IMHO: Sell the XR, add $500 and take the legal off-road motorcycles out of the box (WR/XRL/DR/KLX, etc.) In any case, it is not practical. A better bet, if you REALLY wanted a street legal XR200, would be to sell your “R” and buy an “L”. I could buy him my GF`s `92 xr200r and thought about making it road legal. It`s a cheap, reliable, slow, cheap little insurance, easy to get started (I have too many tickets from my last bike!) and sounds like a blast. What do you think? Or am I just crazy? The years 1992 and newer are slightly shorter, so they would fit better if you have short legs. Before that, it`s a good off-road bike if you measure 5`4″-6`0″. A few simple suspension changes can go a long way toward improving riding if you`re more experienced and want a fun little trail bike. You must be a member to leave a comment. What kind of driving are you going to do and what are your expectations? I still believe that the XR200 is a good off-road bike if you like a simple, reliable and lightweight trail bike. It`s even better if you like to tinker with things and modify parts to make it faster and better, which I`ll show you shortly. With a short wheelbase, relatively low seat height and less weight than most trail bikes, the Honda XR200 is one of the most maneuverable off-road motorcycles for driving in the forest – especially if you adjust the suspension to your weight! In 1993, Honda decided to change the suspension to make it even easier. Nothing is adjustable on the outside, except the sagging rear shock to get your proper ride height.
You see close to $500 and it`s still a 200cc Rinky Dink engine that really won`t accelerate comfortably once you get into the 40+mph range. In 1992, Honda took the other path and tuned the suspension, making it more of a plush kids` off-road motorcycle with a lower seat height. The forks and shock absorber had less stroke and didn`t work as well. Expect to spend $600-2000 for a used XR200. It really depends on the condition first, then the year and upgrades, although that`s not that important. The top speed of a standard XR200 is around 60 miles per hour on flat terrain, but that number doesn`t mean much unless you`re drag racing. Since it only has about 12 horsepower on the rear wheel, you won`t win many races, but that`s not what makes this bike so good. However, as soon as you drive more aggressively on rougher terrain or at higher speeds, its weaknesses become apparent. Riding on long sandy whoops on the trails quickly becomes tiring due to the short wheelbase and soft suspension.
The rear shock absorber was also not rebuildable like the previous generation, offering performance that was disappointing to say the least. For slow and occasional driving, you can be at the upper end of this weight limit and have no problems. However, once you start riding aggressively and on difficult trails, it will start hitting the ground and kicking you, making driving uncomfortable. Each XR200R is a great choice if you`re looking for a lightweight, durable, and easy-to-ride trail bike. There are guys who ride rabbit jostles and enduros and get along very well with them. The seat height is lower because the suspension travel has been reduced by almost 2 inches. This makes driving easier if you have short legs, but you`ll lose power if you ride faster on the trails. That`s not to say they`re still great Woods bikes after 1991, as they still had the same excellent 200cc engine. You can even trade chassis components for later models if you want to spend money to make it a better “forest weapon.” However, the engine configuration was not adjusted until 1986. `86-`91 are known as the best years for Honda`s 200cc trail bike due to its low center of gravity, good suspension and engine combination. WoW – Have you posted in /Dualsport? That`s quite a rack! A high-end conversion is pretty cheap and easy to do with an OEM service manual, but expect the rest of the bike to be overlooked as well. If you want to have the most off-road control, then you want to have that much traction at all times, and that`s what this bike does best.
Instead of having 50 hp that only turns the rear wheel, all 12 hp are put on the ground and keep control. The most important things to look out for are worn parts such as chains, sprockets, wheel bearings, and suspension components. Has the engine been modified? Many people put large sets of holes on them, so be careful when looking at one. As far as I know, this cannot be done in Oregon, California or Washington. I`ve heard it`s still possible in Idaho, but I doubt it. on the other hand, if you particularly like the XR200R, (I personally like the size 3/4 of the frame.. makes it small enough to ride in the parents` garden), it might be worth the money and effort. The XR200 is the name of the 1980-1983 model years, then Honda changed the name to XR200R in 1984. The biggest difference is that the older XR200 model had two shock absorbers and a slightly smaller chassis with a lower seat height. With this in mind, many people skip the use of the “R” and simply call each year model “XR200”.
It starts with a basic driving technique, but it`s easy to develop bad habits. That`s why I want to get you on track in minutes with the right technology. Click here to get my free training guide on all the basic driving techniques that will give you control and confidence. It turns very well on narrow and technical trails and is easy to handle as the center of gravity is low compared to a normal full-size bike. Reliability is one of the biggest benefits if you don`t like working on your off-road motorcycle. Oil changes and keeping the air filter clean ensure that the XR200 lasts for many years. Here are some of the best mods to make your XR200 better and faster: Yamaha YZ85 Review: Is this the Right Off-Road Bike for You? It doesn`t have an exact “weight limit” because you can weigh 300 pounds while driving and having fun. This makes it a good bike in stock if you weigh between 120 and 160 lbs, but it also depends on how you ride. Madness! Maybe I need to steal this ammo box bag idea. Many XR200s have been used and abused.
However, if it has been maintained, one with many hours can still be a good buy. There`s really not much to do with XR engines other than regular oil and filter changes as well as keeping the bike clean. Depending on the model year you get, the XR 200 is designed for teens and beginner adults. With a soft buttered engine, it makes learning to drive with a clutch as easy as possible. Smooth and predictable performance is what you get, and that`s what makes it such an off-road bike so ideal for beginners learning to ride. He has enough power if you`re an adult who just wants to have fun, but he doesn`t have too much power to get out of control very quickly. Always check for oil in the engine. Some people ride these motorcycles off-road and are too lazy to perform simple maintenance.
If you don`t see oil, walk away or expect to do a review and readjust what you`re willing to pay for it. The XR200 was changed several times over the years before being discontinued, but most of the changes were made before 1992. The Pro-Link suspension came out in the early 80s, which made this bike ride beautiful with good handling for a four-stroke trail machine. I know for a fact that the XR200 has made me a better driver in the woods because it is easy to drive and forgiving to learn. The original forks and rear shock had some adjustment capability during the 1980-1991 model years, making them a slightly more desirable choice if it makes a difference to you. The front has about 10 inches of travel and the back has just over 9 inches. Does the engine emit excessive noise (timing chain/pistons/valves) or smoke? If so, it needs to be looked at and probably rebuilt. It was also quite light because there wasn`t much “extra scrap” on the bike compared to some newer off-road bikes. The dry weight during these years was less than 220 pounds. Because it is so reliable, many owners have never worked on it, so they ran it with little oil, made the air filter extremely dirty, or the bike stayed so long that it didn`t start easily. The value can vary greatly depending on a few factors.
If you`re lucky, an 80`s XR200R may only cost a few hundred dollars if it`s been in someone`s garage for years and needs a bit of TLC. It is an interesting luggage rack. Did you build it yourself? The Honda XR200 is a 4-stroke trail bike manufactured in the United States from 1980 to 2002. It has a simple 200cc air-cooled engine that offers low power, but there are reasons why it`s so popular. You can adjust the compression and return valve on the front forks and rear shock absorber, giving you greater comfort depending on your weight and driving style. The rear shock absorber can be rebuilt with a remote-controlled tank that gives you better performance in the rear suspension as it doesn`t fade as quickly. Sounds really cool! Has a lot of character, unlike a stupid DRZ. My father put huge ammunition on the side of his Buell. It has never had any major problems apart from overheating the 84-85 engine, but this is no ordinary motorcycle. The biggest problems you`ll find are when people don`t care about their XR 200 and it needs a lot of maintenance or repairs to get it back in good working order.
If you want a lower seat height to drag people away from a few inches of displacement, the 1993+ XR200 is still a great choice.