Malachi Crunch

Jun 25, 2016

From its launch in 1978, Honda's XL500 quickly marked its territory, even with its comically large 23 inch front wheel and far too much weight for serious competition, the big XL won fans with its bulletproof engine, stump pulling grunt and stability in the rough. Plus, if you squinted just right it seemed only a hot cam away from its performance oriented XR brethren.

Having been looking for a street legal machine that they could rip around the streets of Tokyo on and also campaign in local vintage moto cross and the Chirihama Sand Flats race events, the XL500 was high on our list of candidates. So when Deus Japan's Director of Motorcycle Operations Matthew Roberts got wind of a cleaner than usual example, he snapped it up.

Compared to the monster two strokes of the era that demanded total attention and nerves of steel to avoid a trip to the hospital, the Honda just makes you smile. Its somewhat of Clydesdale - easy to ride and delivering great bucket loads of torque from idle, so the approach was to shed some weight and give it capable suspension front and rear. Let the engine shine and make the beast a force to be reckoned with, on-road or off, something that could take the fight to the likes of the legendary Yamaha HL500.

After hitting the VMX race regulation books to decipher which elements they could go to town on and still be eligible for entry, a course was chartered and the search for suspension travel, handling and style began. We had to keep the engine and main frame, drums at both ends and twin shocks, but beyond that we could pretty much walk on the wild side.

Up front a set of late 80's XR600 forks have been grafted on, machining the stem and yokes to allow the standard steering bearings and head stock to be retained. These 43mm stanchions now offer full adjustability while ridding the equation of flex, very handy for when rider and machine meet terraferma. Getting decent air was never much a problem on these big singles, surviving the landing, however, was another matter entirely‚ laughs Roberts.

To curb unsprung mass, a KX 250 front hub was overhauled then laced to an alloy 21 inch rim for improved handling and greater tyre selection. A one off adaptor was fabricated to enable the Kawasaki drum hub to make friends safely with the disc spec fork lower. At the back an overhauled KLR hub and alloy rim offers similar reduced mass but still offer a small cush drive, to help soften the hefty pulses the 497cc single piston pushes out.

Out the back, most is bespoke. Rear suspension geometry has been completely reworked and now more closely resembles a Suzuki RM than an Honda XL, with almost 200mm of usable travel. The sub-frame was also created with a mind to cleaner lines, wheel clearance and increased peg to seat height, the original seat and frame had several odd angles going on. A custom swing arm maintains close to standard wheel base (important for road registration in Japan) while custom specification Ikon alloy gas shocks and springs take care of road holding. Radical suspension geometry changes can sometimes be a bit of black art, especially when calculations are designed for maximum travel plus a bit of extra anti-squat built in. Shake down sessions pleasantly surprised though, with the team only mulling over dropping the swing arm pivot shaft a few millimetres to get things just the way they like it.

Retaining the XLs bullet proof internals was always a priority, and race regulations precluded the use of their go-to FCR carb set up. So nothing more than a quick freshen up was deemed necessary. The standard carb, now fed through a K&N pod filter, was rejected to suit the one-off exhaust which features larger diameter headers mating up to a stainless megaphone nestled neatly under the rear frame rail. Roberts confirms the pipe has ticked all three boxes of looking good, sounding great and riding hard.

Seat base and side covers are one-offs in epoxy composite, shaped and created in-house, before the saddle was given simple period proportions and upholstered in kind. The XL frame is no custom builders friend when it comes to alternate tank choice, its high headstock necessitating extensive reworking of curves before having everything sitting right with matching lines. Paint is a little more extravagant than your standard race bike, with multiple layers of clear, vintage white, black and matte clear setting off its compact curves. The extra effort was rewarded, however, with a finished result sporting a healthy dose of early motocross DNA in its aggressive lines. Black vintage race plastic round out the package giving it a purposeful and slightly menacing appearance in race trim.

With the machine set for its competition debut in late July, the team at Deus Japan are understandably already drawing straws for who'll get to ride the main enduro event, unless a new owner beats them to it. What ever the outcome though, following the race, lights, dual sport rubber and minimal road going gear will be back on in quick order, so turns can be taken at night runs through Tokyo's streets for the summer.

Design and build by Matthew Roberts

Paint application by Nakata-san

Sumptuous saddle work by Miauchi-san

ENGLISH TEXT BELOW

Setiap tahun, teman-teman kita Tasix Adventure—penyelenggara petualangan ban berlumpur dan adrenalin berbahan bakar terbaik di Bali—mengadakan acara akhir pekan berkemah yang sangat dinanti-nantikan. Mereka menamakannya “ The Wild,” dan jujur saja, tidak ada kata yang lebih pas dari itu.

Ini bukan sekadar acara; ini adalah petualangan wajib bagi siapa saja yang mencintai tanah, tantangan, dan persahabatan yang hanya bisa terjalin saat tertawa melihat teman lain terjatuh.

Hal tentang The Wild adalah misterinya. Kamu tidak tahu ke mana akan pergi, bagaimana sampai di sana, atau apa yang akan kamu temui—seperti hidup, tapi dengan lebih banyak asap knalpot.

Tahun ini, The Wild yang berlangsung pada 7 Desember 2024, mengumpulkan 135 pecinta motor enduro, trail, dan cross di Desa Kopi, Tabanan. Tepat pukul 9 pagi, kami berangkat menuju Desa Gesing, Singaraja. Rute tetap dirahasiakan hingga hari acara, meningkatkan sensasi penasaran dan antusiasme. Dengan dibagi menjadi beberapa kelompok kecil, kami melengkapi diri dengan perlengkapan motocross lengkap untuk menghadapi tantangan musim hujan.

Perjalanan? Murni magis. Jalur berkelok melalui permata tersembunyi Bali, di mana setiap tikungan menawarkan pemandangan yang memukau atau hampir membuat jantung berhenti. Rute tahun ini menghadirkan medan tanah liat merah—dijuluki tanah "keramik" karena teksturnya yang licin dan keras saat basah. Untuk melintasinya, diperlukan teknik khusus yang disebut “paddling the throttle,” sebuah manuver yang mendebarkan dengan motor yang sering bergoyang liar. Dari kejauhan, mungkin terlihat lucu, tetapi saat di atas motor? Ceritanya berbeda.

Setelah menempuh 68 kilometer petualangan liar, kami tiba di perkemahan di puncak bukit yang sudah dipenuhi tenda-tenda peserta lain dan deru knalpot. Destinasi selalu mencuri perhatian, dan yang satu ini tidak terkecuali—tempat tinggi dengan pemandangan 360 derajat yang menakjubkan dari laut, gunung, hingga kota.

Saat hujan turun, tenda-tenda didirikan, dan malam itu diisi dengan berbagi cerita tentang penyelamatan heroik dan kecelakaan yang menggelikan. Dan tentu saja, ada balapan. Bayangkan sekelompok pengendara penuh semangat meluncur di perbukitan dalam kekacauan yang terkontrol. Balapan tahun ini termasuk duel 1 lawan 1 yang seru di sekitar puncak bukit, dengan peserta menyelesaikan dua putaran penuh adrenalin.

Bukan soal menang; ini tentang hadir, tertawa, dan menikmati momen. Para pemenang dan peserta tercepat yang mencapai puncak bukit dirayakan dengan hadiah, tetapi senyuman, persahabatan, dan kebersamaan membuat semua orang merasa seperti juara.

The Wild tahun ini benar-benar sesuai namanya, bahkan lebih. Petualangan, tawa, dan cukup banyak tanah di gigi untuk menyebutnya otentik—kami tidak akan menginginkannya dengan cara lain. Terima kasih yang sebesar-besarnya kepada semua peserta yang menjadikannya pengalaman tak terlupakan. Sampai jumpa di petualangan berikutnya!

Every year, our mates over at Tasix Adventure—Bali’s finest purveyors of muddy tyres and fuel-driven adrenaline—host their much-anticipated camp-out weekend. They’ve named it “Wild,” and honestly, there’s no better word for it.

It’s not just an event; it’s a pilgrimage for anyone who loves dirt, daring, and the kind of camaraderie you can only forge while laughing at someone else’s wipeout.

The thing about Wild is that it’s shrouded in mystery. You don’t know where you’re going, how you’ll get there, or what you’ll find—kind of like life, but with more exhaust fumes.

This year’s Wild, held on Saturday, December 7, 2024, brought together 135 enthusiasts of enduro, trail, and cross motorcycles at Desa Kopi, Tabanan. The route was kept a secret until the event day, heightening the thrill of the unknown. At exactly 9 am, they shared the destination, Desa Gesing, Singaraja, Divided into small groups, we geared up with full motocross kits to tackle the rainy season’s challenges.

The ride? Pure magic. Twisting trails through Bali’s hidden gems, where every turn promised either breathtaking views or breathtaking near-misses. This year’s route featured red clay terrain—nicknamed "ceramic" soil for its slick, hard texture when wet. Navigating it required a special technique called “paddling the throttle,” a nerve-wracking maneuver that had bikes swaying wildly. From a distance, it might have looked hilarious, but on the bike? It was a whole other story.

After 68 kilometres of this wild adventure, we arrived at the hilltop campsite already alive with the buzz of activity and the roar of exhausts. The destination always steals the spotlight, and this one was no exception—a high-altitude perch offering stunning 360-degree views of the sea, mountains, and city.

As the rain came down, tents went up, and the evening was all about swapping stories of heroic saves and laughable crashes. And then there were the races. Picture a pack of overexcited riders tearing up the hillside in what can only be described as controlled chaos. This year’s races included thrilling 1-on-1 duels around the hilltop, with participants pushing through two laps of sheer adrenaline.

It wasn’t just about winning; it was about showing up, laughing, and embracing the moment. The race winners and the fastest hilltop arrivals were celebrated with prizes, but the smiles, the camaraderie, and the shared triumphs made everyone feel like champions.

This year’s Wild lived up to its name and then some. Adventure, laughter, and just enough dirt in your teeth to call it authentic—we wouldn’t have it any other way. A massive thank you to all the participants who made it unforgettable. See you on the next adventure!