New Hawk, new adventures.

[duck9191]

Cr500 transplant lol. Go big.

[Megadan]

Originally Posted by duck9191

Cr500 transplant lol. Go big.

If I ran across one for cheap, sure. I actually did consider buying an XR650L for sale here last year that was $800. It was rough, but all of the main parts were still good. I was tempted to swap over the whole suspension and even the motor (will fit with the top frame brace relocated). Thinking about it logically though, it would be way less work just restoring the XR the parts came off of and making it whole again.

Currently in the process of editing the video I made, so in a couple of hours hopefully I will have it posted up.

[duck9191]

Really a 650 would fit? Figured it would be way to tall.

[Megadan]

Originally Posted by duck9191

Really a 650 would fit? Figured it would be way to tall.

It's the same height as the 500. Just a much wider cylinder. In either case you would have to modify the frame and move that bar out of the way.

[OneLeggedRider]

Well you were discussing the low end and saying it wasn't a race bike. I was hoping you'd report back and say it's now a fire breathing dragon and you were deeply concerned about your physical safety every time you cracked the throttle open..

[Megadan]

Originally Posted by OneLeggedRider

Well you were discussing the low end and saying it wasn't a race bike. I was hoping you'd report back and say it's now a fire breathing dragon and you were deeply concerned for your physical safety every time you cracked the throttle open..

Tell the weather to behave itself and I will!

Personally, I find the fact that the low range power is still quite good a bonus. I get to have my cake and eat it too.

[Megadan]

So, project "Never ending" update.

Got the adjustable purple cdi box in. It's actually kind of a nice looking piece, but I hope it is not just a nice bit of bling. I marked the adjuster screws "factory" location and then found both ends of the adjustment. Out of the package they have it turned clockwise about 2/3 of the way, so the setting favors a little more advance on the lower RPM ranges. I will definitely have fun toying around with it to see if it actually does anything.

I ordered a new type of air filter to go with my PE30. The foam pod filter just doesn't quite clear the fairing, and although it doesn't seem to be an issue, I think it looks a bit stupid and not quite tucked away enough for my liking. I ran across this guy and decided to give it a try. https://www.ebay.com/itm/RDR-Clamp-O...72.m2749.l2649
It is a washable/reusable filter, the neck for the carb is a bit longer, and it has more angle to it. My hope is that it will tuck into the cavity of my hacked up air box a bit better.

My cut to length pushrods should be here today or tomorrow. I can then confirm if they are indeed the right ones. Yes, a little bit of reckless ordering on my part lol. I am pretty sure they will work though.

I am still debating if I want to swap out to the thinner MLS head gasket I have when I do go to install the pushrods. It would literally only be 2 extra steps at that point. That would bump me up to about 10.8:1 static compression. I may just wait to see how things go with the CDI though. If I can advance the timing at the lower revs the added compression isn't really necessary.

[Megadan]

Muffler Repack kit came in. First thing right off the bat, you will want to wear gloves. The stainless steel wool is pokey, and the fiberglass is itchy. This is a pretty complete kit though, and I like that it has a screen to wrap around the core. I did order some stainless steel zip ties to help with a couple parts of the wrapping process, but they aren't entirely necessary. I like that it even came with new pop rivets.

The best part is, it is exactly enough material to do both of my bikes. So if I get the chance I might just do both mufflers tomorrow at the same time.

[Weldangrind]

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on that new air filter.

[Megadan]

Originally Posted by Weldangrind

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on that new air filter.

I will definitely weigh in on it for sure. I think it will work out perfectly.

[Megadan]

So, I figured I should weigh in on a few things and get my thoughts organized on everything that has transpired with my bike of late.

For starters, the ebay muffler packing was in pretty decent shape. I could have probably gone a little while longer, but while I am in there... Why not.

One observation I would make as to why these ebay cans are a tad loud has to do with the perforated core. It's not the worst it could be, but it isn't that great. A nice half inch wide section is completely devoid of said holes where the two ends are welded. I might try to make a few more holes there to help improve it. I guess it just depends on how much gumption I have really.

The adjustable CDI was a good purchase. At no point do I feel like the ignition timing is worse than the stock unit, and at most points it is better. Having more advance in the lower to middle part of the rpm range really helps with throttle response. Time will tell if it will be reliable though, and that is my only real concern. I just need to figure out a mounting solution.

Now that I have had time to spend with the bike now that the jetting is decently dialed in, I have to say that I am in love with this bike now that the cam is installed. It may not have been the hair igniting top end gain I was hoping to see, but the engine is so strong, the throttle is so responsive, and it is so much more eager to rev that I simply don't care. I am waiting for a 31 tooth sprocket to arrive so I can see how the bike responds with a little taller gearing. That will put me close to the same as a 17/43 setup on a stock tire, which I liked on my last Hawk, although it did struggle a little. With much more oomph behind it, I suspect it will be a perfect highway/road gearing setup for me.

I have honestly reached a point where I am actually quite happy with my bike as it is. The only thing left that I really would like to do is a set of aluminum rims, which if I can, will be ordered in the next few weeks.

[Megadan]

Muffler repack was neither a success nor a failure. Pretty much no change on volume as far as I can tell, but at least with the stainless wrap it will last longer. My last hope is the reduced exit spark arrestor. That will definitely do the trick. If I am dtill not happy I am going to look into a bigger muffler.

[OneLeggedRider]

Different strokes for different folks.. I put 3" welded turbo mufflers on the big Chevy and I cut the top side open to remove all the packing. And with 11 feet of 3 inch pipe it definitely sounds like you hit the mother lode lol

[Megadan]

Originally Posted by OneLeggedRider

Different strokes for different folks.. I put 3" welded turbo mufflers on the big Chevy and I cut the top side open to remove all the packing. And with 11 feet of 3 inch pipe it definitely sounds like you hit the mother lode lol

I actually did go for a ride with an open exhaust. No matter how loud I think my bike is now with the cam, compression, and timing advance it will never compare to the noise that came out of that pipe lol

[Megadan]

Originally Posted by Weldangrind

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on that new air filter.

Ask and you shall recieve.

Out of the box, it is a very nicely constructed unit. The filter element reminds me a lot of the Bikemaster brand version of a K&N, and the construction as a whole seems to be of very good quality.

It is a washable/reusable filter, and if you added one of those pre-filter socks it would probably be ok off road, although I think I would avoid very dusty situations. The front end is even open with a reverse cone filter cap for a little more surface area. I don't doubt this filter will flow more than sufficiently for any bike here.





Fitment for my setup is absolutely perfect. I do need to slightly reloate my crankcase breather tube, but it isn't interfering too badly. As it sits in these shots it is not touching any other part of the bike. It is a little close to the side panel here, but I could also angle the filter down some and likely gain a little more room if needed.

I like this position personally, it keeps the element up higher and away from potential spray.