What can I do to my stock xr600?

[rangerman]

Like what? What could I buy for the suspension?

Thanks

[Owyhee]

Like what? What could I buy for the suspension?

Thanks

Your bike is 20 years old, and may never have had the suspension fluid changed. That would be my starting point. It's super easy to do on the forks, but the shock can be difficult if you've never done it before.

After that, try fussing with the oil weight, oil height, and changing springs and moving the forks up and down in the clamps.

After that, find someone with a 600 who is doing a CR swap on their 1991-up bike with cartridge forks (a good improvement over your damper rod forks) and get them for cheap. Your front wheel will not work with the 1992 or 1993 forks but may work on the 1991.

After that, see if Race Tech makes a set of cartridge fork emulators for your fork. Those are a bit pricy and you can put them in yourself without much trouble.

After that, you can buy yourself a $400 mid-1990s CR125/250/500 with a blown motor and put that fork on your 600. Sell the rest of the bike on eBay for $200 and call it good. Be advised that there is a very good chance the forks will need some mods to work with the fat-ass XR600 correctly. I got a set of CR500 forks that were set up for a fat guy (275!) and work just about right on my super-fat-ass XR600. Unless you ride hard and fast and make the forks work a USD swap may not be in your best interest (like if you ride 1st and 2nd gear trails).

For the rear (and someone correct me if I am wrong), a disc brake swingarm will bolt right up to the 1987 frame (with a little welding for the brake setup on the frame). Upgraded shocks for the 600 are few and expensive. I just got a WP shock and consumable wear items are nowhere to be found. Doh!

Hope that helped.

"O"

[rangerman]

Yes, that was a great post. First. I do ride 50% 1st and 2nd gear trails and the other 50% 4th and 5th (desert) I am not an expert at suspension and to tell you the truth, I don't know a damn thing.

All I know about the front forks is that they go up and down, and when you push the bicycle type fitting (nipple) on the top it will squirt you in the face....yes it actually happened.

So, what do I have to do to change the oil in the forks?

I would LOVE to switch to rear disc brakes. If it is only a little welding involved then that's o.k with me. Honestly I think my bike is too soft, mostly the rear, so, if I wanted to make it harder I would have to tighten spring (the thing right below it to make it compress)? If I am going to have to get a new swing arm and wheel then I will just wait until I get a swing arm and wheel for a disc brake.

Thanks, any other suggetions? Comments?

BTW- What other disc brake rear swing arm and wheel would work? Like would an xr400 swing arm and wheel work? What about xr650 swing arm and rear wheel? Thanks again

[Owyhee]

Yes, that was a great post. First. I do ride 50% 1st and 2nd gear trails and the other 50% 4th and 5th (desert) I am not an expert at suspension and to tell you the truth, I don't know a damn thing.

Since I only have one running bike right now, and it's my desert bike, I have it set up for high speed work and suffer with it on trails. I figure that is safer than having a soft bike (trails) going fast in the desert.

So, what do I have to do to change the oil in the forks?

Ask around on TT and at your local bike shop what people would recommend for oil weight for the non-cartridge fork for your weight and riding style. You can also change the oil level in the forks too.

Changing the fluid is easy. Remove the forks, take off the cap, remove the spring, and tip the fork over a bucket. The oil may be very smelly and dirty. Once the flow slows to a trickle, pump the fork gently upside down and more fluid will squirt out. Repeat with the other fork. Add in the correct amount of fluid, measure the level, re-install the spring and cap and put it back on the bike.

I would LOVE to switch to rear disc brakes. If it is only a little welding involved then that's o.k with me.

If the later model XR600 swingarm bolts on the only welding is making a little bracket for the brake reservior. You'll also need the brake pedal off the newer bike. I'm guessing a rim/brake setup/swingarm may set you back quite a bit of money, even if pruchased on eBay.

Honestly I think my bike is too soft, mostly the rear, so, if I wanted to make it harder I would have to tighten spring (the thing right below it to make it compress)?

The spring is for setting sag. If you want a stiffer spring you have to buy one. You can, however, adjust the compression and rebound damping. Those adjusters are located on the bottom of the shock and a knob on the shock reservior (the thing by your left foot on a little tray). At the beginning of a ride set both to the softest setting and go progressively harder until you find the sweet spot.

If your shock is really gooshy and doesn't respond well to increasing the damping and compression it's time for a rebuild.

BTW- What other disc brake rear swing arm and wheel would work? Like would an xr400 swing arm and wheel work? What about xr650 swing arm and rear wheel? Thanks again

Stick with an XR600 swingarm. The 650R and 400R swingarms are different. The 650L swingarm may fit. Here's a thread on the topic: link.

"O"

[rangerman]

He was having problems trying to get his to lock up....the same with my old xr250. Mine (rear) lock up really easy. I have no problems with them. I would just prefer disc. Thanks for the link too and the help.

[creeky]

If you've got $500 to invest, the best bang for the buck is likely in suspension.

This is the way to go. I had a '98 HRC XR628 with the stock suspension revalved & resprung by Factory Connection. You cannot believe the difference until you have experienced it.

[Motosprtman]

The uncorking and letting it breath is important - I think. But Not a must, the XR 6 has so much power and torque stock that, well I just can't see needin more, but that is just me. Ride and maintain it.

[Owyhee]

Someone is parting out a 1992 or 1993 XR600 on eBay right now. Do a search for "XR600R."

It looks like the swingarm/brake/wheel/other crap will go for around $300 or so.

If you're really into doing swaps, maybe look at getting someone's blown up mid-90's XR600 for $500 or so, pulling the parts you want, and dumping the rest on eBay.

Like I said before, I just got a complete 1991 for XR600 for $350 for parts then decided to breathe a little life into it instead of parting it out.

"O"

[rangerman]

Here's an idea. What if I took my engine out and put every good component on the newer bike...just a though. It would probably be easier to just switch the swing arm. I will check it out. Thanks a bunch

[rangerman]

Are any of those prices any good deals? I went to his site and I added everything together, yes I have too much time on my hands, and the total of all his parts came to $1875. Hell, I found a 2000 xr650r for $1500 in my area. Ah, found it, here ya go (I'd buy it if I had the money).....http://eugene.craigslist.org/mcy/489194071.html

[rangerman]

Just found a swing arm off of a 93, so I am going to see how much he wants, this is in the ads here (TT).

[Owyhee]

Just found a swing arm off of a 93, so I am going to see how much he wants, this is in the ads here (TT).

If I could pass on a lesson I've learned the hard way many times: When swapping parts from similiar bikes, try to get your hands on the part before you buy and it try to see if it fits.

I scored a WP shock a while back from an 87ish XR600 that does not fit the newer bikes. I figured that all the XR600s used the same shock. Now I have to get it machined to fit.

"O"

[rangerman]

Well, I don't know anybody or anywhere except local shops that might have one. I might go ahead and drop in and ask them. My bro does have a 96, I don't know if I could look at it, maybe take some pics and see (visually) if it could fit.

[creeky]

I scored a WP shock a while back from an 87ish XR600 that does not fit the newer bikes. I figured that all the XR600s used the same shock. Now I have to get it machined to fit.

"O"

Is the shock a WP Super Adjuster?

[Owyhee]

Is the shock a WP Super Adjuster?

I wish I knew. There's no model number or name on it.

I scored a rebuild kit this afternoon from Lindeman Engineering in Cali. The guy on the phone was amazing. He helped me figure out what I needed by firing off different sizes of the internal parts for me that I bounced off my measurement list. Cost: $50.

? for Lindeman Engineering.

"O"

[rangerman]

Whats a WP adjuster. Is it this thing on the bottom of the shock for adjustment? Thanks

[rangerman]

O.K, I read your thread about putting cr500 front forks on your 600. I have a couple of questions. Are my forks or anything else different from yours that would make it harder to do the swap? Does it have to be a cr500? I found a (I think) late 80's or early 90's cr500 roller for $300. Do I need late model cr front forks? Thanks

[Owyhee]

Whats a WP adjuster. Is it this thing on the bottom of the shock for adjustment? Thanks

WP is short for "White Power." It's an embarassing name for a good shock. "WP Adjuster" is the brand and model, like "Suzuki RM125."

White Power is from the Nederlands and maybe the name lost something in translation. Gotta love those crazy Dutch.

link to WP

"O"

[Owyhee]

O.K, I read your thread about putting cr500 front forks on your 600. I have a couple of questions. Are my forks or anything else different from yours that would make it harder to do the swap? Does it have to be a cr500? I found a (I think) late 80's or early 90's cr500 roller for $300. Do I need late model cr front forks? Thanks

The main issue is the triple clamps. From what I gather 1986-up frames all use the same bearing and stem length for the triple clamps so your 1987 is the same as my 1999.

Any CR fork set will work but I don't know anything about the CR's stem length other than the 1990's CR500. The CR125 and 250 may have different stem lengths. I got a 500 because it was the first roller I happened upon.

The 1989 CR500 was the first 500 to get USD forks. They are not the best USD forks by any means but much better than your damper rod forks for high speed work. Most any CR USD swap will need to be resprung and revalved for the fat-ass XR600. I got lucky that mine was set up for a really fat CR500 rider so mine work pretty well as-is.

1986(7?)-1989 CR500 forks are better than your forks (those are cartridge forks) but not enough better to warrant the time and expense of swapping.

If you do have a choice of 500s, people say avoid the 1994 and 1995. Those forks were KYB and not the best. Personally, I doubt I could tell the difference, and I have 1995s.

Everything else in the swap is pretty straight forward aside from cable routing. The stock cables are just a tad too short because the CR500 upper clamp comes with rubber mounted risers that move the bars up a bit.

One other thing to think about is the forks are an inch or so longer than the stock XR600 forks and mine sit higher in the stroke than the stockers too. You either have to raise the rear up to match or run the forks low in the clamps. I'm running mine as low as possible and the tire hits the fender at full compression and makes a honking noise that's a little odd at first.

"O"

[rangerman]

O.K, thanks. I looked at the listing and the guy didn't say. I am not sure which one I want to do first (front or rear) but I pretty much want to update my bike. Here's another question. Was it worth it? I move my bike a lot, and pushing it really sucks, it feels really heavy and feels like I am pushing or dragging the rear tire along the ground, and when I push my bro's bike, it is soo easy. It is really easy. That is another reason to switch...plus replacing drums sucks