NO SUBSTITUTE FOR CC's

If you want to flip people out on the open straights do this mod but keep it a secret for a couple months.      That's what  I did!  In fact, it will probably remain a secret among some of the people I ride with forever….

I know there are a lot of different big bore kits for the XR.  Honda makes a power up kit that costs over a grand.  Although, a lot of people buy this kit I don't feel it is wise spending.  Look closely at what you actually get and compare.  At XR's only they have a dyno machine (I've been there and seen it with my own eyes!).  They dyno test everything.  Freddy (who is now the owner) has been with XR's only since the early inception when Al Baker started the company over 15 years ago.

If you visit their offices like I did they will show you dyno reports on all kinds of mods including big bore kits.  I was convinced to go with the 440 kit thinking more is better until Freddy shared the Dyno reports and talked about costs with me.  The 430 kit they put out is by far the best value for money and the power across the board is just as good as the 440.  After riding two other 430's and XR's Only Company Race Bike (a fully blown 440) I was sold the 430 was the way to go!

While you've got the engine apart you'd be a fool not to have your valves done.  Stock valves and grinds from the factory are far from perfection. Intake valves on 400's are almost always fried and leaking with less than 2500 miles on them.  The stock grind is only mediocre at best, and regardless of how good the grind is REMEMBER THIS!  That head from the factory has never been subjected to ANY HEAT!  Get your valves done (90% of the time replacing the intakes) while you've got it apart.  I Have yet to see a stock XR head that doesn't leak a little with more than 2000 miles on it.

Leave the stock cam in and with them doing all the work it's under $450!!!  This is the price if you don't touch the bike.  Subtract $180 (Only $270! if you tear it apart and assemble it yourself. (hey that's about what the damn exhaust cost!). The kit itself which includes the piston, gaskets, boring etc. is an absolute steel.  Again, it makes every bit as much power as the 440 in the low and mid.  Works wonderfully with the stock cam, too!
 

WHY IS THE 430 KIT SO AFFORDABLE?

It's simple!  Unlike the 440 kit the 430 mod does NOT require sleeving of the cylinder.  Case closed. If you like working on bikes you could do the XR's Only 430 kit for only $300 out the door!!!  This includes UPS costs of sending your cyclinder and head to XR's Only. With this kit, the Mikuni Pumper and the tapered needle the power is the same as a YZ 400.

NOTE: I said the POWER is the SAME> NOT THE DELIVERY!  The XR will be stronger down low while the YZ will be stronger up top.  Needles to say, they'll pull right along neck and neck and it's a rush!

Especially when the guy on the YZ is used to eating stock XR's for breakfast all morning...

The best part about the 430 kit is that your power increases dramatically and your weight stays the same!  Where's the power increase? Everywhere, period.  No sleeving is required which keeps the costs down.  Keep it a secret and you'll have the time of your life!  Go drag race YZ 400's and watch them come over and ask you what you've got going on.  I always give em the same reply "Pretty much stock other than the exhaust, carb and filter.  It's just a really strong one since I broke it in real slow".  (hehe!).
 

NOW FOR THE MOST EXPENSIVE AND MOST IMPRESSIVE MODS

THE SUSPENSION!

Not to gripe but having rid XR's for over a decade I am still disappointed they don't make at least one XR model the comes with suspension. Every XR's suspension is a total joke off the showroom when compared to what you get when you buy a CR or any motocross bike.  A few years back it was understandable because XR's weren't as expensive.  However, we are paying TOP dollar for these bikes today and you still have to drop a grand into the suspension to get it up to par (less if you do all the work yourself).

XR suspension is pathetic!  Especially the forks.  I understand from a marketing stand point that the majority of the XR market does NOT push the bike to it's limits (unlike the CR market), but I feel Honda owes it to us to make one XR 400 model with the latest technology already on it.  I'm talking about Inverted Forks, Real Progressive Spring Rates and Valving, Better Bars and an aluminum frame.  Oh yeah, and one other thing; water cooling!
 

KEEP ON DREAMING YOU SAY!

MAYBE WE'LL SEE IN AUGUST OF 2000...  (more on this later!)

OK.  When it came to suspension I didn't want to fool around with sending forks and shocks off UPS and then spend hours dicking around putting everything together.  I like to ride bikes, NOT WORK ON THEM (this was different when I was younger).  I do my own oil changes, filters and valves adjustments and that's it!!!  So when it came to suspension I drove 2.5 hours to XR's Only with my bike and said "Give me the works!  Let's spare no expense.  I want the best suspension I can get!"  While I was at I also instructed them to regrease my entire linkage and stem.  Have you ever seen a stock XR from the factory and that pitiful amount of grease they use?  It's should be called fraud!  You'll flip when you take it apart.  I suggest everyone get that done within the first 1000 miles or you'll burn up your linkage and it will cost you a whole lot more later to have it replaced!
 

ARE THERE ZIRK FITTINGS YOU ASK?

No.  Honda decided to get rid of those.  I guess they think only professional mechanics should grease linkage and not bike owners who spend 4 months wages on a bike….
 

LIST OF SUSPENSION MODS FROM XR's ONLY
 

All this was about $1000…  However, you could save over $250 if you did all the labor yourself (and it is a lot of labor!).

Once all this was done I set the sag at 4 inches.  By the way the link below

http://www.bajadesigns.com

has a great page on setting sag if you haven't done it on your bike.  Just setting the sag on a stock XR with that pathetic suspension can make a BIG difference.  Once all this was done I played with the compression and rebound dampening as best I could without riding the bike.

FIRST RIDE WITH $1000 IN SUSPENSION MODS!!!  Now that I'm totally broke let's see if it was really worth it!

If you've never ridden an XR with reworked suspension then you've never REALLY ridden and XR.  This first ride wasn't real shocking for me because I had experienced the shock before back in 1987 when I had them rework an 86 XR 250 for me.  How do I um it up in three words?
 

NIGHT AND DAY!

The bike feels 20 pounds lighter because of the way it responds.  Speeds and terrain which used to severely intimidate the XR now don't even bother it.  And the more you push the bike the more you realize just how dramatic the difference is.  A 4 stroke is heavier than a 2 stroke and improvements in suspension are more profound on a heavier bike, but you won't notice the improvements unless you push the bike to it's limits.  I don't recommend anyone spend this kind of money on their suspension unless they are pushing the bike to it's limits.  In many cases the rider reaches their limit before the bike does.

For people that push the bike to it's limits an entire reworking of the suspension will guarantee you fall in love with your XR all over again.  I guarantee this because I've done it several times!  It's like having a new bike because the bike literally becomes a new creature and the further you push it and tune it (the suspension)
the more you notice it.

The difference is most profound on hard braking down hills.  In situations where the stock bike would be completely out of control and on the verge of crashing, the reworked bike is in total control.  There's no way to explain it until you experience it!  Keep playing with the suspension and finding what works and what doesn't for your type of riding.  Pay close attention to the rebound settings and the effect they have.  Again, if you don't push your stock XR to the limit this will be the worst investment you'll ever make.  But if you do push it to the limit it  WILL BE THE BEST!
 

RECYCLE THAT STOCK FRONT TIRE THE DAY YOU GET YOUR BIKE!

I wish I could share a lot of knowledge on back tires but I burn through them so fast (even with the little pavement I ride) I don't really pay attention.  All I know is they only last about 300 miles and then it's over.  I like the run the hard desert ones since I can make home on flat if one occurs.  However, the hard compound seems to wear just as fast on the street. Lately I've been using dunlops.  I never run DS tires as I don't want to give up any performance on the dirt.

When it comes to front tires I can tell you that stock one is garbage.  Of course, you'll never know it until you buy the PIRELLI MT 44.  I read an article with Scott Summers.  He said that's what he used so that's what I use and have never looked back since!  I couldn't imagine a front tire working better than this.  It says DOT on it but there's no way this tire can be street legal…

UPDATE:  A good place to by tires is at

http://www.bajadesigns.com

UPDATE:  The Pirelli MT44 is the BEST tire I have ever used for soft to hard terrain.  However, it does wear out FAST on the street and although it works GREAT in rocks, the knobs do get shredded...

The absolute best front tire I've ever found to date is the DUNLOP K139.  This tire works great on everything and wears SUPER SLOW.  It's hard carcass makes it so stiff I haven't got a flat yet.  My friend did and he rode over 50 miles on it!  This tire is THE BEST dual sport tire on the market-OVERALL. Putting the tire on?  That's a another story..

BajaDesigns seems to have some of the best pricing I've seen.  Since we burn up tires fast on XR's on the pavement this is a good resource to have.  The local dealers charge an arm and a leg for tires in my area!  Scott Summers uses a PIRELLI MT 16 in the rear.  This is what I'll try next.
 

WAIT A MINUTE!  WHAT ABOUT THE PRO TAPERS AND THE SCOTT SUMMERS FORK BRACE???

Whoa!  One question at a time…

Yes!  The pro tapers are worth it!  One of those mods where you wonder how you ever rode with stocks bars.  The best part for taller riders 5'11"+ is that the pro taper triple clamp has a further forward setting placement for the bars.  Naturally, I mount my bars here!
 

SCOTT SUMMERS/SUMMERS RACING COMPONENTS FORK BRACE!

When I was at XR's Only having my bike worked on I rode all THEIR bikes.  I really like their tricked out XR 80 and XR 100!  I also rode their race bike.  This bike basically looks like a CR with an XR motor.   This bike has inverted forks.  The summers fork brace makes your bike feel like it has 90% inverted forks.  It is profound. Where I really notice it is in braking hard and turning.  Especially on downhills with rocks and ruts.  If you push your XR hard you're used to not freaking out when your front end does incredibly funny things.  Once you get the SRC fork brace on you'll find yourself practically going off the trail because the bike actually tracks where you steer it for a change! It is well worth the money but only if you really push your suspension to it's limits.

NOTE: the summers fork brace mounts around rubber "FORK SWIPERS" which can be used with or without "FORK SKINS" which act as fork boots.  However, FORK SWIPERS are primarily used in place of FORK BOOTS so they are an extremely tight fit around the fork in order to "SWIPE OFF" any debris on the fork.