94 XR600 rebuild

[desert.rider77 0]

I have been saving for a year and am about to get my XR rebuilt. Probably just the top end unless they get in there and find it needs more. I could use some insight into what piston, valves, head, springs, exhaust, etc would be ideal and where to get them cheapest. I am also open to suggestions as to where to get the work done. It would be awesome to get in touch with someone who is an expert at setting up baja race bikes or something along these lines. Any ideas?

[KTMrad 508]

These guys always had a good reputation....you can take out your motor and send it to them or buy the parts and have a good local mechanic do it.

THUMPER RACING

[Badfish2 0]

Or these guys Big Bore Thumpers

[Sneeker 29]

It would be awesome to get in touch with someone who is an expert at setting up baja race bikes or something along these lines. Any ideas?

C & D Cycle Center of San Diego is known for Baja race prep and they have some years of experience with XR bikes and rebuilds.

I had them rebuild the top end on my XR650R in August before my Sierra trip, now it works perfect. They are a little pricey but I wanted an XR expert. Nice guys, good job, on time, no complaints. Some have had different experiences with their service tho.

[Guest Crusty]

who is an expert at setting up baja race bikes or something along these lines. Any ideas?

Well 1st. you need to start with a CRF 450X

For my XR 680L SUPER ADVENTURE.Hard Core

I got most of my parts from XR's ONLY For Big Fin Head, Porting, Valve job,Cam,oil temp.dipstick, Magnetic drain plugs, high comp. piston.

If you go this route you will also need a heavy duty clutch." Barnett Carbon Fiber"...and lots of rear tires

[bikeslut 1]

the XR600 first flexed it considerable muscle in Baja, and rightfully deserves it's reputation as a Baja legend

sure- technology caught up and passed it, but Crusty of all people should accept that older bikes, set up correctly, can still be a great ride

truth be told- for an all around dual sport, I would rather have an XR600 or 650L than a 450X

that all being said, Ray...XRs only has some pretty good things being said... in general, ThumperTalk is a good resource for XR people...

http://www.cyclechaos.com/wiki/Honda_XR600R

[Guest Crusty]

the XR600 first flexed it considerable muscle in Baja, and rightfully deserves it's reputation as a Baja legend

sure- technology caught up and passed it, but Crusty of all people should accept that older bikes, set up correctly, can still be a great ride

truth be told- for an all around dual sport, I would rather have an XR600 or 650L than a 450X

that all being said, Ray...XRs only has some pretty good things being said... in general, ThumperTalk is a good resource for XR people...

http://www.cyclechao...ki/Honda_XR600R

I agree about the X for dual sport, my XR is better

[desert.rider77 0]

If you go this route you will also need a heavy duty clutch." Barnett Carbon Fiber"...and lots of rear tires

I just replaced my clutch 3 months ago, went with oem and heavy duty springs. I was told that it was just as good if not better than the barnett. Hope I didn't make a big mistake there.

[Strega 0]

C & D Cycle Center of San Diego is known for Baja race prep and they have some years of experience with XR bikes and rebuilds.

I had them rebuild the top end on my XR650R in August before my Sierra trip, now it works perfect. They are a little pricey but I wanted an XR expert. Nice guys, good job, on time, no complaints. Some have had different experiences with their service tho.

I completely agree with the above. Not the cheapest, not the most expensive, but the work is VERY good every time I've had anything done there.

[Sneeker 29]

If you go this route you will also need a heavy duty clutch." Barnett Carbon Fiber"...and lots of rear tires

I just replaced my clutch 3 months ago, went with oem and heavy duty springs. I was told that it was just as good if not better than the barnett. Hope I didn't make a big mistake there.

No worries.

OEM clutch plates are among the best unless the XR is heavily modified.

[desert.rider77 0]

Informative thread once you sift through the muck. First off let me clear something up. I am not going to be riding baja anytime soon, since DSR nearly wiped me.;-) I just know the reputation of the 600 at baja and figure that anyone who has set up machines for that, will have the knowledge needed to get me going. That being said keep your 450's I bought two complete 600s for 1400 and have ridden the wheels off of the street legal one over the last year. I love it and I want to set it up for supermoto soon. I ride much more on the street than I do on dirt. I want a fast machine that can handle my height and weight on a budget. The xr is the choice for me.

I hadn't heard of big bore thumpers or Sneeker's suggestion so I'll be looking into those further. I have heard about thumper racing and have spent some time on the xr's only site. Thumper talk doesn't have anything good to say about Al Baker's customer service. I have spent several hours on TT trying to find some good solid advice, its spread kinda thin I there. I do appreciate everyone's input and am starting to feel a little better informed as to where to start. I have had work done by RPS in Vista. Ron is quite a character and a little hard to deal with but he seems to know motors pretty good. He said he thinks he can rebuild for around 1200. If I'm gonna spend the money I want it done right, and I'm not sure he's the one. Thanks for all the advice. See ya on the trail soon.

[Guest Crusty]

If you go this route you will also need a heavy duty clutch." Barnett Carbon Fiber"...and lots of rear tires

I just replaced my clutch 3 months ago, went with oem and heavy duty springs. I was told that it was just as good if not better than the barnett. Hope I didn't make a big mistake there.

I did the same and it slips, at full throttle in 5th. and I am not fully done building up my XR.

The Barnett Carbon is what a lot of the peeps at Banned CR500 riders SWEAR BY.

Craig aka. HAMMER

[Goofy Footer 539]

I haven't a clue about rebuilding your XR but I do know that multiple well known guys on this site have used C&D Cycle.

Don't worry about the dirt riding, come ride with bboyle9 and I one of these weekends (maybe even this weekend). He's still getting acquainted with his 650 in the dirt. We'll all ride together at a good pace.

What I do know however is that THIS is awesome....

XR600 Street Tracker

[desert.rider77 0]

That's pretty sweet but this is what I'm after. ( can't post pics from my phone have to give a link.)

http://www.4strokes.com/guests/imagedetail.asp?ImgID=1535

With spokes instead of the mags and minus all the silly stickers.

Swappable to knobbies, and a different seat and tank in less than an hour.

[Uncle Champ 116]

My 2 cents, when I got back into dirt riding I bought a 600 and had Alan Fox in Alpine go through it. He is a pro and a racer too. In fact I just picked up my X from him last night. As for price I feel treated well but I am not a price shopper, I trust his work and he checks more than just the job at hand. His main line is 619-445-1415. Often he do's not get messages, if you can't get through to him let me know and I will give you the secret #.

Unc. C.

[desert.rider77 0]

I took my bike to C&D wed the 5th, had to wait a week because they were backed up for desert season, left a 250 deposit, and my extra motor with them. Called Monday, and they hadn't gotten to look at it yet. :-( I called again Thursday and they said they would call me back. A few hours later they called me back saying that both engines were shot top and bottom. :-( :-( I have 1500 or so saved to do something so I hit CL and found a couple 600's around a grand.

I went down and picked up my bike with my trailer andmet with a guy who has a 93. The hole that the case saver screws into was busted out but seems mostly cosmetic. Bike seemed to have good compression and power when I rode it. A lot more than my 600 lately anyway. I told him I will get back to him...

So I headed to ramona. I never drive my van except to camp in the desert and it sat most of the summer. Radiator got a hole. So now I am sitting at poway road and 67 at the iron mountain trailhead, waiting for my van to cool down.

Hope the next bike is what I am looking for.

Fate will have its way.

Desert.Rider

[bikeslut 1]

I took my bike to C&D wed the 5th, had to wait a week because they were backed up for desert season, left a 250 deposit, and my extra motor with them. Called Monday, and they hadn't gotten to look at it yet. :-( I called again Thursday and they said they would call me back. A few hours later they called me back saying that both engines were shot top and bottom. :-( :-( I have 1500 or so saved to do something so I hit CL and found a couple 600's around a grand.

I went down and picked up my bike with my trailer andmet with a guy who has a 93. The hole that the case saver screws into was busted out but seems mostly cosmetic. Bike seemed to have good compression and power when I rode it. A lot more than my 600 lately anyway. I told him I will get back to him...

So I headed to ramona. I never drive my van except to camp in the desert and it sat most of the summer. Radiator got a hole. So now I am sitting at poway road and 67 at the iron mountain trailhead, waiting for my van to cool down.

Hope the next bike is what I am looking for.

Fate will have its way.

Desert.Rider

you need a pick up? with some water and some radiator stop-leak?

[desert.rider77 0]

I took my bike to C&D wed the 5th, had to wait a week because they were backed up for desert season, left a 250 deposit, and my extra motor with them. Called Monday, and they hadn't gotten to look at it yet. :-( I called again Thursday and they said they would call me back. A few hours later they called me back saying that both engines were shot top and bottom. :-( :-( I have 1500 or so saved to do something so I hit CL and found a couple 600's around a grand.

I went down and picked up my bike with my trailer andmet with a guy who has a 93. The hole that the case saver screws into was busted out but seems mostly cosmetic. Bike seemed to have good compression and power when I rode it. A lot more than my 600 lately anyway. I told him I will get back to him...

So I headed to ramona. I never drive my van except to camp in the desert and it sat most of the summer. Radiator got a hole. So now I am sitting at poway road and 67 at the iron mountain trailhead, waiting for my van to cool down.

Hope the next bike is what I am looking for.

Fate will have its way.

Desert.Rider

you need a pick up? with some water and some radiator stop-leak?

Thanks for the offer. Just had to let it cool down and fill it full of water.

Made it to ramona and left a deposit on the bike. Pretty clean, it had been sitting in a garage for years. He was 70 years old and said he couldn't kick it and that it had been sitting for a couple years. He put frsh gas in it. I kicked it over on the 5th kick rode around a little on flat tires got it up to third gear. Plenty of compresion and power. Came with a desert tank, a cool older supertrapp, renthal bars just like stock only blue???, and a nice floor jack. Also has a funny headlight maybe ufo or acerbis. 700 bucks. Motor is cleaner than mine. Rims look straight. Gonna have to work. Hopefully I can run it for another year without any need for engine work.