83' xl600R dual sport similarity questions

[El Bandito De BadAss]

hey guys. i have a buddy that just bought his first dual sport bike and we're wondering about a few similarity questions. the newer xr's and xl's dont seem to be all too diffrent from the older one's and wondered what (if any) diffrences in part fittment is there? for example, it looks like most of the exhaust header's and pipes look, route, and mount similar to his. (83' XL600R)

bike runs awsome but he wants to do a few things to it like a bigger tank and some othe minor things.... just wondering what diffrences there were in between the years..... (if any) any info is appreciated.

thanks.

[Thumpmeister]

There are a few similarities, however I don't think the tank is one of them.

The 83's were dual carbs, different suspension, different head, etc. While the exhaust looks similar, they are different. I had an 83 a year ago, and I got a FMF Q off a 650L, thinking it would fit. Header pipe diameter was the same size, however the mounting was a little different, and the bends in the pipe made the pipe hit the side cover, and not mount properly on the frame.

Its the little things like that which are going to give you trouble...

[Motosprtman]

I have been thinking about that! mounting a XR650L FMF Q2 on my 86 XL600R, so what is the scoop? do-able? what did you have to do to make it work.

Oh and in answer to the original question, The XL's is softer suspended, lower, better seat and has a different feel than the XR650L. The power delivery is nearly identical. Engines are completly different as the XL motor was a variant of the XR600R motor, the XR650L motor was used in the GB and NX mdel Honda's.

[El Bandito De BadAss]

ok... thats cool. i know some of the things look similar but i know better. just figured id ask before diving into this bike. my buddy is still new to the bike scene so i need to help him along (meaning i get to do alot of the work) but i dont mind so long as i have a clue of what im looking at. thanks.

[Thumpmeister]

Well, the FMF Q SHOULD fit, but it might take some fandangling....

You would have to make/buy a new mount for the can, as the bends and locations of the holes from the 650L don't line up on the frame. Plus, on the bike I had, the turnsignal mount was also used as the rear exhaust mounting bolt, but there was also a little tab on the signal mount that would have to have a hole drilled for in the mount for the pipe. The pipe touched the side cover just a tad, so that means the side cover would probably melt, at least where it hit the pipe. And the forward mount for the pipe didn't quite line up w/ the one of the frame either.

I spend about an hour drilling, bending, and trying to make the pipe fit on the XL, but gave up after a while because I found I would need a whole new rear mount to make it fit. Maybe you'll have more luck than I did, but it was a PITA for me...

[El Bandito De BadAss]

hmm.... ill do a bit more digging and see what i can find..... we're looking to revamp it some... do a tail light and turn signal clean up.... tuck in type deal. i just know that as of right now..... it has a XR type BIG GUN race series header and silencer..... (if you can call it that) so its friggin LOOOOUUUUD!!!!!! sounds cool for the first 20 seconds.... then you cant hear no sounds at all cus you blow your ears off listening to it for 20 seconds..... LOL

could be it needs packing but thumperin' suckatash!!!! its rediculous!

[SniperTeamBravo]

XL600R and XR650L are very different. The motor externally is very colse, but the head, and bore and stroke are totally different. Also, the early XR600R and XL600R have some similarities but some differences like Bore and stroke, and a few other things like cams and porting and crank differences. Almsot nothing from the XL6 fits the XR65 or vise versa. He should keep that XL6 stock save for a jet kit and pipe.

[El Bandito De BadAss]

thanks... ill pass this on.

[SniperTeamBravo]

hey guys. i have a buddy that just bought his first dual sport bike and we're wondering about a few similarity questions. the newer xr's and xl's dont seem to be all too diffrent from the older one's and wondered what (if any) diffrences in part fittment is there? for example, it looks like most of the exhaust header's and pipes look, route, and mount similar to his. (83' XL600R)

bike runs awsome but he wants to do a few things to it like a bigger tank and some othe minor things.... just wondering what diffrences there were in between the years..... (if any) any info is appreciated.

thanks.

he can get a larger, plastic tank for it from Clarke.

XL600R (83-91) XL350R (84-85) 4.3 gal.

Quantity in Basket: none

Code: 1384

Price: $180.00

[El Bandito De BadAss]

i think thats oone of the first things we're doing...... need to increase that milage range. anyone know around about number of what these bikes usually got for MPG?

[pwrpapa]

XL600R and XR650L are very different. The motor externally is very colse, but the head, and bore and stroke are totally different. Also, the early XR600R and XL600R have some similarities but some differences like Bore and stroke, and a few other things like cams and porting and crank differences. Almsot nothing from the XL6 fits the XR65 or vise versa. He should keep that XL6 stock save for a jet kit and pipe.

I have a 83 xl600 an have done what you have mentioned. I have keep it all stock except for a aftermarket air filter an getting my stock exhaust jet hot coated to protect it from rust. Parts are getting hard to get for this old Honda's.

It's one of my favorite bikes an I'm gonna keep it for as long as I'm still able to ride.

I think the bike runs fine in stock form and has more get-up an go than my 650l.

[Nummie]

I agree that the XL600R's are just great the way they are.

You can do some stuff with the suspension as I have done, but the engine already works as good as an XR650L. If you can get it running properly to it's full potential, there's enough power and torque there to get you just about anywhere. If that's still not enough power, consider an XR650R.

I installed XR650L tripple trees and XR600R fork legs on my '84 XL600R and it made a great improvement to the front end. The reason I used the XR650L triple trees is that they have an upper mounting bracket for gauges, while sharing the 43mm fork tube diameters with the XR600R. The XR600R fork feels nicer and the earlier ones have the same smaller diameter axle as the XL600R. The tripple trees are all interchangable, sharing the same steering tube length ans bearing sizes.

I also have an aluminum swingarm and rear shock from a XR650L as well as a rear swingarm and shock from a XR600R that I am going to try out in the spring. The XR650L rear shock won't work on the XL600R because of the resivoir at the top of the shock and the dual carbs on the XL600R, however, the XR600R shock will work. All of the swingarms have the same width and pivot bolt at the front, so they are interchangable. The differences are in where the linkage mounts up on the top/front of the swingarm The linkage mounting tabs on the XL600R swingarm are centred, while on the XR650L they are offset to the left and the XR600R offset to the right (I think). This can be solved because the XL600R linkage is narrower and can still be bolted to either the XR650L or XR600R, using a spacer to fill the gap on the appropriate side. The spacer you will have to make or get someone to make.

Also the rear hub spacing on the XR650L and XR600R swingarms are narrower than the XL600R, so you would need a rear wheel to go with an XR swingarm. Having said that, there is also the difference in rear brakes. The XL600R is a drum as is the earlier XR600R's, so it is easiest to just use an earlier XR600R swingarm and wheel which will bolt right on and you can use the stock brake pedal and rod. If you want to go with a rear disc, using a later XR600R or XR650L, then you will need to weld on a master cylinder mount and brake switch mount to your frame.

Why use a modified rear end?

Well your XL600R would sort of feel like a chopper, having slightly longer forks. You can compensate for this by sliding the tubes up an inch in the tripple trees and this helps to balance out the ride height, but the front end will still feel a lot better than the rear end. Trading up to an XR swingarm is a good thing because you will get a lighter and longer swingarm and your bike will feel more balanced. (And look awesome)

So why go to all this bother and not just get an XR650L ?

Well perhaps you like the dual carbs as I do, because they actually work quite well.

Perhaps you take pride in keeping right up with or spanking your riding buddies with a 24 year old bike, while they need the latest bikes to feel confident. (see Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance)

Perhaps you prefer the MUCH more comfortable XL600R seat ?

Maybe you have all the parts lying around and enjoy tinkering, or have a bad eBay addiction ?

Perhaps you prefer the look of the XL600R tank, sidecovers, and headlight shroud ?

Or perhaps you have a deeper emotional attachment to the XL bikes that comes from you youth when you either had a new one or dreamed of having one and wore out the Honda brochure pages studying it over and over, memorizing the specs ?

Whatever the reason, it is posible to still ride an XL600R and make it a good ride.

I'm keeping mine thanks.

[El Bandito De BadAss]

man thanks a bunch for listing all this info. im sure it'll come in handy when tweaking the bike!