XR600R - Size Matters. Testing the Beast. 

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This guy needs more recognition. Whipping a old big bike around better than a lot of guys on modern 450’s!

I like how you replaced a sketchy street tire with a sketchy dirt tire instead

"Literally laying there" is the best way to build anything

CRAZY VIDEOMAKING. You need some serious sponsors, this is not a review, this is a piece of art

Thanks for being different from every other dirt bike channel on RU-vid, you continue to inspire people like me and prove that you you can still have a ton of fun on a super small budget!

Been riding XR 600's since they were made, best all around bike ever and a good race bike when set up right. Grew up in Hesperia and spent every day after school at Al Baker's XR's only back in the early 80's. Over 50 now and still love the big bike. Glad to see a youngster take an interest in this machine. Down shift to throw the rear end around!

Ive been riding for 20 years and I’ve watched a lot of your videos. Your a super good rider bro.

I had a 96 back in the day when I wanted to be like Scott Summers and I loved it!

Finally, a normal person who just makes it work without pretense and bs.

Having fun on a bike that doesn't cost 15 grand? KTM: "Wait, that's illegal"

I like your approach. Rode the 600R for years and the stock suspension and stock motor work well for most people and most riding a lot of the time. Money spent on tires and general upkeep are the bucks you need to commit. After market parts to lighten it up wont lighten it that much. If you are a good rider you can keep up with just about anyone else in your league on a stock 600. I did find that heavier fork springs were necessary even though I weigh in at 175.

This dude deserves way more recognition than what he has. I love this channel. Keep it up man.

You'll give me pressure to reactivate my '86 XR 600. Not moved since 1989. I'll walk in my cave to check my new project. Greatings from Europe.

I don’t think I’ve ever checked RU-vid so much for an update on if you made more Xr600r videos. I love your videos man

I still ride these old bikes since I am from that time frame, excellent bikes for the day.

You are the 1st real rider i have seen in a while

Now that everything is all fancy and good looking, let’s watch you destroy the whole thing. But for real though I’m actually really excited to see you tame this beast and fight the 450s.

The gentle elephant. Those bikes are tough

I like how you ride any type of bike aggressive like it's a race bike, it shows that you know what you're doing on a bike 🤙👍

I'm lucky, I guess, that I got to experience the air cooled XR's when they were all "state-of-the-art", so to speak. These are the bikes that made it all happen. I miss the reliability but for sure I don't miss kicking my guts out trying to hot start one of these stubborn beasts when they get temperamental on a hot day in the desert. The XR600R is a venerable sled even still toady in the right hands! And holy crap they can be fun to ride! Thank you for posting this video and enjoy the hell out of the XR!

This dude gets it! It's the rider not the bike!

Ive rode a 84' 250R for over thirty years up here in pacific northwest. It's amazing how fast you can go, sitting down, through tight, slimy woods on an old XR.

Love my XR650L. I know you didn't not enjoy your experience with the L. But I basically turned my L into an R, sorta. Oil cooler, USD forks/front end, removed all unnecessary parts (probably 20 lbs or so), plus it has the magic e button. It's great, heavy, but great. Enjoy your xr and good luck.

I always have a special place in my ❤ for this bike and the (don't laugh), DR650. Great to see you ripping on a big enduro.

The old XR is still a competent bike out in the desert. Too many people think they need the latest and greatest stuff to ride but this Honda will get it done just fine!

New to riding dirt bikes aggressively, I’ve always trail ridden and I’m amazed at how you guys handle these things on lose dirt and gravel, you guys are awesome

I bought a 1986 XR 600R in 1996, it was bored out, rejetted and had a Supertrap exhaust, that bike was such a blast! Stock gearing was 14/48 but I changed the front sprocket to a 15, that bike was extremely fast! Great video, it sure brought back some great memories! Thanks for sharing!

I can't tell you how many times I've watched the first 1:18. It's like a Rocky training montage! "Gonna fly now!" ... I'll see myself out.

I have a 98, much improved suspension over the stuff available in 1986, i have a 1985 cr500 that had all these issues so I just turned it into a hill climb bike where precision just is not critical. Kenda tires all around is a good combination for these heavy bikes, served me well.

As an old-school thumperite myself ( rotate between a Gen 1 KLR and a DR 650) I Love your perspective! Just adapt, learn , and ride the beast rather than modify the crap out of it... So simple... like the thumper it is!

Just subscribed ! Rode my 93xr 600 for 6 year's, its a beast but a blast , throwing that thing around will make you strong !

Really enjoyed that video. Massively refreshing to see someone learning to ride the older bike as it is and not just change everything to match a new bike.

Updating the brakes to disc oh, and running good tires is a good thing to do to live long. I'm 60. And I still rip on my xr600 just got the motor rebuilt now it really hauls ass

When my bikes hard to start and I need to stop and adjust things all the time and the forks suck and parts are odd ball sizes and hard to find. - "Its just part of the fun of owning one of these older bikes" - " It has a vintage feel to the way it handles"

Love watching the old school plush off road suspension. I used to love my old XRs I think I owned about 8 of them over the years.

Great video mate. I've had a long term love affair with the Honda XR's since my first XR75. The 600 is a great bike that is reliable and surprisingly fast. Sure it won't feel as light as a modern 450 but once you figure out how to "flow" the bike, they work very well. The big beast needs a totally different technique compared to a modern 450. You'll love it once you get the hang of it. Seeing the condition of the oil that came out of the forks I'd be at least getting the rear shock serviced and maybe a new spring. It has probably never been apart! Take a good look at the linkages while you have the shock out as well. Re-build kits for the rear linkages are available and reasonably affordable. I'm glad to see a young man giving the dinosaur a chance and keeping it alive. Fresh oil, Fresh oil filter and a clean air filter after every race will keep the XR going forever!. Oh, heavy duty clutch springs are a good mod as well as making sure the clutch basket isn't worn and full of grooves. They are hard on clutches if they get abused. Lastly, enjoy the simplicity of the XR. Once you have it sorted you'll have little to do other than wait for the next ride! Cheers. I have subbed to keep an eye on your progress with the old girl.

7:48 onwards. That is exactly why I like you and your channel man, you do everyday mods and improvements with tight budgets an I can relate to that, and god forbid... even learn stuff! The sponsor-fest channels are a dime a dozen but real stuff like this is hard to come by. You've been a huge motivation for me to build my bike just the way I want to and not feel bad, that I'm using sourced- and bin parts. kKep doing what you're doing man, you rock!

I rode an XR600 a few years before I bought my new 2004 Kawasaki KLR650. I swear that Honda was a beast and would blow away that Kaw. Wheelies in any gear and damn near any speed. It was a monster.

I love how stoked you are bro! I also appreciate your willingness to adapt rather than just simply blame the bike. As a newer rider it is very refreshing and inspiring to hear I just need to keep learning rather than spend more money “because the bike is the problem” Rad video dude 🤙🏻

I like your style, fixing and cleaning old stuff instead of spending thousands to have the latest and greatest, really shows that skill is more important than money

Glad to hear that people are keeping these old bikes alive.

Really like your approach to this whole thing. Rear drum brake, no worries about bending a rotor. Four stroke air cooled, rock solid. Most bikes are better than the rider. I know my CRF 230f is better than I.

Growing up, if you could start xr600.... you could ride it, epic bike

Rode an '86 XR600 for several years on trails in northern Michigan and hare scrambles in Illinois. I put a K&N on it, Super Trap, cut the bars down 1" on each side, added Bark Busters and kicked all my buddies butts! None of us were any good but that bike WAS A BLAST!

I have a 1990 xr600r first bike I've ever had and I absolutely love it I'm not no small guy I'm 6 ft 4 240 lb guy and I can barely keep the front tire down. Xr600 I'm a fan for life.

The part i like is the fact that you are NOT sponsored. It would ruin you and your channel. With that said i like most who will watch have bins and bins of parts you can have free of charge to help this awesome channel. Keep up the good work young man as you are a rare one.

I've owned and ridden several dirt bikes and the XR600R is the only one that's managed to stick around for close to 10 years!

My Dad had an 88' XR 600r. I probably had more seat time on it than on my own bike at the time. Mainly cuz it was the only bike that could keep pace with his CR500 in open desert. 30yrs & about a dozen bikes of various sizes later it's still in my top 3 based on the fun factor. True story, I rode up what I thought was a trail to the top of a 25ft drop off in 2nd gear, well they didn't stop on a dime even going uphill so I bailed but the bike was sent over. In a panic I slide down the way I came up to get to the bike & assess the damage. The bars were buried so deep on the left side I thought they broke in half but I knew they weren't cuz the sand was holding clutch lever in & the beast was still idling!! Literally went off a cliff & was idling at the bottom. Bars were tweaked but that was the extent of the damage. The best advice I was told on how to ride those sleds was "point & shoot".

Owned many dirt bikes thru the years, KTM, Maico, Yamaha, Honda CR to name a few. Raced desert starting in 1978 to 1994 last class was senior veteran. My last and best racing bike was the 1992 xr600r, several overalls and many first in class. Who ever designed this package hit the mark.

Excellent video. I've owned big XRs almost continuously since the mid eighties, and I'm so set in my ways I'm not likely to ever stop. It's like riding around on your favourite couch. I've never even given a passing thought to setup, other than the very basics. I just adapt, as you so wisely stated.

This was my first and last dirt bike. It was fantastic, reliable, and unstoppable. I wouldn’t recommend it for beginners, even though I was. It’s heavy, but will climb anything. Hard to pick up, but I jumped it many times. I still think about that bike all the time. Cool video, looking forward to watching more content.

So painful, watching you grease up the brake sliders and then put the whole assembly back dirty. Really good video though. It took me years to view my mechanical skills as a holistic art encompassing clean, examine, diagnose, repair, making better and improving the look feel and performance of the part. Spending time when able, cleaning and inspecting in terms of exploration lets you know your machine. Many professions require people to know and go to a mechanical issue immediately with the complete understanding imparting an immediate adjustment or repair without question. I know we aren't going to the moon here but the tips and tricks that come along hopefully include ideas that tweak the mind just a bit towards self betterment. I'm not a mechanic by trade but being good at something also means you have branched off and included skills others may marvel at and not expect. Once while fixing a computer i took the motherboard over to the kitchen sink and washed it with soap and water. With an air compressor and a constant stream of 100 psi it can be dried and reassembled if done correctly.The owner had a house full of cats and it stunk. Helping others becomes the goal in any endeavor you become skilled in and carry with pride. It takes years. As a teen working on a carburetor, in anger I threw it against the wall in the garage as hard has i could. The moment it left my fingertips i knew i had really screwed up. But now at 64 not much gets by me, at least the things from experience. Learning to fix a lot of stuff take valuable time away from more important goals in education and life events. Always keep this in mind.. A life long Toyota mechanic has probably seen the same repair 500 times. Not the you and I trying to fix everything seeing it once in a while...

This is the perfect platform to build a “Mad Max” bike. Flat black everything. Don’t kid yourself, your rational for parts selection is what most normal people do. The “use what you have” approach is the best if your just playing.

I love my xr600r. Appreciate the content!

Thank you for changing that front fender!

awesome. love your approach of keeping it utility oriented... i think we all get too swept away with doing every last mod instead of just enjoying the machine. i know i do. you're sick on that thing!

Refreshing to hear someone who’s making it work for them. You’re on the right track. Get it!

Keep the old bikes rollin . Way to go and the self education you’re getting is amazing .

You man handle that big heavy thumper! You definitely can ride bro! I used to be very competitive in gncc amateur 4stroke class about 25 years ago.. Did it on an xr 600. Bought a 650l last spring. I don't remeber them being sooo heavy. Sure I weigh 70 lbs more and I am old but danm! Electric start is way nice! Btw idk if you said it but that top triple is off an xr650l I believe.. Never seen an xr 600 with a full speddo.

I like the description of the front tire giving a crap. Haha! It works though! I get it

Great video!! I myself have had an amazing experience on an 95 XR600 I bought from a good friend and completely restored it except for the engine . Loved it to death! Mine had the rear disc so I feel your pain!! Have fun on it your young with a good right leg to kick it!! Ride on!!!

Your hand guards are on wrong sides, if you flip them they have a flap to protect your master cylinder, but right now that flap is pointing down

Got one of these old bikes but have disc brakes on it. Im 300 lbs so a stiff suspension is a must. Yes the new bikes are superior in handling but what really burns me about new cycles is the initial price, high and frequent maintence costs, and the small oil capacities. I wish there was a 600-700cc bike with modern design but simple components and larger oil capacity and better reliablity. Im just an old guy who rides trails and old tracks recreationally and dont need to race so being reliable trumps ultra peeformance any day of the week.

Awesome man! I love how you completely think you’re a slow rider lol

Can't wait to see more of the Beast in action. Keep up the great work.

Lol, right on brother just ride and have fun. You got the attitude far it. Great job brother rubber side down. peace

Great video! This guy is just so nice to watch and listen to. Thank you!

I have the last production year of the XR600r. near perfect condition. But make no mistake,. It is no easy bike to race. Better know your limitations. This guy rides it pretty good

Ohhhhhhh. It was a nice time. Cintula in Berlin was a Dealer for XR 600 R from the USA. Heartbroken Bike. I love it.

Man you can ride very well. You're just being humble and that's a good thing! Love the video and the old air cooled four stroke 😀

Nice video I love it. I use my XR 600 last 17 years. This motobike ist just brilliant. I tune it little bit up with custom stainless steel exhaust system, custom camshaft and forged pistons, tuned Carburetor. Results in about 56 HP on Dyno. 10:25 About Valves - set outtake valves up to 0,15 not like Honda says 0,12. ☝️

I love your spirit and patience with an old bike.😎

Sick dude! I can’t believe how you are flying on wheelies past those Joshua trees - they are super sharp!

I raced a 97 XR600 in NETRA Enduros’ and Hare Scrambles (New England Trail Rider) it was fantastic in the woods, with just a blip of the throttle to clear off camber roots.. since I am 6 foot 2 It wasn’t much of a problem at all to throw the 285 dry weight bike around in the woods

Great video- this dude looks like a pretty legit rider 👍🏼

I owned a 94 XR600R I loved that bike! I miss it so much! I should not have gotten rid of it when I injured my left knee.

Dude, your channel is the sh!t! You run your stuff like 99.99% of riders. RUN WHAT YOU BRUNG! Sure I wish I had a warehouse full of new stuff to try, but honestly, it probably wouldn't make me a better rider. Thank you so much for sharing your content. Some day if I ever have some $$$, I will buy some of your merch!

That bike is alive!!! 👍🏼You are so right! it’s funny how some people get so technical🤦🏻‍♂️... i’m surprised they haven’t measured The airs molecules due to the centrifugal force caused by the Palladium on the 10th power divided by 1.5 to ask Marty how much further he can travel through the air.🤷🏻‍♂️😂✌🏼

Best channel on youtube. Keep rocking, dude. Great content. You deserve to hit 100k subs and more.

I love these old XR's . The seats are soo comfortable that they feel like you're sitting on a couch. My 22 Husqvarna feels like you're sitting on a log. lol 😆

XR's forever

The XR600R was my choice from 89-2001. I love my 525EXC but every time I ride a 600R it feels like an old pair of tennis shoes. The extra hundred pounds makes me feel like I wrestled a bear but that flat torque curve and slow handling remind me of being young and not worrying about radiators. Yes, a fresh trashmaster is a great 17in tire for a 600R.

I raced a 92' xr600r raced in desert racing, gran-prix's. I cut 1 inch off each side from bars, changed front sprocket from 13 to 14 and stock 48 rear. with bark busters' w/guards for cactus. I found the xr to track better thru rocky rutted terrain.

650R was the best pal to pair with KLR or DR6. My trip to Thai was the best time in my life to ever whip that one. Didn't hear about 600r before, so kudos for your review!

I loved my xr600. I was major bummed when honda racing dropped the xr for baja and went to the 450s. Bob Bell totally changed my xr into a manageable snarling beast. The single most noticeable engine mod is to bolt in a HRC cam...totally changes the xr.

That 1/8 turn throttle was probably the best mod possible!

What you where describing about the front tire, I’m not trying to tell you what I think you should do but simply share my experience, I own a Ktm 300 and the front end can get get knify, what I found that really helps this outside of a steering damper was going to a 110 on the front, golden tyre specifically, but regardless the added width as a byproduct also smoothed out the tracking and washout

Can you imagine how good the XR 250 / 400 / 650 would be with the suspensions and frames of today Reliability second to none

That bike build attitude, i love it 😊

Glad to see someone else repping a 4 runner gabe

Dude when one considers the bikes you ride and the events you ride them in........not only are you a really really really good rider. these are the bikes i grew up riding so i can appreciate how bad they suck in comparison to modern bikes.......that being said you are also a bad ass!

Good stuff, man! I rode a XR400 for years. Also own an early 250 and a XL500S. Those XR's front discs were pretty legit. Honda used good metal in the rotors. I tweaked the front rotor on my 400 and replaced it with a Tusk disc. Squealed awful and no pad works grab it. Bad alloy. The old XR's don't get enough respect. I hung a pair of twin cans off a CRF 250 on my 400 strictly for looks and for fun, but it totally shocked me with the midrange I gained. The bike actually wanted to rev! Aftermarket exhausts are a huge scam, but if you can find a cheap way to free up the exhaust properly it may be useful to your faster riding style. I'm on a KTM RFS now and I love this bike, but the old XR's don't get enough respect. I think I need to order me one of them shirts :) Keep having fun and keeping it simple. Ride safe, dude ✌️

One of these Honda 600/650 engines in a CRF 450 frame would be interesting,have'nt seen anyone do that yet

I'm digging the increase of the 'run what ya brung' mindset with this bike! Too long have I struggled with the paralysis by analysis of parts, setups, whatever. Quit overthinking and overpaying with this sh*t and just go ride!

This guy is the Valentino Rossi on the dirt tracks … born to be wild just like a champ. God bless America. 😎🇺🇸✌🏽

the 1986 xr600 outgoing model has fully adjustable suspension. 43 mm air-adjustable leading-axle Showa cartridge fork with eight-position compression damping adjustability for the front and Pro-Link single Showa shock with spring preload, 20-position compression, and 20-position rebound damping adjustability. identical to the present day 2021 xr650L, if memory serves right.

As usual, you did a great job with fixing up your XR600R as well as your riding. Hopefully you got a great deal on the bike as it's clear that the previous owner(s) never heard of the word 'maintenance'.

I did a yz250 fork conversion on a 2011 klr after an incident. It had Ricor valves and Progressive springs and new oil in the factory sticks. The conversion gives little more clearance, travel and adjustment but less turning radius. For the time and money to convert the forks, it was cheaper and easier to just replace the guts of the stock forks. Really no difference for my riding. It looks cool. And with the heavier spring wrapping the factory rear shock, this pig can fly😆 and land.

Dude! I'm glad to hear how you go about picking some of your parts and gear. I've always had the mindset of riding around some of the negative things bike ABC has. I think it's made me a more capable rider. And it's definitely more satisfying when you're faster than other guys with all the expensive performance princess bikes!