Theses bikes are awesome. Thanks for the ride. I got the identical bike, an 84 sitting in my spare bedroom. My riding days are done due to health issues, but watching this was really enjoyable.Thanks
@@captainamerica9353 I have an entire bad leg. I just got rid of my XR650R street legal but it was before my recent motorcycle accident. I only got rid of it because someone offered me $6,000 cash for it and I wanted to buy another bike. My leg is bad but I'm probably gonna buy another one and figure out how to start it with my left leg from off the bike. Lol
After owning two previous Honda bikes, I bought a new Honda XL600R back in 1983. It went rather well but it would never idle. It always cut out after a short period of time when in neutral or with the clutch pulled in. Although only a week old and under warranty, Honda in Australia would not help resolve the issue. No mechanics could fix the problem either. In the end I had to sell it after 6 mths for a big financial loss and it left such a sour taste in my mind, that I never bought another Honda product again. It was a well known issue with the XL600R. Thanks for your video. It brought back lots of memories.
+tcepilot Not in my opinion, in 13,000 miles this bike has had numerous failures including the case splitting open and dumping the oil, Been through 4 full rebuilds and right after I took this video the timing chain broke. I'll never own one again.
+Danthefordfixer you are doing something wrong my friend wow. i have owned probably 12 hondas over the years. they are mostly been more dependable than a wood burning stove. especially they're air cooled 4 strokes. i have a 00 xr600sm as a daily driver.
+thelaughingman79 I own 20 honda's right now, you're right aluminum engines are dependable but this is a magnesium engine, there's a reason they went back to aluminum. as your 2000 model surely is. In indy racing the let them qualify with mag engines but race with aluminum because of leaks and failures.
My 1986 xl600r currently has a hair under 12,000 miles. Small leak but runs perfect and neither time nor previous owners have been kind to it. But I’ll be damned if it doesn’t just keep clipping along.
Hey Dan, I am currently looking at buying a 1985 xl600r from one of my buddies. It has about 8000 miles on it and is in good condition. The only problem that it has is that it has a leak just like the one you have on the side, but the owner has put a little fix on it so it will hold up for a while. I wanted to know your opinion about getting this for my first bike. I still haven't done a compression check on it, but I plan to do that when I look at it. He wants $500 for it, and it seems like a good deal. Thanks
+Nick Costa They will always leak some oil out of the head, even when new they leaked, the price of having a magnesium engine, $500 seems like a good deal.
Every bike I've owned leaked somewhere, I paid a lot more than $500 for my minty 1983 xl600r but it's a super fun bike to ride. Mine leaks from the clutch input shaft, seal on the way, but you know what, even really good oil is relatively cheap, so don't let that stop you, that's a great deal!
Tell me about it ! I just bought a time capsule 1987 xl600r I want all the way to Wyoming to get it. It has all the standard carburetion ( dual carbs) and ignition issues that come with bikes that age finding the OEM parts are.... well it's impossible, hopefully some of these aftermarket parts are decent.
@@papimiami1938 Wow! Sound like a Great Bike! The XL600's would probably be a Better Dual Purpose bike than the XR - They have different Gear Ratios & the Bore & Stroke is Different! They Actually have a Larger Bore with a Shorter Stroke!! I found this out because I bought a Spare motor for my XR600r - & it turned out to be from a XL600r - Usually Short Stroke motors are better for Performance & Higher RPM so I found it weird the XL600's had the 100mm Bore vs 97? I think for the XR - Goodluck with getting the XL back in Tip-Top Order again! I thought America would be much easier to find parts for Old XR/XLs than here in Australia!! Finding a Good Cylinder Head is Virtually Non Existent Down Here!! The Worn Camshaft Tunnel seem to be the Achilles Heal of all the XRs I've seen from Experience!! I have 3 Heads that have the Exact same Cam Wear Failure Point! Loss of Oil & or Overheating Seems to have Caused it! Good Luck & Keep the Dirty Side Down!! -Cheers😁🇦🇺👍
@@purebloodheretic4682 that's good information to know about the cylinder heads I do believe I got lucky...... This bike sat for over 20 years because originally it was a desert bike out in Arizona. The silica sand got the best end of it and wore out a piston and the valves. So the owner put a Big bore kit did the head and put a some sort of " woods" cam and big valves in it ... The reason I got the bike is because he could never get the carburetion quite right so it sat for over 20 years. I do believe I got lucky with the cylinder head situation because it was a top-notch engine builder that put the motor together in the US here( I couldn't believe they invested all that time and money in the cylinder head if it was worn out or had been overheated or under lubricated). But that is great information to know about the cylinder heads.... thank you for that... I've gotten the bike to fire... But the CDI box and stator don't pass ohm tests... If it actually ended up being an ignition issue and not a carburetor issue. The original owner is going to be pissed LOL
Fuck, I would love to buy it from you at that time. Around '15 I sold my 350 before I joined the Navy, I regret that. She was a fun one, but I really wanted a 600. Bulletproof bikes. Mine ran even after over an 1/8 inch worn off the camshaft. Had a Massive lip on the cam that didn't contact the lifter, still had good power, way better when I put a new cam in. Bought it used and loved the year I owned it.
Theses bikes are awesome. Thanks for the ride. I got the identical bike, an 84 sitting in my spare bedroom. My riding days are done due to health issues, but watching this was really enjoyable.Thanks
I would never, ever sell that bike.
nah , but if he sold it yo you ;) ?
Giuseppe Simonetti , you would if you had bad knees.
@@captainamerica9353 I have an entire bad leg. I just got rid of my XR650R street legal but it was before my recent motorcycle accident. I only got rid of it because someone offered me $6,000 cash for it and I wanted to buy another bike. My leg is bad but I'm probably gonna buy another one and figure out how to start it with my left leg from off the bike. Lol
@@GiuseppeSimonetti Why on get a 600LM with a starter motor?Same bike but with electric start
@@tavaszigabor5375 I'm gonna buy another XR650R probably
After owning two previous Honda bikes, I bought a new Honda XL600R back in 1983. It went rather well but it would never idle. It always cut out after a short period of time when in neutral or with the clutch pulled in. Although only a week old and under warranty, Honda in Australia would not help resolve the issue. No mechanics could fix the problem either. In the end I had to sell it after 6 mths for a big financial loss and it left such a sour taste in my mind, that I never bought another Honda product again. It was a well known issue with the XL600R. Thanks for your video. It brought back lots of memories.
Great engines. Bulletproof
+tcepilot Not in my opinion, in 13,000 miles this bike has had numerous failures including the case splitting open and dumping the oil, Been through 4 full rebuilds and right after I took this video the timing chain broke. I'll never own one again.
+Danthefordfixer xrs are great. Mine has no problem at all. I ride an 83 Xl600r. Outstanding. All original
+Danthefordfixer you are doing something wrong my friend wow. i have owned probably 12 hondas over the years. they are mostly been more dependable than a wood burning stove. especially they're air cooled 4 strokes. i have a 00 xr600sm as a daily driver.
+thelaughingman79 I own 20 honda's right now, you're right aluminum engines are dependable but this is a magnesium engine, there's a reason they went back to aluminum. as your 2000 model surely is. In indy racing the let them qualify with mag engines but race with aluminum because of leaks and failures.
My 1986 xl600r currently has a hair under 12,000 miles. Small leak but runs perfect and neither time nor previous owners have been kind to it. But I’ll be damned if it doesn’t just keep clipping along.
Just snagged one of these and added it to the fleet of bikes, looks killer! Love the 4runner too.
To bad you sold it go and buy an other one these bikes are so much fun. 😎🇺🇸✌🏽
Ist reason you should never sell it the memories, i have one in my building my carbs need cleaning but it still runs good. 💯🥃😎
Is the 500R better?
Soungs like it has a knock
You seen how long he let it warm up right? Lol
There is no knock. The engine sounds healthy. I'm in the process of restoring a 1987 Honda XL600R.
@@davidwebb4731 you can clearly hear the timing chain ratteling,, and apparently it broke just after filming.
I'm a bike mechanic. That engine is fine. The engine's are very very good if looked after properly.
Hey Dan, I am currently looking at buying a 1985 xl600r from one of my buddies. It has about 8000 miles on it and is in good condition. The only problem that it has is that it has a leak just like the one you have on the side, but the owner has put a little fix on it so it will hold up for a while. I wanted to know your opinion about getting this for my first bike. I still haven't done a compression check on it, but I plan to do that when I look at it. He wants $500 for it, and it seems like a good deal. Thanks
+Nick Costa They will always leak some oil out of the head, even when new they leaked, the price of having a magnesium engine, $500 seems like a good deal.
Every bike I've owned leaked somewhere, I paid a lot more than $500 for my minty 1983 xl600r but it's a super fun bike to ride. Mine leaks from the clutch input shaft, seal on the way, but you know what, even really good oil is relatively cheap, so don't let that stop you, that's a great deal!
“He wants $500 for it” makes me cry
This is a good engine but need good guy whos services this
I bet any thing he wish he didnt sell it
I Bet you miss the Old Thumper!! I've got a '90 XR600r - Parts Are a Bitch to get these Days though!! 👍
Tell me about it ! I just bought a time capsule 1987 xl600r I want all the way to Wyoming to get it. It has all the standard carburetion ( dual carbs) and ignition issues that come with bikes that age finding the OEM parts are.... well it's impossible, hopefully some of these aftermarket parts are decent.
@@papimiami1938 Wow! Sound like a Great Bike! The XL600's would probably be a Better Dual Purpose bike than the XR - They have different Gear Ratios & the Bore & Stroke is Different! They Actually have a Larger Bore with a Shorter Stroke!! I found this out because I bought a Spare motor for my XR600r - & it turned out to be from a XL600r - Usually Short Stroke motors are better for Performance & Higher RPM so I found it weird the XL600's had the 100mm Bore vs 97? I think for the XR - Goodluck with getting the XL back in Tip-Top Order again! I thought America would be much easier to find parts for Old XR/XLs than here in Australia!! Finding a Good Cylinder Head is Virtually Non Existent Down Here!! The Worn Camshaft Tunnel seem to be the Achilles Heal of all the XRs I've seen from Experience!! I have 3 Heads that have the Exact same Cam Wear Failure Point! Loss of Oil & or Overheating Seems to have Caused it! Good Luck & Keep the Dirty Side Down!! -Cheers😁🇦🇺👍
@@purebloodheretic4682 that's good information to know about the cylinder heads I do believe I got lucky...... This bike sat for over 20 years because originally it was a desert bike out in Arizona. The silica sand got the best end of it and wore out a piston and the valves. So the owner put a Big bore kit did the head and put a some sort of " woods" cam and big valves in it ... The reason I got the bike is because he could never get the carburetion quite right so it sat for over 20 years. I do believe I got lucky with the cylinder head situation because it was a top-notch engine builder that put the motor together in the US here( I couldn't believe they invested all that time and money in the cylinder head if it was worn out or had been overheated or under lubricated). But that is great information to know about the cylinder heads.... thank you for that... I've gotten the bike to fire... But the CDI box and stator don't pass ohm tests... If it actually ended up being an ignition issue and not a carburetor issue. The original owner is going to be pissed LOL
PureBloodHeretic - thought you should know you have a sticky Caps Lock key.
@@captainamerica9353 YES! 😁
....no wheelies?...
was here
WOMEN!?!? WHO DON'T KNOW HOW TO DRIVE?!?!? COLOR ME SHOCKED!!!!
goodbye
Rod knock
Fuck, I would love to buy it from you at that time. Around '15 I sold my 350 before I joined the Navy, I regret that. She was a fun one, but I really wanted a 600.
Bulletproof bikes. Mine ran even after over an 1/8 inch worn off the camshaft. Had a Massive lip on the cam that didn't contact the lifter, still had good power, way better when I put a new cam in. Bought it used and loved the year I owned it.