XR200 Love

[smed]

Just picked up a 1980 XR200RA, I have coveted one ever since high school when I had the XR185 ad cut out of a mag & pasted to my school book

I want to do some period mods to it, I have a NOS PP headlight & a couple of Peter Allen pipes off who knows what that I am hoping to adapt.
 Would love a set of usable S&W strokers or was it Strokas? I have done some research & found out C&J made a frame kit for the 185, rare as rocking horse poo i'm thinking.
I was also thinking of a trick swingarm & wondering about DG etc making one?
Does anybody have any mag articles or know any mods from BITD, Not that concerned with power, more chassis & period aftermarket parts

[80-85 husky]

that's a tough one... slip a set of remote shox on it, a pipe and that's a bout all you can do?? you could replace guards and headlight etc with PP stuff but the stockers wernt that bad I thought. tidy headlight and neat speedo.

[smed]

speedo.

Not fitting one, they only have one speed, Slow , Yeah not much can be done I know, just want to jazz it up a little , It's missing the exhaust side plastic sidecover like all the XL100/125/185S models & XR185/200 seem to be, the big ugly pong box must have melted em all i'm guessing, anybody got one please?

[Mick D]

I will be looking in on your project with interest Smed

[80-85 husky]

cutting down the sidecovers to show the twin shox always looks good I rekon. make a little trick alloy cover for the exhaust side.

throw on a reverse megaphone style muffler for it and a pod airfilter for some intake roar ( )

[smed]

Just got offered 2 more of the little gems, In negotiations, I spy a right side cover in the parts

[FourstrokeForever]

Well done Smed. Great little bikes.
I'm fairly certain DG made a swingarm for the little XR. I know they did for the 500. Failing being able to find one of those gems, lengthen the stocker by 30mm or so will help keep the front end on the ground when going up hills. I'm lead to believe that Progressive Shocks took over S&W....they look very similar and are reasonably priced. I'm also fairly certain that a pipe from a CRF230 will fit without too much modifying. BBR make a nice stainless pipe for the CRF.

[LWC82PE]

I have a really good article on a modded twinshock XR185/200 in an old ADB or T&T but not sure what issue. I only remember they put Fox shocks on it. PP stuff, maybe different forks???
1980 WB catalogue lists swingarm for the 185 but it might be too early for the 200. I will need to check the later 82 and 83 WB catalogues i have to see if theres a 200 arm listed. Protec would have done an alloy swingarm too, would have been same as WB.

[LWC82PE]

Checked 82 WB catalogue. There is a twinshock 185 arm and 200 pro link arm. No twinshock 200 arm listed. I dont have 81 catalogue. Surely the 185 would fit though, if you can find one. They say they are all 1 inch to 1.5 inches longer than stock
it really would not be hard to make one. They are a basic construction made from off the shelf imperial size 6061 pieces. You could quite easily piece one together  bit at a time and just get someone to weld it together for you.

[smed]

Thank's blokes, yeah I reckon 185/200 would be pretty much identical bar the bore size, on the hunt now for the elusive alloy swinger,Was also looking at a pro link 200 steely & modding the mounts,box section at least , been thinking about forks too, have a couple sets of 79 Cr250 37mm laying around was eyeing em off, don't want to jack it up too much though I would appreciate any articles you could scan for me Leith, if possible cheers mate

[LWC82PE]

I have no idea what magazine it is in and finding it could be a problem. Most of my mags are packed away and i cant get to them easily or quicky. I have a few i can look in though.
The issue would be early 80's, maybe someone here who has the full ADB collection close to hand can find that article much quicker than i can. I am 99% sure its in ADB.
I have some 82 37mm xr500 triples and some XL/XR500 forks i am very desperate to get rid of for very little $ if you are interested. I jut want them gone.

[smed]

Thanks mate will keep them in mind , I have mid 80's adb's &  some late 70's early 80's T&T's but don't recall any articles on twinshocks, time for a brush up on my reading    

[Slakewell]

Very under rated bike IMO. I have a project that is dragging the chain too much. But some progress has been made last few weeks.
RM 125 T frame, 82 CR front end,etc , love to hear some cool motor mods.

[g465b]

  ADB  tested the XR185 in the Mar/Apr 79' issue 4 pgs with no hot up info ,   Trail and track Oct 80' issue  "DO it yourself XR200 - XL185S mild to mean" 8 pg engine and susp. hotup article.    Trail and Track Dec 80' has a 8 pg test on the XR200RA.
also Dirt Bike mag (the U.S. one ) aug79 2pg xr185 hop up ,  and a follow up story in Jan 80' issue and tested the XR200RA in Apr80' issue.
 our stupid scanner/copier wont recognise the new laptop or the opposite,so sorry at the moment .   g465b

[LWC82PE]

With the one i am thinking of they put Fox gas shocks on it, possibly with remote reservoirs. I think it had a Petty headlight too.
It seemed pretty trick, had a lot more travel from memory.