Joining the XR200R Club

[zrxer]

Hello gentlemen.

Will shortly be the new owner of a basketcase 2000 XR200. It's being delivered Saturday.

I'm thinking I'll use this post to document the engine build and whatever mods I do to the bike itself.

Will be back with pics and maybe throw some ideas back and forth about how the bike should be built for what I'm going to do with it.

See ya soon.

 

[zrxer]

I do have a question. Would 1986 CR125R suspension be worth acquiring as an upgrade to the stock 200 boingers?

If it hasn't sold yet, I can nab a complete (but blown up) one for a couple hundred bucks.

Thanks.

[KTM520EXC]

zrxer,

Yes, an 86 CR125R is a semi direct bolt on, you will have to have a spacer built to compensate for the longer stem.

A couple of hundred bucks for a set of forks that has blown seals sounds a bit pricey.

You will also have to acquire a rear shock to compensate for the front end height increase.

1984-1991 XR200R's rear shocks are direct replacement with some modification for the remote reservoir mounting.

That is the summary version, Chuck has "many" details to follow that will help you get the suspension right, with several alternatives.

I have a XR400R front end on mine, I just needed a spacer and pulled the forks up through the triples to compensate for taller suspension.

Michael

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[zrxer]

Thanks Michael.

I wasn't clear in my last post--I can get the whole CR125 for $200. The engine's blown up.

Would the rear suspension work? It's still drum brake but that doesn't bother me and I would think the shock and swingarm would be a significant upgrade.

 

Bruce 

[Chuck.]

    Consider putting the XR200 engine in the CR125.

Edited April 21, 2017 by Chuck.

[joethumper]

1 hour ago, Chuck. said:

    Consider putting the XR200 engine in the CR125.

lol....i was thinking the same thing.....i had that cr125 back in 1986.....id fix the cr motor......i rode an xr200 in 1987......it was a dog compared to the cr......but to each his own

now i own a 2002 xr200 because i cant afford a recent made 2 or 4 stroke......plus the xr200 can be ridden around the yard and not piss off the neighbors......have bruce triplett do the suspension on the xr200......its cheap and better than the cr's stock suspension......just my humble opinion.....plus you cant use the cr's rear shock on a xr200 if you are using the xr's rear end

[zrxer]

3 hours ago, Chuck. said:

    Consider putting the XR200 engine in the CR125.

That did cross my mind for sure. Unfortunately, my fabrication skills are severely lacking.

2 hours ago, joethumper said:

lol....i was thinking the same thing.....i had that cr125 back in 1986.....id fix the cr motor......i rode an xr200 in 1987......it was a dog compared to the cr......but to each his own

now i own a 2002 xr200 because i cant afford a recent made 2 or 4 stroke......plus the xr200 can be ridden around the yard and not piss off the neighbors......have bruce triplett do the suspension on the xr200......its cheap and better than the cr's stock suspension......just my humble opinion.....plus you cant use the cr's rear shock on a xr200 if you are using the xr's rear end

I'm no stranger to fast bikes having owned a couple KTM 525EXCs, a few Husabergs in both 650 and 550cc configurations, several XR650Rs and even a couple old CR500s. Just a little background. I'm building this humble little XR200 because it's the exact opposite of those previous bikes--under powered, unassuming and light! With an emphasis on the light part. ?

Most of the riding I do nowadays is tight, brushy trails and I think this humble, little bike will work great for that intended use. The CR125 wouldn't be a very good choice, I believe. ?

On the rear suspension, I was thinking of using everything--shock, swingarm, wheel--everything. But, it may be more work than it's worth. There is a gentleman here who is a pretty darn good suspension guy and is a Race Tech dealer who I could probably get to build the stock stuff. I don't know. We'll see what happens. I haven't heard back from the CR125 owner. It's a Craigslist thing and maybe he's already sold it.

Thanks for the input, guys.

[zrxer]

Well, the pile of parts arrived. lol. This poor bike was rode hard and put away wet.

Check out the muffler. They obviously crashed and bent the muffler in but continued to ride it like that until wearing through the metal. Who does that? Also the top frame tube pic by the air box--that dent is damage, correct?

The CR125 owner got back to me. Gonna go look at it tomorrow.

 

[KTM520EXC]

13 hours ago, zrxer said:

Just a little background. I'm building this humble little XR200 because it's the exact opposite of those previous bikes--under powered, unassuming and light! With an emphasis on the light part

I bought my 87 XR200R after following Chuck's posts as the best years to purchase which are the 86-91's due to the taller suspension.

It was originally purchased to be a bike to take camping and riding with my Boys, who were on much smaller bikes at the time, TTR125LE & TTR90LE and the 02 KTM 520 EXC just was a bad choice to go casual trail riding, it wants to race and only race.

One day my Boys were done riding due to being pooped and I decided to go riding by myself and taking the bike through it's paces and was totally impressed with what the lil 12 hp bike could do and was hooked. It's just a flat out a fun bike to ride and at the end of the day that is what is all about. I now have (3) of them (2) 87's and (1) 90 and my Boys who have since grown, love theirs. In the interim of building my XR200R I purchased a 05 YZ250F & a 00 KDX220R, I sold them both without ever thinking about selling the 87 XR200R.

Any rate, if your riding area has a lot of straights and in open area, I would consider the 86 CR125R frame, it will have a longer wheelbase and have better suspension as a starting point, if you are riding in wooded area where there are a lot of corners, the XR frame is better fit due to the shorter wheelbase and lower center of gravity due to the shorter suspension.

There are many Honda crossover parts you can use to save weight and many hop up parts, but first you have to establish a game plan of what direction you want to go and how much you want to spend.

Michael

 

 

 

 

 

 

[KTM520EXC]

From the photo's I would say that is a pretty good starting point, from aesthetics  stand point, I think the 00-02 color schemes look the best.

Michael

 

[zrxer]

Thanks, Micheal. ?

[joethumper]

have fun it looks awesome......xr's get attention too when you go riding and beat the newer bikes......im 57 years old but i can hold my own with some of the younger riders out there.....

im trying to lose some weight so i feel like crap and its coming off oh so slowly

once i get my bike and me all updated i should be able to ride longer and less tiring......

man i wish i could twinkle my nose like samantha on bewitched and have it all done......lol

[zrxer]

Okay well, the engine needs some serious help. I was told the cam and rockers were ate up but he didn't mention the head. I knew about the cracked cylinder sleeve as well. Fortunately the rod looks and feels good. The pin bore looks completely free of any galling--surprisingly. The crank spins freely with no tight or rough spots. Will be splitting the cases anyway. Need to find out why the top end starved of oil.

The frame looks bent at the rear where the fender mounts but I can't tell if it's just an optical illusion from the bashed in muffler or not. The rear wheel looks offset between the fender struts but looks straight to the main back bone.

I don't know, guys. Maybe I just bought a parts bike. This thing has so many things wrong with it plus I only received a bill of sale, maybe I should just try and find one not so beat. Of course, with so much wrong, this is a very good reason to do extensive performance mods I suppose. What do you think?

Pics.

 

[KTM520EXC]

I think it's fine starting point, you just need to keep your eye out for another parts bike that fills the voids of the existing one, or vice versa.  

As far as the frame, with a trip to the welder, or fabricator, you are fine, a little heat and a rubber hammer you are good to go.

Advertise in your local CL, looking for an 86-02 XR200R parts bike and 86-89 XR250R parts bike, you'd be surprised at the response.

Ya, the top end your motor looks pretty thrashed, but again another parts bike might be able to fill the void(s).

You also have many directions to go in, so given your circumstance, it gives you the flexibility to go in those directions.

Where in California are you ???

Michael

[zrxer]

I appreciate your positive attitude responses, Michael. ?

I happen to have one of the best machinest/fabricators ever in my little town who I've known since I was a kid. He does all the machine work for my motorcycle builds. I have no doubt he can fix what ails this bike. I was just feeling a little bummed in my last post. This bike's doable.

I have a post on CL wanting a runner or project XR200--that's how I got this bike. It's still up. I actually received another response with a pic early this morning. I emailed him back but haven't heard anything back from him yet. His looks to be about an '87 model. Really hoping to hear back from him.

I'm in Eureka, about 100 miles south of Oregon on the coast. Highway 101 runs straight through town.

Where are you? Thanks for posting. Makes me feel like I'm not just talking to myself. ?

[KTM520EXC]

Down here in the Sacramento area, Roseville, to be exact.

 

Ya, it can be discouraging, if you are aggressive and put feelers out, you'd be surprised what you can hustle up.

Like I stated earlier, you should be together a wish list of what you want out of this project and kind of go from there.

As far as resources for parts, etc.., everyone here will pitch in on the board on data and  maybe a couple of Guys might

"pay it forward" some parts you need, or sell at a reasonable price.

 

I drove long distances to get all three of my XR200R's, Santa Cruz, Santa Clara & Reno, so you might have to drive a

fair distance to pick up a suitable donor bike and or parts. Patience is what paid off, a bit tough, but that's what it took.

 

Michael

[zrxer]

Finally made contact with the guy who has the other 200 who answered my ad. For some reason he wasn't receiving my emails. We spoke on the phone and as it turns out he's an old friend who I've known since at least the early '80s. He lives in Redding but is working on a family members house here in Eureka and will be making a trip back to Redding this week and will return by weeks end with the bike. I'm pretty stoked. ?

Coincidentally, Redding is where the first bike is from.

[chadzu]

Thats the third xr with frame damage in that same spot on this sight this month!  What is going on in that spot?

[zrxer]

On 4/25/2017 at 8:57 AM, chadzu said:

Thats the third xr with frame damage in that same spot on this sight this month!  What is going on in that spot?

Hmmm.... that's odd. Weak spot or people just beating the bikes up the same way? ?

[zrxer]

Next! Well, the next contender showed up today. '87 model. It needs help as well but hopefully not as much. ? The compression isn't that great but I can hear it escaping a bit through the carb. I'm hoping it's just a tight valve and not a bent one.

Also scored a cherry low mileage XL185 head assembly off ebay for the other engine.

I'll be monkeying around on this bike this weekend and see if we can bring it to life.