Adjusting rear ride height

[benlooker]

After havin a new tyre fitted on my honda xl 125 1984, the tyre now catches on my exhaust.

How do i raise the rear height? Ive tried turning the adjuster on the srpring but its really hard and im not too sure which way im supposed to alter it!

Any help would be great please!

[Vincent]

[iooi]

[benlooker]

The tyre that was on was the wrong size, honda recommend a 4.10 18, the guy in the shop said a 110/100 18 would be eqivalent which is what has been fitted.

Yeah i have thort about adjusting the exhaust but the side panel would be very close and i dont want it to melt!

How would it affect the handling?

[herulach]

[Teflon-Mike]

84 XL125, my first idea was that the tyre was over-size, and it DOES sound like it is, TBH.
For competition "Trials", (note the i & a are in that order) the regulation tyure sizes are 4.00x18 rear, 2.75x21 front, with limits on the size and spacing of the tread blocks.
At the time that the XL was built, they were called "Trail" bikes (note that the a & i are the other way around)
But they USUALLY fitted Trials-Reg sized tyres, as people would press Trail-Bikes into competition, either in comp-trials, or enduro (some of which, at the time still had trials style 'observed' sections), OR, becouse the sizing allowed best choice of tyres, either road or competition standard.
In the years since, tyre sizes have evolved, and a 4.00 is a round 4inch section. As tall in the sidewall as it is accross the tread.
a MODERN 100 'section' tyre, the closest metric equivilent, would be 3.93 Ince section, ie smaller than the old 4.00, and unless the 'profile was specified, it would be an 80% section, so have a 3.1 inch side-wall.
SO... your 100/100x18 is PROBABLY as CLOSE a metric equivilent in size as you are going to get.
BUT, you CAN still get the old emperial sizes.
And if you want to be REALLY silly (like I do!) you can stick Trials Control Tyres on a trail bike for some SERIOUSE bendy road FUN! They are called 'Trials-Slicks' made out of a REALLY sticky compound rubber, seriousely its like chewing gum, and it will almost stick to the proverbial sloppy turd!
Downside is they cost about £60 each..... and on tarmac.... well you'll make track-day riders eye-brows ride when you admit how many miles you get from them!
HOWEVER. I suspect that the tread patern may be more of an issue on the tyres you have, new, long knobles, and probably more knobly than original patern.
The 'conventional' block-tread is a little out of fasion. Most people either want a street tyre, or they want a full-knobly.
You COULD have the tyre 'shaved'...
But on an 84 XL I VERY much doubt that the silencer is original, and I'd be completely STUNNED if the thing hadn't ben pushed in towards the tyre by at least ONE off road spill, with the bike landing on the pipe.
SO, two suggestions, first is that you have an after-market tail-pipe that I suspect is round, and hence wider than the original pressed steel box.
Second, its been bent in towards the wheel.
Solution.
Space the silencer away from frame.
Old hard ovalated rubber grommets, or even MISSING grommets will probably agrevate your problem.
Band the mount to get a better angle on it.
THEN look at your side panel.
Leave it off for a while, make sure the tyre dont rub.
THEN offer it up and see what clerance you have.
Again, possible to space that out too, if bolted on. If on push fit lugs, more tricky, but there should be a heat-proof foil on the inside to dflect exhaust heat from it.
Sort of stuff you fget under car bonnets, like sound-proofing, with a foil layer on top.
You can buy the stuff from Hi-Po car places like Rip-Speed, if you need to.
____________________
My Webby'Tef's-tQ, loads of stuff about my bikes, my Land-Rovers, and the stuff I do with them!
Current Bikes:'Honda VF1000F' ;'CB750F2N' ;'CB125TD ( 6 3 of em!)'; 'Montesa Cota 248'. Learner FAQ's:= 'U want to Ride a Motorbike! Where Do U start?'

[Vincent]

Ah, I understand now - this tyre isn't too fat as I first thought, it's outside diameter is too big

[benlooker]

Hi, thanks for the advice.

I have been thinking about a stainess exhaust but the exhaust on is still the original, the bike is in very good condition! I would realy like to keep it standard.

Yeah there push fit lugs, whats the heat proof stuff called?

[Kickstart]