member Premium Member

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    Re: XJ Eurosport?

    As in? I always thought the Secas were "Eurosport" at least as defined in the day.
     
  3. Orange-n-Black

    Orange-n-Black Well-Known Member

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    Re: XJ Eurosport?

    My bad, I meant Dualsport. (DOH)
     
  4. inet101

    inet101 Member

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    Have seen Oil Cooled GSXRs set up for Dual sport, Ice racing,MX, Dirt/Sand drags,Hill climb & Flat track.....No reason someone could not take a XJ and do the same. Would be easier with a chain drive 550 I would think...but....all depends on what ya wanna do and how ya wanna go about it..........Light weight, compact air cooled inline fours lend themselves to many different applications........ :D
     
  5. Orange-n-Black

    Orange-n-Black Well-Known Member

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    550 would be the way to go for sure.
     
  6. bigfitz52

    bigfitz52 Well-Known Member Premium Member

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    Ahh. No.

    Main reasons: Excessive weight for the benefits not realized from the shaft drive: there is simply no practical way to "lighten" the transfer case/middle gearbox assembly. A 550, maybe, but then no for the next reason---

    It's a really peaky, high revving motor. You need a "tractor-like" motor, with a wide powerband and low-end torque, for an ADV bike. The XJ is the polar opposite.

    Bad fit.
     
  7. inet101

    inet101 Member

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    550 with more displacement?.... 8O .....Will agree they are peaky and lacking in the low end....but.... stuff one in a 90s MX chassis with a Rider that knows how to use a gearbox I would be willing to bet it would make an interesting ride for fast fire roads and such.......Then again I always considered a 500+cc MX bike w/ lights a "DualSport"
     
  8. Orange-n-Black

    Orange-n-Black Well-Known Member

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    I looked at the article again and they call it the Dirtster. This is a 1200cc sportster with a KTM front end and rims, and large box style saddle bags. It was made for around the globe touring. When I looked at it I thought of it as a Dualsport, Is there a difference and what would it be?
     
  9. dwcopple

    dwcopple Active Member

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    A ClusterF&^% maybe?
     
  10. cutlass79500

    cutlass79500 Well-Known Member

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    Didn't occ make one out of a big harley? If i remember correctly it was big and heavy and every whooptie do it blew black smoke don't think the single carb worked to well for that purpose lol
     
  11. Oblivion

    Oblivion Active Member

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  12. Orange-n-Black

    Orange-n-Black Well-Known Member

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    Yes that's the one.Now imagine a 550 or a 600 XJ done this way.
     
  13. unknown

    unknown New Member

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    Wow, I love it. I was thinking about putting MX forks on my XJ750 what with all the trail riding I do on it. I don't think the stock forks/suspension are good enough for what I'd love to ride on with this bike, heh, but still with 100% street tires and 99% stock everything else, it's amazing how well this bike handles sand, berms, whoops, some simple rocky/bumpy hillclimbs etc. I've done it all on this bike and still never dropped or dipped it, granted I take care making sure the suspension doesn't "bottom" out.

    It's just a tragedy that mine's shaft driven, I think that pretty much eliminates modifying the rear end with more travel & better suspension but I could be wrong.
     
  14. badfish502

    badfish502 Member

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    I live in the desert, I have a 4mi ride to pavement. If u stand up the XJ is real capable on the dirt. Having grown up on dirt with REALLY peaky race 2strokes I feel the XJ is really smooth and easy to ride on the dirt. The shaft drive is a huge bonus to me for dirt use. I think if you put a set of YZ250 front forks and 14-15" rear shocks you would end up with a really useable dirt/street "adventure" bike... Of course ive got over 50k dirt miles under my belt so its second nature to me riding in the dirt, someone with no dirt experience would probably get hurt in short order...........
     
  15. Orange-n-Black

    Orange-n-Black Well-Known Member

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    Adventure Bike, now that I believe would be the right term I was looking for.
     
  16. Orange-n-Black

    Orange-n-Black Well-Known Member

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    Unknown: You say that you often ride your stock 750 in the dirt? You must have brass balls my friend.
     
  17. badfish502

    badfish502 Member

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    Brass balls? Nah, more like titanium ;)

    You gotta figure I used to be #4 in district 37 desert racing... Ive done 100mph across the desert on a YZ125 so 30-45mph on the XJ aint really a problem, you just have to "STAND-UP" so you are forward in attack position then just let the arse end do what its gonna do....

    With some DOT legal knobbies you could REALLY get scooting along. Im riding on Kenda street bike tires so it takes a little man handling to keep the front tire from washing out in deep sand. You just gotta stay back and keep the rpms up around like 3500rpm so you have some throttle response.

    I think for "ADV" riding Id like to run (2) round or flat slide 36 mm mikuni carbs, it would be a lot more responsive and controllable for the dirt. Also i would go with a YZ throttle assembly because it is a lot quicker. Im going to.put one on ASAP...

    Ill see if I can get my mom to take some video of me floggin the XJ in the dirt for your amusement ;)

    Jay
     
  18. Orange-n-Black

    Orange-n-Black Well-Known Member

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    Video would be cool. Love the YZ125, had one back in 79. Great bike, really miss it now.
     
  19. unknown

    unknown New Member

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    I may have to do a helmet cam video as well, It is pretty much just all about your stance on the bike, I think if you were to just sit down like you would cruising on the open highway, you'll eat dirt soon enough, or get thrown off the bike, but drive it like you would a dirtbike while keeping in mind the limitations of the suspension, and it's pretty smooth and consistent. Definitely plenty of available power if you keep it at or above 3-4k RPM.

    badfish502 pretty much explained it all spot on, but just keep in mind that whenever you hit deep sand, you're going to want to get as much weight off that front tire as possible and keep the throttle consistent, but always keep your arms & knees bent.
     
  20. Krane

    Krane New Member

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    I have modified mine to accept a little dirt. It won't do it with a smile or at high speeds but it also wont crawl in fear at the sight of some pits and mud trenches :D

    [​IMG]
     
  21. Orange-n-Black

    Orange-n-Black Well-Known Member

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    Motocross bars too? Are you doing a Track style or just need the tread for dirt roads?
     
  22. MoralDK

    MoralDK Member

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    My driveway climbs vertically 300' over 8/10 of a mile. Very steep with switchbacks. My neighbors & I just dumped 4-6" of gravel on it. We've been on people to keep from digging into the gravel so it will pack down - use 4 wheel drive & such....A friend of mine came up with his Yamaha 350 enduro and couldn't get up it without throwing gravel. I travel this driveway at least twice a day on the Maxim. No wheel spin, no feet off the pegs in the tight switchbacks. Lots of 2 wheel drifting coming down in the loose gravel. The trick is to keep the bike upright, keep the wheels turning and keep your concentration. Miss any of these points for a fraction of a second and the bike goes down. The biggest issue is heat buildup due to slow speed and high load. These bikes don't dig it.
     
  23. Orange-n-Black

    Orange-n-Black Well-Known Member

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    Would hate to have your driveway. So from what you said, you don't have problems going up just too much heat coming down. So maybe a water cooled XJ would be best.
    700 Maxim X with YZ front end, longer heavy duty rear shocks and DOT legal nobbies. What do you think about that?
     
  24. Krane

    Krane New Member

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    @Orange-n-Black Yup, motocross bars and dot legal Pirelli Scorpions. Tested the bike on dirt roads, fire roads and pothole roads (as they are pretty common in Romania). The bike runs smooth and with bike's weight it doesn't slide or anything.
     
  25. black-heat

    black-heat New Member

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    What Make and Model tires would you guys suggest for dirt/gravel riding for an XJ 650 Maxim? I'm not going to be thrashing it, just riding these back roads in New Mexico. My rims are stock and as far as i know it'll handle inner-tubes if needed. Most dirt tires i think require tubes.
     
  26. black-heat

    black-heat New Member

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    WHAT TIRES ARE THOSE KRANE? ARE THEY TUBELESS?
     
  27. black-heat

    black-heat New Member

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    WHAT TIRES ARE THOSE KRANE? ARE THEY TUBELESS?
     
  28. grunt007

    grunt007 Member

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    You got some guts buddy, but on the flip side of things that's a nice looking XJ you have there and the straight handlebars do it justice! I used to years ago ride a 72' Triumph 650 Bonneville motorcycle. Back then others were riding with (Ape hangers) for handle bars. I didn't have the funds to buy a set for my bike so I went down to a bicycle shop and bought a set that they use on peddle bikes and put them on my Triumph. One night I tried hill climbing with it after dark and a few beers. Going up one big hill I hit a rise in the side of it! The bike went airborn with me on it. Somehow while upside down me and the bike parted. When it hit the ground upside down the Ape hangers were then about straight bars like yours. That was enough of that after that night. What a way to learn a education the hard way. grunt007, 81'XJ 750 Seca, Mi. I was young and dumb back then :)))))
     
  29. Krane

    Krane New Member

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    @black_heat no they are tube tires
     
  30. black-heat

    black-heat New Member

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    Thanks man, I've been wondering this past month if my Maxim can wear tubes or not. One more question: what make and model TIRES do you have on yours?
     
  31. trackerh

    trackerh New Member

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    here my take on the dual sport with my dirt tracker xj
    [​IMG]
     
  32. MoralDK

    MoralDK Member

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    I did some online shopping for the bike that would suit my purposes totally, considering my 300' vertical driveway climb over 8/10 of a mile with switchbacks and 3-4" new gravel, plus I'd like something really comfy with long range and plenty of power. I think I found it:
    http://www.yamaha-motor.com/sport/produ ... tures.aspx

    They're known as Adventure Sports.

    Nice Lookin 550 Trackerh!
     
  33. Orange-n-Black

    Orange-n-Black Well-Known Member

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    Sorry I haven't responded in a while, still don't get emails. Great looking tracker trackerh. Some of the Dualsport bikes on the market today look more like alien bikes to me with all the plastic on them, my taste lean more to the oldschool bikes like Trackerh's.
     
  34. JeffK

    JeffK Well-Known Member

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    The first inclination for me is to say that the shaft drive is a detriment but BMW has made millions upon millions of dollars selling ADV bikes for the past God knows how many years, all with shaft drive....not only have they sold practically a million ADV bikes, they have been the VERY BEST of all the ADV bikes. I own a DL1000 which looks like a ADV bike but really isn't, it's set up for touring. It makes nearly 100hp and it's torquey down low but loves to rev. Theres' no reason that you can't get a real set of knobbys, swap out the front and rear too-soft suspenders, get a wider bar, hide all the breakables and have at it. Look at it this way....a GS650 makes 50hp and weighs 420 pounds....see? you nearly HAVE a GS650!! <LOL>

    jeff
     
  35. devo1

    devo1 Member

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    That's freakin beautiful!
     
  36. gunnabuild1

    gunnabuild1 Member

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    Any more pics, trackerh?
    That is a real tidy lookin bike.
     
  37. TIMEtoRIDE

    TIMEtoRIDE Active Member

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  38. Orange-n-Black

    Orange-n-Black Well-Known Member

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    Yeah 1200 is a little big for off road. Originally I suggested a 550 Maxim or 600 because of the weight and chain drive. Although some have said it wasn't a good idea, I would like to try it out someday and satisfy my inner Frankenstein. :lol:
     
  39. mtnbikecrazy55

    mtnbikecrazy55 Active Member

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    that is a freakin beautiful bike trackerh, dangggg it looks fun, and clean!!!
     
  40. mtnbikecrazy55

    mtnbikecrazy55 Active Member

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    he said in his earlier post "dot legal Pirelli Scorpions"
     

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