Licks Cycles: Honda XR600R Dakar

From ZZMoto: Cyril Neveu-inspired XR600R…

French racer Cyril Neveu is an off-road legend, greatest recognized for successful the Paris Dakar Rally 5 instances within the motorbike class: 1979, 1980, 1982, 1986, and 1987. Because the race matured, it acquired official FIM (Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme) and commenced to encourage an entire new class of “journey bikes.”

“In Europe and particularly in France and Italy, to switch standard dual-purpose bikes and to experience throughout borders, cultures, and to a different continent was a brand new strategy and gathered enormous consideration. Rally-inspired modifications grew to become standard and customised dual-purpose bikes began to look in motorbike outlets making this distinctive occasion much more standard.” –Honda Racing Company

In 1982, Neveu gave Honda their first Paris Dakar victory on a modified Honda XR500, and the picture of Neveu and his machine could be seared into an entire era of Honda followers and riders.

Enter our good friend Claudio Pedraza of Spain’s ZZMoto — a restorer and customizer with an affinity for air-cooled enduro and rally bikes, which he likes to tackle prolonged routes by the Pyrenees mountains that straddle the border of France and Spain. Examples embody his XR600R “Pyrenees Pony” and lovely Yamaha XT500 resto.

When Claudio picked up this ’95 XR600R — one of the vital iconic, long-lived dust bikes ever produced — it was in first rate form, however he determined to rebuild the engine for max reliability.

“Nothing too critical, however for the reason that bike was supposed for mountain routes, I wished to offer it again the reliability typical of this mannequin. It’s by no means good to be stunned by a scarcity of efficiency or a mechanical downside in the course of the mountains.” -Claudio

Claudio was nonetheless on-course on track to do a light-weight restoration of the unique machine till he disassembled the chassis. At this level, he was struck by the thought of portray the body purple — similar to Neveu’s ’82 race bike:

“That was the precise level the place the emotion started to beat me and the reminiscence of Cyril Neveu’s legendary Honda XR500, winner of the 1982 Paris Dakar, grew to become current. At that second I began engaged on that new concept.”

Claudio says he didn’t intend to construct an all-out tribute bike, however to be impressed by Neveu’s Honda 500 rally bike. He picked up an oversize XL600LM restricted version tank, molded up and laid down a fiberglass seat base, and augmented the XR600R headlight with a Hella long-race unit.

Different highlights embody UFO fenders, aluminum bashplate and handguards, and the restoration of many smaller components.

“My admiration for these first Paris Dakars had been the motivators of this work, with the thought of placing a superb a part of that adventurous spirit of the eighties right into a considerably extra fashionable, dependable, renewed motorbike, appropriate for lengthy days of driving connecting with nature.”

If the Honda XL600LM (aka “XLM”) was the restricted version Dakar-inspired manufacturing mannequin, this bike could be the extra aggressive “XR600LM” model, plated for the street however with considerably extra suspension journey (+2.5-3″), floor clearance (+2.8″), lighter weight (-45 lbs), and true off-road spirit.

Benefit from the mountains, Claudio!

Honda XR600: Within the Builder’s Phrases…

(Translated by us from the unique Spanish.)

With nice pleasure I went again to work on a 1995 Honda XR600R, this time with the thought of a easy restoration. The bike was not dangerous in any respect, so the preliminary strategy was to do an intensive mechanical test and a really small aesthetic restoration. At that second I didn’t know that later my enthusiasm would take me to a different vacation spot.

The engine consumed slightly oil, had some small leaks and a small whine typical of crankshaft bearings. Nothing too critical, however for the reason that bike was supposed for mountain routes, I wished to offer it again the reliability typical of this mannequin. It’s by no means good to be stunned by a scarcity of efficiency or a mechanical downside in the course of the mountains.

Once I had the engine open on the work desk, I found that it was struggling some put on however that it had not been abused, which was excellent information, so to the traditional listing of components which are normally changed in these jobs. I made a decision so as to add some extra together with the connecting rod. With all this I might have a really dependable engine.

The preliminary concept of simply doing a restoration modified course by having the chassis disassembled. I began interested by portray it purple. That was the precise level the place the emotion started to beat me and the reminiscence of Cyril Neveu’s legendary Honda XR500, winner of the 1982 Paris Dakar, grew to become current. At that second I began engaged on that new concept.

I had no intention of constructing a tribute motorbike to that great XR500, however to be impressed by it. It was a fairly easy job. I obtained a fuel tank from a Honda XL600LM that, along with giving it character, would give it larger autonomy on mountain routes.

Earlier than portray the chassis with powder paint, I needed to do some welding for the mounts of the brand new tank. The adjustment was fairly easy. With the tank already in place I started to construct the fiberglass seat base and adapt the unique aspect covers. Extremely — with simply these three modifications — the bike was already totally different, it had gained character.

I placed on some purple UFO model fenders. An aluminum crankcase cowl could be accountable for defending the engine and decrease a part of the chassis. For entrance lighting I used a common headlight copy of the American XR600 mannequin mixed with a Hella model long-range headlight. Black aluminum handguards accomplished the entrance of the bike.

Earlier than utterly reassembling it, I devoted myself to restoring and portray small components corresponding to footpegs, inventory exhaust pipe, and swingarm, which might be in black.

My admiration for these first Paris Dakars had been the motivators of this work, with the thought of placing a superb a part of that adventurous spirit of the eighties right into a considerably extra fashionable, dependable, renewed motorbike, appropriate for lengthy days of driving connecting with nature. Lastly I used to be very glad with the end result. Now all that continues to be is to get pleasure from it on mountain roads.