Southern California on a Pair of BRP's... recommended mods?

[WestCoast Rider]

I think this subject vaguely applies to this forum, so I'll start the thread here.

My Dad (redhead) and myself are planning on pulling a snowbird and hauling our Hondas down to southern California for the last 2-3 weeks of December.

I've been put to the task of prepping the bikes for some "away from home" adventure riding.

Here's the bikes in question:

Bike A: 2008 XR650L, 3000km
Bike B: 1984 XL600R, 23,000km (engine recently rebuilt)

Bike A Current Mods: Bar Risers, Zeta Guards and Shields, 14T front Sprocket, Uni Filter, 12V socket, baja skidplate, desmog kit, jet kit, Shinko 244 rear, deathwing on front

Bike B Current Mods: Rear Rack, Kenda Trackmaster Tires.


Goal of the trip: Explore some territory from a mobile basecamp (car (jetta) hauling a small bike trailer)

Looking at about 100 to 200km per day if we're trail riding (C Route / FSR stuff) or 300KM per day on the highway

I've ordered a pair of Clarke 4.x gallon tanks for both bikes, a rack for bike A, and converting both to highrise fatbars to aid in mounting any gps or whatnot without having the bars sit overly too high in the centres.

looking at running D606's on both bikes to have a fair match in terms of highway and dirt capabilities.

really torn about putting a lowering link in the XRL, it sits high, but not too high for me, but my dad will be riding it because of the e-start and he is about 2" shorter than me in inseam. I just don't want to lose that clearance...


thinking about light options, the trail tech HID units are nice, but the XL-R may need a stator upgrade, not sure if it is 12V DC already or not...

any thoughts?

 

[Mad Max]

I got a lowering link if Red wants to try it out on the XRL. It came with my bike but I don't like how it feels in A or B type riding.If you dropped the forks in the trees it may not be bad though. P.M. me I'm in Nanaimo.

Max

 

[bajaman]

SoCal/Arizona/Baja riding in January........:hijacked

 

[cheeseburger]

As far as the lowering links are concerned, I would recommend against it for the kind of riding you've described. I've found that where I really need to touch the ground is riding tight, mucky stuff in the rain where your only choice is to stick your wheels in a rut, hold open the throttle and use your feet to keep the bike upright. Everywhere else just standing on the pegs and perhaps keeping a bit of momentum seems to offer a lot more control and feels better besides.

And looking at it from the other side, if you are going to be travelling along FSRs at a brisk clip then you're going to want all the suspension travel you can get to deal with potholes, cross ditches and what have you. Especially if you're going to be riding all day each day.

 

[motorambler]

I wouldn't bother with spending $$$ in HID lights & the like -- you ain't ridin the Baja area at night.