The 400 is deifnitely better off-road, feels lots lighter than the 600 and better suspended. Don't really know about on road where the 400 is OK with the correct gearing but maybe the 600 would have the edge. Kicking a 400 really is easy as well so, for me, it's the 400.

Do you know why ?
Does it have a different brand fork/shock ?
Or is it longer, stiffer ?

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Poul
May you enjoy peace and good health !

That pic is funny ... at first I thought the bike had TWO shocks

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Patrick passed Dec 2018. RIP Patrick!

I DIDN'T EVEN NOTICE. I found the picture on the net and saved it for the sidetank, then found it again but focused only on the frame.

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Poul
May you enjoy peace and good health !

I ended up selling my XR400R. It was fun in Morocco, but needed a bigger tank for range, also needed some way of carrying necessary spares.

The biggest downer though was the starting problems. Wouldn't get a non-elec start again.

Tim

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"For sheer delight there is nothing like altitude; it gives one the thrill of adventure
and enlarges the world in which you live," Irving Mather (1892-1966)

I know not everyone wants to spend that much cash but swapping my XR400's carb for a Mikuni completely took away the hassle of starting the bike. Those for the older XR600s are cheaper too.

I still prefer the electric start on the CRF though.
Stephan

If the God's are smiling on you ... it will start. If not .... Hmmm ....
pull Spark plug and wait.

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Patrick passed Dec 2018. RIP Patrick!

That's very true. Some years ago a Ducati riding friend asked if he could try the XR. I told him that if he could start it he could have it! After 10 mins he admitted defeat, knackered, and gave it back to me. By using the correct technique I had it going in about 30 secs to his complete amazement

I got a Honda XL600R...Great bike on the road,, and gravel..also take it on the beach.....lots of fun...........
But its a pig to start.....
Last week i was trying to start it..and it gave the hell backfire.....
Spent half the night in hospital.....badly sprained ankle...and a month of work....bit scared to go near the thing at the moment
My next bike will definatly be a lecky leg....................

It's technique, not technical.

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Patrick passed Dec 2018. RIP Patrick!

I really don't know enough about the 600 to say why but I've ridden a 600 and then my 400 back to back and there was no comparison on technical dirt trails. The 600 felt very top heavy and difficult to turn and bottomed out on jumps far more easily than the 400 (which is itself quite softly sprung). The 600 engine was nice though, very torquey and the guy who owned it didn't seem to have any trouble starting it.

400 subframes will crack and would need bracing to mount serious luggage.

I hear a lot about people having problem's starting XR's

I have never had a problem at all

But that said I learned the hard way on old Trinumph's ,
and 17 year's on a 58 Pan Head

Love the XR for touring,only down side for me was the seat,but if you take along a airhawk it should be OK

I can tell you the problem with starting XR650R's (UK spec anyway).

The pilot jet is too small from standard. Probably emmissions laws. I upped the pilot jet on mine by one size (cant remember the size) and it would fire up on half choke 1st or 2nd kick, hot or cold, winter or summer.

The pilot jet barely effects any open throttle response so dont worry about that.

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Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.

I've had both, and tried to race both (when I was learning, I tried to race an XR600 - stupid decision, as I'm only 170cm tall, and was 68kg at the time)
I did a 20,000km Half-lap of Australia on my XR600 - fantastic bike for the trip; used a bolt-on Acerbis tank, and didn't have any issues, apart from a camchain issue.
Anyhow - I bought an XR400 back in 1997 that was modded for racing enduros, and that bike smoked XR600's on bitumen in straight-line drags, and felt MUCH better and lighter to ride than the XR600, as some of the guys were quite interested in the "little" bike that smoked them in the drags, including roll-ons.
Saying all that, it was running a JE hi-comp piston and a mikuni, so for long distance riding you wouldn't go for this option - I merely mentioned it to illustrate that the XR400 has some capability.
So -after selling the XR400, and owning some other bikes, my riding style changed, and I now have an XR400, 2005 model which I have kept stock, mechanically; to maintain the reliability, but I have spent a lot of money trying to sort out the suspension. One thing to note ther - it's NOT a KTM-equivalent, but I bought it for my purposes.
I've done a couple of good trips (1000km+) shake-down rides on the bikes, and am very happy with it as an all-rounder. It feels lighter than the XR600 due to reduced engine braking, which makes it alltogether easier to ride for longer periods, which is a good thing, in my opinion.
As to luggage, I normally carry a backpack, and a water-proof duffle-bag for the camping gear.
bike upgrade details here: Garage Upgrade - ADVrider



Out trailriding:



desert trip here: Golden Quest Trail - ADVrider

Hey guys,

I used to also struggle kick-starting an XR600, UNTIL someone showed me how to work the compression properly. Once you know "when" to kick it after getting the compression ready with a few downward pushes of the kick-starter to get the compression in the right place, the bike started on the 1st or second kick EVERYTIME (unless very cold). Hope this helps chaps.

richcran

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richcran... the intrepid motorcyclist