Honda XR600R: history, specs, pictures

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Hondaxr6001993.jpg
Honda XR600R
Manufacturer
Also called XR 600 R
Production 1985- 2000
Class Enduro
Predecessor Honda XR500
Successor Honda XR650R
Engine
591cc Air cooled, four-stroke, single cylinder SOHC, 4 valves
Bore / Stroke 96.5mm x 96.5mm
Compression ratio 9:1
Top Speed 68 mph (110 km/h)
Horsepower 46.0 HP (34.3 KW) @ 6000RPM
Torque 38.36 ft/lbs (52.0 Nm) @ 5500RPM
Spark Plug NGK DPR8EA-9 '85-00 [1]
Transmission Gear box: 5 Speed
Final Drive Chain: 520x110 [1]
Front Sprocket 14T
Rear Sprocket 48T '85-87, 91-00
50T '88-90
Suspension Front: 43mm air assisted leading axial forks
Rear: Pro-Link
Brakes Front: Single disc
Rear: Single disc
Front Tire 3.00-21 '85-87
80/100-21 '88-00 [1]
Rear Tire 110/100-17 '85-87
110/80-18 '88-00 [1]
Wheelbase 57.28 inches (1455 mm)
Seat Height 37.01 inches (940 mm)
Weight 128.0 kg (wet)
Oil Filter K&N KN-112[2]
Recommended Oil Honda GN4 10W-40
Fuel Capacity 2.64 Gallon (10.00 Liters)
Related Honda XL600R
Manuals Service Manual

Brochures ·


The Honda XR600 is a very popular offroad motorcycle with an air cooled single cylinder, four stroke engine. The bike was manufactured by Honda from 1985 to 2000, after which it was replaced by the liquid cooled XR650 model. It could reach a top speed of 68 mph (110 km/h). Max torque was 38.36 ft/lbs (52.0 Nm) @ 5500 RPM. Claimed horsepower was 46.0 HP (34.3 KW) @ 6000 RPM.


Engine[edit | edit source]

The engine was a air cooled Air cooled, four-stroke, single cylinder SOHC, 4 valves. A 96.5mm bore x 96.5mm stroke result in a displacement of just 591.0 cubic centimeters. Fuel was supplied via a overhead cams (ohc).

Drive[edit | edit source]

The bike has a 5 Speed transmission.

Chassis[edit | edit source]

It came with a 80/100-21 front tire and a 110/80-18 rear tire. Stopping was achieved via Single disc in the front and a Single disc in the rear. The front suspension was a 43mm air assisted leading axial forks while the rear was equipped with a Pro-Link. The XR 600 R was fitted with a 2.64 Gallon (10.00 Liters) fuel tank. The wheelbase was 57.28 inches (1455 mm) long.


A Well-Finished Motorcycle[edit | edit source]

Launched in 1982 as the XR500, three years later the "big" XR inherited the excellent 600cc RFVC engine with four radial valves. Since then, the XR 600 has progressively evolved, principally in terms of suspension and gaining a disk brake at the rear, but also in detail refinements that have made it the thoroughly perfected machine it is today.

Mind-Bending Average Speeds[edit | edit source]

Long before HVA and Husaberg, the XR 600 played to the taste of many enduro riders for engines with valves. Plus, as a bonus, it had the aura of sterling success in American desert races like the mythic Baja 1000, the Parker 400 and other Mexicali races won at mind-bending average speeds by the likes of Al Baker, Dan Ashcraft, and Bruce Ogilvie. The XR600 forged the legend of the "big thumper" in the shadow of the cactus of New Mexico. Since then it has widened its field of action to African rallies, in which it is the favorite mount of privateers, who want a machine that is both reliable and performs well.Its engine has remarkable flexibility and its frame is well-balanced, but the XR600, physically constrained in the narrow tracks of an enduro, needs wide open spaces to give its best performance.


The engine displacement is 594 cc Four valve placed in a RFVC radial disposition with a single camshaft. It has a dry sump lubrication system. The engine has a compression of 9,0:1 with a bore/stroke of 97x80 mm. The engine is fed by a 38 mm piston-valve carburetor. The front suspension is managed by two conventional 43 mm forks with compression and rebound adjustability, and in the rear are a Prolink single shock with preload, compression and rebound adjustability. The bike has a five speed transmission and a kick start.

  • Some specifications
    A 1995 Road modified XR600R
  • Front brake single disc with twin-piston caliper
  • Rear brake single disc
  • Tires Front 80/100-21
  • Tires Rear 110/100-18
  • Wheelbase 57.3 inches
  • Seat Height 37.6 inches
  • Ground clearance 13.6 inches
  • Dry Weight 271.2 pounds
  • Fuel Capacity 2.6 gallons including 0.5-gallon reserve

These motorcycles are designed mainly for open and desert racing where speeds are over 50-60 mph. Nonetheless they were used in almost every offroad competition in the world, Enduro, hare scrambles, desert racing, rallies, and motocross (although it is a heavy bike for this discipline).

The bike was also favored for sunday drivers, fun trips and legal on-road use where a little modifications mainly in the brakes and the wheels allows for a great on-road machine. The Honda XR motorcycles are considered very reliable,low maintenance, rugged and dependable machines. The lack of a water cooling system allows for a hotter running engine but in the other hand make the bike less prone to failure because has less components that can be broken in a fall.

The engine feel is an abundant yet controllable power sensation, the torque starts at low RPM and is present in the entire rpm range, the suspension is plush and comfortable, it's drawback is in tight circuit sections where its size and weight makes difficult to turn and maneuver against more modern machines, the strong points are in fast open sections, sand, hillclimb and rocks.

Although the bike is no longer in production, it has many die hard fans along the world and is still present in many off-road events around the globe.



1985[edit | edit source]


The XR600R'85 was sold in 1985 in Flash Red. The seat, fork boots, and shock springs were blue. The number plate panels were yellow. The engine was black. The wheels were silver. The tank decals were red, white, and blue. The L.C.D. digital enduro meter was standard. The engine was a 591cc OHC RFVC dry sump single cylinder with 2 carburetors and 2 head pipes. The transmission was a 5-speed. The serial number began JH2PE040*FK000001

1986[edit | edit source]

1986 Honda XR600R
1986 Honda XR600R in Flash Red
1986 Honda XR600R in Flash Red



The XR600R'86 was sold in 1986 in one color: Flash Red. The tank decals were white and red. The wheel rims were gold anodized. The seat, fork boots, and shock springs were blue. The number plate panels were yellow. The L.C.D. digital enduro meter was standard. The engine was a 591cc OHC RFVC dry sump single cylinder with 2 carburetors and 2 head pipes. The transmission was a 5-speed. The serial number began JH2PE040*GK100001 A link to an '86 XR600R rebuild

1987[edit | edit source]

1987 Honda XR600R



The XR600R'87 was sold in 1987 in Flash Red with Shasta White. The gas tank and number plate panels were red. The fenders, side covers, frame, headlight cowl, and hand guards were white. The seat, fork boots, and shock springs were blue. The engine and wheels were silver. The analog speedometer was standard. The serial number began JH2PE040*HK200001

1988[edit | edit source]

1988 Honda XR600R
1988 Honda XR600R in Flash Red with Shasta White



The XR600R'88 was sold in 1988 in Flash Red with Shasta White. The gas tank, side covers, rear fender, and fork boots were red. The front number plate panel was also red; but the side cover panels were white. The front fender, frame, headlight cowl, and handguards were white. There was only one carburetor and two stainless steel head pipes into one muffler. The cylinder was Nikasil® plated cylinders and an auto-decompression starting system. The serial number began JH2PE040*JK300001

1989[edit | edit source]

1989 Honda XR600R



The XR600R'89 was sold in 1989 in Flash Red with Shasta White. The front and rear fenders were red. There was a new style wing logo on the gas tank. The "XR" logo was on the red seat. The serial number began JH2PE040*KK400001

1990[edit | edit source]

1990 Honda XR600R


The XR600R'90 was sold in 1990 in Flash Red with Shasta White. The tank, seat, and fork boots were red. The fenders, frame, and handguards were white. The "600R" logo and side cover panel were blue. The "Pro-Link" swingarm decal was in red outline. The serial number began JH2PE040*LK500001

1991[edit | edit source]

1991 Honda XR600R


The XR600R'91 was sold in 1991 in Shasta White with Rainbow Blue. The seat was red but the fork boots and side cover panels were blue. The "XR" logo was red and blue. The bike had a black, non-stainless 2-into-1 header pipe. The front fork featured a cartridge-type suspension. The rear brake was a disc. A hi-performance power-up kit was available. The serial number began JH2PE040*MK600008

1992[edit | edit source]

1992 Honda XR600R


The XR600R'92 was sold in 1992 in Shasta White with Rainbow Blue. The gas tank and seat received new graphics. The footpegs were wider in the CR-style. The front fork featured a cartridge-type suspension. The rear brake was a disc. A hi-performance power-up kit was available. The serial number began JH2PE040*NM700004


1993[edit | edit source]

1993 Honda XR600R



The XR600R'93 was sold in 1993 in Shasta White with Rainbow blue. The gas tank and seat received new graphics. The front fork featured a cartridge-type suspension. The rear brake was a disc. A hi-performance power-up kit was available. The serial number began JH2PE040*PM800001

1994[edit | edit source]

1994 Honda XR600R



The XR600R'94 was sold in 1994 in Shasta White with Capri Blue. The graphics were redesigned again so that the "XR" on the tank was blue, outlined in red and the "HONDA" was red. The front fork featured a cartridge-type suspension. The rear brake was a disc. A hi-performance power-up kit was available. The serial number began JH2PE040*RM900001

1995[edit | edit source]

1995 Honda XR600R



The XR600R'95 was sold in 1995 in Shasta White with Uranus Violet. The graphics were redesigned again so that the "XR" was red with a violet outline. The "HONDA" was violet. The front fork featured a cartridge-type suspension. The rear brake was a disc. A hi-performance power-up kit was available. The serial number began JH2PE040*SM000001

1996[edit | edit source]

1996 Honda XR600R



The XR600R'96 was sold in 1996 in Shasta White with Uranus Violet. The logos were redesigned again. The "XR" was white outlined in red on a violet background. The "HONDA" was white. The seat was a two-tone red and violet. The front fork featured a cartridge-type suspension. The rear brake was a disc. A hi-performance power-up kit was available. The serial number began JH2PE040*TM100001

1997[edit | edit source]

1997 Honda XR600R



The XR600R'97 was sold in 1997 in Shasta White. The logos were redesigned. A hi-performance power-up kit was available. The serial number began JH2PE040*VM200001

1998[edit | edit source]

1998 Honda XR600R



The XR600R'98 was sold in 1998 in Shasta White. The graphics were redesigned again so that the tank logo included a Honda wing. A hi-performance power-up kit was available. The serial number began JH2PE040*WM300001



In Media[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 2019 Western Power Sports Catalog. Western Power Sports. 2019. 
  2. 2019 K&L Supply Co Catalog. K&L Supply Co. 2019. 


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