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yojuan

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Everything posted by yojuan

  1. yojuan

    noob noob

    Dang it saw this post too late!
  2. I'm going to try my best to make it out there, if I can get out of something planned for Sunday. I took the XR650L down Rodriquez and up Grapevine last Sunday in excellent conditions! Have been down Fish Creek many times in the 4x4 and mountain bike, but usually down Diablo, I've never been down HAH before. I'll likely ride in from north San Diego -> Ramona -> Julian if I can make it, don't have a way to truck the BRP.
  3. I was out bikepacking through the Lagunas & Fish Creek last weekend and ran into a lot of dual sports on Pine Mountain Road (14S02). Thought I want to go check it out this Sunday on the XR650L. This will be a newbie-ish paced ride as I'm still feeling out the new to me XR650L, and I'm pretty rusty on the dirt after taking a break for a few years. Plus I'm old and very aware of my mortality. I like to cruise at 55-60 with my gearing on the asphalt. Experts will likely be frustrated! I plan to ride around 8AM from the Shell gas station at Via Rancho Pkwy in Escondido to Julian via Nate Harrison. Then down to Pine Valley via Pine Mountain Rd (for a burger at Frosty's possibly?). After that Boulder Creek, Cedar Creek Rd to Eagle Peak Rd back to Julian. Back to Esco via Mesa Grande, Black Canyon, Santa Ysabel Creek Trail, Pamo Rd, Bandy Canyon, Highland Valley Rd. Total distance is around 175 miles. If anyone wants to tag along, I'm open to suggestions to change the route. Route may not be ideal for big bikes with more street oriented tires, especially on the Santa Ysabel Creek Trail. Having said that, there are several bail out options along the way to bypass the more technical stuff. I'll PM the route if you're interested. Make sure you're somewhat self sufficient with tubes, tools, water, etc. Few pics from a few weeks ago on Nate Harrison & Mesa Grande:
  4. Will do, didn't think I had enough to say to justify a ride report!
  5. Ended doing a great almost 200 mile ride connecting dirt with (admittedly a little too much) asphalt. I was joined by two KLRs & a brand new Africa Twin, whose rider sensibly decided to bail after Nate Harrison. Pace was fairly "spirited", which is probably why it feels today like I wrestled a big steer (although it was a Big Red Pig ). I REALLY need to change my gearing, as many have commented the stock gearing on the XR650L sucks big time on the trails. I also have to get a less obnoxious pipe on the bike (Supertrapp IDS2), even with earplugs it makes my brain itch. Best dirt section no doubt was 14S02 to 14S04 (Pine Mountain area) between Sunrise Hwy at Pioneer Mail and Pine Creek Rd. I'm guessing you'll have to go up to Idyllwild or Big Bear to experience more of this kind of wooded trails. Almost as much fun was 12S07 (Santa Ysabel area) between Black Canyon and Pamo Rd. More exploring to come!
  6. Definitely, it's bikepacking season in the desert
  7. Just recently acquired this 2007 XR650L project, so after spending way too much money on it, it was time to give the BRP a good test ride. The initial plan was to ride up Cougar Pass in Escondido, the closest dirt road where I live, then next thing I was going up Nate Harrison, down Black Canyon to Santa Ysabel Road. Temperature was comfortable today, but did get a little hot with the jacket when the going got slow. I may do this again in a few weeks as a beginner type ride for any that want to join the fun, with the option to bypass Santa Ysabel Rd. Apart from the paint shaker undoing the 8mm muffler mounting bolt on the frame, the motor didn't skip a beat. Pretty happy so far! The stock gearing, as many before have mentioned, does not work when things get a little more technical. Makes me want to rip the motor apart and do the NX650 2nd gear mod, but I'll likely change the stock 15t front sprocket to a 14t. Very happy with the 50/50 IRC TR8 Battle Rallys, makes a great alternative to the Dunlop D606 at a better price. Relive: Cougar, Nate Harrison, Back Canyon, Santa Ysabel Loop At the top of Nate Harrison on Palomar Mountain: The classic Mesa Grande shot:
  8. Yes, I used the free version. Relive automatically grabs the track from Garmin Connect.
  9. I didn't even notice until you mentioned it. Had to go back to old pictures to check!
  10. I started riding motorcycles in the late 70s in my early teens. Raced motocross for a few years until I got bored of going around a track, then I discovered a motorcycle can take you far away from home pretty fast! I guess adventure riding in those days was just called riding your motorcycle I have explored a lot of San Diego county bikepacking on my mountain bike, hoping to see a lot more on a dual sport. My riding style has definitely changed, I'm a lot more aware of my mortality now! I'll leave the rough stuff to the youngsters, I'm perfectly happy to cruise the fire roads & jeep trails now. I'm a big Honda fan, but have strayed to the blue & green bikes in the past. In fact I just finished restoring a somewhat classic 1992 Yamaha XJ600S Seca II. Sadly I do not have a dual sport currently, but I'm looking around for a XR650L. Right now I'm in the process of clearing out the garage as I have 3 motorcycles in there, too many bicycles and other equipment intensive hobbies. In fact it has been decreed that I'm NOT buying another motorcycle before I clean up. I enjoy restoring/fixing up motorcycles as much as riding them, if anyone has a junky / non-running XR650L laying around that needs to be rescued, let me know! My restored Seca II on Mesa Grande:
  11. yojuan

    New member intro from SD

    That's the plan, but first I have to repair the mounting holes on the seat pan which the PO somehow destroyed. Strap's the only thing holding the seat on right now
  12. yojuan

    New member intro from SD

    I'll give that method a try. I've also read on the forums spinning the insert for a minute or two to soften the plastic then pulling it out & using epoxy to re-insert. May need to have a spare tank before I try that though! I have a skid plate fortunately, bolted it on after the picture. I grew up in a motorcycle workshop, the techs made me do valve checks on the old CBX1000 because they hated to - 24 shims! Took me hours, my '83 XR500R was very simple compared to that bike.
  13. yojuan

    New member intro from SD

    Just an update, got most of the work done that I needed to do to get the XRL running. Bike runs really well, only issue is a slight sputtering at WOT which I have to debug. I took a few disks out of the Supertrapp, so it may be running too rich. Turns out I have a Clarke 4.0 gallon tank, not the 4.7. The two bolts at the lower front where the braces attach are seized into the insert, so the inserts just spins when you try to remove the bolt. Have to figure out a solution. I got caught up on most of the neglected maintenance items, but still have to check the valves and would like to do a compression test (although it's kinda late for that). Before I head out on the trails I intend to install hand guards and take care of a few other non-essential cosmetics.
  14. yojuan

    New member intro from SD

    Just an update, sold the old restored Yamaha Seca the day after I listed it! Guess my price was too low. A few days later I tracked down a 2007 XR650L that needed some work for a bargain, exactly what I was looking for. It already has a Clarke 4.7g tank and a Supertrapp IDS2 muffler installed, so I don't need to spend money there. It has already been desmogged and the PO already did "Dave's Carb Mods" correctly (I confirmed). I'm in the process of replacing the clutch, tires, sprockets, chain, sliders and cleaning everything right now. Should have it running in the next week or two.
  15. yojuan

    New member intro from SD

    My first choice would be still be a XR650R, but I'd prefer something street legal that I actually can register in CA! I may look at a DRZ400S/KLX400, the venerable DR650 or even KTM 640 Adventure. Basically anything capable of riding asphalt to the dirt, my trailering days are over.
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