Honda XL 500 R First Ride Impression

In todays video I am doing my first ride on my Honda XL 500 R.

#hondaxl #hondaxl500
#hondaxl500r #motovlog #firstridereview #bikelife #rallydakar #parisdakar

[gorn]

I've owned a few of these in my youth. Fantastic bikes. When you are starting it be advised, it has an automatic compression release and it's useless. So to keep it from activating, slowly push the lever down a little past halfway. Keep it down there and slowly kick it until it reaches "Top Dead Center" Then use the manual release and push it down just a scooch past TDC. Bring the lever back up and give it a good boot! Works every time. Not bragging, but I could start mine by hand. It's that easy, when you get the hang of it. Another cool thing is to swap the front hub nuts with the front axel nuts. You'll probably never mess with the hub, but you will with the axel. The hub nuts are taller and harder to strip. Odds are, your axle (4) nuts are rounded already. Good luck with it. It is the ultimate wheelie machine. You'll see.

[sioul]

As someone having a 625 KTM that I only kick because the E-Start is broken I feel you! Tho if done correctly it won’t kick back and should start much quicker!

First things first: DON‘T kick on the pressure point. You won’t do yourself a favor. Slowly kick until you feel the pressure from the compression stroke. Then pull your decompression lever and push the kickstart until you’re JUST over compression OT.

After that you can kick it with a little juice in your leg and it should start and don’t backfire!

So remember! Don’t work against the compression and try to kick the piston „Up“
Kick from the beginning of the power stroke, as if your leg was the combustion!

This trick helped me! Believe me - I’m Not caring at all to repair the E-start because this way my kicker is as reliable and effortless as the E-start! 😄

[dougsmith]

A tip I learned the hard way from a BSA 650, wear boots with heels to avoid the kickstart kickback.

[Kactapuss]

I've ridden one of these for 10 years or so. It's the perfect bike for Jeep guys (like me). Mostly slow around town, can load it up with some cargo. Not that great offroad but capable to get a little muddy. Have survived a few multi day trips but tiring. Light and simple for what it is. I wouldn't want to ride something with less suspension around my crappy city with bad roads and lots of construction. Decently slim and small for tight traffic. Keep your speeds sensible and look ahead and you won't get ahead of the drum brakes if you are mostly around town. Once you get the feel for kickstarting this bike it can be impressively reliable with constant neglect lol. One day I'll own a modern bike with a magic button but till then the kickstart shin scars will remind me that motorcycles are spicy so you better pay attention..

[andysparks]

I ride my XL in the Australian goldfields on dirt tracks and no tracks . I would neevr sell my XL ever . There is a secret to the start .

[ingeebeltoft]

Hi man. I got my XL 500 R since 1982. I mounted Yss damper rear and yss springs in the fork. It totally changed the bike. It feels modern exept front brake. I love her 😎not for sale 😂

[leulgeorgis]

I had this bike in 1983 on Rarotonga, tye cook islands. We used to tool around on the many Mountain dirt roads and streem crossing. A good hill climber because of the torque. This bike is light firgiving and powerful, great for a begginer. Dint sell

[jasonmills]

Decent boots with that bad boy. Mine always liked a couple of flips with the decomp pulled in and wide open throttle. Then a good prod with no throttle.

[caleroby]

Thoroughly enjoyed this video...!

Good Stuff.
What a great ole bike, a Survivor!

Hope you keep it!
👍

[BusaniWenzyNgcobo]

I love these gloden oldies. I got a XR500R. I lovw everything about my bike even the kick start. I stand on the right side of the bike, kickstart than jump on

[harryschreuder]

Did you use the valvelifter on the left side of the steer?

[fa]

Hey das ist ja dein Kanal! Freut mich sehr. Habe vor kurzem so eine gekauft. Muss sie noch abholen!
Gruß aus der Nord Schweiz

[redgum]

Hey mate, cool video, I love how you loved your first dirt ride! I have had heaps of these 80's hondas, once tuned they run and start perfectly. There is a technique to starting them, once you have that sorted its easy. Your idle speed changing and needing to be adjusted all the time is a clue that something is not right- I would be looking for an air leak on the carb or the carb mounting inlet block. Its common for the rubber to crack which lets air sneak in and make them idle too fast, you adjust it to suit then its too slow and stalls. Honestly once these are tuned you really should not have to touch the carb other than choke to start it up once it all sorted. Good luck.

[Jo-Whale]

When kickstarting ... put the bike in the road/gutter and stand on the pavement with your left leg. It means that you can stand flat footed on the left hand side, and gives you an extra 6" height to jump on thee kickstarter. You just needed to work on your kickstart/throttle wrist coordination a little more.

[size-matters]

Those old bikes have their own personality. Once you learn it you’ll be able to start it easily.

[alyttpijpker]

I like to wear some proper motocross boots when I kickstart it, saves me from a lot of pain

[johnhall]

Hopefully by now you've figured out the kick start. That being cycling the stroke property that makes all the difference.

[Citadin]

I had a 86 XL500R, the kickstart on it was very smooth and easy. Yamaha XTs were harder to kickstart. The reason your bike has trouble kickstarting is because it's old and in bad shape somewhere.

[danielrich]

arrrrgghh... I so know that feeling. lol
but when she fires its sweet music. I have an '82 XL 500 R :)

[alijah]

I picked one up in California for $400 but it needs a lot. It still rides pretty good tho 👍