OzVMX Forum
Marque Remarks => Honda => Topic started by: Mick D on June 05, 2014, 09:43:15 pm
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Hi, I am after knowledge and impressions about these 83/84 models.
I absolutely love the way my XR500RE cracks hard from idle and lays power to the ground through to screaming its titties off.
But we checked the spec sheets out and the 500 is 25kgs heavier than an XR35o
I rode a 350 recently in some rough stuff, and it instantly felt like a trials bike in comparison to the 500.
So that's where I am heading, I think.
I really liked the transmission and clutch in the 350 too,
But I wouldn't mind a lot more power, does anyone know how to sort these 350s
Grateful for any knowledge :)
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http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/HONDA-XR350-MELBOURNE-/251545630995?pt=AU_Motorcycles&hash=item3a9149b913&_uhb=1
Buy this one!! Looks ok for the price
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note to xr 350 buyers....each model of those early 350's are basically different.
parts are difficult to get and you cant use an re for a parts bike for an rf etc
mate has been trying to put one together for a while and there is hair loss happening :-[
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What 80/85 Husky says, parts for engines are vitualy non existant and expensive.....took 7 months of searching to globe to get enough parts together to rebuild a motor, in the end had to buy another bike to finish it [was for a customer who got given the best part of 2 bikes.....thought he had a bargain]....motor job cost 3K alone....they seem to be popular at the moment and some of them pulling good money.
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The RG was IMO one of the best bikes Honda ever built and I still dont understand why they stoped making them back in the day. The 83/84 500 were more or less an XL engine so many parts can be found. I cant remember many 350's getting around back the day only one local had one the drum brake model. 25 KG is alot of wieght so a 350 sounds like a good idea for a project. Best of luck with it.
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no doubt Honda was on a winner with the 350 but in the 80's bigger was best :P
The 350 was as slakewell says, a great enduro bike, good power lighter weight and just what every nob who thought they needed a 500 actually should have had.. the pendulum took some swinging but it finally arrived in the 90's with a heap of 300- 400 cc 4 bangers.
I believe the L and P plate system effectively killed them as punters restricted to a 250 for a few years all jumped straight to the 500 (we were all big men remember....) Only smart Honda riders went 350....
you only have too look at the popularity of the kato 300 2- to see the world realises how much power it actually doesn't need now.
I thought the xr 400 was a major disappointment as i expected an xr 250 with punch but I reckon it felt like an xr 600 with less go... still a great bike at the time and easy on the masses c/w the big 600.
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I raced out and purchased an XR 400 when they just hit the floors. What a pile of poo that bike was. Really just a soft trail bike. I stright away fitted stiffer springs to mine only for it to throw me on the ground repeatitly, it took some pain before I relaised the frame flexed so badly that it caused the bike to crash. I have raced a well sorted XR 350 fitted with Ohlins shock and CR forks and that was great little bike far better than the 400.
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Ok, wise words, just sort of knowledge and info I am after, 80-85 husky and Slakewell, thank you.
As Slackwell says, sorted, they can be a good race bike. I am primarily looking for a fun Vinduro mount, that most suits me.
But to be able to do both would be a bonus.
A pitty they didn't go dry sump/oil in the frame until 85.
Matcho tells me the 83/84 had a real oil boiling over-heat problem.
An external oil cooler or two is the first obvious improvement to hunt for there.
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OK, I may have stuffed up on the weight difference thing. A second web check has exposed a lot of discrepancies and contradictions.
I will physically weigh both at the weekend.
I know what the bum dyno is saying though ::) ;D
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There some nice one's on the net. If you could find a good core bike running and a stuffed CR and jion the two together maybe fit a 78 CR tank and fit the later model XR 250 oil cooler. Be a cool project. But thats only how I would do it. That's the great thing about VMX each man has his vision.
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mate had the 84 and it got hot but he never had a problem (that I can remember) but he did keep fresh oil up to it. cos they didn't need to flogged like a bad dog (like the 250) they didn't seem to suffer as badly... just supply issues now, they are a 1 off to a degree....much nicer to ride than the comparable 500's (they would turn on request!) and much more bottom end punch that the 250... the perfect motor
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Had an XR350RF brand new back in the day , everyone else had 500s & 600s ,and its true the little 350 was a good handling package. However I found that in order to stick with the bigger bikes i needed to work thru the gears a lot harder and in time I seemed to be plagued with gearbox/clutch issues .
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I have a mates 350RG motor here for a top end rebuild/tidy up- my god parts are almost impossible to get. Anyone have a lead on a cam for one, new/ good secondhand will be fine.
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.......not to rain on your parade, but nearly every XR350 I've seen or known of , has put the rod out through the front engine mount.Ballards had a rod kit for them...........sorry, just a warning :'( :( :(
Roger
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The early XR350's did have oil problems at the head and cam area....alot of them got flogged out way too early for my liking so I never did go out and buy one. I did have an 86 XR350 back in the day and it was a great bike with no issues at all. Now I have another one in the shed waiting for a resto. It is a runner but the last knob who had it welded on a gear lever ::) The one for sale on ebay at the moment looks like a great buy to me....If only I had the spondoolies....
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xr350's and xl350's are based on the xlx250 motor and theres a good chance the g/box is the same but don't quote me on that before checking part numbers first I just thought id mention it for the people chasing bits for these bikes
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SUZUKI311 I feel your pain, we needed 3 engines to make 1, got the cam reground by Ivan TIGHE in Brisbane, the rod kits you get for them are 5mm bigger in the crank pin, so you need a specialist engineer to fit it, [mind you, Honda can sell you a new complete crank for $1800.00.....bargain eh bro].....timing chain guides are like finding unused condoms in a knock shop, they have about 25.000.000 parts.....Honda must have thought , "lets design engine/gearbox with most parts in world"...."we smart, we so smart we build complete new engine after 2 year and then stop build altogether....ha ha, we teach them resson".....that must have been the mission statement.
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Go off mate, send that mr Honda ahole a petition, or something ;D ;D send it via me, I'll sign anything(if ya let me have a ride on your bike) :)
And don't worry about raining on my parade Rodger, exactly what I am looking for, education. I want to know what I am up for ::)
What I do know first hand now, is that as 80-85 Husky(is it Ray?) says the 350 turns on request, the 500RE in standard trim does not. My 500 is low k, as sweet as, I love its thunderous rear end hook up to the ground power, but I have to steer it with the rear brake and the throttle, that ain't all bad,,,,, but being a heavy pig & all, it would be great if the front wheel would pitch in and steer a bit when the shit hits the fan.
So down the 350 path I go, no choice now, just gone ahead and bought two ::) I figure with all that you blokes said :-[ That I would need one for spares ;D
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The easiest way to get more free power from them is help them breath. The airbox were tiny and shit. If you can build a custom air box and fit a normal air filter do so. We used to cut 25mm holes in the air box then cut the mesh wire from the backfire screen on the airfilter and used to help cover the holes to stop the large bits coming in.
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good idea. I have two beat up 79 rz tanks as well, so will be looking at that down the track too, thx. Hope to weight the re500 against the first smokey 350 2morrow. The first one has a broken spring on the cam chain self tensioner. A very common highh hour first failure. Been reading the web and eves droping on other forums. If not repaired it wiil lead to chain sprocket hop on start up kick back and lunch valves etc.
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I wish my memory was better. I sure I have seen a 84 CR swingarm and shock fitted to the XR frame and also the CR rear sub frame making bolt on, on the same bike. Bike had a custom air box and a smaller 250 tank. Its a bit foggy.
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I wish my memory was better.
Me too :( ::)
Hey do ya reckon Nathan still laughs at that "I think Slackwell is right" thing? I do, but I can't help wondering if Nathan still dont ;D ;D
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I have been told/learnt that they leak at the head gasket after top end rebuilds because they pull threads in the alloy cylinder where the securing screws/bolts hold the cylinder head to the cylinder(maybe because of inadequate design being disturbed and/or then over tensioned)?? We'ill see :)
A trap for those who haven't been told.
The second one I have bought, has this problem after a costly rebuild. I have scored the whole bike cheaper than the rebuild. Just got o pick it up from Melbourne, so if any one needs some bikes transported between Newcastle and Melbourne within the next week? PM me.
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yep, you've already found two issues for the re rf models..pulled threads and distorted castings were common and often caused "wreckeritis " to set in at an early age.... :D
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"wreckeritis" classic. Straight to websters.
They are a nice vinduro ride though. And as Slackwell says. When sorted they can double as a good race bike too. We are lucky to have a growing fiur stroke only class in NSW Heaven. Just have to be pre85 8)
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Weighed the 35o. Complete standard road trim with 3 liters of fuel? Blinkers. Lights etc. But No mirrors. 59kgs on rear & 55 on front. Precipatated off again at rain central. Will update accurate weights in future.
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sounds pretty right, 115 kg on the start line....best start a resto thread so we can check on "heartbreak city" ;D :D
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http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Honda-xr-350-Yamaha-Kawasaki-Suzuki-vmx-rare-/251554089081?pt=AU_Motorcycles&hash=item3a91cac879&_uhb=1
More spares. Looks pretty nice too ;D
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looks the goods, wonder whats happened to it??
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Get an 86, i think they were sorted by then.
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Get an 86, i think they were sorted by then.
Yes, I certainly believe you are right.
But I want this to qualify for NSW Pre-85 Vinduro and for NSW motocross pre-85 and their four stroke only class as well.
So It will sort of serve three purposes when sorted.
Does anyone know when the first Yamaha tt350 was made?
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Get an 86, i think they were sorted by then.
Does anyone know when the first Yamaha tt350 was made?
1986
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sorted by then is irrelevant as its trying to bring one to serviceable condition is the big issue everyone is struggling with. With Honda making a new jigsaw every year of the 350 its no wonder there is drama in the camp. by the time you buy 3 spare bikes to get the bit you want you could have bought a husky 400 ;D
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you could have bought a husky 400 ;D
You poor bugger, I not looking to collect lunched transmission clusters ;D
Or build a signal fire for that matter ;D
Favorite scene from "On Any Sunday" 8) ;D ;D
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cant start a fire with a watercooled bike ::) ;D :D
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cant start a fire with a watercooled bike ::) ;D :D
You are not trying hard enough ::) ;D :D
I didn't realise they made the watercooled 400 prior to 1985 ???
And that movie is still one of my favorites, and truthfully I find that scene heartbreaking.
The best husky footage I have ever seen is from some black and white they play late on ABC every now and again
Its a 400 husky cross that just makes a mockery out of the rest of the field.
I think if is Ivan Mauger??
The bike just roosts and dances around the track blitzing the completion on its back wheel.
Piddy none of you husky blokes can make a husky do that again ;D
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we try but the bikes are so good they just make us look fast and smooth :o ::)
mid 84 was first w/c twin shock 240 and 400 to about mid 85 when 1st single shocker appeared. single shock w/c was to be a massive 84 release but last minute issues with the new linkage saw the factory pump out a few twin shox till it was sorted in the new frame.
like riding a powerfull armchair, very plush and comfy and goes good!
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The twin shock WC 400 is arguably the best enduro bike Husky ever built.
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I think Slakewell is right ;)