Time to start a thread for my old XL. I have had this bike for 14 odd years and it was the first "Big" bike that I ever rode. I moved on from my Z50A to this thing and was amazed at the power and confused by the clutch. Being a fairly tall 13 year old helped me get a leg over but I was still on the tips of my toes ever time I had to put my foot down.
I gave this bike hell and crashed it many a times before moving on to a Chinese copy of a CRF150 which I then destroyed by jumping. The old XL became my father's bike to follow my brother and I around on through the trails.
After my dad broke his ankle racing IRBs (inflatable rescue boats) the old girl sat in the back of the shed and gathered dust.
I had planned to restore her as a daily rider when I first got my licence but was convinced otherwise by my parents. Glad they did as I have learnt a lot and feel like I can give this bike what it needs now.
There is no set plans for her. Just get her running well and on the road again.
I have been leaning toward restoring her with a few period mods to match. For now just the essentials but hopefully a full rebuild for the 50th anniversary.
Anyway here will be the collection of sporadic ramblings to log the information I find about this bike or XLs in general.
As for this old girl. She was bought on the 14th of January 1976 by a man named "Anthony Benson" from Bennett Honda in Fortitude Valley, Brisbane.
Some time between '76 and '05 she found her way to the Gold Coast. After that we bought her from a bloke who had planned to learn to ride but couldn't get her started. Enter my Pop who rebuilt the carb and changed the oil and we were off.
I gave this bike hell and crashed it many a times before moving on to a Chinese copy of a CRF150 which I then destroyed by jumping. The old XL became my father's bike to follow my brother and I around on through the trails.
After my dad broke his ankle racing IRBs (inflatable rescue boats) the old girl sat in the back of the shed and gathered dust.
I had planned to restore her as a daily rider when I first got my licence but was convinced otherwise by my parents. Glad they did as I have learnt a lot and feel like I can give this bike what it needs now.
There is no set plans for her. Just get her running well and on the road again.
I have been leaning toward restoring her with a few period mods to match. For now just the essentials but hopefully a full rebuild for the 50th anniversary.
Anyway here will be the collection of sporadic ramblings to log the information I find about this bike or XLs in general.
As for this old girl. She was bought on the 14th of January 1976 by a man named "Anthony Benson" from Bennett Honda in Fortitude Valley, Brisbane.
Some time between '76 and '05 she found her way to the Gold Coast. After that we bought her from a bloke who had planned to learn to ride but couldn't get her started. Enter my Pop who rebuilt the carb and changed the oil and we were off.