The XL600 thread

[Craignastic]

Hello all. I have been following the thread for awhile and figured I might as well say hi. I scooped up this 85 XL600R a few months ago, tore it part way down, put it back together, and rode it. What a ridiculously fun motorcycle . Now I think I'm hearing the timing chain noise, so that is the next thing to address. Ah well, wrenching on the beastie is kind of fun. Anyway, here is my bike.


Uh...no photo, it would seem. little help?

[lookfar]

Originally Posted by Craignastic

Hello all. I have been following the thread for awhile and figured I might as well say hi. I scooped up this 85 XL600R a few months ago, tore it part way down, put it back together, and rode it. What a ridiculously fun motorcycle . Now I think I'm hearing the timing chain noise, so that is the next thing to address. Ah well, wrenching on the beastie is kind of fun. Anyway, here is my bike.


Uh...no photo, it would seem. little help?

Help is at hand...Here you go.

.

[RFVC600R]

my head lights went out as soon as I got off the marine base after work

The light started to dim as revs increased and then it just cut out. I tried to switch to the hi-beams but nothing except the blue light came one.

wtf guys? I had a head light problem before, I cleaned all the contacts and changed all the connectors. It worked after I did that for like a week and then this happens

[lookfar]

Originally Posted by Dracus124

my head lights went out as soon as I got off the marine base after work

The light started to dim as revs increased and then it just cut out. I tried to switch to the hi-beams but nothing except the blue light came one.

wtf guys? I had a head light problem before, I cleaned all the contacts and changed all the connectors. It worked after I did that for like a week and then this happens

Check your stator output for the lighting circuit, then voltage rectifier and regulator...
I'm thinking one of these may have died.......

.

[Edouard_Bracame]

To come back on the Cam chain subject, I always use to buy the cam chain at Honda, in europe the price is around 75 euros, but I've ordered a Wiseco Cam chain for the first time, any feedback on these?
Are they reliable as the genuine?

Thanks

[RFVC600R]

Originally Posted by lookfar

Check your stator output for the lighting circuit, then voltage rectifier and regulator...
I'm thinking one of these may have died.......

.

How do I test? volt meter?

Good god I hope it'snot my stator, too much $$$ right now

[lookfar]

Originally Posted by Dracus124

How do I test? volt meter?

Good god I hope it'snot my stator, too much $$$ right now

Yep, voltmeter, should be AC volts before the rectifier, DC after.

[mikem9]

Looking for advice on an 1984 XR600 that is for sale in my area - North Metro Atlanta. 14,000+ miles. Starts up easy and the engine feels very strong and tight. Idles perfectly also. Looks pretty much stock. Stock exhaust etc. Drips a drop or so of oil each night - not sure from where - maybe countershaft seal? Talking to 2nd owner. He bought it with 10,000 miles and put 4,000 on it himself. He's not sure if the engine has ever been rebuilt.

Without going back and rereading this entire thread, would you mind telling me common issues with a bike like this. Do you have concerns about the mileage? He paid $1400 for it and would take somewhere in that ballpark - maybe less I think?

Thanks for any advice.

Looks kind of like this one. Not actual bike:

[lookfar]

Originally Posted by mikem9

Looking for advice on an 1984 XR600 that is for sale in my area - North Metro Atlanta. 14,000+ miles. Starts up easy and the engine feels very strong and tight. Idles perfectly also. Looks pretty much stock. Stock exhaust etc. Drips a drop or so of oil each night - not sure from where - maybe countershaft seal? Talking to 2nd owner. He bought it with 10,000 miles and put 4,000 on it himself. He's not sure if the engine has ever been rebuilt.

Without going back and rereading this entire thread, would you mind telling me common issues with a bike like this. Do you have concerns about the mileage? He paid $1400 for it and would take somewhere in that ballpark - maybe less I think?

Thanks for any advice.

Looks kind of like this one. Not actual bike:

Not really much goes wrong with these bikes. The stator would be the main issue (mainly age related), replace with a ricky stator when necessary.
The other thing to watch out for is the carbys. Make sure that they are clean, and possibly drain the fuel if it is not going to be used for a long time.
14000 miles isn't much, there are a lot of bikes on here with at least double that, and still going strong. Change the oil regularly as these bikes do not have an oil cooler apart from the frame.


buy it and enjoy...

[Zombie_Stomp]

Originally Posted by mikem9

Looking for advice on an 1984 XR600 that is for sale in my area - North Metro Atlanta. 14,000+ miles. Starts up easy and the engine feels very strong and tight. Idles perfectly also. Looks pretty much stock. Stock exhaust etc. Drips a drop or so of oil each night - not sure from where - maybe countershaft seal? Talking to 2nd owner. He bought it with 10,000 miles and put 4,000 on it himself. He's not sure if the engine has ever been rebuilt.

Without going back and rereading this entire thread, would you mind telling me common issues with a bike like this. Do you have concerns about the mileage? He paid $1400 for it and would take somewhere in that ballpark - maybe less I think?

Thanks for any advice.

Looks kind of like this one. Not actual bike:

Very good advice on the other reply. I would just like to add that, yes, the shaft seals may become leaky, and so you might want to get all the shaft seals and replace. All except the decompressor shaft on the head cover can be done without taking any engine cases off. You just have to gently pry the seals out being careful not to scratch the shafts themselves. The shifter shaft leaks sometimes too. Then there is the kickstarter shaft. If you need to replace a leaking decompressor shaft, it requires removing the engine because the XL600 can't have the head cover removed while the engine is still in the frame, unfortunately. If only they had made that a splined shaft with an attaching lever, then we could be leak free very easily. +1 on the ricky stator. Great product, great warranty.

[RFVC600R]

gonna test the electricial components tomorrow. if the stator is bad I will have to sell the bike since i cannot afford a new one.

anybody want a XL600 with a fresh engine??

[Zombie_Stomp]

Originally Posted by Dracus124

gonna test the electricial components tomorrow. if the stator is bad I will have to sell the bike since i cannot afford a new one.

What the hell are you talking about? A brand new, lifetime warranty Ricky Stator costs like $140!! Don't tell me you only know about OEM retail-prices stators!!

[RFVC600R]

Originally Posted by Zombie_Stomp

What the hell are you talking about? A brand new, lifetime warranty Ricky Stator costs like $140!! Don't tell me you only know about OEM retail-prices stators!!

It's not that

I got a baby coming in a couple weeks and I cannot shell out $140 for the foreseeable future, So I might just sell this beast and buy a gay 'lil 250 But I will be disappointed when I roll the throttle back from now on. And I still got two years atleast before the bike is paid off and I don't wanna make payments on something I can't ride or afford to fix

I still haven't looked it yet though. The lights failed after work last night around midnight, and I had to be at work again at noon today. Gonna look at it in the morning. I'm hoping I just lost ground. Hope the for the best but expect the worst, then you'll never be surprised I'm sure its a simple problem.

Got lucky and found a stator my best friends '82 Kawasaki KZ750 for $30, Hopefully I can get lucky like that if its bad.

I did see the strangest thing today, It was a CBR900RR with these MASSIVE engine guards on them. Looks like they would scrape pretty easily. It was like a fucking cage around the engine and it stuck out like 10 inches from the side. Gawd I need a cheap camera to keep in my backpack

[RFVC600R]

Fuck it I'm going just fix what is wrong with it. it's too much fun

I want a house with a garage dammit. this headlight problem bugs me as I commute at night and sometimes I offroad my way home. I need to make the headlight as reliable as the rest of the bike and I can't do anything til the morning.

[lookfar]

Originally Posted by Dracus124

It's not that

I got a baby coming in a couple weeks and I cannot shell out $140 for the foreseeable future, So I might just sell this beast and buy a gay 'lil 250 But I will be disappointed when I roll the throttle back from now on. And I still got two years atleast before the bike is paid off and I don't wanna make payments on something I can't ride or afford to fix

I still haven't looked it yet though. The lights failed after work last night around midnight, and I had to be at work again at noon today. Gonna look at it in the morning. I'm hoping I just lost ground. Hope the for the best but expect the worst, then you'll never be surprised I'm sure its a simple problem.

Got lucky and found a stator my best friends '82 Kawasaki KZ750 for $30, Hopefully I can get lucky like that if its bad.

I did see the strangest thing today, It was a CBR900RR with these MASSIVE engine guards on them. Looks like they would scrape pretty easily. It was like a fucking cage around the engine and it stuck out like 10 inches from the side. Gawd I need a cheap camera to keep in my backpack

No point rushing into things, thinking the worst....check it out thoroughly before taking the leap.

If you ask nicely, somebody on here probably has any spare parts that you may need, all you have to do is ask.

I, for one, have a secondhand stator that I would be willing to part with for postage, but postage could be interesting from Australia

HTH