XR650L Battery relocation
 

I have made just about every usual modification to my XRL and have always been delighted with the bike as an overlander. I also do a few Enduros on her which always requires some serious weight loss! The one area which has always bugged me has been the position of the battery. I am now thinking of trying to fit it under the seat, where it should be and wondered if anyone has had any experience of chopping up the air box!


Tim

There was some discussion on the XRLUG Yahoo Group about this a while ago. I also considered it, but ended up deciding that the current setup isn't so bad. It's not very vulnerable and most of your loom, fuses etc are together in a nice waterproof box.

I was going to chop out the foam from under the back of the seat to move mine and fit a small sealed battery and a fuse box. In the end it was a lot of hassle for possibly a kilo of weight saving. The wheel can already thump the underside of the fender on full compression anyway - didn't smash my electrics on a particularly "gnarly" jump, dude.

You're much better to remove the stock headlight unit for a kilo of high weight reduction. Or have you already done that? There's an article on DirtRodders about putting the XRL on a diet; I assume you've read that?

I would be circumspect about chopping the airbox too much - to have a bike breathing around a battery, when the side panel and the seat lower is the only dirt seal anyway seems to be asking for trouble....

How is the Pig in enduros then? I can't wait to race mine, assuming it makes it back from Africa and the Middle East....

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/ubb/smile.gif

Thanks for the advice. You are probably right about it being too much trouble but I imported this bike from Australia with my heart not my head! I have done all the usual weight saving with headlight, handlebars etc. I will check out the discussion on the XRLUG to see if anyone has made the transformation. The real reason I want do it is when you get stuck in sand/mud and are trying to pull her out it would be a lot easier without the battery box. Also makes her a little slimmer in the tight stuff. I think all the other enduro riders think I am nuts. Especially when I did one of the events with the Acerbis tank on! I now use a tank from a XR600 which is better.

I have also had a 1989 Honda Dominator since new, which is the reason I fell in love with the XRL. The Domi air box might fit with a few modifications.

Thanks,


Tim


When the

Reposted from Keith Barron of the XRLUG. Hope people find it useful and Keith doesn;t mind. IT CAN BE DONE! Still not sure of the point though... http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/ubb/smile.gif

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XR650L battery relocation photos. That is a K&N filter pod on there. I ride
this bike everywhere. To work every day and
hit the dirt as well. I am not a real fan of deep river crossing so my
guess is this is a bad idea if you are into that.
I ride in the rain all the time. No problems. I have been on 14 hr long fire
road trips, no problem in the dust. I rode for 2 solid days on dusty roads
one weekend. When I got home I just washed the filter and it was as good as
new. I have been riding with this set up for 3 years now. No problem. I just
washed the filter again last night and oiled it. Looks pretty good.

Ok here we go again. I posted similar photos on this group a few years ago.
Here they are again. See all images
by clicking on the links below.

http://members.shaw.ca/keith-barron/...s/DSCF0269.JPG

http://members.shaw.ca/keith-barron/...s/DSCF0270.JPG

http://members.shaw.ca/keith-barron/...s/DSCF0272.JPG

http://members.shaw.ca/keith-barron/...s/DSCF0273.JPG

http://members.shaw.ca/keith-barron/...s/DSCF0275.JPG

http://members.shaw.ca/keith-barron/...s/DSCF0277.JPG

http://members.shaw.ca/keith-barron/...s/DSCF0278.JPG

http://members.shaw.ca/keith-barron/...s/DSCF0279.JPG

Keith Barron
Kamloops BC Canada