after the bee part i'm sold with the "you meet the nicest people on a Honda".

Just bought an ‘85 and after struggling get it started I watched this vid and got it started in one kick! Thanks!

Loved the rambling as well as the info I stopped by for, great job man!

On Amazon: *MICRO DRILL BIT SET(for carb mod): amzn.to/2RCqzgW ~My Other XL600R Videos: kzfaq.info/sun/PLzHrOnZsmED_s835cBzItr-fSiYJRNsFb

It's amazing to see, how many folks just bought a Honda XL600R or similar...I did :-)

Best outro I've seen

Wow i just bought the 86xl600r that was sitting for 12 years mayby more but at least the guy also added a clarke big fuel tank! He also removed the kickstart cable! It has 2900 miles i rebuilt carbs then took it out and was like i dont need decomp im a champ!! Yeah nope that kickstart was not even moving! I was like let me check KZfaq saw this video wall ahh 2 kicks your way and she was back to life! I was so happy!! Thank you

Picked up an 1986 XL 600 last year,, nothing but a PIA to get started. I was thinking of selling it but after watching this, I tried your tips. First kick, I got a rumble,, a few more and it was running. Keeping it!! Wish I had known how useless the auto decompression was when I had my 85 XR 600 back in the day. Thanks

I bought a new 1983 Honda XL600R in Sydney Australia. It was powerful and a joy to ride. After it's first service at the Honda dealer where I bought it, the bike would never idle for long without stalling. The Honda dealer could not fix it and Honda Australia ignored the problem back in those days. So after taking it to other Honda dealers and to a carburettor expert, no one could fix it. After months of misery, I sold the bike at a loss and never bought another Honda again. 😊

Thanks for posting, super helpful.

Don't worry about any rambling. A 4 min video doing what it's supposed to according to the title - 100% great video. Great bike too. Made me consider doing the same mod for my ttr600, the autodecomp is finicky. the choke is fie though.

Thank you for the information! We just bought a 1986 Honda 600R !

Cool video man good stuff

looks and sounds like a great bike

Cool with the little bee!

I have an 85 xl350,bought it new in 86 love it.

So glad you didn't kill that bee!

nice work... with the bee oh and cool video about the bike

Hells ya. Original owner of an '86. Still on the road...

I have a 1999 NX650 Dominator, but it has an electric starter. Always starts on first stroke of piston, no choke when it is on the hottest summerdays here in Norway and when I use it is is only halfway. Sometimes I just touch the starter-button and then it is running. I had a 2000 Yamaha TT600R with a faulty decompression mechanism. The trick there was to step on the kick-starter until the compression was out and the piston just had passed TDC. Then you could get the kickstarter all the way to the top again and then step down hard. Then all the internal had so much speed/momentum and it started up on the next compression stroke.

It's a Honda always cold even in the summer haha

u're same like me, driving xl600r and rescuing honeybees , only i rescue bumblebees more hahahah, mine is 1986 xl600r also troubles starting sometimes

I have a couple things I want to share. One might still be relevant. One might give off the vibe I once were a complete idiot (hopefully I improved since). I had a Yamaha XT 350. Easy to start. Except...The automatic decompression cable linked to the kick starter got misajusted over time. Unlike the XL 600 (I think), the cable pulled up one of the two exhaust valves. That valve kept being slightly opened at all time. Said valve over heated, valve seal no longer sealed. Minimal amount of oil seeping down transformed the bike into a fumigating device. All this to say that disconnecting the cable as is recommended in the video might be a good advice.

you got me being nice with the bee

My 1983 had a warning sticker on the tank "do not open throttle while staring" I did that once and darn near broke my ankle. I never messed with the decompression valve the auto one works fine the main tip is to turn the idle up a bit the screw has an extra large head easy to turn by hand this also helps with starting when the motor is hot

very cool about the honeybee. subbed

Man youre lovely and great!!! at to the end of your vid you grab this bee from the floor...that is whats my dad always said..a mankind whos respects a animal...respect himself...reading between the letters.i love people who respect live.God bless you and your family!!!!

Useful to know although I have the XL600 LM version which has electric starter you never know.

Good vid. I got a 1990 xr600r and 1995 xl650 great bikes but you'll never start them if you don't know how!

Great vid. Best piece of advice I got from this video was to disengage the auto-decompression lever. That things feels like it doesn't work the way they intended it.

Mahalo. This is my first bike, still mastering the trick

Hello, i have a question, what is the temperature of oil when you ride long travel (30 miles for example)? My XR go to 120°C after 15 miles? Thanks

hey there just found your video, Awesome sounding xl, would this work on an 86 xl600r ? had one through the 90s with the kick decomp cable and sold it 20 years ago just reacquired another 86 last week to use as a daily rider but ill be damned if i can figure out the hand set up on this one lol guy removed the lower cable so just hand like yours, any ideas to make it kick over easier would be greatly appreciated ! thanks

I have an 83 XL600R with no decomp lever, only the cable from the kicker to the head. May take a few kicks but I can start it. But, you HAVE to get it on the compression stroke to kick it.

My 95 600R is cold natured, has a factory decomp

Part of today's problem is lack of good fuel for these older bikes. It goes stale so quickly. Even the ethanol free is low octane.. Those who race these older bikes recommend VP Racing Fuel, they have dozens of types but the local motocross guys swear by the T4 type fuel .

what rack is that on the rear fender?

Nice video i have a xr 650 and its about the same way to start :)

That bike is like a trusty Golden Retriever

I see there are so many XL LM components. you could mount LM motor with electric start. great medium! Greetings from Italy

12 years! Must be a good bike.

im looking at a bike with the same sort of plug setup on the cam chain tensioner shaft. Is that totally normal for these bikes? is there anything that should concern me? Cheers

How did you Install disc brake on rear wheel?? 😳

Hey bud im not too familiar with these motors and im curious about what the square cover is on the left side of the jug in front of the fuel valve?

Spider bike. Spider bike.

Thanks for the video. I just bought the same bike yesterday and the hard starting is my only complaint. Do you remember what size drill bit you used?

How many km or miles have your bike driven? And have u done any engine rebuild or new cylinder or anything like that? Very good video. I have a XL350R from 84 that has driven 51000km. It runs very good, and I dont know if it have had any engine rebuild done but I am thinking about doing it and put a new cylinder in it.

Thank you for these explanations! I personnaly have trouble starting mine, what did you say you did with your jet? You "drilled it out"? Does it litteraly mean you pierced through to enlarge it?:o Main jet or slow jet?

when you removed the decompressor from the kickstart is it just removing the cable? do i have to do anything with the arm going into the cylinder head?

What is the rear fender from? Looking to change out my stock fender

Thanks for the video. Yes i have also cold start issues even with 25c temperature outside. I will take the risk and do the modification on air choke inside carb. I tried everything coil spark plug carb rebuilt air filter fresh fuel.... somedays she never start at all....... please any advise is welcome.

Sounds like witchcraft to me. Sometimes mine starts just fine, other time, nothing. I feel this tdc every 4 kick but it fails to start on one of them. Whats the trigger

Also you talked about doubling the size of the jet on the left carb's bowl. You also provided a link to order a mini drill bit set. What's the size of the one & which set?

Did you just say don’t twist the throttle more than C*nt hair 😂😂😂😂😂 I spat out laugher hearing that!!

Best way to star an xl 600 A match 🔥

This guy sounds like Rick Sanchez lmao

I respect you didn't squish the bee. How did you know he wouldn't sting you?

Hi, can you recommend a Honda store where I can buy parts and accessories for my 1984 Honda XL600R? Because I live in the Philippines, it is better if the parts store will have an email address. Whatever, hope you can help me out with a Honda parts store for my XL600R.

Hey there, I just bought a 1983 XL600R. I was wondering if you knew if this year of the bike came with a keyed ignition?

Hey man how much did you drill out your choke jet? Do you know what size drill bit you used? I have got my bike to start but it's being a big turd and won't start for anything now

My 83 xl600r will not start when warmed for more than two minutes. It’s starts great when cold. One kick. Any advise as to why this is doing that?

it looks like it deserves a rebuild

I just bought an 85 XL600R and I think it’s gonna need some work. Last owner said it would run ok but I can’t get it to turn on easily or run for more than 20sec when it did run. I’ll try your tips here on the compression lever. Quick question, my bike has a bunch of stuff under the carbs, I noticed yours doesn’t

2 questions. 1.) Where do you find a rear rack like yours. I have '87. 2.) With Clarke plastic gas tank, what's best way to create attatchment points for tank bunge cord?

Not realise where the choke is until now.

sounds good! but i think u could use a powerwasher..

🤘👍

110’f full choke.

Why does the bike show no difference when you turn the choke off immediately after starting it? You can't just shut my choke off like that after starting it. I have a xr650l

I've been fighting my '87 for over a year now. It already broke my ankle last year, and I'm back at it. I have no idea what is going on, no one seems to. Everyone is telling me the same ol every possible problem it could be, I have heard it all, done most of it. Tried 3 different spark plugs, 2 dfferent coils, replaced the head on one of the coils, pulled the carb and cleaned it out, re inspected it 11 times now, drained out the oil to look inside the case 4 times now, did the valves 4 times due to multiple different people giving different gap information, or not being clear, I have gone over electrical, replaced connectors, I just can't win, it refuses to start. Has compression, spark and good fuel, and we did get it running last month, then it just stopped again. I used carb cleaner to start it today, it backfired, and caught my airbox on fire. I should have let it burn to the ground. It would have been less stress, less work, and a lot more fun.

Which exaust do you have?

Where did you get that muffler at?

NoNonsenseKnowHow i pulled both decompression cables and still no compression. i think it burnt an intake valve i hear the compression leaking through the air box. pretty cool park a perfectly running bike and go out a month later to ride it and it has burnt valves...have you ever heard of anybody putting like a 93 XR650L engine in one of these older XL frames?

That XL is it a 87? i have a 83 they are awesome bikes dont let them die keep riding it!!!!

you sound a bit like rick, of rick and morty

I am really confused. This video and most others talk about "top dead center" and then show the bike coming up on compression - that is way before top dead center. It would be close to impossible to find TDC without pulling the spark plug out. Anyway I finally figured out the way to start it. Go to beginning of compression and then about an inch father and kick hard. That works for me now. I cant tell if the bike fires on the next turn or if it fires on the first pass of TDC. I'm not sure if I'm kicking before TDC or after..... All I know is it works to go an inch past the beginning of compression.

Starting cold has never been the problem ....To be honest when hot? A lot of (MOST) times? You are just SCREWED....for ME? was an impossible bike to live with on a daily basis ... I did commute on one for a while and it was fine ...was cold in the AM leaving for work and cold in the PM leaving for home ...started right up no trouble ...but DAMN I could not stop anywhere once warmed up and have ANY confidence I could restart the damned thing! And too much engine to even think about push starting alone....these bikes should have had an E start button from day one ..PERIOD...from DAY ONE ...IMHO....btw other than the hot start debacle? I LOVED my old eighty three XL! When did Honda put the E-button on them? I feel like the starting issue was likely the reason they went to two carbs?? BTW other than the starting issue? Was one of my all time favorite commuter/play motorcycles! Whoever designed this bike just NAILED it for wheelies and fire roads antics ....I looked like a pro wheelie King on this bike! I could just hold indefinitely and even shift gears lofted! phenomenal! I'd almost like to buy a nice used one and convert it to Estart....maybe upgrade the suspension and front brake

I should have checked out this channel last summer. I have an '87 that's a nightmare to start. I'll do the mods you suggested! Do you have links to share for getting parts for these bikes? Also looking for Extra Capacity plastic gas tank that used to be available. Also looking for electric start mod! They "used to make" this mod! Obviousely these both are aftermarket! Totally respect your kindness towards bee on your floor. Unlike "Black Widows" & "Wasps", honey bees are a necessary insect. Not to be a party pooper, but when bees are found dazed looking on ground, it most often is the near the end of it's life cycle. I welcome any bee keepers' critique! Still, loved your compassion!Thanks for video!

My XR 600R kicked back an broke my ankle. What would cause that? I've been told a ton of things. Miswired headlight, CDI, Stator, bad coil, timing is off... How do I track this down, I'm not giving up. I broke my ankle in 2 places and have been down for over a month now. And with everything I have been through, I haven't even gotten to ride it =(

auto decompression is different then the one on the handle bars

i must say, your bike looked far from mint, but the engine idles perfectly and the engine is not Noisy. Cant judge a book by its cover as they say..

Meanwhile.... I'm 75 kicks later. My fucking leg is burning and my bike still won't start.

wait 1983 1987 FNAF

Push it down a hill

Little snort of ether...

This Dude is a mess

Wash that crap

Dude you have ragged this bike out.