Bought a nice old Honda today.

[klb]

I found a 1984 XR500R today. Hard to find these in this condition
now. Needs a few things but overall in very good shape. Sat in a
heated basement since 1987 with a quart of gas left in the tank.
Flushed it out and put a gallon of non ethanol in it and it cranked
on the second kick. This is the 2 carb model and the main must have
survived the years sitting but the second one is stopped up. The front
brake was sticking so I cleaned the pistons and flushed and replaced
the fluid and all is good. Looks good next to my Valk.

[The emperor has no clothes]

Dang, that looks showroom new 

[klb]

Dang, that looks showroom new  

It's pretty close. The foam air filter was rotten and the front chain
slider is trash but after replacing them and a carb clean it should
be good to go. I have a soft spot for the mid 80's XR's. I always
check the compression by pushing the kick starter by hand and when
this thing is on the compression stroke it is all I can do to push it
over. I bought it in the blind not knowing if it would run so I took a
old xr600 plug I had to check the spark and couldn't see it so I just
gripped the plug and had my son kick it over and damn it had spark.
Idles and runs good until the 2nd carb is suppose to kick in at 1/3
throttle then bogs. Video of it running.

https://youtu.be/oQkE-nZ0n1A

[..]

That's a beastie.

[J.Mencalice]

Nice find. Right time of the year to ride the country roads. Good save.

[scooperhsd]

I'd be worried about tire rot, and there are probably some other things that need careful going over in addition to the items you mentioned. But overall - looks nice.

[Jess from VA]

Man that thing looks like pure fun. 

Lube the chain, and go climb some hills.  YeeHaw   

[klb]

I'd be worried about tire rot, and there are probably some other things that need careful going over in addition to the items you mentioned. But overall - looks nice.

  The tires are original from 1984 and look good maybe the
heated basement helped on that. But after riding it they could go
all to crap being that old. It needs a few things to make it 100%
I was shocked at the decals on the back fender and tank.
They usually don't survive.

[klb]

Man that thing looks like pure fun. 

Lube the chain, and go climb some hills.  YeeHaw   

  All the years I rode a XR600R at Brown Mountain the hill climbs were my favorite. We used to ride with a guy in Spruce pine North Carolina
that took us to more hills than Carter had liver pills. 

[klb]

That's a beastie.

  Now I have the big black beast and the flash red mini beast.

[Jess from VA]

Man that thing looks like pure fun. 

Lube the chain, and go climb some hills.  YeeHaw   

  All the years I rode a XR600R at Brown Mountain the hill climbs were my favorite. We used to ride with a guy in Spruce pine North Carolina
that took us to more hills than Carter had liver pills. 

Well I like blasting around whoops and jumps and rutted corners, but up long hills was my favorite too.  And I fell off 50 times.  I'm not so sure my old body could take it anymore, but I'd give it a try.  I still have my old Bell Magnum 3/4 I wore back then, but it's only good for holding the manual or map open now (and the spiders wouldn't be happy about it either). 

[klb]

Man that thing looks like pure fun. 

Lube the chain, and go climb some hills.  YeeHaw   

  All the years I rode a XR600R at Brown Mountain the hill climbs were my favorite. We used to ride with a guy in Spruce pine North Carolina
that took us to more hills than Carter had liver pills. 

Well I like blasting around whoops and jumps and rutted corners, but up long hills was my favorite too.  And I fell off 50 times.  I'm not so sure my old body could take it anymore, but I'd give it a try.  I still have my old Bell Magnum 3/4 I wore back then, but it's only good for holding the manual or map open now (and the spiders wouldn't be happy about it either). 

I am the same. So many pains from crashes in the mountains.
My 55 year old tore up body still has a 25 year old mind but I
would still try the hill climbs as they were my favorite. At Brown
mountain riding area near Morganton nc the hills had names like
Wounded knee, Footpeg gouge, Honda hole and Horsepower hill.
The only one I could never climb was Horsepower hill I got 10 feet
from the top several times but never topped it and that still pisses
me off.  I still have my old Griffin helmet and Scott goggles with
Quick straps all of which are basically rotten now. I forgot one of
the best hills there which was Boot hill. The old timers say it was
named that because of a guy was climbing it and flipped back and
lost both of his work boots he rode in. Sounds good anyway.

[flsix]

What a great find. I'd love to take it for a ride but I'm like a lot of folks on this forum in that I don't bounce as well as I used to.
Takes too many days to recover from a couple hours of fun in the woods.

[klb]

What a great find. I'd love to take it for a ride but I'm like a lot of folks on this forum in that I don't bounce as well as I used to.
Takes too many days to recover from a couple hours of fun in the woods.

Ain't that the truth. Years ago I would ride all day hit the car wash when
done to clean the bike and feel a little tired after getting home and taking
a shower. When I gave it up several years ago my last ride was about 5 hours and it took about a week to feel normal again. My Valk is a lot more friendly to me.

[cookiedough]

not there yet but pushing 50 and recently did 177 miles in 2 days in Hurley WI more boulders/rocks/mud puddles than I care to pound my body on ATVing.  I would say 60 of those 177 miles were 10-15 mph because that is all you could do without the wife on back of my can am 2-up ATVing yelling at me to slow down.  Going solo,  I doubt much more than 20 mph.  I even had to have my wife drive 20-30 miles easy road route trails mostly to give my right thumb a rest.  I do not see how anyone even a big UTV could do much more than 25 mph they need to fill and move those boulders/mud holes every 10 feet or maybe not since maybe they do that on purpose to make everyone slow down mostlycloser to the town area.  

One steep hill was a smidge challenging but was dry out but could see if raining was all bigger rocks/boulders needing 4wd to get up otherwise would slip and slide around for sure, but did it all in 2wd.

Wanna do on my bucket list the DEAD HORSE run trail from Park Falls to Clam Lake WI, that will need 4wd for sure but going solo in the middle of nowhere being 55 miles one way with not many people doing it do not want to get stuck and have to winch out since some of the sections of water/mud have heard are over the front ATV rack - no thanks,  I usually stop 3-4 inches above the floorboards which are near 12 inches tall.    

My limit of fun is usually 100 miles on one full day of ATVing, but we did first day longer 122 of the 177 miles much to my surprise, especially since a lot of it was bumpy rocks/holes doing 15 mph.  We only stopped 2x's is all entire full day of riding 830 a.m. to near 6 p.m.  

Not so sure my body could take it on a dirt bike with a smaller seat and no way taking the wife on back would not fit both on those seats....  

Nice find by the way like the looks of those older dirt bikes am guessing they were better built in terms of plastic and suspension/engine than nowadays made to last longer as well. 

[klb]

not there yet but pushing 50 and recently did 177 miles in 2 days in Hurley WI more boulders/rocks/mud puddles than I care to pound my body on ATVing.  I would say 60 of those 177 miles were 10-15 mph because that is all you could do without the wife on back of my can am 2-up ATVing yelling at me to slow down.  Going solo,  I doubt much more than 20 mph.  I even had to have my wife drive 20-30 miles easy road route trails mostly to give my right thumb a rest.  I do not see how anyone even a big UTV could do much more than 25 mph they need to fill and move those boulders/mud holes every 10 feet or maybe not since maybe they do that on purpose to make everyone slow down mostlycloser to the town area.  

One steep hill was a smidge challenging but was dry out but could see if raining was all bigger rocks/boulders needing 4wd to get up otherwise would slip and slide around for sure, but did it all in 2wd.

Wanna do on my bucket list the DEAD HORSE run trail from Park Falls to Clam Lake WI, that will need 4wd for sure but going solo in the middle of nowhere being 55 miles one way with not many people doing it do not want to get stuck and have to winch out since some of the sections of water/mud have heard are over the front ATV rack - no thanks,  I usually stop 3-4 inches above the floorboards which are near 12 inches tall.    

My limit of fun is usually 100 miles on one full day of ATVing, but we did first day longer 122 of the 177 miles much to my surprise, especially since a lot of it was bumpy rocks/holes doing 15 mph.  We only stopped 2x's is all entire full day of riding 830 a.m. to near 6 p.m.  

Not so sure my body could take it on a dirt bike with a smaller seat and no way taking the wife on back would not fit both on those seats....  

Nice find by the way like the looks of those older dirt bikes am guessing they were better built in terms of plastic and suspension/engine than nowadays made to last longer as well. 

I have been looking for a Honda Rincon 680 for a while just haven't found one yet. Too picky I guess. I like the 80's look of the XR's.
My first one was a 1986 XR600R and haven been riding XT500 and TT500's
that monoshock and all that suspension travel spoiled me. Like a coworker
said about his dump truck one time this thing rides like a pole wagon.
The dual shock bikes definitely rode like a pole wagon. The old 500 I got
were only made in 83 and 84 in that style then the 600 replaced them. Pretty rare.

[f6john]

I have a Rincon 650,a 2003 model that has been a good at for me although it really saw limited use for most of its life. Still on 3 of it original tires but in 16 years only back to the dealer once about 3 years ago for a carb rebuild, as the ethanol finally did its work.


It’s always been stored inside which makes a difference too.

[klb]

I have a Rincon 650,a 2003 model that has been a good at for me although it really saw limited use for most of its life. Still on 3 of it original tires but in 16 years only back to the dealer once about 3 years ago for a carb rebuild, as the ethanol finally did its work.


It’s always been stored inside which makes a difference too.

I got to ride a 650 Rincon a friend had and it was a comfortable ride.
That ethanol gas is a killer. The 32 year old gas that was in the XR was a yellowish green color and had a smell like I have never experienced before.
Didn't smell like normal dead gas and burned my smeller pretty bad. I'm
glad it wasn't the ethanol kind it would probably been a quart of goo.

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

Score 

[Oldfishguy]

A vintage Honda is a cool piece of machinery.

1971 Honda  CB500

[Leathel]

They are great fun bikes, I had a 200 that year, 250 and the first of the 600's


 Would love another, might be able to twist a friends arm and buy one of his treasures...... it will not be easy but he does have 27 80-85 200-500cc bikes now and that is just not right, he neeeeeds to share them around

[klb]

A vintage Honda is a cool piece of machinery.

1971 Honda  CB500

  Very nice. Looks like some nice ones inside.

[klb]

They are great fun bikes, I had a 200 that year, 250 and the first of the 600's


 Would love another, might be able to twist a friends arm and buy one of his treasures...... it will not be easy but he does have 27 80-85 200-500cc bikes now and that is just not right, he neeeeeds to share them around

They are fun. Torque monsters. I have always been a 600 guy but a 500 is close enough to play around on. If I ever hit the lottery I will have a collection for sure.

[old2soon]

A vintage Honda is a cool piece of machinery.

1971 Honda  CB500

          Had a 73 CB 500 4. Honda called it I believe metallic brown I called it brindle crap brown. A Kirker 4 into 1 made her light up and RUN. Little carb work didn't hurt either. At times like to have that ole 500/4 back. Miss my old Yamaha YA5 I motocrossed with in Japan. That old yammy had a rotary valve. Tried more than once to cut more than 180 degrees.  175 degree cut with the right expansion chamber made er go purty good.  Good find BTW!  RIDE SAFE.

[Leathel]

They are great fun bikes, I had a 200 that year, 250 and the first of the 600's


 Would love another, might be able to twist a friends arm and buy one of his treasures...... it will not be easy but he does have 27 80-85 200-500cc bikes now and that is just not right, he neeeeeds to share them around

They are fun. Torque monsters. I have always been a 600 guy but a 500 is close enough to play around on. If I ever hit the lottery I will have a collection for sure.

Yup I loved the old 600, rebuilt the engine & replaced some gears, 2nd & 3rd wore out from to many wheel stands

 Love the feeling as it gets steeper you lower the revs and torque it up until you get to first gear at idle and it still keeps climbing

I used to be a bit of a hoon (rebel) on it though




Some of batches bikes (3 rooms)

[DIGGER]

Awesome find!!!!   I LOVE OLD MOTORCYCLES!     

[Rams]

Some things never get old even though we do.  Nice find.  Just remember, falling down still hurts and the older we get, the longer it takes to recover .  I have to constantly remind myself I am not 25 and haven’t even for a very long time.

Rams 

[klb]

Yup I loved the old 600, rebuilt the engine & replaced some gears, 2nd & 3rd wore out from to many wheel stands

 Love the feeling as it gets steeper you lower the revs and torque it up until you get to first gear at idle and it still keeps climbing

I used to be a bit of a hoon (rebel) on it though




Some of batches bikes (3 rooms)


[/quote]

The 600 was a all around do everything bike. I had a few and wish I never had sold them. Always called them a John Deere tractor.

My first Honda at 13 years old. 1977 XL75. I loved that bike.


My 1st 600 was a 86 with gear trouble. Shift drum had a nick and let the shift forks jump off. Sitting idling it put itself in gear and fell over.



Replaced the 86 with a nice 88 I found. Never had any trouble out of it for years.


Got the itch for a new one I had never had back disc brakes so picked up a new 97. My brother in law wanted my 88 so he sold his 86 and got it.



Sold the 97 and just rode my Valk then got the itch again but you could not find a 600 that wasn't ragged out so tried a 01 KX500. After several rides I figured if I wanted to live much longer I needed to sell that thing.



Then some guys at work got into riding so I bought this beast a 01 XR650R uncorked with a aftermarket pipe. This thing was a monster with way more power than the 600's but rode like crap. After several months it was sold.

[pais]

       SWEET!     

[Hook#3287]

Nice find

I bought a xr350r new back in the 80's.  Gave it to my nephew and its living out its life in NC.

It had a lot of grunt. 

I imagine that 500 has a lot more.

[klb]

Nice find

I bought a xr350r new back in the 80's.  Gave it to my nephew and its living out its life in NC.

It had a lot of grunt. 

I imagine that 500 has a lot more.

  They do have the grunt.

[cookiedough]

now you guys got me thinking ....   

this just popped up locally

https://madison.craigslist.org/mcy/d/madison-1982-honda-xl500r/6989177850.html

this says is a XL500r vs. a XR500, what is the difference?

[klb]

now you guys got me thinking ....   

this just popped up locally

https://madison.craigslist.org/mcy/d/madison-1982-honda-xl500r/6989177850.html

this says is a XL500r vs. a XR500, what is the difference?

XL500 versus XR500

The Honda XL500 is introduced in 1979 as a direct competitor to the Yamaha XT 500. From 1979 to 1981 the model designation is XL-S and with the introduction of enhancements starting in 1982 and to 1984 the designation becomes XL-R. For the U.S. market, Honda releases at the same time a sportier variant designated as XR500 which includes a solo seat, a tool kit, a smaller integrated headlight (6V 25/25W), a round speedometer, foldable brake and gear levers, longer travel front and rear suspensions (0.8 inch) and slightly higher engine performance. The sportier XR500 is lighter and doesn’t include a battery, blinkers, tachometer or ignition switch.

XR and XL engines are very similar – same piston, compression ratio, valves, cam cut and timing. The main differences consist of:

The XL rotor/flywheel is heavier than the XR.
The XL stator coils are different than the XR and output higher electrical power.
The XL500S outputs 6V and so are the XR500 and XR500R up to the end of 1982. The XL500R and the 83/84 XR500R are 12V.
The gear ratios are the same between the XL and XR. However, the gear cogs are cut in a stronger steel for the XR and the XR 5th gear cog is a couple of millimeters wider.
The final drive ratio is different between the XL (XL500S 2.785 [39/14]; XL500R 2.733 [41/15]) and XR (3.429 [48/14]).
The XL has a sensor for a neutral position light which the XR doesn’t have.
The carburetor main jet size varies between models and location (US-49 states versus California).
The XR carburetor emulsifier tube appears to have more holes than the XL carburetor emulsifier tube.
The manual carburetor choke handle is operated remotely via cable for the XL whereas the choke handle is directly mounted on the carburetor for the XR .

[Leathel]

This XL600 is for sale locally, if it was cheaper I would grab it but for the same dollars I can get a late 2000's KTM 525EXC and I want off & On Road use and the KTM has it in spades for off road compared to the XL



the dead giveaway (well here anyway) is the steel tanks on the XL's, I have had both and still have an 86 XR250

[klb]

This XL600 is for sale locally, if it was cheaper I would grab it but for the same dollars I can get a late 2000's KTM 525EXC and I want off & On Road use and the KTM has it in spades for off road compared to the XL

The black Xl looks pretty good. KTM seems to be the most popular dirt and dual sport nowadays.

[Leathel]

If that XL was an XR and it was pre 86 like yours I could ride it in the VMX racing class and I would sway that way, the shut off for the class I want to ride in with friends is 85..... I already have an 86 XR250 I could use in the 86-90 class

I am trying to do a deal on this bike at the moment but its owner is in Thailand so conversations are via text are slow, its road registered to so great for adventure trips with the big tank, looks a bit ugly with its aftermarket bits but it comes with its oem bits too......which I will use on the trails, be better than the DRZ400 (mines not road legal so no gravel trips) and the old XR250 on the trails too

[cookiedough]

another one popped up locally but a 650 vs. 500cc.  Over 3K though for even a near mint condition one is too rich for my blood IMO not worth that much.

https://madison.craigslist.org/mcy/d/middleton-honda-xr650l/6987800262.html

[klb]

another one popped up locally but a 650 vs. 500cc.  Over 3K though for even a near mint condition one is too rich for my blood IMO not worth that much.

https://madison.craigslist.org/mcy/d/middleton-honda-xr650l/6987800262.html

I had a 1993 and 2006 XR650L and while they handle very well they are weak as snot. If they would put a XR650R motor on them that would have been a killer ride.