Another Vintage Honda

Eric 951 · 05-24-2010, 06:51 AM

I just picked this up Saturday. 85 XR 350. I used to ride ATVs/bikes back in the day(80's) and my buddies had recently got back into the sport with dirt bikes. (One has a KTM 6-something 4-stroke which is a monster, the other has an RM-250 2 stroke). I rode an XL250 back in the day, and when this XR popped up on C-list right up the street it seemed the perfect.
Original owner--he had all the paperwork from new (he bought it in Steamboat CO and actually ahd it CO street-legal at one time--hence the plate, there is even a notarized letter from 85 declaring the bike CO-legal). Anyways--the thing is like a time capsule--completely unmolested. The only added items are answer bars, and enduro technologies bark busters--everything else is bone stock--even the pipe). The odomter is missing--a victim of a crash. He had dealer service records for a valve job, new fork seals/boots, a recent seat cover, sprockets and chain, and the motor is dry as a bone. He always kept it maintained--thing fired right up on the second kick and idled smooth--ran through all 6 gears no problem(yeah it's a 6-speed).
He was asking 900, ended up getting it for 550. Took it home and went over it yesterday getting it prepped for the holiday weekend. I bled the front brake, fixed a crack in the plastic, cleaned up the connections for the headlight and will be getting a new bulb today. Could use a new rear tire, but that's about it--bike is ready to go. I am psyched to have found this and look forward to thrashing it a bit this weekend.

The pics;

ramonesfreak · ramonesfreak's Garage

awsome. i love those. i would get one if i could reach the ground. they are too tall for me. good luck with it

s_morrison57 · 05-24-2010, 07:30 AM

Cool bike, I had the same one but sold it after a couple of months - no one to ride with. Been looking off and on for a small cc street bike from the late 60's early 70's, my search continues, good luck with your find.

Tim Hancock · 05-24-2010, 07:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by srandallf

awsome. i love those. i would get one if i could reach the ground. they are too tall for me. good luck with it

If your feet can reach the footpegs while riding it, you are not too short.

fastfredracing · 05-24-2010, 09:11 AM

Spent my teenage years on a 1985 Xl 250. My parents helped me buy it after making honor roll for the whole school year. I rode the wheels off that bike. Less than 6 months after I got it, the street tires/ turn signals came off , It rarely saw legal street use.
I traded it in 89' for a beat up camaro, wish I still had it.
It was damn near bullet proof. It blew 3 head gaskets within the first 500 miles, honda gave me a new motor. I think there was some problem with the head studs pulling out like in a 911. Other than chains/ sprockets, and tires and brakes I never had to take a wrench to it.

LakeCleElum · 05-24-2010, 09:22 AM

Eric: Great deal on a bullet-prooff bike.....An excellent price for anything street legal. It wouldn't get a plate in my state, but looks like you're good to go where you live......

ramonesfreak · ramonesfreak's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim Hancock

If your feet can reach the footpegs while riding it, you are not too short.

i dunno. ive sat on those honda's and they are just to tall and heavy for me for any off road use..I'm barely 5'7". im used to riding bikes that are too tall for me but the honda is really a strech. too bad cause i love em

Tim Hancock · 05-24-2010, 10:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by srandallf

i dunno. ive sat on those honda's and they are just to tall and heavy for me for any off road use..I'm barely 5'7". im used to riding bikes that are too tall for me but the honda is really a strech. too bad cause i love em

While I agree that the XR series are heavy pigs, they are not too tall. I raced MX for years on taller two-stroke 250cc race bikes and at 5'8" I never gave the heighth of the bikes a second thought. Ricky Carmichael... one of the best ever in supercross racing is 5'6". You simply slide a bit to one side and use one foot to balance on when stopped.

I don't mean to bust your chops on this, but I always find it curious anytime someone claims modern long suspension dirt bikes are too tall for shorter folks. Both of my daughters are just over 5' and they can both ride a full size MX bike pretty decent.

Sorry folk the highjack Eric..... congrats on picking up a dirt bike.... you stole that thing.

ODDJOB UNO · ODDJOB UNO's Garage

i am oddjob uno and i approve of this bike cuz i own juan.

original owner. 14 years 363 days of life on original motor. from below sea level in baja to 14000ft+ in colorado.

ran 20-50 belray oil changed every 200 miles. adjusted valves and new plug and kept the K&N clean. freeking IDIOT PROOF BIKE.

when motor crapped we hand delivered engine to XRSONLY.com in HYSTERIA,KALIF(hesperia).

every single known part to man was installed on the motor. parameters were to send my fat lard ass down the trail at 100MPH and they delivered. zoomy valves,zoomy piston, zoomy carrillo rod everydamn thang they list or offer including mikuni flatslide canarb-burr-ator.

while engine there we rebuilt rear shock w/progressive spring(better than stock) and installed KTM 500 XC upside down forks(all the difference in the world).

metzlers, and IMS tank(5.4 gals) renthal bars blah blah blah blah.

when i get around to it since we deal with OHLINS on numerous projects i have kind of gotten to know them and they said send your OEM rear shock to us and we will make you one custom.

the most reliable bike i have ever ridden or bean around.

if it IS a 1985 it is HIGHLY COLLECTABLE . 1985 XR-350-RF should be on VIN. one year only production with single carb. twin carbs were FEEKED!

Eric 951 · 05-24-2010, 10:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ODDJOB UNO

if it IS a 1985 it is HIGHLY COLLECTABLE . 1985 XR-350-RF should be on VIN. one year only production with single carb. twin carbs were FEEKED!

Really? It is a 1985 with a single carb. I read the VIN plate when I removed the headlight yesterday, and the owner wrote it down in the owners manual as well--1985.

How collectable is collectable? I just really like the old Hondas, and the location and price were right to me.

ODDJOB UNO · ODDJOB UNO's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eric 951

Really? It is a 1985 with a single carb. I read the VIN plate when I removed the headlight yesterday, and the owner wrote it down in the owners manual as well--1985.

How collectable is collectable? I just really like the old Hondas, and the location and price were right to me.

well just think of it as a 2 wheel porsche that costs a hell of alot less to maintain insure and ya can go anywhere day or night and not worry about azzholes running a shopping cart into it.

and its 25 years old and parts are still a-whale-able.

mine was 2500 bucks out da door at western honda(here in tibet) when i finally got sick of $120 husqvarna piston ashtrays that living in the dezert made me an expert par excellance on piston replacements and honing/boring.

71T Targa · 05-24-2010, 10:48 AM

Very nice. I've been keeping an eye out for something like this. There are two 500's available near me, funny ad at least:

I have Honda XR500 that's in rough shape, but runs and will buck a 275+ guy right the hell off of it. Trust me, I saw it happen and yes it was hilarious.

I also have a Honda XL500 that's in great shape, but doesn't run.

These are not for a prissy city boy who just wants to look cool riding around in a state park. Well, first off I'm not sure how cool one could possibly look on an old beat up dirtbike. It would take more money than I currently possess to make me look cool, so I bought these bikes about a year ago for a little side project. Second, these bad boys definitely need some TLC from someone who loves to feel the thumping of a 500cc 4-stroke between their thighs. (Wait, that sounded really really bad). Moving right along, we all know how guys are w/ their side projects, I currently have about 20 of them and my life has recently been turned upside down & inside out. Yes Yes, I know, boo hoo, poor me now back to the bikes.

The XL I purchase from a guy that also had his priorities redirected, so he pretty much went through the whole bike, but never got it started. He melted the head on it & replaced it w/ one from an XR, well if you know anything about XR vs. XL the XR has that funky reed valve dealieo between the carb & the head and the XLs don't. He installed a aftermarket spacer kit in the place of if. He said that it had compression, but as far as I can tell it does not. He also never reinstalled the auto compression release rocker into the head. This bike is licensed and I have the title for it. Plus it comes w/ a bonus bucket o' parts!

The XR I purchase from a farm boy who went out and got himself one of those new fangled Yamaha 450cc 4-strokes that have twice as much power and weighs half as much, but I'm pretty sure the cows think he looks pretty sporty while romp'n around the pasture on that pig. Last year it started and ran, smoked a lot on start up, but tapered off after a little warming up. It needs an exhaust manifold gasket, but of course someone was tinkering w/ it and looks to me like there's a bolt twisted off. Speaking of twisting off, looks like someone over tightened the oil drain plug at some point in time so there's only a couple of threads holding that baby in place. (see puddle of oil under the XR oil platform). This bike is not licensed nor do I have a title for it, but I do have the DNR tags for it.

I'm asking $1000 for the pair or $400 for the XR and $600 for the XL (cash only please). That's a little less then I paid for them. I haven't done anything w/ them so I won't ask for more, but I won't accept any less than I'm asking either. If I'm a moron for paying that much, well then this moron will just have to deal w/ his mistakes staring him down every time he passes through the garage. I don't want to sound like a crabby lady on one of those craig's list "adult services" adds "NO MEETS EVER, DON'T EVEN ASK". I've never seen one of those adds, but a heard something about them on the news awhile back. BTW, she did say no. So here comes the perturbed motorcycle guy's rant "I WON'T TAKE ANY LESS, SO DON'T EVEN ASK".

During the week I travel between st cloud & willmar and on the weekends I've been known to hit up the cities to visit w/ friends. If you want to purchase them sight unseen or would like them delivered after you've seen them.... Have truck will travel.

manbridge 74 · 02-15-2013, 11:45 AM

Nice bike. Finally found one myself. Parked long ago after a screw fell into intake and jammed the valve open causing no start. Screw must've been soft metal as there was no damage to valve or seat. Kept the miles off though as it looks little ridden judging by paint still on frame where boots rub.

OP, if you are still around, did you ever try a different carb to lessen the bog these things had even when new?

john70t · 02-15-2013, 12:15 PM

They don't make 'em like they used to.

Aragorn · 02-15-2013, 01:10 PM

You lucky dog. Paying only $550 for that bike is a steal. Enjoy...

My first street bike was a XL250r. Beautiful bike on the street. A little top heavy in the woods. If I remember it had drum brakes front and rear. Wish I hadn't sold now.

ckelly78z · 02-15-2013, 01:31 PM

My 13 year old son (soon to be 14 and 5'6" tall) has been riding a 1998 Honda XR100. It's a great bike bike and runs good, and I even take it for a spin now and then around our property and back the farm lanes. It's a bit small for me at 5'10", but I have to agree on the Hondas being tall. I looked at an XL650 enduro and was uncomfortable only having one set of toes on the ground offroad but would really not be fun at a top light with other cars around me.

I hope to find two older XR/XL 250s for my son and I so we can ride together. I will consider other makes, but I know Honda is the best, and i've had great luck with a 125 3 wheeler ATV, a XR 80, and an XR100.

Aragorn · 02-15-2013, 01:39 PM

Tallest street and trail I remember riding was a DR350 Suzuki. At around 5' 10" I could barely reach the ground. Tallest dirt bike was a yz490. Had to stand on a bucket to jump up and start that one.

Honda does make a good, long lasting, reliable bike.

wdfifteen · wdfifteen's Garage

"Another Vintage Honda"

I pictured a 305 or maybe a 1969 CB750.
1985 is vintage? I guess so. I was living a different life then too.
Amazing how the years fly by.

yetibone · 02-15-2013, 02:55 PM

At 13 years old, I had an XL 250 from 1973 that was a whole different (and lesser) beast which had a ravenous appetite for oil pumps, and, thus camshafts. My Dad had to weld up, and turn back down the cam journals to fix the head the first time. The second time though, the whole bike got replaced by a Yamaha DT 360 that was the funnest bike I ever had. I'd even trade my current XR 650 for a clean DT 360 if I could find one nearby that still had the lights on it.

Srsly though, seeing that XR 350 takes me back. One fellow around here had a 500 that looked similar, but a little older. I'd see him once in a while when I was riding on the old railroad bed, and tobacco roads around here. It's kind of telling about how good those engines are when the deign stayed so similar for so many years.

Good score!

manbridge 74 · 02-15-2013, 03:31 PM

I should've mentioned that this thread is almost 3yrs old. But the one I picked up looks very similar to the one in the first post. I paid $600 for it and that was after I was paid to repair it and the owner rode it and decided he didn't want it.

It rides fairly well for its age. I had a CRF450R and that was fun but not the bike for tight technical stuff. I was actually looking for a trials bike but this will do for now. With newer style cartridge forks and a rebuilt shock it should be a lot of fun on the cheap.