Pre 75 XL250

[firko]

Back in the 90's I built a very stout XL350 motor using a box full of goodies I bought in the USA. I resisted going big bore and kept it at 350 but used a 12:1 Venolia piston, Megacycle roller cam and springs, ti retainers, Carillo rod, a very nice port job, lightened rockers and CT110 CDI ignition, 36mm Amal MK2. The engine hooted but because I used a non cush drive rear Bultaco wheel I had problems breaking third gear. I was looking into light cush drive hubs and had settled on a small Yamaha hub (can't recall what it was out of) but sold the bike before I bothered.

[80-85 husky]

That would have been a hummer allright, no wonder third gear went west, they were weak at the best of times.

[09.0]

Are you guys talking about keeping it in an xl frame? I have a big bore motor as well and an xl roller but keep getting told the frame is a piece of crap.

[jimson]

090 the XL frame is okay just take to it with a grinder. Remove all unwanted brackets look at losing as much weight as possible. When you finished the race at the front of the field you know you've worked for it.  jimson

[firko]

Are you guys talking about keeping it in an xl frame? I have a big bore motor as well and an xl roller but keep getting told the frame is a piece of crap.

I've been around this sport since the beginning and during that time I've seen XL Honda motors fitted in everything from Elsinore's to Maicos to CZ's to Bultaco's to Husky's and others including C&J and my own Champion. Despite some of those swaps being successful, the most successful pre 75 4 stroke Honda's have nearly all had the stock frame. Steve Greentree and the Smith Bros from Victoria had the class at ransom throughout the 90's with stock frames XL's, the only the occasional interjection being from a CCM, BSA or Trumpy. Cut all the superfluous shit off the frame, use the longer 350 swingarm, gusset the swingarm pivot area to stop flexing, especially when big horsepower motors are used and use the best forks you can find, find the lightest cush drive rear wheel you can and bung it all together. They handle fine and they're not that heavy. The front brake is pretty handy too, second only to the Yamaha in my opinion.

[Slakewell]

Firko and I weighed a bunch of 4 strokes at Amaroo one time and the stock frame bikes were some of the lightest. You can get a stock frame XL 250 based bike under 100kg 

[80-85 husky]

Im with Firko, ive ridden lots of projects from cr based to even a 420 in a Montessa but they never had the balance that original xl frame had so yeah, give it an Enema and suspend it well.

[cloggy]

 What's the going price for a sorted stripped bike?

[80-85 husky]

Couple of cheapies on ebay at the moment with hot pipes and aftermarket shox, two for the price of 1.5. They need work but they look like a good start...