XT600 prep: How to lighten the bike...
 

Ok guys, a while ago (when I was going to buy a DR) I got together a list of mods in preparation for the Long Road - mainly for DRs - some generic things.

Now - I need your help, to make a "Definitive Bike Prep" list for XT600s, since we've bought two, and will be prepping them this year.

Soo - first question is:

What modifications have you done/ would you recommend, to LIGHTEN an XT600?

Please tell me whether you've done it, did it work, what products you used etc....

I will, again, collate all the answers and hopefully make a definitive list (for our purpose) but publish it here too, so all the ideas are in one place.

Thanks!!

Go on a diet.

He speaks the Truth.....
 

Not that any of us are suggesting your overweight......But he speaks the Truth....There is not a lot you can do to an XT.

Maybe...... if your keen....

Remove rear passenger Footpegs & Hangers (If no pillion to be carried)
Remove Helmet lock if fitted
fit alloy renthal handlebars if steel ones fitted

That should save you about 2lbs!:thumbup1:

after that, pack light & yep, Diet!

Martyn

'What modifications have you done/ would you recommend, to LIGHTEN an XT600?'

My XT is ready to go, but I think my mods have made it heavier than it was originally.

The only ones which saved weight are Renthal bars, and alloy wheels.

All the others:

Big tank,
Bigger bashplate,
Racks and panniers,
Getting rid of any cheesy bolts,

Actually gain weight.

Lose your standard rims, and that will get rid of a load of rotating weight, that is probably the most useful weight you could lose. Other than that...?

Oh, useful to keep your kit light, so less weight is high up.

Happy Riding

Joel

Have you tried helium in your tyres???:thumbup1:

Tom:cool4:

Very usefull then...
 

[ Sigh! ]

I didn't have this much trouble with the guys on the DR forum...!

Must make a note that XT Riders Don't Play Nicely with Others. :devil2::devil2:


:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:


Fine then....







7. Replace rims with alloys and that will get rid of a load of rotating weight, that is probably the most useful weight you could lose [Birdy]


9. Replace some bolts with Aluminium in unstressed locations -

• may not be a good idea for serious offroading, due to differing metal strengths [Lovely DR riders]

10. Replace odometer

• Digital Panoram / Sigma BC800 bicycle computer [Lovely DR riders]

11. Replace factory pipe with good aftermarket pipe [Lovely DR riders]

12. Remove 1/2-3/4" from side stand [Lovely DR riders]

13. Swap stock indicators for smaller, lighter ones [Lovely DR riders]

14. Replace stock seat with Corbin (comfort and weight saving)[Lovely DR riders]

The way things are
 

He he he....... this thread is funny:thumbup1:

There simply aint much you can do to lighten an XT. Simply because there aint nothing you can remove from them.These are very basic bikes to begin with,and what ever is on them is there for a reason.

Changeing exhaust and rims are probably the only thing that will save you some weight,what ever you gain from it will be marginal and you have to take a look inside your wallet and figure out if you think it´s worth it:cool4:

The rims are probably the best thing to have a look at since they can start to "chip" on the inside due to corrotion, and that will give you a puncture when the inner tube rubbs against it.
And if you are having them replaced go for a set of Heavy duty spokes to keep your wheel nice and tight.

Modifying the XT is more about makeing it more comfortable and fit to your needs than saveing weight, at least that is how I see it.


Good luck and have fun (at the end of the day that´s why we ride isn´t it?):cool4:

OK - I think I get the message...
 

:thumbup1: :thumbup1:

Obviously we'll have to balance cost with actual value -- but we're girls. And even a 2lbs saving, means we can take MORE MAKE-UP!

Ofcourse, we're dieting too. :rolleyes2::rolleyes2: But would prefer to make the bikes lighter, and eat more chocolate!

ahaa.....
 

So that´s why there are so feve female riders, chocolate. :cool4:

Sorry to barge in, but ....
 

There is a lot you can get rid of, like:

- E-start: remove the starter motor, relais and install smaller battery. Install kickstart of course

- Plastics: the silly airscoops on the tank come to mind

- Aftermarket exhaust iso the standard one

- Indicators? Wo needs indicators?

- If installed: engine crash bars, I already do 5 years without

- Mirrors: one is enough

And of course, pack less!

Auke

I played nicely!

*Joel feels like retarded kid looking for a pat on the head*

• 'Digital Panoram / Sigma BC800 bicycle computer [Lovely DR riders]
  
  12. Remove 1/2-3/4" from side stand [Lovely DR riders]
  
  13. Swap stock indicators for smaller, lighter ones'

These mods will save weight, but we are talking about a couple of grams only. (Probably the difference of taking an extra pair of shoes, or a Marks and Sparks make-up bag over a Vuitton.)

You won't notice the difference of these mods, except in your wallet. I still say switch your wheels and lighten your luggage. Sorry, forgot about changing the stock exhaust system.

Happy Riding

Joel

9. Replace some bolts with Aluminium in unstressed locations -

• may not be a good idea for serious offroading, due to differing metal strengths [Lovely DR riders]

Carefull with aluminum... it's alot softer/ more liable to shear ( as you've mentioned above) but also steel and alu don't mix.... you need to isolate them, when aluminum and steel are in direct contact, accelerated corrosion will occur.

When looking at the cost of replacing parts for aftermarket/lighter weight ones; concider the weight savings compared to the fatc that an extra 200-500 GB pounds is another few weeks on the road.

Also as others say, look at the gear weight. Have a google search for lightweight hiking and "thru hiking" some good resources there for you clothing and cooking, sleeping kit. etc.
Some of it is a bit extreme but have a look and saving some weight in one part so you can carry a more comfortable something else (i.e. sleeping mat - gotta get a good nights sleep) or whatever.
Protential for some massive weight savings. Some of it will be pricey ( worth it????) some won't be.

Get a set of electronic kitchen scales and start weighing everything (tools etc as well) It startes to give you a greater idea of exactly where the weight is and maybe where you can (and can't ) save weight.
By doing this i was able to get my hiking pack down to just under 6 kilos ( plus food) for a 6 day hike. This included my clothing , pack, cooking pots/cooker, tent, sleeping bag the lot.

Just depends on how keen you are about it. A good balance for you is there somewhere

For a tutorial on lifting a dropped BM GS just follow the links from this page:

Pink Ribbon Rides

Cheers!

Wow, this is nuts! :)

What on earth is the point in saving a few grams on a bike that weighs, what, 165kg dry? :) And that's before you load it up with luggage and petrol and oil! I would put money on you not being able to tell the difference between a loaded XT that weighed even five or ten kilos less and one that hadn't been stripped down by riding them!

Personally I'd keep the steel wheels as they are strong and easily fixed in the middle of nowhere. But I have no experience of ally wheels, so... :)

Not to badmouth the DR boys, but cutting down your side stand to save weight sounds totally daft. In soft sand/earth the increased incline of the bike is just going increase the chances of your bike toppling over. In fact the sensible thing to do to your side stand is weld some more flat onto the foot to give it more stability in soft ground, a mod I will eventually get round to ;)

The bars though, definately worth getting a good set, I finally got some renthals after destroying two sets of Yamaha OE bars.

Dieting: A joke, but actually there's a good point here. Don't diet but do some strength training. This'll help you control an inevitably heavy bike in the soft stuff.

Removing a mirror? Well, it's all personal I suppose but in many parts of the world I'd want as much of a view of what was charging up behind me as possible! :)

I reckon at the end of the day the way to save weight is to take less crap in your luggage. I took WAY too much stuff on my big trip. Think about what you REALLY need and what is just pointless luxury or being over cautious in terms of tools and spares. A time honoured way of limiting your guff is to buy smaller luggage, time hounored because it does actually work!

Matt :)

PS- Pointless modifying is a common hobby amongst all sorts of enthusiasts. (You should see the twatting about mountain bikers get up to). But you should ask yourself whether you are doing it for fun or because you really need to, what the associated costs are and what you could more usefully spend the money on.

Lightweight rules
 

Good going there Steve - you've worked in selling this stuff, so what kind/brand of kit were you carrying?
Just in general, without repeating the long threads about "best tent" etc

Cheers,

Also, the technique is covered at just about every HU meeting.


About the dieting: it's a good idea, but, IMO, it will happen anyway when you start riding for hours each day in hot climates - your metabolism adjusts to the warmer conditions I reckon, and, on average, you will eat less anyway (all of us eat too much in this "1st world" that we inhabit) - consequently your weight will drop away, even if you don't want it to! :rolleyes2:

If you do put a kickstart on the bike...you can remove the battery and the e-starter motor...but you will have to get a small part that is called "battery eliminator" as I recon which is needed!! and fix the wiring harness off course:cool4:

WITH THE KICKSTART:
There is one more thing you can do...just immagine that big black air box cut to just the part you actually need for the air filter...you won't need the rest of it because you'll take the battery off :cool4: meaning: LESS WEIGHT!

OR

There is one more thing you can do...but it is VERY COMPLICATED... do you know those conic air filters? you can get that the whole air box off your bike but you'll have to something that will hold the air filter in place you choose...also you can make a even smaller box to put the air filter in to avoid rain and too much dust/sand :cool4: don't forget it has to open at least on the top :innocent: with two more holes for the two "rubber connections" of the twin carb......

Have fun!
Vando :cool4:

Hmmm ....
 

You can just make do with a smaller battery, like for the 55W Tenere. It might even be that you need battery power for starting (I do not know the ignition system is CD or TCI, in the latter case you certainly need a battery, as a battery eliminator is just a condenser that discharges over time and leaves you without ignition.

Beg to disagree; the airbox is an integral part of the intake system and well in tune with the carb, valve timing etc. Removing it and replacing with some aftermarket racing filters might lead to a lot of other issues: jetting, lack of power, and very important: dirt!

Auke

Hi.. When i said to keep the part that you need was to just leave the casing of the air filter and take the rest out.....

As for the VERY COMPLICATED part... i said that supposing who might want to put conic airfilters do need to know how that actually works before actually doing it :cool4: and the custom made air box was to avoid dirt and water....

On my 1990 XT600E I got a charging problem.. my reg/rectifier ain't working good and won't charge my battery. so i fitted a kickstart because i was tired of having to roll-start it BUT did keep the battery so I don't know if it is actually needed because of that that you said previously..:cool4:

Vando

Nuts and bolts !!!

Indicators !!!!

:eek3:


Come on guys, this isnt anodised bling were looking for on a travel bike.

Im battering my 2003 XT600E in South America now and did a huge amount of research and prepping etc.

For a start.. The exhaust is the heaviest and easiest thing to change. Bin it and get a road legal aluminium one. Literally kilos to save.

The wheels are heavy yes but expensive to replace and probably not worth the cost (500 quid ish for excel rims inc the build). I considered this also but decided against it.

Changing the seat wont lose weight and neither will changing a few nuts and bolts.... The 'heavy' bolts on bikes are heavy because they are hardened and load bearing and SHOULD NOT be changed.

If you want to save weight you have to start looking at your luggage. Packing a spare front sprocket will probably add more weight than changing all your steel 'secondary' bolts to titanium saved in the first place.

Keep your luggage light and BALANCED.. My biggest mistake is having far to much weight on the back leaving the front too light and leading to unhappy times on gravel and dirt.

Once you start spending big bucks on weight saving you might as well of just bought a lighter more expensive bike in the first place.

Taking less stuff with you is the key - not modifying the bike by cutting thing off it. When I bicycled across the U.S. many years ago I took all kinds of items with me. A week into the ride I stopped at a Post office and sent a box full of clothes and misc back home. You will find you really need very little. Have fun - don't worry.

Some practical tips for shaving those few extra grams...

-drill holes in your toothbrush handle or any other item
-sand unrequired rubber from the soles of your shoes
-Grind the paint off the plastic, or at least just the lacquer
-Ride naked
-Try and double up where possible, I use 10W40 for cooking instead of carrying two oils, or 25W50 in hot climates
-Shave your head/wax all body hair
-Keep your nails short, or have them removed
-Ditch any non-vital organ like that second kidney/appendix/tonsils, little toes etc
-Take lots of morphine for that feeling of weightless-ness
-Have a laxative breakfast
-Dehydrate yourself, a human can easily lose 4 or 5 kilos in water before the major sypmtoms kick in and you fall off the bike

On a serious note I would avoid saving weight on the wheels, this is definitely a component that you want to be as strong as it can be. Exhaust and luggage are where the savings are. If you replace any bolts I would always go with stainless, and make sure that you copper slip them all, nothing more annoying than sheared seized bolts.

Yer, right Ted. You replaced the can to save weight. The sweet burbling sound it makes had nowt to do with it... ;)

Matt :)

Funniest thread ever!

Maybe you could sell your XT and buy a TTR, it is 32 000 grams lighter. :)

Im also converted to soft bags now..

I spent big bucks on lovely metal mules and although they are really pretty, secure and convenient, ALL metal luggage weighs a bloody ton. Also, metal boxes are a bloody pain in the ass when you crash.

Before this trip everybody was telling me to take less and watch the weight. Me thinking i was a "know it all" went ahead with metal boxes and loads of spares and camping gear.

My bike was still way lighter than a lot of bikes on the road but personally theres nothing worse than unbalanced heavy bike, especially in the rough stuff...

Iv already sent 10 kilos of stuff home and im really considering ditching my 500 quid powder coated metal mules in argentina and taking off with light soft bags...

I crashed a few times and even at low speed, the alu boxes bend and the fittings break and mis align... Just a pain in the ass all the time.

Talking about wheels.. Exel Alu rims on double butted spokes are in my opionion stronger than the originals BUT if they do break they are much harder to repair.

Ted

My first trip on an XT I had a Givi top box and home made alloy side panniers the top box sits to far back and unbalances the bike the side panniers ripped off the frame twice after crashing.
(The top box looks horrible)
Next trip I had ortlieb soft panniers and a ortlieb waterproof bag strapped to the passanger seat this was very good system and I could just about carry all my luggage in one go so did not leave anything on the bike while checking into hotel etc, Tools stay on the bike in an amo box on the bash plate.
My next trip I had an XT I cut a bit off the back of the frame and moved the rear rack closer to the seat I also cut the seat down making a single seat again used the Ortlieb panniers and waterproof bag but added a cheap alloy top box ( need some where for the stickers) this was a good system but I took far to much stuff and sent some home.
I also use a tank bag and tools on the bash plate inner tube and small tyre levers on front mudguard
I have just cut a bit more off my frame to move the top box closer to the rider but not tried it yet as am getting my engine rebuilt.
Next trip I wont have the bag on top of the top box I think I take the sleeping bag out of the pannier and fit it between me and the top box on top of the tent then I can use the pannier for other stuff

Thanks guys
 

Thanks guys, we are absolutely OVERWHELMED by the useful advice...


One thing you didn't consider - is that our heads are filled with air (on account of being girls) - so we are making a HUGE effort not to get any weighty thoughts....that in itself is probably a big help.

Riding naked is probably the most useful tip which will solve all our problems should we come off and can't pick the too heavy bike up:

Without a doubt, in a state of nakedness, we will have no problem whatsoever, to find willing men to pick our bikes up for us --- so there really IS no need, to try and limit the weight!!

I have a section on how I prepped my bike for south america here.. Touring Ted » Preparing the bike

Ignore the part about fitting metal mules and get a thick drainpipe for tools for the front of the bike.

A sheepskin is a must on the XT but please tie it down or it might blow away in patagonia :innocent:

My XT is an old 86 kick start. I've had it three weeks and this is what I've done so far...

-Removed kickstand safety switch
-replaced battery with 4700uF capacitor
-replaced stock turn signals with ministalks
-UFO rear fender/light

Future lightening:
-alloy Renthal handelbars
-plastic Clarke gas tank
-aluminum kickstand?
-Alloy footpegs?

My bike already came with a Cobra exhaust.

Not many other practical ways I can think of to lighten the beast.

I am no XT-pert, but I think the the only one worth doing here is the exhaust. As already pointed out, you will save several kilos!

The rest will make such an un-noticable change to your bike, in terms of "feel", that it is just not worth it and you'll just have blown about 5000 miles of petrol money!

Pack light? Yes, but then I doubt you are taking stuff you don't think you'll need (although, I expect some of that will get posted home in the first couple of months)

If you want to improve the bike in terms of manageablility for you, then I suggest you move the weight around. Don't keep tools (1-2kg) in a roll bag but sling themin a tool tube on the front of the bashplate. Cable tie tyre levers to the frame spars, pack heavy stuff in panniers in the lowest corner but nearest the centre of the bike (behind you're knees). Maybe get some tank panniers to put stuff that weighs like food and water etc.

With two bikes of the same weight the one with the weight lower will feel easier to handle and be easier to lift if it falls over...

Hmmmm.... Just notived that this thread is a year old....

I may have wasted some time on that one, then!!!!:blushing:

Warthog's concerns........
 

Don't worry about it, Warthog. If you're still alive :mchappy: I'm reading the thread 19 months after your post!:thumbup1:

So xt girl, are you still in Turkey or somewhere with a blown engine?

Lightened my XT.....by shaving off the passenger peg mounting tabs before powder-coating.....
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...edFrame001.jpg

Surpisingly...it is noticable.....especially with direction changes.:mchappy:

Put a Turntech battery on the bike and save another 3kilos! well, make it 4 kilos... cauze it'll make you're wallet lighter too lol


Vando jeiger

IMHO ,, 83 -89 Xt 600 seems to be the perfect bigbore on/off road
 

I find the XT lighter and alot more fun to ride off road compared to the other japanese big bore off roads.

I had a 06 DR650 and the 89 Xt 600 I have now feels alot better to ride off road than my 06 DR was . the Dr was heavier and taller . forget compairing to a bulky and top heavy KLR 650 , I had a 91 KLR 650 Tenji ,nice on the road , terrible in the dirt . my 89 xt is lighter ,has a lower seat height and alot less top heavy than my friends xl650R .. Husky's and ktms I think are lighter though ,, I wouldn't know.

I love my 89 xt 600,, kick start , no electric start , aluminum rims , low seat height , slim stock gas tank .. perrelli mt21's front and rear .. feels to me like I'm riding a 250 .. but my buddy with the XL650 says thats because I'm too used to riding my Harley with my wife on the back for very long rides and many hours at a time..

Randy