New XR owner

[ArmPump]

Yeah, I picked up an ultra-clean '94 600 and am liking it immensely (for a thumper, that is ? ). It works well everywhere and is very stable at speed on Baja like stuff, enabling me to fantasize I'm Scott Summers (I"m sure he's pleased about that). The suspension has been reworked and resprung for the previous owner, who is my same weight, and I'm mechanically capable and a long time 2 stroke guy, mainly CR500s, just no XRs, unless a 200 and an 80 I had for my kids for a few years count.

Anyway, I'm checking in and asking about any pointers for the new XR600 guy and what to do for minor mods. Reliability is key and all I'm looking for is more efficiency and not necessarily power.

Also, is there any passenger peg set-ups around?

Thanks,

AP

[chpxr]

welcome to start you have a very reliable bike the xr 600 is pretty indestructible bike. do some reading and you will find tons of great upgrades that can be done some that are very cheap to free to start with like aircleaner mode,taking the resister out of the plug wirer,exhaust,ignition hot box there like 59.00,rejetting,just for the basics now depending on your weight suspension modes because the bike is set up stock for someone around 160-180. i could go on but check out the site and meet some great people with great info for you

enjoy

rob:ride:

[Beyond The Pale]

Every Honda seems to come "corked" and jetted lean. This should have already been done, but it's easy to check and recify. Remove the rubber snorkle from the airbox. Ditch the Honda air filter element and get an aftermarket one like a Uni or Twin air. The stock pipe has a tiny opening on the baffle. I just got a aftermarket baffle and it really helped. A new pipe is good too. The bike is usually too lean from Honda. I found that my bike started much easier after playing aroung with the jetting. Freer flowing intake and exhaust only make that worse. Post your setup, the temperature and altitude where you ride and someone will give you a place to start.

Like I said most of this was likely already done before you got the bike, but check anyway.

Other than that, change the oil often and it will last for a long time.

[ArmPump]

Every Honda seems to come "corked" and jetted lean. This should have already been done, but it's easy to check and recify. Remove the rubber snorkle from the airbox. Ditch the Honda air filter element and get an aftermarket one like a Uni or Twin air. The stock pipe has a tiny opening on the baffle. I just got a aftermarket baffle and it really helped. A new pipe is good too. The bike is usually too lean from Honda. I found that my bike started much easier after playing aroung with the jetting. Freer flowing intake and exhaust only make that worse. Post your setup, the temperature and altitude where you ride and someone will give you a place to start.

Like I said most of this was likely already done before you got the bike, but check anyway.

Other than that, change the oil often and it will last for a long time.

I should have ran thru what it has when asking so here goes.

It has multiple small round vents in the covers on both sides of the airbox, with a Uni two piece filter. It has a E series White Bros silencer with the stock head pipes. I don't know about the spark plug lead resistor removal - how do I know that's been done or not?

I haven't been into the carb to check jetting but I'm at 1000' (Phoenix area) and about 55-70 degrees daily right now. It seems to start and run fine with no "popping" on deceleration, just a tad hard to twist the throttle off idle - is this normal? I went thru the throttle assembly today, lubing and adjusting everything and it seems fine.

The suspenders seem pretty close to what I need, springing included. I'm good to revalve myself, and might soften the forks up slightly on the mid to high speed damping. I ran the bike thru a lot of different terrain today, deeper whoops included and it handled well. It's just a little harsh on sharper edged hits but is plush at speed on Baja-type roads.

[chpxr]

here are some picks i save from someone elses post on how to do the plug wire now when you remove the resistor and spring what seems to work the best is a piece of a stainless machine screw

[ArmPump]

Great - thanks!

I found a set of passenger pegs from 4strokesonly.com.

http://www.fourstrokesonly.com/passengerpegs.html

[weskc35k]

Armpump you still got that 500 site going,i remember you from Larry's 500 thingy years ago.

You had a AF500 i think or was that one of the other fella's,and who was the guy a real retro gonk moresqwark or something no it was Moretorque or motortorque somat like that.

The 600 cables can bind a bit Armpump it's usually something like that against the petrol tank from memory.

[ArmPump]

Armpump you still got that 500 site going,i remember you from Larry's 500 thingy years ago.

You had a AF500 i think or was that one of the other fella's,and who was the guy a real retro gonk moresqwark or something no it was Moretorque or motortorque somat like that.

The 600 cables can bind a bit Armpump it's usually something like that against the petrol tank from memory.

Yeah, shameless plug: CR500Riders.com

I still run the AF, my avatar is me on it running some singletrack stuff in AZ.

Cables seemd clear of kinks and I had the tank off when I was messing with them earlier today. I'll look them over again.

[weskc35k]

Been a while since i had a 600 but the cable thing happens on some of 'em.

I remember when big Bob and some mates did Elsinore GP a while back (3,4 YRS maybe).

Hang on i think the bind is in the throttle barrel or something on the 600,can't quite remember.

Anyway Armpump welcome aboard i've still got my old 500 waiting for a frame ,have got it for sale but at a price so that she probably won't sell in a hurry if ya know what i mean.

Ya see if it doesn't sell i can put the motor in a crf or cr frame and use the suspension on my BRP so there won't be much wasted,spare wheels and stuff just basically the frame and stuff down the toilet and if i sell her i am a few K closer to a Service Honda AF so i can't lose.

[creeky]

The strong intake vacuum that the 600 engine generates causes the throttle slide to be pulled against the bore and when you open the throttle, instead of moving up smoothly, the slide pops up from idle position and causes the seeming lack of throttle control off idle. This problem can be alleviated slightly by adding a couple of oz. two stroke oil to each gallon of gas, the extra lube allows the slide to move in the bore a little easier. If you have the beans, put an Edelbrock pumper carb on, you will be startled by the improvement in throttle response and a harder pull throughout the rev range.

[SniperTeamBravo]

OK, I thought I had heard EVERY possible simple power trick about the XRs and now this thing about the resistor in the spark plug wire? Whats up with that and does it increase power?

[creeky]

OK, I thought I had heard EVERY possible simple power trick about the XRs and now this thing about the resistor in the spark plug wire? Whats up with that and does it increase power?

I remove the resistor from my XRs and the ones I work on. I have never been able to determine any increase in performance or easier starting. I remove them because if they fail, the bike will run very poorly or sometimes not at all.

[SniperTeamBravo]

I remove the resistor from my XRs and the ones I work on. I have never been able to determine any increase in performance or easier starting. I remove them because if they fail, the bike will run very poorly or sometimes not at all.

I am under the impression that the reason for a resistor in line at all is to keep digital ignition systems from being effected by eratic electric impulses byt eh spark. I know it does also have a noise canceling effect on ignition systems as far as radios go, not that anyone has a radio on their XR600R! But like a GPS, digital speedo, CDI, whatever....would it not keep those devices from being fed electronic noise?

[cbaranski]

Nice to meet you. Congrats on the new bike. I own a 96 XR600R.

[creeky]

I am under the impression that the reason for a resistor in line at all is to keep digital ignition systems from being effected by eratic electric impulses byt eh spark. I know it does also have a noise canceling effect on ignition systems as far as radios go, not that anyone has a radio on their XR600R! But like a GPS, digital speedo, CDI, whatever....would it not keep those devices from being fed electronic noise?

I can relate only my own experience. I have used digital enduro meters and GPS units on my bikes, my son uses them, friends use them. The absence of the RFI resistor has had no apparent effect on them.

[rebelventurer]

Welcome armpump, never thought I would say that! get it? If your airbox has been drilled chances are the carbs been rejeted too. Anyway welcome to TT!

[SniperTeamBravo]

I can relate only my own experience. I have used digital enduro meters and GPS units on my bikes, my son uses them, friends use them. The absence of the RFI resistor has had no apparent effect on them.

I wonder what it's there for then? Weird.