I`ve read a few reports of people that have suffered with cracked frames on overlanded XRL`s. One of the advantages of this bike is the steel frame, making the process of strengthening and repairing it much easier.
I didn`t have time to do half the job I would have liked, which would have involved the (presumably time consuming process of) stripping down of the whole bike to the frame.
I would have added more strengthening members, and had the whole thing powdercoated.
I certainly would have put another pair of gussets at the main frame junctions just above the footpegs, but without stripping the bike down I wasn`t happy welding that close to the engine and components.
As it was, I made cardboard patterns for the two gussets shown (trial and improvement), then transfered the pattern to 4mm mıld steel.
I also welded in a piece of flat under the cross member.
Remember to dis-connect the battery before welding, and grind off the paint to get a good earth and weld.
Silver Hammerite over the welds and gussets, matches the standard colour almost exactly as well!
