The XL600 thread

[Flood]

Here's my '87, 2 years ago:







with a 25 liter Acerbis tank. This spring i retired her with 60.000km on the clock. I don't plan to rebuild her as it's the Austrian tax-saving model with only 500cc's and buying a german engine and carbs would be too much of a hassle. The XL now lives on in my NX650 project: I ditched the fairing and installed the XL's high fender, mask, light and cockpit. I'll also transfer the right side of the XL's engine to get a kickstarter (only the first two Domi years had those). If everything works out, I'll have a NXL 650 in fall.

[JStory]

Here's my '86. Not much to look at. Engine was rebuilt about five years ago, but I've only put about 3k miles on since then. I had the infamous bad CDI cut-out problem, and couldn't figure it out. I read about it somewhere, replaced the CDI, and its ran beautifully ever since. Only engine mod is a 10.5:1 piston.

Here is my most recent upgrade. The disk is an EBC from Motostrano. The disk bolts right on, but you'll need a '93 and up caliper and the pins that the caliper slides on. I got one from an XR650L.

[tbirdsp]

Here's my '87 in action. Sold it in '01 though, for a new DRZ-S.

[coppertop]

Hey JStory, thanks for posting the pics of your bike and the details on the oversize brake. I am in the middle of (slowly) rebuilding my '86 XL600R and was looking for a brake upgrade. Time to search Ebay for a newer caliper...

[AKjeff]

Here's mine. My first bike, so it's kind of special you know. I found it in town last Sept, traded my (wifes) jeep for it. It had 11,300 miles on it and a new stator. Managed to put 700 miles on it in 4 winter months on our small island with no where to go but from one end of the road to the other. It's off the road right now waiting on gas tank work, it got a dent in it .

For the upside down fork conversion check out the forums at http://www.4strokes.com/ .

[jkrpan]

What would a xl600 cost to buy, if you found a good one?

[CBAT]

Originally Posted by jkrpan

What would a xl600 cost to buy, if you found a good one?

Try this one. http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=254302



Yeah, it's mine. But seriously, if they are running they can be picked up from $1k up to $2k. I've seen them fully restored go for as much as $3500.

[kktos]

friend of mine bought a XLRM (noticed the M ;) ) for less than 300euro.
he's rebuilding it coz for this price it isnt shiny.....
I saw the double carb yesterday eve and I was wondering the purpose of it.
As we dont do it anymore.
any idea ?
/thierry

[Flood]

Originally Posted by kktos

friend of mine bought a XLRM (noticed the M ;) ) for less than 300euro.
he's rebuilding it coz for this price it isnt shiny.....
I saw the double carb yesterday eve and I was wondering the purpose of it.
As we dont do it anymore.
any idea ?
/thierry

Big singles have the problem that with huge intake diameters, you will either have weak low-down response or not enough top-end power. A single carb might produce good power at full throttle, when gas velocity is high, but may stall at low rpms when you whack the throttle open. To overcome this, Honda designed the RFVC engine with radial valves, a centered spark plug and two carbs, opening one after another. The same concept was used on the early XRs and on Yamaha's XT600 (with a joined floatbowl, IIRC). Gilera's big single (Nordwest/Northcape) had the same system.

In short, it didn't really work. Comparing the RFVC-XL600 with the earlier XL500, the older had far more low-end power and there wasn't a lot of difference at full throttle.

Another solution is the use of pumper carbs, who squirt a small amount of fuel directly into the intake to avoid a lean mixture when the throttle is suddenly pulled open (basically, the inertia of fuel is higher than that of air, so opening the throttle fast will result in the fuel coming a bit "late"). Hope this is somehow understandable.

[kktos]

Originally Posted by flood

Hope this is somehow understandable.

it is !
Danke.
/thierry

[Knute Dunrvnyet]

+1, amen, XL600R. I started my adv riding with 'em, an new '83, until '88 [39K miles,] then an '87 [found nicely used w/1500miles] that I ran 'til '90 when I got my Tengai.

6 weeks 'Out West' in '85: [again, a 'vintage' RR if I ever scan my slides.]

...and up and down the Appalachians on the seasonal and forest roads all summer, each summer [being a teacher does have some perks.]

Completely reliable, never had any issues. A good motorcycle.

[CATTR]

Here is my XL600R, I got it in Jan 07 road it for 2 weeks than stripped it down to the bare frame resprayed and rebuild the motor, with some help from JohnBG I got a complete top end , because the old top end cam was busted. Thanks John Here are before and after pictures.

[CATTR]

Here is the after pic.

[Cordless]

I bought Achtung's XL600 (see post #21) and am looking forward to some good years on it.

Since I am Tallerman, I need a taller seat, an extended shift lever, and taller bars.

I bought a worn out seat and new cover on eBay and will build my own custom taller seat.

I also scored a cheap XR600 front fork and triple clamp ($70 on ebay). I will rebuid them and probably put in emulators. According to the gurus on Thumpertalk, that's a better/cheaper option than converting to USD forks. I will try to install a taller/better rear shock but am in no hurry.

I would like to hear even more ideas/watchouts for making the XL fit my taller frame. (Don't suggest a different bike, I already have a R12GSAdv and a DRZ400E--soon for sale.)

[Reposado1800]

I think these things are coming back from a nostalgia point of view. I have had mine for 10 years now and bought it in 1997 as my 1980's dream bike (1986 XL600R). I was in high school and college 84-92 and saw these things new- they were freakin awesome. When Honda pulled the plug after '87 and then came out with the NX650 I was like, what were they thinking???
I for one believe the 80's were Honda's glory days. They had it all right from off road to MX. Suzuki is today, what Honda used to be. They stole the product line.
Back in '02 I put my bike up for sale for $1000. I had knuckle heads calling me and wanting me to GIVE them the bike. Other ones called wondering what kind of car it was.
I am loosely planning a one way adventure ride for my XL600. I want to ride it till it blows up, dremel off the VIN and roll it off a cliff. Kinda like Thelma and Louise. Then, i will go get a new DR650SE- paint it red, white and blue and call it a Honda.