600 XL mods

[jrandsu]

Does anyone have any hints or tricks to make a 600 XL any better
(besides ditching it and buying an XR). Thanks.

[Ackjs]

I think you can do anything to an XL that you can to an XR can't you. I
had the suspension done up on mine and it made a world of difference. I
also put on a supertrap and twin air filter which helps. Does anyone know
about motor mods tha will still make it startable? diferent cam, single
carb, larger piston?

[David G Wood]

Ackjs (ac...@aol.com) wrote:
: I think you can do anything to an XL that you can to an XR can't you. I

If you can find Baja Design's home page, they have a short write-up on
improving an XR650L. Most of the stuff should work on a XL600? The gist
was removing about 15 pounds from the bike by using a plastic tank,
getting rid of unused bracketry, aftermarket muffler,etc and then
upgrading the engine and suspension. I thought it was a good write-up and
since they sell most of the parts, you even get a good idea of what the
cost will be.

-Dave

[Carl Leonard]

jrandsu wrote:
>
> Does anyone have any hints or tricks to make a 600 XL any better
> (besides ditching it and buying an XR). Thanks.

Better in what way? The engine (I think not) could use a Supertrapp,
and a different air filter. If you do these it will need bigger jets.
The pilot jet can stand a larger size for easier starting even with
stock intake and exhaust.

The suspension needs help on this bike. However, unless you got big
bucks your options are somewhat limited. This bike has short
suspension travel by moto bike standards, like 8 inches instead of
11-12 inches. If you haven't had the shock serviced/rebuilt, do it.
The forks can use more oil to resist bottoming, they need it. Push
fork tubes down in the triple clamps so there flush at the top clamp.
This will help turning. I think the shock has a four position
rebound damping adjustment. Try changing it and see what it does for
you.

The weight. The bike weighs in at like 315 lbs. If you want to keep
it street legal there isn't much to do about it. If not, remove all
the lights and other unneeded stuff. Toss the battery and put a
battery eliminator in it (just a >10,000mfd >25 Volt cap). One of my
friends has this bike and lives with it because he is vertically
challenged (short), and he has a much easier time putting a foot
down. I know someone with a XT550 and Yamaha did a cool thing.
All the lights come off real easy for full moto mode, why doesn't
Honda use this nice feature.

On the up side the XL600 is great on the street...

[jrandsu]

Ackjs wrote:
>
> I think you can do anything to an XL that you can to an XR can't you. I
> had the suspension done up on mine and it made a world of difference. I
> also put on a supertrap and twin air filter which helps. Does anyone know
> about motor mods tha will still make it startable? diferent cam, single
> carb, larger piston?

I have heard the cam that comes with the Honda big bore kit slips in
quite nice, but Honda wanted something like $375 for it. Wasn't worth
it to me.

[BD9444]

I put on a Supertrapp and barkbusters and removed the turn signals.
Reduces weight by about 16 pounds or so. Every pound counts on those
monsters!

BD
'86 XL600R

[Bruce Arnold]

Carl Leonard <ca...@advertronix.com> wrote in article
<33349A...@advertronix.com>...

> jrandsu wrote:
> >
> > Does anyone have any hints or tricks to make a 600 XL any better
> > (besides ditching it and buying an XR). Thanks.

> The suspension needs help on this bike. However, unless you got big
> bucks your options are somewhat limited. This bike has short
> suspension travel by moto bike standards, like 8 inches instead of
> 11-12 inches.

Race Tech makes a Cartridge Fork Emulator, which is supposed to make a
dramatic improvement in the performance on older forks. The cost is about
$125.00.

>If you haven't had the shock serviced/rebuilt, do it.
> The forks can use more oil to resist bottoming, they need it.

Good advice. If you do it yourself, be sure to use good quality fork oil.
Do NOT use ATF like Honda recommends. I used ATF in my older XR, and it
was terrible. I changed to a good fork oil, and it made a tremendous
difference.

> The weight. The bike weighs in at like 315 lbs. If you want to keep
> it street legal there isn't much to do about it.

You can save some weight by going to aftermarket headlight and taillight.
UFO and Acerbis both make DOT legal plastic enduro-type headlights.

--
Bruce Arnold Honda XR-650L 1993
Gruley, AL (Hunstville area) KTM 250-T/XC 1992
br...@hmi.com Honda XR-100 1992