GPgarage Moto builds a trio of four-stroke Honda motocrossers…
Launched in 1979, the Honda XL500 would turn into some of the profitable dual-purpose bikes of the period, combining a 32-hp model of the XR500 engine with all of the lights and equipment required for street-legality. All that gear equated to a weight penalty of simply 16 lbs, and the XL featured 8″ entrance and seven″ rear suspension journey — down simply 0.8″ from the dirt-only XR.
“If it sounds as if Honda created a nice massive dust play bike after which designed a avenue authorized model of it, you guessed proper. The XL is totally different from earlier twin goal bikes as a result of it really works nice as a mud play bike and it’s additionally a succesful roadster, as a substitute of being a highway bike with offroad equipment.” –Cycle World, 1979
That mentioned, any dual-sport is by definition a compromise, and the XL500S wasn’t meant for the motocross monitor or much more difficult trails:
“It’s not a motocrosser or perhaps a good enduro bike, nevertheless it has sufficient suspension so a rider can take reasonable sized jumps with out dying upon touchdown…” -CW
In 1982, Honda changed the twin-shock XL500S with the XL500R, that includes their new Professional-Hyperlink mono-shock suspension:
“The Professional-Hyperlink rear suspension system was developed on Honda’s World Open and U.S. Open Championship racers and now it’s prepared for the extensive open areas… Now if you soar that soar, the suspension works extra effectively to soak up the affect…”
Nonetheless, the XL500 was no motocrosser, not with out some severe modification…and that’s the place our good friend Matteo Gualandi of Italy’s GPgarage Moto is available in. Matteo is a grasp of Honda four-stroke dust machines. He’s constructed a set of Honda Baja 1000 desert racer replicas, and his workshop fields a pair of contemporary CRF450 rally bikes within the Italian championship. Now he’s again with a trio of XL500 motocrossers.
It began when he determined convert a ’79 XL500S for MX use. Regardless of the close to lack of brakes and suspension — at the very least by up to date requirements — Matteo says the XLS is barrel of enjoyable on the monitor…for those who’ve received the metal to journey it:
“It’s very enjoyable — no brakes, no suspension, however in case you are courageous it provides you nice satisfaction. “
However Matteo wished to take issues farther, which led to a pair of extra aggressive, extra succesful single-shock variations, together with a four-stroke copy of Honda’s 1986 RC500 two-stroke!
Under, Matteo provides us the story of this Honda 500 trio in his personal phrases, together with extra pictures from VS Picture Studio.
Honda XL500 Motocrossers: Within the Builder’s Phrases…
I’ve all the time beloved the outdated four-strokes (Honda, in fact) and I began the conversion of an outdated 1979 XL500s right into a motocross model. It’s very enjoyable — no brakes, no suspension, however in case you are courageous it provides you nice satisfaction. The bike may be very low and agile, however I needed to go additional and develop one thing even higher performing for motocross use.
The concept was to appreciate a four-stroke copy of the HRC 500 two-stroke of 1986 with the gold rims and purple/blue colours!
So I purchased an outdated XL500r single-shock and gave it a brand new 530cc massive bore engine, together with an 18″ rear rim, entrance suspension and brake equipment from a 1999 XR250, the tank from an outdated Honda XL, and all the opposite issues to do the conversion.
That is the bike! Very very enjoyable, and it’s very small and light-weight — you are able to do what you need with it on a motocross monitor.
After these bikes, a buyer requested me to do a conversion of his XL500s and we began once more. This time we put in small carbon items for the quantity plates as requested by the shopper and the swingarm has new mounts for the shock absorbers.
Observe the Builder
Web site: gpgarage.it
Instagram: @gpgarage.moto
Fb: Gpgaragemoto
Youtube: Gpgarage Moto
Photograph credit: @VS_image_studio_automotive
Extra GPgarage Moto Builds
Triple XL: Three Honda XL500 Motocrossers! – GPgarage Moto builds a trio of four-stroke Honda motocrossers… Launched in 1979, the Honda XL500 would turn into some of the profitable dual-purpose bikes of the period, combining a 32-hp model of the XR500 engine […]
Baja Monster: Honda XR667 Desert Racer – GPmoto Storage recreates Honda’s 1991 “Stealth Boomer”… Within the 1990 Baja 1000, Honda’s XR600R entry ran a close to flawless race towards the mighty Kawasaki KX500 two-strokes…and nonetheless misplaced, conserving tempo within the tough sections however […]
Huge Crimson Baja: Honda XR680R Desert Racer – From 1988 to 1996, the big-bore Kawasaki two-strokes dominated the Baja 1000, ripping throughout the desert chaparral at greater than 100 mph, masking the 1000-mile race in 10-20 hours. Nonetheless, their arch-rival, Honda, has by no means […]
Flash Crimson: Honda XR600R Golden Years Version – Italy’s GPgarage Moto builds an 80s-style XR600R… The Honda XR600R is the big-bore four-stroke weapon that unseated Kawasaki’s KX500 two-stroke to turn into the brand new king of Baja. Over its 15-year manufacturing run, the open-class thumper […]
Honda XL600LM “Bulldog” by GPgarage Moto – The Honda XL600LM was a tribute to the HRC Paris-Dakar Rally machines of the Eighties. In 1982, Cyril Neveu gained the legendary trans-Saharan race on an XR550, and Honda was intent on repeating that victory, […]
Baja Commander: Honda XL500R Baja – GPgarage Moto builds a Baja restomod! The XL500R was Honda’s 500cc dual-sport within the early Eighties, a mono-shock (Professional-Hyperlink) evolution of the twin-shock XL500S, that includes a 32-hp SOHC engine with counterbalancers, long-travel suspension, and a […]
Johnny Campbell Tribute: Honda XR628R Baja! – Desert King: GPgarage Moto builds a tribute to the King of Baja… Johnny Campbell is a residing legend of off-road racing, a person generally known as “The King of Baja” for his 11 Baja 1000 victories […]
The post Three Honda XL500 Motocrossers! – BikeBound appeared first on lickscycles.com.
source https://lickscycles.com/three-honda-xl500-motocrossers-bikebound/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=three-honda-xl500-motocrossers-bikebound
No comments:
Post a Comment