The History Of The Honda XR350R and XR400R 1983-2004
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- Опубликовано: 30 июл 2024
- This is my look back at the history of Honda's mid-size XR models from their introduction in 1983 through their eventual retirement in 2004. The video covers both the Honda XR350R and XR400R models.
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0:00 Start
0:30 Intro
4:16 1983
10:30 1984
11:45 1985
16:10 1996
20:38 1997
21:30 1998
23:45 1999
24:24 2000
27:24 2001
27:50 2002
28:12 2003
28:39 2004
29:01 Outro
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I've owned Suzuki DR350, 85 Honda XR350R, Suzuki DRZ400S and Honda XR400R. They are all pretty good woods/play/desert bikes that you could take to the vet track and mess around with. I like the suspension of the DRZ, the six speed transmission of the DR350, the reliability of the XR400 and the awesome 80's vibe look of the XR350R.
I owned a xr 400 and I absolutely loved it reliable comfortable and with a good back tire it would pull me up anything
WELL SAID!
Looking forward to riding my 2003 XR400R this year. All original with only about 10 hours on it.
I bought my 99 xr400r brand new. Now it`s 22 years old and i still love it. Yes i have done some upgrades to it over the years, Suspension, levers, Bars, intake mod, exaust mod. Wide foot pegs. Been rejetted and a 14 tooth front sprocket installed. it works great in the woods and trails.
Love my XR 400r
GREAT video. I winterized my 2000 XR 400 12 years ago.Got it stuffed into a storage unit and never went back and started it again or did anything. I literally pulled it out of the storage unit last Saturday.Put fresh gas in it and on the third kick that sucker came to life and ran just as good as the day I parked it. I THINK😂 A REAL BEAST! I was literally shocked. I thought it was gonna be a complete carburetor overhaul, everything. I mean, I took it out rode it half hr, not an issue one still pulling Wheelie's. In first and second gear cracking the throttle. It is one amazing machine and I had tons of fun on the trails with it never ran into a hill. I couldn't climb except for some that I was too scared to attempt. As they were vertical, LOL
My dad bought an 84 xr350r and he gave it to me and still have it to this day great bike still runs great
Proud owner of a 1998 XR400. Subscribed
I owed my 98 Xr400r for like 12 months now and it’s a badass bike in my opinion. I’m 28 6 foot 200lb. and learning to ride still. But I take it on sand lava rock pavement loose gravel ,dry trails. It does it all for me. Only down side to me is the weight feels high in the corners. But I guess it’s cuz I try to race my friends on a track lol. Love this bike tho. Can’t say anything bad about it at all. I want to do a full restore. Thank you for sharing the knowledge. I learned a lot about my machine and it’s history.
Sold my 03 XR 400r about 13 years ago, I’ve regretted it since. Can’t find a good one now.
The photo at the 13 minute mark is one of my all time favorites. I remember staring at that picture as a kid
aaaarrgh "my head is in a spin my feet dont touch the ground" what a song (kelly marie a fellow scot sings it,google it you will be dancing around your living room) anyway enough clap trap from me, i have my old faithfull xr400 (40000 miles never been apart) my go to bike when i want a thrill (xr650r) and a bike i really also like my drz400e, none are show queens,well used with battle scars,anyway...it took me months to decide something has to give so i decided finally the other day to sell my xr 400 and 650r with a heavy heart... THEN i have just watched this video and now my head is up my a+£e again, i want to keep my xr's..mr honda you have a lot to answer for..cheers from bonnie scotland..
The XR400 motor in the CRF set up that could be ridden on the road would sell well today
GPX moto fse450r they are making quality bike's! They have a 300 and a 2stroke 250 the tse250r......from Wyoming USA 🔫🤠🇺🇸p.s stay safe
This would be the ultimate Honda bike for all the Honda guys out there. It’s what I would want.
had a 03 xr 400. never should have sold that bike. i loved it
We had the XR 350 RG (1986 )
in New Zealand and Australia.
Gold Rims, bush weapon!
Ive had 2 xr650l's, ridden 100, 250, 400, 600, 650R. All great bikes simple and robust.
I have the 85 XR350R the first and still have it...
Just got it going again.
Great history overview! Sold my 2014 crf450x last year and bought myself a 2000 xr 400 half a year later ( today ) ! Looking forward to having tractor like torque on the trail with out having to rev the piss out of it !
I agree with you I think Honda would still be selling them like hotcakes today especially if they made some slight upgrades !
Check out GPX moto fse450r they are making quality bike's.....from Wyoming USA 🔫🤠🇺🇸p.s stay safe
I agree. I just got rid of my yz250 and picked up an 04 xr400.
How does the XR400 Stack up Compared to the Potent Crf450x - I have a '05 450x & it Definitely has the Grunt, but Tendency of Stalling in Slow Technical Trails is Annoying!! -Cheers🇦🇺👍🍻
I’d buy one brand new. Best feature to me could be the weight. Make it under 255 wet. And 6 speed. And modern plastics/tank. Would be best ever.
It's interesting that you went backwards from a CRF to an XR but it's uncanny because that's exactly where I'm at now.
I've been looking at more expensive modern 4 stroke enduros & I think to myself: Do I REALLY need to spend thousands more for somethingvthat is more expensive & more time consuming to service & maintain with more additional things to break, go wrong & worry about??
These modern liquid cooled high tuned 4 strokes need so much attention with the shorter oil changes & valve & shim checks & changes. Then there's the water cooling. With radiators, hoses, a water pump, thermostats & gaskets erc there's more to things to go wrong & there's the added maintenance of changing/ topping up the coolant. Even then, that's not enough & an additional cooling fan needs to added. Ultimately this all adds to more weight & more crap to take off to get to other stuff.
I've had Honda XL"s for years but always wanted an XR.
I just don't understand that when the electric start DR350E came out in the mid/ late 90's Honda didn't add an. Electric start. That would have been a game changer & would have doubled sales & possibly increased its life span.
I have the 1996 400r and it needs to be restored it might be on my todo list next year maybe thanks for the history lesson loved it
That was fascinating. I own a 1997 xr400 which I love. Great bike, still running original piston and rings!!! The engine has never been opened. I've just subscribed to your channel. Thanks for the great content. Love from France.
I have a 91 xr600r that is well used , original gaskets all over. It was abused when I bought it the oil was gloopy and grey, I have spent a lot of time on it and flushed all fluids and pretty it up but never opened the engine. Runs a treat
just bought a xr400r. big improvement over my dr250s. thanks for all the in depth info
I have a 99' and a 01' 400. Fantastic bikes. Torquey reliable motors and decent suspension. I can certainly keep up with the orange bikes on the trail! Thanks for the history lesson. 👍
thanks for watching
I bought the 1983 xr350 new and kept it for a year and sold it. It was a comfortable bike but heavy for me as I was about 140 lbs. Great video presentation!
1985 xr350, best model ever 👍👍indestructible
Love all of the old XR,s, good job 💯
Loved this review,, spot on! I own a 96 and a 03 xr400 and love both of them, great stuff dude I'm subscribed!!
I had an early XR 350, raced the crap out of it, in fact it was modified and I raced it in open class MX. Yes it did run hot, never had any problems with it, awesome motor and handling. Many a time when a landing went wrong, it always found a straight line and saved me from a massive dumping. Yes was was hard to start if you stalled it. No 1 bike in my view.
The XR350 was also available in Australia as a 1986 model and had gold rims.
That’s awesome!
Nice video. You just forgot to mention the oil cooler on the xr400.
Just sold my 85 xr250r couple months ago and bought a 96 xr400 and the power difference is unreal im glad i went to the 400 the ergonomics feel very similar to the 250 to so just feels like same frame but bigger motor!
Try the 600r, bit heavier , but it deserves its handle as the best trail bike ever made
Big fan of all of Tony’s work. Even if if doesn’t has a BigMx Radio shirt.
Excellent history lesson fella!! Very thorough, Glad I watched!!
Glad you enjoyed it
Ive owned a 98 XR400 since '99 when I was 19. I loved it so much I recently bought a cherry 2001 model to go along side of it and dual sport. It a works very well in the type of trails I ride. North eastern US tight and technical stuff. Never really out of 3rd gear very long. It's like a billy goat on the nastiest trails and I just never got used to riding other bikes in these conditions. Call me strange or whatever but I'll never sell these bikes. I even prefer them over my XR650R in the tight woods. Open areas....that's another story lol
Scooping all those XR’s ehh
Thank You for very much well needed information on the 350, I started out back in the day of my youth with my cr60; And now on to and into my adult midlife crisis of pursuing a 350.
Best Regards
Your uploads are always interesting and accurate. Good to see this upload and watch the evolution of the XR's. Seems like I always agree with you color preferences. My brother had the 350 and it was so easy to ride all day......a bit soft, but nice for a long day. I still have my '85 XR 250 and when I want a slow, relaxing ride where I just let the bike do the work, I will get it out of the shed, check the fluids, oil the chain, and have some fun. I certainly agree that if Honda made the 400 today it would sell every one it made. I've ridden them and torque is the name of the game.
I agree I have a mint XR 400 street legal video above I’ll never sell it
@@markkus1134 I wouldn't......seems every one I've seen is out of my reach price or it looks like it got run over by a tank.
@@tomnekuda3818 thanks mine was owned by a pro motocross rider who passed away he had super moto excel wheels on it when I bought it also had the stick wheels which I put back on and sold the excels for half of what I paid for the bike!
It’s jetted perfect with the FMF q series pipe
Good job 👏 enjoy your videos as always
Awsome video! Love my 96 XR and put endless hour on it every summer
I own an 83 Xr350 and it’s the funnest bike I’ve ridden yet
Very informative! Great video, thanks! Keep it up on the old XR's 🙂
Love these reviews!👍
Great job here! Thank you.
What a great show. These bikes were the best on the mountain real world trails
It's cool to look on your flickr, I can tell what you are working on and what video will be posted in a few days!
Honda should never have stopped the XR line. We love ours. 100, 250, and 400.
Another great XR video I just ordered the new XR t-shirt
Love the video!!!
Forgot to mention that the 85, the 350 also got an aluminum swingarm. I had an 84 that I put many happy single track miles on. Short of flat tires, it never failed me. Great bikes!
Thanks for vid. Great trail bike
Great video on the 350 and 400!
Love this stuff!
i got a 1996 myselft, im restoring it, every bolt is new, all new, i love it, in his original purple, 1 of 2 in my country!
I was one of those guys that built MX bikes out of XR's. My first was my 1990 XR 250 (270cc, Cam, Carb, Progressive Susp. Springs and custom valving and cartridges, Cr Shock,...etc. Then I got the bug again when in 1997 he sold me his 84 twin carb XR350. It weighed a ton but was a freight train in motion.
I learned a lot from this video well done.
Those motors a builet proof i completly submerged mine in a creek it still ran just fine
U had a 97 400 can 406 piston pipe loved it pulled harder than a school boy at a scout convention buying a bother one easy to work in
Still have my 98 xr400 and coming from a 2 stroke lovers viewpoint , I love the twitchyness of the handling for open bush riding in Botswana and South Africa
Yes! TT's and XR's, checked off.. Do I see a DRZ wrap up in our future? Maybe a midsize trail bike "shoot out"!
CHRISTMAS IS SAVED!
#Tony4president
I want to thank you for your support and I endorse this message
i have a 1986 honda 350x 3 wheeler and a 2004 honda 400ex ATV so i found this very cool
Loved my dr 350 !!! Bought at Happs Honda in Sarasota Florida 1986. ! Miss it !!!
Awesome video. You explain things so well. The 85’ XR350R I feel like overall has such a good look. XR400R can’t go wrong overall super fun trail bike. Owned the DRZ400 Dual Sport...outgrew suspension real fast not a trail bike but awesome for mostly road or mild trails...so I have to agree with you on that one...I wound up with a broken foot before I hit 500 miles on the DRZ. Lesson learned. I could be wrong but I assume the off road only DRZ had different cam or carbs? Not sure.
2002 DRZ400K K for kickstart only model. Much better suspension better than Honda XR400 and a complete bike being DOHC and water called superior to HondaXR400
Yes. I have 2002 Suzuki DRZ400K. K for kick start only model. Great bike dohc water cooled motor would take a lot of beating and not getting hot like Honda did.
Excellent job!
Thank you very much!
Great thanks. I owned the 85 350 and liked it but the 87 TT350 was so far ahead in every way inc enduro racing that I had to get rid of the sexy XR. I would look to the 2000 XR400 for a collectors item tho. Cheers again.
I had both bikes. The only complain I have is. No elec. starter. Loved the engines. Bullet proof.
I had an Xr 350r.. LOVED It.. till it tipped over and flooded. Then it was impossible to start. :)
Typical four-stroke......gotta learn to swear in Honda. Besides, LOL, you're not supposed to dump 'em like I do.
Thumbs UP for that shirt!! 🏁
It’s a big heavy beast but will lug up any hill and smash through almost anything unscathed. Just be sure to change the oil once every year or two 😂Love my XR400...will most likely never sell it even with other bikes in the garage.
Me to I have a 2003 that’s mint
I have a Xr400r 98 it’s kinda old looking but solid frame solid everything actually. Just looks tired. But it’s a beast like you said.
Good video
Great video once again, have you done a history review of the xl 350 of the 80’s?
Great Video. Thanks. *In europe, Honda produced a few 1986 xr350 .
I like your video, I have xr650l got it and just fell head over heels for it.
That being said I also had ridden xl250 Motorsport among others, such as Kawasaki kz750, Suzuki 750 tscc,, I realize last 2 street bikes, however more modern until the xr650l, which I absolutely LOVE,
My Favorite of All Time However will unquestionably be My Beloved XL 250 Motorsport, I know it’s Older, Heavier, Wet Sump Etc, but What an Excellent Motorcycle for it’s time, but I like the Xr 350 R also, I think it would have been more successful had Honda made it just as it was, but given it the ability to be Street Suitable, or Simply made it the same way, but in a Street Capable format
1999 is the best looking one😏
I agree. If Honda still made this bike along with the 250 they would sell out. Kawasaki brought back the klx300 and all they did was add fuel injection. I bought one for 5000 dollars is all in 2020. It's Hondas turn to do the same. Cheap, fun, and reliable is all that matters when you leave your ego at home.
Had a low hour 86” XL250R and it ripped. Heavy! AF….but what a good bike. Dual sport. And street. Ok off road
thank you !
85' XR200 and 86' XR600 was two of best bikes i ever owned.
Al Baker and others were taking hopped up XL 350 motors and Red line frames and making some Baja racing bikes that were very fast from what Ive seen I never rode one but seen one from Powroll in the magazines.
Love my XR400. Reliable and dependable on the rocky/rooty single track here in Idaho. Shinko505 w/rim locks on rear. Shinko216fatty up front.
Yes I really like your videos I'm just a little bit older than you Lee short bring back a lot of memories is there any way you could do a history of the XR250 and some of the XRL street legal line of that motorcycle those are really great motorcycles back in the day and they still are I would appreciate it if you could do that that would be great
Would be nice to see the years next to each other for changes.
I’d love to find an 85’ single carb, what a gorgeous bike.
I have one I’m working on rn
@@hondaxr8477 when you get her done maybe give us a short update, those are such iconic and beautiful bikes. 👍
I was just thinkin' the same thing.
What are people willing to pay for one restored?I got one I just finished this winter.
@@wholikesdaboss not sure hurt 2500 minimum I have an 85 single carb im re-doing it now and its still beautiful been in a garage for 17 years well kept still nice bike
If Honda re-released the XR400 with 6 gears and EFI (and, dare I dream, an aluminum frame??) they would sell a ton.
The XR350 is a pretty darn good machine that evokes great memories from a simpler time. A time when 4 strokes were great woods bikes and they were only ridden on an mx track by the one older guy who didn't look quite "American". He may have been some sort of eastern European. He raced in old road race leathers and an open face helmet. He never won and he never cared. Those were good days. Long live the XR.
There was a kid at a local arenacross event a couple years ago on a xr250r, racing against yz250fs and the like, he got second place and was giving the first place guy all that he could handle in the armature class, even though they had half again more horsepower and 30 year newer suspensions, I was proud of the boy, I didn't know him, but still proud
I had the 98 xr 400 itbwas 5 years old when i got put a pipe kn air filter duval suspension i put cr 500 rear fender number plate on it and raced it at the local track
TB I love the XR600R T-Shirt and I want to get one ...
Thanks!
You just cant beat the simplicity of an air cooled engine with less weight & bulk than a water cooled & far less to go wrong. Plus at the front of the bike everything is easier to get to without radiators, pumps & pipes in the way.
Considering they made so many modifications & changes in 1998, They should have at some point added an electric start. Woukd have doubled sales overnight
Hi, great video with good detail..thanks. I'm in the UK and am tempted by a Honda on ebay....its an XL 350R but manufactured in 1988 and in white with red seat...do you know anything about what it could be?? Many thanks
As all XLs regarding XRs, street tyres, street legal lightning and horn, softer cam timing, less off road oriented suspension, longer seat and 2 pers legal, metal tank, bigger speedometer.
Any chance of a review on the xr200 please mate? Had a 1998 I rode into the ground when I was a young fella. Snapped the crank in half and broke the foot pegs off jumping it off dam walls and stuff like that.
Let's include also the XR400 super motards that came out in Asia from 2000-2004. Upside forks, electric start, just perfect machines (though a bit heavier than the US version).
I dont know about the xr 400, but I believe in Australia in 2006 and 2007 Honda sold an xr250r with USD forks and electric start. Really wish they sold that here!
I’d buy one of your shirts of you had the bike graphic on the back and your channel logo on the front. Can you do that?
I believe that the 85 XR350 frame was shared with the XR500.. therefore raised seat height... reduced tank size..
With a 440 big bore and head porting the xr400 was pretty potent
Got 92 xr400r absolutely love it lot lighter then my 86 klr600
Did the 85 xr350 have a speedometer? I bought the 83 model and it had a speedometer. Thanks
The 1985 had a multifunction computer that could display speed and several other things as well.
@@TheMotocrossVault thanks.
I rode an 83 xr 350 when it first came out. Itvwas like riding a grownup version of the xr 75.
The white tanks would turn yellowish after a year or 2 the red was much better.
My 98 white tank is kinda tan lol
Мой белый XR400R 99 года тоже бак сильно пожелтел.
The 350 was short-lived as it has overheating problems. Much effort was put into resolving it, but to no bueno.
Love me a Honda Xr and I think the 400r is tied for first place with my 650r. Both just killer bikes.
1985 XR/XL 350. Weak 3rd gear heat treating.
The older 350cc Honda XL single was actually the better engine and could be used for dirt track oval or ice racing. -Way heavier though.
u mentioned something about leesburg in the video. do you mean va?
Yes I live in Leesburg Va
@@TheMotocrossVault i was born and raised in lucketts. i enjoy your channel. i come up occasionally from richmond to visit the old folks. would love to talk bikes. currently own and ride a 91 dr250s. its such a great machine. cheers
XR as reliable as a steel ball.