This was probably the most comprehensive and most importantly, no RUclips bullshit filler top end builds I have ever seen. I hope you pay this man handsomely
@@craigbrown7956 learn the language you'll thank yourself for it.... And when you do you will find yourself qualified to begin your education that will never stop for the rest of your life... And again my motorcycle education as early as 9 years old I'm now 71 I've been to all technical skills for the University of Illinois and engine trade schools from every automotive manufacturer working through dealerships as a technician... And when I hired on at a Honda dealer in 1975 as history was still was Honda's industrial revolution of motorcycles which became the most enlightening education I have ever got as I was taught by the world famous tuner of all times as Honda had hired the master and guru none other than pop Yoshimura to teach a student's everything there is to know that goes on inside of every type of engine that I never received through University training and there's not a day goes by without finding new discoveries .... As I was told graduating from college in 19 69 congratulations you now have the tools to begin your education that never ends
@@donniebaker5984 Hi Donnie Theres two Craig Browns here in the comments which explains the "hi's" Correct,one never stops learning and I love the pursuit of knowledge. I wish i had some body to teach me back in 1970 when my 1969 CB750 {$1485 ] put a chain through the sand cast crankcases and it would have been even better if somebody had told me "don't sell it, hehehe. I also learnt the hard way later on with the CB conrods and 70mm bores, Pop's would heat treated them for me. You're a lucky man Donnie, to have met the great Pop's, not many Kamikaze Pilots survived WW2. Sayonara.
Holy shi*t this video is so interesting and educational. This is like a full training video on machine tools. This is on the level of Millyard's motorcycle videos. I just want to say, the audio is outstanding, and the professional microphone is much appreciated. Jeff is incredibly humble, and a joy to watch.
@@altair7001 you already know the power, that's what the dyno is for. Acceleration runs with no timing will tell you absolutely nothing. Not to mention it probably makes too much power to be able to use full throttle in 1-4th gear at any decent rpm.
What a master machinist. Like any profession and art, the devil is in the details. He obviously has love and respect for his art. Thanks for sharing. Really enjoyable.
I’ve come back again. This is one of my favorite Kaplan videos ever. I just love his old-school wizardry combined with his way of talking and explaining things. He is an absolute New England treasure!!!!
I got half way into the video and realized he should be training a new kid that has potential. Jeff is definitely very talented and I'm sure he is not easy to replace. Take Good care of him and hopefully he sticks around for a long time!
As a Machinist I am very impressed with his skills not only as an engine builder but as a Machinist and doing all the math calculations to check everything for a positive end result Excellent job can't wait to see what the head pipe does
When I think of a real Mechanic, Jeff is what comes to mind. This is just art. It’s sad to see such a dying art in this age of “buy a new one and replace “.
@@chrisdilz Nobody told the people of the day that there was a difference!!! Nowadays,you get to be a parts counter inventory,-complaints person OR a parts replacement,diagnostic technician??? True mechanics that not only know what they are doing, but also Care ,are few and far between! Excellent worksmanship,personality and passion for his trade, make this fellow stand way above most! Just my Humbled opinion!
@@chrisdilz Thank you for your reply! I had just started to go down the comments ,when I seen yours and some other positive as well! Would have cringed badly if Anyone started the usual negatives I have come so used to seeing.Fortunately, their seem to be many of us that can still give credit where credit is due,And brings me to feel much closer to our fellow motorcyclists,those that keep e"m running and the awesome folks like Jeff that must have spent more than one sleepless night out working in his shop! Thank you all fellow riders,Mechanics, And the future of the trade!
@@charlesfriend9557 It's what most if not all customers want and that's why we mostly have only mechanics left that are parts replacing monkeys. Who is willing in this day and age to throw a lot of money into old bikes and restore them and maybe even improve them when you can get way better and newer bikes for less? Also not every workshop has the tools shown in this video let alone someone who is skilled enough to use them to full effect. It's mostly service jobs these days. New tyres, new brake pads, new brake discs and oil/filter changes. Anything else requires a lot more effort, time and money that only a few customers are willing to spend. And those customers are going to very special workshops that are truly few and far between. Most of the really expensive work is done under warranty which is free for the customer. For getting most out of new 4-stroke bikes which are EFI, you need a dyno and most of the workshops just don't have that. So, that will leave you with service jobs and parts replacements. And even that is fucked up by workshops because the pay is low and the work ethic of mechanics is low. I live in Germany and bike mechanics here are earning minimum wage or slightly above. Only really good and big workshops with only a few left are paying well.
Awesome, my 650L is at 25,000 miles and needs a top end rebuild, the more high-def close up footage like this, the easier it is for me when I tackle it. Keep the XR650L content coming!
I am a motorcycle mechanic in Barcelona/Spain. I have taken part in motorcycle racing and assembled and powered up engines since mid 2000 and that is the first video I've seen on RUclips, that explains really good the process. This sir nows what he is doing a 100% and takes the right decisions to achieve his goals. The video omits some parts of the process and some aspects of the rebuilt, but is the best racing engine assembly that ever seen on youtube. Excellent job!!!!!!!! Could you share his shop info? Thanks.
Jeff is definitely an asset to Kaplan America, and l would sit all day listening to Jeff mechanical math formulas on how to bore a cylinder, and not to mention his smooth motorcycle wheelies.. Cool expert veteran 👍 God bless united states of America 🇺🇸
What an absolute honour to have this artist work on your engine. I really do hope someone is his apprentice to carry that knowledge on. Such a humble sounding man too, no bullshit or boasting just skill and experience. This is one of those rare gems that RUclips was made for, whether you like engines or not. Fantastic. 👌🏼
This is the Best video you or anyone has done yet, full-stop! I’m 54yrs old, have owned and repaired gobs of motorcycles.. this man is a Master Tech squared!! His life long passion of motorcycles and dedication to craftsmanship is displayed in a very well shot episode - most impressive Jeff. Really, really well done guys. Thanks.
@@ianmangham4570 sadly you are correct. There is an active war on the internal combustion engine in effect ..... and the progression has become increasing more rapid in recent days 😫
Fascinating video. I picked up an '03 XR650L last year. 232 miles on it, left in the corner of a barn. Got it for $650. Luckily fuel was totally drained before it was stored. Did a carb rebuild, and it runs like a beast. 2k miles now 50/50 dirt street.. Been following this build. This guy is awesome, really amazing attention to detail.
I totally agree with alot of others that said, Jeff needs an apprentice to learn his skills, I doubt that any type of school can create the knowledge and skill that this man has.
Computers are important and we need them but this kind of craftsmanship can never, never be replaced by these kind op specialist. What a kind and knowledgeable man, just great to watch, fantastic.
Amazing ,I'm 39 been working forever, my uncle is a man just like you I learned everything from my uncle Louie ,u r a aucle Louie ,you are a great man with a Amazing talent most ppl don't have these days I am teaching my kids all
Ken Senior, we need more videos like this. This guy is a master at his trade. Guys like this are far and few. He's that guy that when you hire him you never want to lose him. There is just something about an XR
I agree 100% , Jeff is a blessing to our team in many many ways, Jr & I will do everything we can to keep him happy doing what he is a master at@ LONG LIVE THE MANIC MECHANIC MLLH&R
I really enjoyed watching Jeff showing his procedd. Always appreciate builders and their knowledge. And the celebration wheelies on the BRP were the cherries on the top.
How cool is this. We get to visit with a master, his work is recorded and somewhere there’s some young person tuned in learning from a master. The benefits of the knowledge sharing on the WWW is going to be awesome . Thanks for taking the time, man I wish we had access to this stuff 40 years ago..... big thumbs up.
Jeff used to have a shop in my town in Massachusetts. I miss being able to bring my bikes to him. His work speaks for itself. Just a side note, his dad used to work for Evel Knievel.
I have never seen the Solder squish method to check Piston to head clearance. Not only does Jeff know his work but he's extremely smooth talking about it. That my friends is a rare gem. No book will teach you what someone like this can.... Nice work Kaplan cycles....
I dont even particularly like big bore xr bikes but this is a master class on dirt bike engines and building horsepower in general. This guy had forgotten more about engines than most guys will ever know. Please continue with the educational stuff with him and wizard. Learning so much on how to make the bikes run strong and reliable.
Naa, this guy is a rare gem. Anyone taking their work there should be happy and confident that what they're paying was well earned and deserved. But most shops absolutely do not have even close to this level of experience and professionalism in their team or "expert" builder.
I'm very discerning when it comes to machine work and any work on a motorcycle. This was a real pleasure to watch, you can tell he knows what he's doing and he treats the parts with care. Great job! Thanks for the excellent video.
I literally just posted the same thing...I would love to see the BRP!! I have a 2007 model and am always looking for more power. I have header full exhaust uncorked and still want more power 😜
This is a art the unfortunately is disappearing with just buying new Chinese parts and CNC parts it is great to see machining done step by step by hand
You can tell the man has passion, enjoys his craft and takes pride in his work. Just by the way he describes and explains why he’s doing something tells you he knows what he is talking about.
I am truly impressed with this craftsman. I own an XRL and love Kaplan’s videos on these bikes, among others, but this was truly entertaining. Much better than any gearhead crap on tv. Jeff needs his own show!
A big 0.080 thousanth's squish (quench area) could be tightened to 0.035 but like he said, that would bring in another point into the compression ratio to maybe 12/1 compression requiring 94 octane or re-jetting carb for some high octane E-85 fuel. That would really be a fun dyno number! Funny thing, two welded in flat areas on either the head or piston flats (maybe decking the piston height out of the block, too) can allow CR cooling with added swirl, to likely use 93 octane in many cases. Some guys are keeping the single angle on exhaust valve and sinking the two valves in the pocket a bit, to reduce valve overlap exchange. Giving the engine less octane requirements. Highly advanced tinkering.
I totally agree with comments below - this was one of THE BEST videos I have seen - Jeff is clearly a person who wants to share knowledge and is clear and concise with what he is doing - and is clearly an expert. Excellent work
Nice to have the added horsepower and torque on reserve for those special occasions ! It’s an air cooled motor so high quality synthetic oil is a must with more frequent changes . You would be shocked as to how hot these motors run even under normal conditions .
Just incredible! I’ve watched this a few times now. Ever since I seen the motorcycle museum vlog I’ve been addicted to this channel, keep up the great work love from across the ditch 🇦🇺
Ahhh... Real content Real usable information this is perfection. RUclips lost it's soul to click bate garbage with no usability solely run with profit hustle in mind and micro branding over selling. But this, this is what we need. Real intelligence with real people.
as an ex-AMA pro MX and ATV-MX racer, the golden unicorn's of engine builders look at a motor with the passion this man does. I'm sure he's done a million motors and to still have this excitement is someone i'd only dream of having in my arsenal at the track. thanks for the vids, keep them coming!
As someone who has spent 10 years building car engines. I fully respect this video. I also value the knowledge on the old pigs. I could DIY but know a specialist DIB and will pay to have my 650L done....right. I love this mess.
That gentleman is decades of experience,craftsmanship and dedication in action... as a tradesmen I tip my hat u are a master tradesmen. A genuine pleasure to watch u work.
Very educational video and like I said before,this mechanic is worth his weight in gold! 50 PERCENT MORE HORSEPOWER!!! Amazing machine! Can’t wait to see the difference in added power with the special exhaust system! This is a great help for the business by showing potential customers what kind of work can be done to the bikes they want to get.
What a beast! Great job building a killer engine. As someone who loves his 30hp turd, boy having 45 would be unreal. What was the torque like? The dyno never showed torque.
To get the torque values, just use: Torque = 5252 * Power / eng_spd Unfortunately, his dyno only showed road speed on the X axis, but this can be converted to engine speed via the gearbox ratio, the final drive ratio (sprockets) and the rear wheel radius.. Gotta say, 45 hp for 650 cc is lame - that is only 69 hp per Litre. There are two stroke engines made in Italy that only have 3 moving parts, naturally aspirated and produce over 800 hp per Litre!
@@christopherknee5756 Not bad for breathing more life into an old single cam motor that they want to last more than a race. KTM production bike of similar capacity, more of a modern trick motor, only makes 53hp. This year`s 450 Yam, a high-revving single, makes under 50hp. Kwak KLR650 2022 model, doesn`t even make 35hp. The Italians and little two-strokes....they`ve always excelled in that field.
@@charlesfriend9557 I stood on a pedestrian walkway over the A1 and saw two Germans touring on XT500s and immediately went and bought one. Sound machines, never dropped the XT on the road and was often followed by or I overtook, those that couldn`t believe lean angle on old block-pattern knobblies. Eg, "We thought you were off, the shoulder of your rear tyre was completely doubled-under when you cranked it over immediately after overtaking us. We were doing 80mph."...I was greeted with at the pub in 1980, after overtaking Ford Escort van on slip-road off A1 into constant radius bend. On the rough/Enduro, the XT was a real handful, far too heavy in spite of me being over 6` and super fit. Dropped it three times on three outings and gave it up as a bad job before I injured myself badly. (That came 5yrs later on the road with my `76 Guzzi LeMans Factory Proddy Racer, thanks to being collected by a blacksmith in a Ford Transit) After quitting the off-road bumpy tracks on the XT, I made ovals in stubble fields, the comparatively even surface made drifting fun, and although it often felt like it was about to tangle itself up, never dropped it there. Out of over 70 bike owned since I was five, not had a med/ big off-road Honda(broke the crank doing 30ft jumps on a 125 though), but did enter a comp in failed bid to win an Africa Twin this year....but hope to win the 1,000 miles 2020 KTM 790 Duke up for grabs, come this Thurs 14th Oct`21. That`s more my cup of tea :)
I am impressed not only with that this man knows EVERYTHING about motors but that he rips that bike like it was a 65cc for kids! More of this man on the channel!
I can watch this guy all day , an absolute professional and a great teacher , years and years of experience . If he has his own RUclips channel I would be subscribing straight away ..
I think Jeff is a keeper. Hope you pay him well because he is in the top of his class. Anyone who works with him is a lucky man and any customer that has his motor done is blessed.
This guy is a genius, I wish I had half of his Knowledge, I really enjoy seeing this type of videos, all the machining, measurements being taken, it’s delightful for any gear head!!
Awesome video, great craftsmanship, narration and editing, My favorite part is that you clearly know how to ride a wheelie on an XR, which is what I love about the Xr…
Nearly a lifetime wondering about microns in my motorcycle,... all solved in the first 15 minutes of a 30 minute video, This is symetrical artistry,.. truly incredible.
That guy is a master at his craft. I love to listen and learn from these professionals. Hope they pass on the knowledge. Good stuff Jeff!!!! A true profesor of the craft.
Guy knows his shit. I don't know how I even got to this video. I don't ride dirt bikes. But I love watching people perform their skills. So I stayed around for awhile.
This was probably the most comprehensive and most importantly, no RUclips bullshit filler top end builds I have ever seen. I hope you pay this man handsomely
Yes
Definitely... This is amazing work... You can feel the passion in the process
for real, this makes is seems so easy if you got all the tools. its clear and helpfull to understand
Agreed. Super interesting stuff
rooooight!!!! And he's even holding the mic at the beginning LOL
The world needs more people like Jeff that actually take pride in their work. Well done! 👍
Fantastic content. We want more of Jeff's engineering genius!
hi ya Craig.
Ohh yes, very interessting!
@@craigbrown7956 Hi Bruv!
@@craigbrown7956 learn the language you'll thank yourself for it.... And when you do you will find yourself qualified to begin your education that will never stop for the rest of your life... And again my motorcycle education as early as 9 years old I'm now 71 I've been to all technical skills for the University of Illinois and engine trade schools from every automotive manufacturer working through dealerships as a technician... And when I hired on at a Honda dealer in 1975 as history was still was Honda's industrial revolution of motorcycles which became the most enlightening education I have ever got as I was taught by the world famous tuner of all times as Honda had hired the master and guru none other than pop Yoshimura to teach a student's everything there is to know that goes on inside of every type of engine that I never received through University training and there's not a day goes by without finding new discoveries .... As I was told graduating from college in 19 69 congratulations you now have the tools to begin your education that never ends
@@donniebaker5984
Hi Donnie
Theres two Craig Browns here in the comments which explains the "hi's"
Correct,one never stops learning and I love the pursuit of knowledge.
I wish i had some body to teach me back in 1970 when my 1969 CB750 {$1485 ] put a chain through the sand cast crankcases and it would have been even better if somebody had told me "don't sell it, hehehe.
I also learnt the hard way later on with the CB conrods and 70mm bores, Pop's would heat treated them for me.
You're a lucky man Donnie, to have met the great Pop's, not many Kamikaze Pilots survived WW2.
Sayonara.
Holy shi*t this video is so interesting and educational. This is like a full training video on machine tools. This is on the level of Millyard's motorcycle videos. I just want to say, the audio is outstanding, and the professional microphone is much appreciated. Jeff is incredibly humble, and a joy to watch.
Now that's talent! Not only is Jeff an engine guru, he bangs out wheelies like nobodies business. This was awesome content. Bring on the head pipe!
amen
What carburetor did they use
@@verntreat4162sorry I am not sure on the carb used.
I would have prefered to see some acceleration runs from stopped instead... Wheelies are not representative of engine power.
@@altair7001 you already know the power, that's what the dyno is for. Acceleration runs with no timing will tell you absolutely nothing. Not to mention it probably makes too much power to be able to use full throttle in 1-4th gear at any decent rpm.
What a master machinist. Like any profession and art, the devil is in the details. He obviously has love and respect for his art. Thanks for sharing. Really enjoyable.
That man is a genius!
He just added 50% more horsepower to the entire rev-range of this channel!
Agree. I haven't watched the channel for awhile. He has brought me back.
Yeah genius, this engine has a 60HP normally.
The big change in compression ratio and higher displacement tends to increase power on the entire rev range.
@@polemonek learn about wheel horsepower and crank horsepower before you comment. Also, there's a difference between XR650L and XR650R
@@sepg5084 you can’t fix ignorance
I’ve come back again. This is one of my favorite Kaplan videos ever. I just love his old-school wizardry combined with his way of talking and explaining things. He is an absolute New England treasure!!!!
I got half way into the video and realized he should be training a new kid that has potential. Jeff is definitely very talented and I'm sure he is not easy to replace. Take Good care of him and hopefully he sticks around for a long time!
Yea me but I’m not a kid
@@teedun9413 same I'm mid 30s but would love to get tought these skills
Really
@Lex Riordan I have no idea what that even means. What is being checked in life?
@@danjim7056 Being taught taut life skills that you`ll have successfully assimilated. Need intellect combined with the golden touch that sticks ;)
Dude is a absolute master...every shop needs a seasoned mechanic like this, love it
As a Machinist I am very impressed with his skills not only as an engine builder but as a Machinist and doing all the math calculations to check everything for a positive end result Excellent job can't wait to see what the head pipe does
When I think of a real Mechanic, Jeff is what comes to mind. This is just art. It’s sad to see such a dying art in this age of “buy a new one and replace “.
This guy isn't a mechanic he's an engineer 👍
@@chrisdilz Nobody told the people of the day that there was a difference!!! Nowadays,you get to be a parts counter inventory,-complaints person OR a parts replacement,diagnostic technician??? True mechanics that not only know what they are doing, but also Care ,are few and far between! Excellent worksmanship,personality and passion for his trade, make this fellow stand way above most! Just my Humbled opinion!
@@chrisdilz Thank you for your reply! I had just started to go down the comments ,when I seen yours and some other positive as well! Would have cringed badly if Anyone started the usual negatives I have come so used to seeing.Fortunately, their seem to be many of us that can still give credit where credit is due,And brings me to feel much closer to our fellow motorcyclists,those that keep e"m running and the awesome folks like Jeff that must have spent more than one sleepless night out working in his shop! Thank you all fellow riders,Mechanics, And the future of the trade!
@@charlesfriend9557 It's what most if not all customers want and that's why we mostly have only mechanics left that are parts replacing monkeys. Who is willing in this day and age to throw a lot of money into old bikes and restore them and maybe even improve them when you can get way better and newer bikes for less? Also not every workshop has the tools shown in this video let alone someone who is skilled enough to use them to full effect. It's mostly service jobs these days. New tyres, new brake pads, new brake discs and oil/filter changes. Anything else requires a lot more effort, time and money that only a few customers are willing to spend. And those customers are going to very special workshops that are truly few and far between. Most of the really expensive work is done under warranty which is free for the customer.
For getting most out of new 4-stroke bikes which are EFI, you need a dyno and most of the workshops just don't have that. So, that will leave you with service jobs and parts replacements. And even that is fucked up by workshops because the pay is low and the work ethic of mechanics is low. I live in Germany and bike mechanics here are earning minimum wage or slightly above. Only really good and big workshops with only a few left are paying well.
Do you know the name and were this shop is located?
This man, Jeff, is a freaking saint. I would pay every dollar I have to learn from him and absorb his knowledge.
Awesome, my 650L is at 25,000 miles and needs a top end rebuild, the more high-def close up footage like this, the easier it is for me when I tackle it. Keep the XR650L content coming!
I got 50,000 out of mine, now it's
pumped, good luck, I guess I mean skill anyway, I think U know Y because XR'S RULE!!!!
THANK'S from NOR-CAL!!!!
@@chrisiollich4890 what year is it?
I am a motorcycle mechanic in Barcelona/Spain. I have taken part in motorcycle racing and assembled and powered up engines since mid 2000 and that is the first video I've seen on RUclips, that explains really good the process. This sir nows what he is doing a 100% and takes the right decisions to achieve his goals. The video omits some parts of the process and some aspects of the rebuilt, but is the best racing engine assembly that ever seen on youtube.
Excellent job!!!!!!!!
Could you share his shop info?
Thanks.
Jeff is definitely an asset to Kaplan America, and l would sit all day listening to Jeff mechanical math formulas on how to bore a cylinder, and not to mention his smooth motorcycle wheelies.. Cool expert veteran 👍
God bless united states of America 🇺🇸
@Arthur Engle , He used & mentioned Pi (π) 3.14 to calculate the circumference of the Cylinder according to his specs.
What an absolute honour to have this artist work on your engine. I really do hope someone is his apprentice to carry that knowledge on. Such a humble sounding man too, no bullshit or boasting just skill and experience. This is one of those rare gems that RUclips was made for, whether you like engines or not. Fantastic. 👌🏼
This is the Best video you or anyone has done yet, full-stop! I’m 54yrs old, have owned and repaired gobs of motorcycles.. this man is a Master Tech squared!!
His life long passion of motorcycles and dedication to craftsmanship is displayed in a very well shot episode - most impressive Jeff. Really, really well done guys. Thanks.
Love this guy!! More engine builds with him!! Great job!
Jeff is a legend! And a True master of his trade! I dread the day when these old timers aren't around anymore to share their knowledge with the youth.
They'll be no combustion engines left in the future
@@ianmangham4570 sadly you are correct. There is an active war on the internal combustion engine in effect ..... and the progression has become increasing more rapid in recent days 😫
Your right
Fascinating video.
I picked up an '03 XR650L last year. 232 miles on it, left in the corner of a barn. Got it for $650.
Luckily fuel was totally drained before it was stored. Did a carb rebuild, and it runs like a beast. 2k miles now 50/50 dirt street..
Been following this build. This guy is awesome, really amazing attention to detail.
I totally agree with alot of others that said, Jeff needs an apprentice to learn his skills, I doubt that any type of school can create the knowledge and skill that this man has.
An apprentice with a camera for us to view, I'd watch every bit of it.
Only time and a sharp mind will get you close to this mans level of expertise.
Sign me up! Love this stuff. Just gotta catch a plane from Sweden ✈️🇸🇪😂
He is doing exactly what MMi teaches to a T.
Trust me, you do NOT learn this in school... Porting heads took me a while to get used to
Computers are important and we need them but this kind of craftsmanship can never, never be replaced by these kind op specialist. What a kind and knowledgeable man, just great to watch, fantastic.
Wow I'm really digging this. Jeff is no joke.. nothing but respect he is a very knowledgeable fella, excellent mentor and rides one hell of a wheelie
Amazing ,I'm 39 been working forever, my uncle is a man just like you I learned everything from my uncle Louie ,u r a aucle Louie ,you are a great man with a Amazing talent most ppl don't have these days I am teaching my kids all
Ken Senior, we need more videos like this. This guy is a master at his trade. Guys like this are far and few. He's that guy that when you hire him you never want to lose him. There is just something about an XR
I agree 100% , Jeff is a blessing to our team in many many ways, Jr & I will do everything we can to keep him happy doing what he is a master at@ LONG LIVE THE MANIC MECHANIC MLLH&R
I really enjoyed watching Jeff showing his procedd. Always appreciate builders and their knowledge. And the celebration wheelies on the BRP were the cherries on the top.
Gotta do more of these cuz Jeff is an absolute treasure. I could watch him all day!
How cool is this. We get to visit with a master, his work is recorded and somewhere there’s some young person tuned in learning from a master. The benefits of the knowledge sharing on the WWW is going to be awesome . Thanks for taking the time, man I wish we had access to this stuff 40 years ago..... big thumbs up.
Would really enjoy seeing more engine build videos. Excellent mechanic skills!
Agreed
Agreed, we need more shop content even if it takes another channel. Are y’all with me?
Jeff used to have a shop in my town in Massachusetts. I miss being able to bring my bikes to him. His work speaks for itself.
Just a side note, his dad used to work for Evel Knievel.
Outstanding machine work! This guy is a wizard of engines! Awesome video! Thank you for sharing this process with us!
I have never seen the Solder squish method to check Piston to head clearance. Not only does Jeff know his work but he's extremely smooth talking about it. That my friends is a rare gem. No book will teach you what someone like this can.... Nice work Kaplan cycles....
One of my favorite videos you guys have ever done. Everything Jeff is doing is text book right on the money. Great job!!!! Man that big XR looks fun!!
I dont even particularly like big bore xr bikes but this is a master class on dirt bike engines and building horsepower in general. This guy had forgotten more about engines than most guys will ever know. Please continue with the educational stuff with him and wizard. Learning so much on how to make the bikes run strong and reliable.
Hope this gives a good view to those that don't know why a good shop charges the money they do for engine machining, rebuilds and so on.
Very well said.
You're wasting your time trying to change that.
Theres just too many "good shops" out there charging an arm and a leg for shoddy work. Its hard to find a trustworthy mechanic.
But i know a guy thats cheaper 😆
Naa, this guy is a rare gem. Anyone taking their work there should be happy and confident that what they're paying was well earned and deserved.
But most shops absolutely do not have even close to this level of experience and professionalism in their team or "expert" builder.
I'm very discerning when it comes to machine work and any work on a motorcycle. This was a real pleasure to watch, you can tell he knows what he's doing and he treats the parts with care. Great job! Thanks for the excellent video.
Jeff knows his stuff. Someone like him is worth his weight in gold to a moto shop. Very old school and impressively knowledgeable.
A lot of knowledge and no influencer self promotion. I absolutely love it!
nothing better than seeing an old school mechanic do his art, respect. And I'd love to see the difference the header makes.
Not much JEFFs left in this world. Hopefully a good lad learns n keeps this art alive for the next generation.
Damn that man knows his stuff and wheelies a BRP like a boss!!!! Would love to see him do his magic on an XR650R engine! (Ill volunteer mine!)
I literally just posted the same thing...I would love to see the BRP!! I have a 2007 model and am always looking for more power. I have header full exhaust uncorked and still want more power 😜
This is a art the unfortunately is disappearing with just buying new Chinese parts and CNC parts it is great to see machining done step by step by hand
Where there is a will, there is a way. Ive cut piston skirts and cut port windows into sleeves to resurrect a bike or 2 when nothing was available.
You can tell the man has passion, enjoys his craft and takes pride in his work. Just by the way he describes and explains why he’s doing something tells you he knows what he is talking about.
Tatro machine check put that channel for custom machine work
I am truly impressed with this craftsman. I own an XRL and love Kaplan’s videos on these bikes, among others, but this was truly entertaining. Much better than any gearhead crap on tv. Jeff needs his own show!
The time and the passion this guy takes on this engine is priceless! Amazing!
Right
A big 0.080 thousanth's squish (quench area) could be tightened to 0.035 but like he said, that would bring in another point into the compression ratio to maybe 12/1 compression requiring 94 octane or re-jetting carb for some high octane E-85 fuel. That would really be a fun dyno number!
Funny thing, two welded in flat areas on either the head or piston flats (maybe decking the piston height out of the block, too) can allow CR cooling with added swirl, to likely use 93 octane in many cases.
Some guys are keeping the single angle on exhaust valve and sinking the two valves in the pocket a bit, to reduce valve overlap exchange. Giving the engine less octane requirements. Highly advanced tinkering.
This would make one hell of an old school supermoto! Man, I really enjoyed watching this build.
There's enough of those top heavy junk heaps out there now. Put it in a road chassis with fairing. RZ Yamaha would be nice.
Pure joy to watch this man work and talk about what he is doing.😎
Serious skills & knowledge.Like a doctor of mechanics.It takes many years & SO much experience to get to his level.
I totally agree with comments below - this was one of THE BEST videos I have seen - Jeff is clearly a person who wants to share knowledge and is clear and concise with what he is doing - and is clearly an expert. Excellent work
30 minutes out of my life that I certainly didn't waste! Very good indeed!
Dear Lord... THIS has made my day. Cheers mate! Poetry. The priceless, classical music of mechanics.
Guys like Jeff are literally priceless. His abilities and knowledge should be a whole hell of a lot more expensive.
What a privilege it is to watch a master engineer at work, Thank you.
This guy needs a raise ❤
i’m sure he gets paid well enough
Eyeballin a thou n half... 😂
It's good to listen to someone who knows what they're doing and cool with it, and enjoy doing it well too. Bless.
Love this, Jeff is a proper old school mechanic, unfortunately I dont think there many youngsters interested in learning these skills.
We do. Just cause you dont hear about us doesnt mean we dont exist!!!👍
Protect this man, he's a national treasure.
Nice to have the added horsepower and torque on reserve for those special occasions ! It’s an air cooled motor so high quality synthetic oil is a must with more frequent changes . You would be shocked as to how hot these motors run even under normal conditions .
Here (Nevada desert) an oil cooler is a must for long rides.
@@TheBandit7613 do you know any specific oil cooler for the xr 650l that is good?
Shout out to Jeff. We used to go to his shop in Athol for years. He helped my dad build a beautiful KDX 200.
Just incredible! I’ve watched this a few times now. Ever since I seen the motorcycle museum vlog I’ve been addicted to this channel, keep up the great work love from across the ditch 🇦🇺
Ahhh... Real content Real usable information this is perfection. RUclips lost it's soul to click bate garbage with no usability solely run with profit hustle in mind and micro branding over selling. But this, this is what we need. Real intelligence with real people.
From one power maker to another.............great work Jeff!
This guy is the real deal. More machine shops, like this, are needed. Thank you for this video.
as an ex-AMA pro MX and ATV-MX racer, the golden unicorn's of engine builders look at a motor with the passion this man does. I'm sure he's done a million motors and to still have this excitement is someone i'd only dream of having in my arsenal at the track. thanks for the vids, keep them coming!
This guy is both my sprit animal and the father I never had. I love him.
Jeff is a badass, nothing more to say!!
He is definitely a dying breed! We need more young people learning from people like him. What a wealth of knowledge!
As someone who has spent 10 years building car engines. I fully respect this video. I also value the knowledge on the old pigs. I could DIY but know a specialist DIB and will pay to have my 650L done....right. I love this mess.
That gentleman is decades of experience,craftsmanship and dedication in action... as a tradesmen I tip my hat u are a master tradesmen. A genuine pleasure to watch u work.
Absolutely brilliant! That was worth every second!👍
And every penny!
25:00 this guy is awesome. He just refreshed my memory of how complicated the head work is. Such amazing attention to detail.
Very impressive..I can only dream of begging and paying Jeff and Kaplin to build my dr650se similar to this. OMG!!
This man is a great teacher, i would be honered to even get the chance to apprentice for this guy, out here doing the Lord's work 💯
Very impressive! Looking forward to seeing the header pipe bolted on.
Fantastic content 👍 I love watching engineering and this man's a genius 🙏
Very educational video and like I said before,this mechanic is worth his weight in gold! 50 PERCENT MORE HORSEPOWER!!! Amazing machine! Can’t wait to see the difference in added power with the special exhaust system! This is a great help for the business by showing potential customers what kind of work can be done to the bikes they want to get.
I love when the masters reveal their secrets. Thanks Kaplan.
Guys like this just don’t exist anymore! Thank you
Excellent video, great interesting content.
This bloke is such a wealth of knowledge. I'd love to spend a week working with him and learning from him. Thoroughly enjoyed watching this episode 👍🏻
What a beast! Great job building a killer engine. As someone who loves his 30hp turd, boy having 45 would be unreal. What was the torque like? The dyno never showed torque.
I think the way the front-end came up through traction action alone, showed the torque...like my Yam TT500 does compared to my old XT500
To get the torque values, just use: Torque = 5252 * Power / eng_spd Unfortunately, his dyno only showed road speed on the X axis, but this can be converted to engine speed via the gearbox ratio, the final drive ratio (sprockets) and the rear wheel radius..
Gotta say, 45 hp for 650 cc is lame - that is only 69 hp per Litre. There are two stroke engines made in Italy that only have 3 moving parts, naturally aspirated and produce over 800 hp per Litre!
@@christopherknee5756 Not bad for breathing more life into an old single cam motor that they want to last more than a race. KTM production bike of similar capacity, more of a modern trick motor, only makes 53hp. This year`s 450 Yam, a high-revving single, makes under 50hp. Kwak KLR650 2022 model, doesn`t even make 35hp.
The Italians and little two-strokes....they`ve always excelled in that field.
@@rattusnorvegicus4380 Had both, miss those days!! Didn"t crash as often on the hondas though!
@@charlesfriend9557 I stood on a pedestrian walkway over the A1 and saw two Germans touring on XT500s and immediately went and bought one. Sound machines, never dropped the XT on the road and was often followed by or I overtook, those that couldn`t believe lean angle on old block-pattern knobblies. Eg, "We thought you were off, the shoulder of your rear tyre was completely doubled-under when you cranked it over immediately after overtaking us. We were doing 80mph."...I was greeted with at the pub in 1980, after overtaking Ford Escort van on slip-road off A1 into constant radius bend.
On the rough/Enduro, the XT was a real handful, far too heavy in spite of me being over 6` and super fit. Dropped it three times on three outings and gave it up as a bad job before I injured myself badly. (That came 5yrs later on the road with my `76 Guzzi LeMans Factory Proddy Racer, thanks to being collected by a blacksmith in a Ford Transit)
After quitting the off-road bumpy tracks on the XT, I made ovals in stubble fields, the comparatively even surface made drifting fun, and although it often felt like it was about to tangle itself up, never dropped it there.
Out of over 70 bike owned since I was five, not had a med/ big off-road Honda(broke the crank doing 30ft jumps on a 125 though), but did enter a comp in failed bid to win an Africa Twin this year....but hope to win the 1,000 miles 2020 KTM 790 Duke up for grabs, come this Thurs 14th Oct`21. That`s more my cup of tea :)
I am impressed not only with that this man knows EVERYTHING about motors but that he rips that bike like it was a 65cc for kids!
More of this man on the channel!
Awesome video, a pleasure to watch a proper mechanic in action, although i like 2vintage as well!
2 vintage doesn't come to this guy yes he can rebuild he cant hone or do 15 percent of the work Jeff can
I could listen to the manic mechanic talk for hours. Love these style of videos. Big love from NB, Canada!
The wheelies at the end is the exclamation point, well done
Excellent Explanation good service and well done professionally done press ion job
Knowledge and skills is power
I can watch this guy all day , an absolute professional and a great teacher , years and years of experience .
If he has his own RUclips channel I would be subscribing straight away ..
I think Jeff is a keeper. Hope you pay him well because he is in the top of his class. Anyone who works with him is a lucky man and any customer that has his motor done is blessed.
What a great machinist!!! Thanks Jeff, for the easy to follow procedure.
I could watch this man all day! Please for the love of god record more
I love older fellas that are willing to take the time to show us their skills
And that concludes our lesson in Badassatude for the day.
The wheelie! That's the best punctuation for "hold my beer, I got this" ever.
This guy is a genius, I wish I had half of his
Knowledge, I really enjoy seeing this type of videos, all the machining, measurements being taken, it’s delightful for any gear head!!
Awesome video, great craftsmanship, narration and editing,
My favorite part is that you clearly know how to ride a wheelie on an XR, which is what I love about the Xr…
You guys need a show on discovery. Real talent. Real sales. Professional happy people that love what they do and are really good at it.
Nearly a lifetime wondering about microns in my motorcycle,... all solved in the first 15 minutes of a 30 minute video,
This is symetrical artistry,.. truly incredible.
That guy is a master at his craft. I love to listen and learn from these professionals. Hope they pass on the knowledge. Good stuff Jeff!!!! A true profesor of the craft.
Great watching someone who knows what they are talking about! First class.
Guy knows his shit. I don't know how I even got to this video. I don't ride dirt bikes. But I love watching people perform their skills. So I stayed around for awhile.