Honda XR600R - what to look for?

After my continuous dilly-dallying I'm getting my finger out and going to look at some big off road machines tomorrow morning.

Tomorrow is a trip to a dealer who has 5-7 Honda XR600Rs in stock from the late eighties through the nineties. I quite fancy one of these as my second bike for fire trails, the odd bit of beach, small gravelly roads etc.

I've worked out that I'll be wanting at least a post '91 model with the disc rear brake. Now being enduro bikes they will no doubt have seen some use/abuse, what points should I look for when buying such an example?

I've heard the old 600 air cooled motor is pretty tough, anything specific to check here?

And chassis/suspension/brake checks, what am I looking for with an off roader?

Any advice/help is appreciated!

have you rode one?

i found it big and heavy,and hard to turn when going slow.....plus it was a bitch to kick, although im used to a left side kick start on the beta

i prefered the xr 400.

Nope haven't ridden one, but don't want i for super tight and twisty stuff, fire trails in the Ardennes and Eifel are my hopeful hunting ground, along with the odd beach blast (incredibly something that I believe is legal over here in certain areas!).

With the kick start I've heard there's a certain knack... I'll probably take a while to learn it. Looking forward to tomorrow, off on the 750, should be amusing to compare!

[Red Herring]

Tim if you can find the extra dosh the XR650R is a much better bike all round. Just awesome and unbreakable.

But it's watercooled, what happens if I hole the rad?

And probably way out of my price range in rip off clogland!


Thanks for the suggestion though.

[lukemillar]

Originally Posted by Tim in Belgium

But it's watercooled, what happens if I hole the rad?

Get some rad guards!

Why not a DR350 or XR400?

Originally Posted by Tim in Belgium

But it's watercooled, what happens if I hole the rad?

Originally Posted by lukemillar

Get some rad guards!

How are you intending on holing the rad anyway?!

I've been green laning and racing in enduros for a few years now and have never worried about it myself.

More worried about breaking limbs!

[Red Herring]

Originally Posted by Tim in Belgium

But it's watercooled, what happens if I hole the rad?

I've done Enduro, Trail riding, trials, track days, Supermoto (three seasons) and rallied my XR650 and I don't think there was a single day when I didn't come off it one way or another. Total repair bill so far has been a clutch lever and a set of handlebars. Like i said, they're unbreakable.

ps: apart from changing the oil/filter I've put in one new spark plug and checked (not adjusted) the valve clearances a couple of times so they're not exactly high maintenance either.