Now … which bike to choose? – the plan has been to create the ultimate bulletproof, lightweight adventure machine; a bike that wouldn’t pack it in, say, when you’re strolling through the Middle East. With no race-team service truck or factory backing, I need to rely on whatever I can find along the way, so I needed a proven workhorse.

Big-arse XRs, NXs and XLs have been pounding every continent for the past 20 years,

For six months, I called upon the collective brains of the guys who’ve shaped off-road racing in Australia, gathering opinions on the perfects mods, with the intent of turning the XR into an indestructible weapon. Glenn Hoffman (GHR Off-road Racing Team), Nick Dole (Teknik Motorsport) and Geoff Ballard (Ballard’s Offroad) all threw their hats in the ring.

Build Philosophy

After punching out around 90,000km on a Honda NX650 over two years, through 26 countries, I learnt that reliability, mechanical simplicity and practicality are paramount.

When modifying a bike for overland adventuring, you need to rely on the parts 100 per cent; you only replace stock parts if it improves the bike and your chances of survival.

When modifying my new XR650L, availability of parts, ease of maintenance, cost, and the ability to cover any terrain were all key factors, with durability, comfort and ultra reliability being the main focus.

I was impressed by the XR’s reliability even after a monkey like me wrestled with the engine. All the off-road experts agreed: the understated 650 is a detuned electric-start XR600R at heart. At its core, this bike is a lightweight bulletproof warhorse with a tough ticker. Honda four-stroke engines would have to be one of the most reliable on earth.

Engine

We removed the smog kit to create space, reduce weight and simplify the engine. The original paper air filter was substituted with an Australian-made Uni Filter model, and skins for better breathability, which can be removed to stave off air-filter maintenance in the middle of the jungle.
We chucked in a XR600 carby, which is smaller, lighter, harder to break and easier to adjust when it comes to jetting changes at high and low altitudes and extreme shifts in temperature. We also bolted on an XR600 cam shaft for improved mid to top-end speed and comfort. Finally, we added a Staintune exhaust, which is lighter and adds torque through the curve, as well as being bloody hard to break. .

Brakes

The stock braking is a little spongy. But add an extra 150kg and you have a problem. We added a specially braided Goodridge brakeline (similar to a CRF450X), which improved the braking power immensely, near-indestructible high-carbon steel Chain Gang brake discs and Silkoline Pro Race 2000 brake fluid.
This combination will provide instant progressive braking on any trail, virtually ruling out the possibility of overheating, which regularly occurred in the Andes, where, on a 320kg-plus bike, the altitude dropped from 5000m to 1000m in four hours

Instruments

In the middle of Siberia with no one to ask for directions, let alone a road to guide you, you have to make sure you know where you’re going. We added a Garmin GPS 76CX, with a removable “Micro SD” card for multiple mapping memory, which acts as an electronic compass and barometric altimeter – this lets you know when to change your jetting. We also replaced the standard dash functions with a Trail Tech endurance speedo, and installed a 12V plug, for charging electronic gear on the fly.

Cockpit

The addition of an MSC steering damper, with its eight settings, has made handling on dirt a piece of piss … well, almost. It reduces fatigue and, in the event of, say, sideswiping something, stabilises control, as well as making for a more comfortable ride. We threw on some Acerbis PHS tapered handlebars, which, I reckon, wouldn’t break unless you fell off a cliff, and heated handgrips - cold handles equates to bad handling, plus they’re heavenly when your balls are chattering like marbles in -20°C winds. As an absolute necessity, we added an Acerbis 21-litre tank, which will carry you almost 400km. We decided to keep the standard seat, given that my butt is the same shape as it.

Chain and Gearing

We combined laser-cut Chain Gang sprockets with an RK 520 GXW chain and a Scottoiler MK7 universal kit (an automated chain oiler) to create a chain set-up that could potentially last three times longer than a conventional system. We also wrapped a Lube Tube chain-oil reservoir around the top of the fuse/battery box - minimising the need to check or adjust your chain for a few thousand kilometres, as well as providing flawless operation and maximum life expectancy. We have also added a tooth to the rear sprocket, shifting the ratio to 15/46, and will carry a spare 14-tooth front for tighter dirt sections. Staying close to the original gearing set-up helps to maintain the bike’s overall economy.

Protection

To provide the XR with some all-round protection, we added Acerbis Multiplo Touring handguards, to protect the levers and my hands, Rocstompa Pro Stompa footpegs and an impenetrable Whipps bashplate, and, lastly, Ballard’s XR headlight protectors, which are as tough as they come.

Suspension and Tyres

The front-end was pretty soft, so the Teknik guys rebuilt the standard fork and rear shock to near-perfection for the 320kg-plus (no, I’m not that large) payload. These were modified because you’d have bugger-all chance of replacing them in the middle of Africa. The addition of heavy-duty springs – front and rear – and some serious revalving now has the XR handling perfectly down rocky trails without concern. We opted for Metzler Karoo tyres and tubes. The tyres feature a light reinforced carcass structure that wears well on-road, allowing you to grip with ease, on sand or tar.

Extras

We threw on older-style XL600 lenses and inserted a Phillips Xenon/HDL H4 conversion kit, which helped stretch headlight visibility out to around 65m, and a custom extra-high screen. Finally, we added an Acerbis shock flap and fork boots, to protect the suspension, and a Rocstompa fuel cap, to ensure the fuel cap could be removed after a potential tank expansion, or a contraction from an extreme change in temperature.

XR650L Real Life Problems

Cockpit: To make space and simplify the cockpit, we had to remove the standard dash, leaving five pre-wired bulbs dangling. We used one to hook up a lamp for 24-hour dash visibility. Leaving a perfect place to mount a GPS, and Trailtech Speedo. The high/low heated grip switch was mounted here too. We wrapped the clutch, throttle brake/speedo cable and electrical wires with spiral tape. The last thing you want to do is find out you are 200kms from target with 20kms of fuel left! The nice people from Aqualine Industries who make a variety of tanks for most modern dirt bikes have offered to make a special custom tank for the XR650L to increase fuel range and ensure I don’t get stuck in the middle of the Sahara.

Brakes: The XR650L has better brakes than any other production XR. Why? The NX650 255mm front disc is standard – 240mm is stock on every other XR. That said, it’s still not up to the task of mountain descents in somewhere like the Andes with 320kg on board. The lack of feel at the lever comes from the rubber brake hose, which we replaced with ADR-compliant braided stainless-steel units from Goodridge. We also fitted long-wearing Chain Gang discs, while retaining stock Honda pads; Silkolene Pro Race 2000 fluid fills both ends. Why didn’t we use bigger discs? They’re vulnerable to crash damage, and if a disc is bent, it’s easier to get your hands on NX650 discs.

Drive: This engine has origins from the mid-’80s, and in that time minimal changes have been made – a testament to its original design. If you had to name one weakness, though, it’s in the gearbox. With its tall road gearing, the abundance of torque at low rpm, delivered in pulses from the 100mm piston, and ample traction on tar roads, the gearbox can wear out prematurely. We fitted a rubber cushion drive hub from the NX650 to help remove some of the road shock, and ended up going for 18-inch rims - it’s easier to find tyres for 18s than 17s.