Honda XR400 review: the smaller red pig!︱Cross Training Enduro
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- Опубліковано 7 вер 2024
- www.crosstraini... tractionerag.com We published this on our adventure channel last year but duplicated it here so nobody would miss it. This was a trip down memory lane, riding a Honda XR400 (more corectly the Honda XR400R) last week for the first time in 20 years. The first Honda XR400 came out in 1996 and it was a great dirt bike in its day. Bulletproof. Heaps of midrange power. Long travel suspension. Relatively light. I had an absolute ball on mine so here is our Honda XR400 review. Plenty of guys were racing the Honda XR400 too, not surprising given the massive popularity of the XR600 in events like Baja. But everything was about to change. The era of the mainstream high performance four stroke was about to kick in, with the Yamaha WR400 in 1998 and KTM 400EXC in 2000. It was capable on and off road, incredibly reliable. The only real known issue for the Honda XR400R was some could be tricky to kickstart once they were hot but I never had that issue. It was definitely a wheelie machine too. Excuse the old footage, but this was filmed before action cams were even available. Filmed to tape in glorious Technicolor. I can still remember riding a friend's brand new 400EXC, one of the first in Australia. I was staggered at how light, smooth and powerful it was. Many XR400Rs were heavily modified and raced. The 400 was perhaps the most versatile of the XR line-up; many were raced in amateur motocross and enduro events. Equipped with street-legal lighting it also worked reasonably well as a dual purpose bike. It was simple, reliable and long lasting. The XR 400R was introduced in 1996. Its frame, plastics and suspension components were similar to those of the XR250R, and it had a similar air-cooled engine with RFVC cylinder head technology. The XR400R had more suspension travel and a longer wheelbase than the XR250R of the same year. Hard to break and easy to fix. In 2004 Honda discontinued the XR400R. And I realised the days of the Honda XR400 being a great dirt bike were over. However, it was still a great dual sport bike and kept selling well. But then the Suzuki DRZ400 emerged, with water cooling, more power and an electric start. It became incredibly popular but instead of updating the XR400 Honda simply gave up in 2004 and discontinued it. Why? Who knows? Suzuki has sold a huge number of DRZ400s over the past two decades, why didn't Honda update the Honda XR400R and cash in as well? It would be great to be a fly on the wall at the Honda marketing meetings. What do you guys think? Has Honda made some weird decisions over the years? Should the XR range have continued? Keen to hear what you think. Small XR models include the XR50R, XR70R, XR75R, XR80R and XR100R. In 2005 Honda released a motard version with an electric start but they detuned the engine and it never seemed to take off. The Honda XR series is a range of four-stroke off-road motorcycles that were designed in Japan but assembled all over the world. Some of the XR series came in two versions: R and L. The R version bikes were enduro machines designed for off-road competitive riding. They were fitted with knobby off-road tires and were not always street legal. The L version models were dual-sport trailbikes, fitted with lights, indicators, horn, and street-legal tires. The Honda XR400 engine continued to live on in a model called the Honda NX4 Falcon made in Brazil which is actually fuel injected and has an electric start and a big fuel tank. It would probably sell quite well but it's only available in Brazil. Everyone will have different opinions about the Honda XR400, but I wonder if the turn of the century is when Honda really started to lose the plot with their offroad bikes in many respects. The sound effects are that of a two-stroke engine for dramatic effect. The XR50 is a small four-stroke 50 cc (3.1 cu in) child's entry level motorcycle, introduced in 1969 and still in production as the CRF50 in 2021. Originally it was called the Z-50, then Trail-50, the XR 50, CRF 50, and the mini dirt bike. The XR80R was used in the film Terminator 2: Judgment Day, ridden by a young John Connor ( Edward Furlong ). In some scenes the taller XR100R is used as Furlong's stunt double was an adult man.
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Best bike ever. Love my 98 xr400r. Starts 1-2 kicks no matter what.
It’s not too late Honda, bring back an updated XR range next year.
bonzer >a badass futuristic xr with 400-500cc single cylinder engine, yoshi/fmf fully uncorked excell rims moose sprockets 16-44 electric start kit from a 4 wheel honda. but some say Honda Redmoto's crf450xr (crf450l) exists instead.
With the xr4 you can do even hard enduro trails...
When i go riding with my Friends (300exc, gas gas, etc) they feel surprised on what you can do with a old, heavy, less powerful bike. BUT A LEGENDARY BIKE
My God. The titles you gave the guys on the conference call has me in stitches.
😂
I bought a new xr200r in 1995 at age 13 and after a major accident and 12 months not walking, the quake said I wouldn't be able to ride any more. I traded it in for a genuine honda xr400r scale model. It's still up in my shed... next to all my motorcycles...
Glad you healed up after that one, Adam
best bike of all time!
Someone gets it
The XR series was a great line. Cheap and simple. I know a number of people who got the XR 250 for a first bike
I still have my xr250. I had a drz400 but I don't have access to many dual sport trails near me so I sold it for the XR and ride it all day long on single track.
I had a 2003 XR 250. I should have never sold it.
Haha,mine was an 80!
Ooops with Shinzo
Yeah… just heard about that 😬
I thought so too. Talk about bad timing
Damn. Yeah this was scheduled months ago. RIP Shinzo.
I’ve got 2 of these bikes. Love them! Just for the fact that they’re bullet proof. Simple is best.
I love my 2008 530EXCR , still so much of a motorhead that I like learning about other bikes.
Thank you Sir.
Still a great dirtbike that 95% of riders won't come close to riding to it's full potential. I've had the latest, greatest and still come back to the XR400 for it's comfort and simplicity.
Don't see any KTM or WR 400s. I still see xr400 at ride days.
I have a 2001 KTM 400. Great bike.
@@MDHaughton they were/are. How long U had yours. I use to ride a yz400f when they first came out. Can't say it was a great bike. Powerful and light for the day. But that engine was temperamental
I’ve had two of the XR4’s, used for trail riding and rallies. The only grouse I had was that kick start when everyone else had battery assist. So I fitted one and it transformed the bike. Engine went on and on and on, couldn’t break the thing but I did change the oil anorakitacally. Compared to the competition they became a beast and I went over to the Austrian marque. I remember all those years ago, the XR would climb far getter than the competition but when speed was asked of it, it was lacking.
I changed that awful oem carburettor and never had a problem starting after a fall or when hot
It was and still is my all time favourite bike, the machine I had great fun with and although my 300tpi is easy and makes me look capable, it lacks character.
Like all air cooled bikes, they were damned by emission rules……..such is life.
What carb did you upgrade to? I've just bought a 97 xr400 on 2000 miles and had it out on the trails yesterday and it's a pig to start with a muddy boot 😅
The NX4 engine is a TRX 400 engine, with less compression ratio than the XR's. As any Brazilian engine reliability is a hit or miss. The FI version (there was a carburated version from 2002 to 2014) has only 27HP and lost lots torque due to poorly mapped ECM (same map as the xre300)
Bike weights a ton, suspensions are low end and the 17-21 wheel combo paired with a 40 tooth rear sprocket is a good way to make a bad street bike and even poorer dual sport. Anyway it was a real bang for buck (less than 3000 dollar for a 0mi bike) and a bike you'll fall for, not to mention all the aftermarket available for the engine (a 11:1 piston with a stage ii cam, a carb and exhaust will put you in the 40hp ballpark. Then you can bore and stroke it should you need/want it)
Sadly it was also discontinued.
I really miss my 2002 XR400, should of never sold it!
I remember being stuck at the bottom of a steep hill, pissing rain trying to kick over an xr400 I had just laid over. After about 150 kicks, sweat dripping, goggles fogged she started, I was absolutely knackered. You couldn’t gift me a kick start bike nowadays 😅
A lot of owners do say it's hard to start after it's been on its side, Calvin! I don't remember that issue with mine but maybe it's selective memory lol.
@@crosstrainingenduro they are easy to unflood using the manual decomp lever, which also is great to get the bike just past TDC to kick and 1st gear roll starts, many people removed the manual decomp levers like they were a coward lever and just make life difficult for themselves.
I love my XR400 kickstart in Cambodia. The bike is so reliable, takes a beating and always starts no problem.
I think if Honda made a E-Start model...it would of been very popular...it's lighter then the Dr-z and no radiators to break...I use to have a DR350SE and it was much heavier...I still like my Xr440r best. Great trail bike...I don't need to spend over ten grand for the latest Ktm or Husky.... I'm not bashing those bikes...they are good no doubt...but at 63yo...I don't even do the super Gnarly shit anymore...MY XR will out live me no doubt....
Is it a dallara xr440r (435cc) ? have you mounted a electric start kit from a 4 wheel honda or bought a e-start kit?
@@dualsportscandinavia353 I don't have any troubles kick starting the bike..The only place a E-Start would really help is if you choke the bike out on a up hill trail....that's where the magic button would be handy...
@@dualsportscandinavia353 it had a Big Bore kit added years ago.....I have no real trouble kick starting it.....just keep the crb clean and valves adjusted.....
Bloody hell yes both the XR and XL series 250 , 400 and my favorite 500
So i was in a Honda dealership the other day and was talking to the salesman about these. So they stopped bringing them into Australia, but they kept on going in other countries for a while. Reason being, Honda put the order minimum up to 2000 units. The XR400R was the biggest selling bike at the time, but was only selling 1200 or so units through the whole country, so they stopped importing it. That is the reason. I had a 1996 XR400R as my first dirt bike, was awesome. The DRZ400 is a modern take on the XR400R. It is also a better bike i think, all though i dont wanna say it.
That makes sense. It would explain why they stopped importing the XR650L as well. 🤔
XR series best bikes ever, from 75 to 650.
Dropping the xr400 was one of the dumbest things honda ever did. If they would of just updated the suspension and added electric start, it would of been the perfect duelsport.
ace! sounds like simple and relatively easy upgrade with electric start from e.g quads and suspension from crf250/450 or just revalve it. email hondo and ask them cte can do a follow up based on the response ツ
i would sell my cb500x to get a brand new xr400 if it was e-start and fuel injected in a second! i only sold my xr because i have hip problems and kick starting was causing me a lot of pain. the bike was always a monster to ride though!
I (being a rather heavy bloke) tend not to have any issues kick starting most bikes from cold or through normal running, however, after a drop or when stalled out in a river crossing or a bog etc, kick starts are just a pain in the arse, you've got to drag the bike out without any engine assistance..
I've got 3 of these pigs...all purchased second hand, so I've collated the performance bling from each one into my ugly mega beast with the Dohlins, the flatslide carbi, oversized staintune headers and pipe. Yeah its heavy, yeah its kick start......but I know no different. falling off in first gear trying some gumby skills on a single track is what I love....and also an acceptable side effect for dealing with health issues. Ya don't need an Italian princess or a pumpkin to learn skills.
Rest in Piece Shinzo Abe.
Honda needs to bring the XRRs back from the 200 to the 650. Use the same air cooled engines with the oil in the frame just add electric start and fuel injection. These are excellent trail bikes and can be sold at an affordable price which is what people want.
I remember those XRs from the 80s getting stuck on some hill climbs, won't start dying of thirst in the Queensland heat (camel backs weren't really a thing back then lol) trying to kick it over, some mate yelling through his helmet about the correct sequence which didn't really work for him lol.
100% I loved riding my mates xr350 & xr400 around great old bikes and competition between the dr400 and xr400 would have been awesome who know's what we would have seen.
Like the board room scene 😂😂
True story 😁
The air-cooled XR has lost the exhaust gas regulations.
Let's continue to take good care of your XR!
It's such an easy bike to go fast on. You can ride it all day without getting worn out like you do trying to control one of these 50+hp beasts. I made mine street legal so I can go anywhere with it and it's easily the most fun bike I've had to date.
2:20 I laughed out loud at this.... 😂 Brilliant!!!
Rip shinzo abe
My first duel sport was a XR250L with electric start. It just lacked the power of the 'R' but it was a great bike.
Today I just finished a 5-day on and off road tour on the XR400 (the latest electric start version, no Kickstart, cannot be fitted one as the hole where the Kickstart would be was deleted by Honda). The bike is lighter than my DRZ400, easier to through around, but lacking low-end torque (maybe because of the final gearing being 14-42, second gear was useless off-road and on tighter roads). It has very good mid-range but the top end is not there either, understandably so. The suspension was also annoyingly chatty, I was feeling every little Rock through the pegs (even with USD forks). Even though it's about 10kg (25lbs) lighter than the DRZ, it was still a pig to pick up when dropped.
Having toured on the DRZ400 and now on the XR400, I have to say, to my surprise, that I like my DRZ far more. Better suspension, smoother engine, FAR more low-end torque and usability of low gears, AND a backup Kickstart (the battery on the XR400 died mid-tour, and with no Kickstart it had to be pushed started the rest of the way, major pain in the butt).
The XR400 is a great bike, but the DRZ400 out does it on every aspect, except weight.
I think you can really see that the XR400 came out five years before the DRZ400. With updates, it probably would have matched the DRZ in every respect but it was showing its age in comparison...
That will learn Shinzo for cancelling the XR
In the new year I may get one of these. Right now there's a
1996: $2500
1997: $4500 was $4900
2001: $3000
🤔
Is the GAP BETWEEN CRF300L and CRF450L too big?
Dual-sport users seem to prefer the CRF300L
They used to be a ripper with the performance pack from HRC.
Its cheaper, faster and more exhilarating to go ride a 450 late model enduro bike.
Its just us old men that like the XR400 and 600s.. Is Nostalgic the word?
Nostalgia for sure!
@@crosstrainingenduro next time i go riding i might have to talk my mate into lending me his 650, one of the last years built!
Im only 70kgs with 5 plates and 30 screws in my right foot and ankle so starting it will be fun haha
23 model years later for the DRZ proves Honda left money on the table. A revised XR line from the 80 on up with fully modern suspension would sell like a Pfizer vaccine in the middle of a pandemic.
maybe nx4 falco sell more than a modern xr baja1000 racer🤑dallara created XR440 with cool mx stance, the red moto of its time Q&ツ has ktm ditched 490 husky 501 norden +enduro? Is drz450s fake? who will first fill the 450-600cc ds-gap with long intervals? It's a wide open goal
By 04 we had 650r for a few years
I tried my friend xr400 with better carb, cams, longer swingarm, etc.. is a fun bike, bulletproof, lots of usable torque and power but the peg position is crazy, i felt like I was on the roof. The mass center it look for me messed up. (My friend loves it and would never sell it)
Was the stock carb the hit or miss with the starting problem on some machines ?
@@jamesdenton3692 no, he just want to squize every hp of the motor, and he bought this $500 carb and tune it to run perfectly. He is a mechanic and this motor is his pride, so is in mint condition. He is also very skilled. The original swingarm was to short, he added ~10cm to have same distances between wheels like ktm tpi models. Now he climbs very hard sections without flipping over.
always had a soft spot for an xr, my only problem with them is I'm not tall enough! I could only start the things standing off the bike with my left foot lol
seat concepts has a lower seat for the xr400 or a local upholsterer can do the job, lowering kit from eg. xrsonly. keep us updated with your next dualsport projectツ
1:03 you can use this bump like kicker - they said :D
Im pretty content with my 96 xr400 imo they should of just kept pumping them out like the 650L.
They canned the XR because they started making great off road bikes on new chassis platforms, i.e. the CRF250X and 450X. There was no reason to continue producing a completely antiquated platform.
: XR650L has left the chat
You answered your own question. They gave up on it because it was outdated. You said that the new bikes ride lighter. Why come up with a warmed over derivative when you can come up with a new design with a better frame and many other better features than the original. I'm pretty sure the new Honda four strokes would walk away from this bike no problem. As far as dual sports go, their tires make them so they're not very good off-road and not all that great on the street either. Jack of all trades, master of none. And I doubt you can add a map switch to those old bikes. I guess my question to Honda, Kawi and Suzuki would be is why are you not getting back into the 2-stroke business?
The frame was a rusty pile of junk. How often have you seen the side stand or pegs welded back on after metal cancer!! That’s why I moved mine on.
Technology marches on.
It does!
@@crosstrainingenduro I actually had a 2004, bought it brand new. rode it for a few years, and moved to a crf450x, and never looked back. Now its orange kool-aid or nothing else... I loved that XR, it got me back into riding, but I bet it would seem like a dog now. Great video - always enjoy the commentary. and WHEELIES
Or what he used to look like
“… concoct the seed,
Plant the waste,
Becoming the image needs just a taste…”
Common marketing concept.
I am waiting for a new Honda adventure bike - (600 - 800 cc) single or twin. Something lighter than an AT...
CRF500L+650L Africa Twin+Enduro Sports.7-800cc become directly big mobs! Riders rebuild T7 to 353lbs. Transalp 755=Bugger 😂
The Yamaha and KTM were more powerful but I still preferred my XR400 it’s my favorite bike I’ve ever owned.
so you mean its a ag bike and not like a wr450f or a pumpkin 500 exc ツ
I was riding one of these last week on a cattle station. much prefer my crf450x.
I have an 01 XR4 that I picked up because it was street plated here in the US, thinking I could use it as a commuter/ADV type bike. It's decently capable on the pavement, but I feel like it's going to puke it's guts out going 65mph for 40-50 miles. Any suggestions on gearing to make it better on pavement but still capable on dirt roads and the occasional trail? Mine is uncorked with an FMF PowerCore IV "silencer" and a pumper carb and it's got great power, it just feels anemic at highway speeds and I don't want to kill it.
The XR400 is a great bike for what it is but it doesn't like highway speeds with stock gearing. You've gotta go up teeth on the Front sprocket and down a few on the rear to make it manageable but you do then loose a bit of low end grunt for the technical stuff. Many have suggested having 2 gear sets and changing them out depending on the riding your going to do if you are going to commute the XR400. It's really a great trail bike but I do think the new CRF450L is the real do it all dual sport with some fixes. I'm looking at getting a used one in a year or so if the prices come down a bit. That being said I don't think I'll ever sell my street legal XR400. It's not perfect but it's just such a reliable solid bike I can trust to get me anywhere off road and get me back.
Like so many Japanese thumpers, it really needed six gears.
@@crosstrainingenduro Totally agree. If it had 6 gears and E start it would be just about perfect for my needs and I'd never be looking over the fence to see if the grass is greener on the other side lol.
Didn’t that Japanese guy just get murdered today 😅😅😅
The Honda guy looks like Shinzo Abe, who got shot and died yesterday.
Great farm bike, but in all honesty that is being generous
Great bike, back in the day!
Maybe there wasn’t enough volume of sales but the accountants running a company is very plausible of course!! 😉
True, Mark. It may have been a lack of sales at some point. But at least in Australia we saw the DRZ400 become one of the most popular offroad models for years so many wondered why Honda didn't update the XR to compete. I assume the DRZ has been a big seller in other countries but I could be wrong!
Isn’t every spot a Honda rider parks, a disabled spot?
😂
Its like honda said ok suzuki, you can make 400s and we wont bother to.
Yep, and Suzuki must have made a mozza on that DRZ. A huge seller and almost no changes for more than two decades.
The Honda CEO looks remarkably like Shinzo Abe
Dead ringer. Must be old footage. Too soon?
Unfortunately bad timing, Pete. I made that vid a long time ago, but thought I'd release it here on the enduro channel. It was scheduled months ago.
@@crosstrainingenduro I meant too soon in regard to my quip "Dead ringer. Must be old footage." Love your work.
Honda have made MANY weird and incorrect decisions.
I'm not sure the XR400 would have been as good if they fitted ES (and all the extra's required, bigger flywheel etc), but lacking electric start definitely hurts their sales..
I ride a DR350SE (electric start), but my friend has a DR350S (kick start) and they are night and day different from each other, but, if in the market again, I'd still go for the magic button - especially after a recent bog fest that took 4hrs to cover 1 mile...
Four hours, Wayne! Damn, that would have been a good workout.
@@crosstrainingenduro we missed last orders at the boozer 😡🤬
What I think? I think I didn't know you were so young. I should have known when you were talking, in others videos, that 20 years was a long time.
Such an iron horse
Honda is the enemy. Brapppp
eyup bazza their biggest mistake stoppin the xr range we get a honda xr 125 its nothin like its older brothers a big dissapointment you sais in past they concentrate on the moped market in india now and not intrested in owt else
Love to be a fly on the wall at their marketing meetings and hear why they make the decisions they do. Would it just be guys in suits saying 'Too risky!' 'Too radical!'
@@crosstrainingenduro nailed it
KTMS SUCK BIG TIME HAD A 1974 KTM 125 IT WAS JUNK 6 SPEEDS GEARE BOX THAT WAS CRAP MISS SHIFTS IT WAS A P OF SH IT HAD A KAWSUCKY BIG HORN 350 IT WAS CRAP SHIT THEN I GOT A TT 500 IT WAS A TRACTOR GOOD BIKE THEN A HONDA XR 500 THEN 3 XL600S D BIKE A LOT SOFT
What other dumb Honda moves ? Stopping all their 2 smoke production !!!
I hear modern 2 stroke FI engines are rather efficient. But the ideologues will fight tooth and nail to prevent them making a comeback.
going against the grain i know…but its a dog….from a xr250/600/650r owner
ps. my crf300l is a better bike than the 400
That 300 is near 50 lbs heavier than a xr400r
There are some modern benefits, but i like how bullet proof the air cooled Hondas are. My XR 250 sat for 6 years when I moved and when I came back I changed the oil, cleaned the carb and it started 2nd kick and purred.
Huh. Well I'll definitely have to check out a CRF300 then. As I'm a former owner of both the XR600 and the XR650r and a current owner of a XR400 and I'm pretty happy with my 400. However I might like to upgrade for one reason and one reason only. A magic button might be nice as I get older even though I've never had any issue kick starting my bike. Almost always kicks over the first or second kick when warm and maybe 3 or 4 when cold. Was thinking about looking at the CRF450L but you say even the 300 is better huh. Im skeptical as I've ridden a good friends WR450F a bit and it's better then my 400 but imo not enough to be worth upgrading accept for the E start. I find it hard to believe the CRF300 with less power and its suspension would be better then the XR400. Curious to here your reasoning.
@@maxmartin6183 Ya actually my bike is pretty much stock performance wise. It's got a Dakar street legal kit on it and I've got an extended range tank on it but other then that it's got room for performance upgrades for sure. I've been debating putting on a pumper carb and possibly even doing the 440 kit on it but it serves my needs just fine the way it is really. The only thing I'd really like is an E button and possibly a bit more power for lifting the front wheel in a hurry without effort. But in reality I'm not the go fast racer type, I'm the explorer and enjoy the ride type, so high performance is not as necessary as reliability and longevity for me. My favorite riding is western mountian single track and connecting forest roads inbetween. The XR400 does that just fine for me.
@@duncdunc76 CRF300L is a solid built bike with a really strong frame and subframe.
Engine lasts 100000km without any problems.
BUT:
Suspensions are a nightmare, but for the purpose of the bike it's ok. They are WAY too soft.
Engine feels, from my point of view, like a 125ccm engine with more HP. Without any soul.