1990 - XR600 - problems after sitting for 2 years

[Josh636]

Its my first post here and what a way to start!!

I’ve just picked up an 1990 XR600…..she’s a little used and abused (farm bike) and I’m looking to fix her up for some off road action.

The issue is she has sat for 2 years (in a water tight shed in dry conditions) she kicks over ok, but is it going to be a case of having to give the engine a reco??

I know the XR’s have a solid engine, but would it be ok after sitting for 2 years???

I’ve also been looking at the suspension, the front is fine (but will put in new seals and oil) but the rear shock is the big issue…it compresses and slowly comes back up. Not sure if it’s the factory shock either, the remote canister has an adjuster on the top….is this factory???

With the shock behaving poorly on rebound, is it a case of re-gassing it or does it need a reco?? If so, are reco kits hard to find???

I know I’m asking a lot of questions, but any ideas and suggestions are welcome…

Cheers

Josh

[Woody_393]

First off welcome to

I would drain the fluid from the gas tank, remove the carb and clean is thoroughly with carb cleaner, put it back together.

I would also make sure gas flows from the gas tank to the float boal.

As far as the shock, I'm sure a rebuild will fix it, and any suspension shop should be able to take care of that.

[D3luxe]

Originally Posted by Woody_393

First off welcome to

I would drain the fluid from the gas tank, remove the carb and clean is thoroughly with carb cleaner, put it back together.

I would also make sure gas flows from the gas tank to the float boal.

As far as the shock, I'm sure a rebuild will fix it, and any suspension shop should be able to take care of that.

Yeah, first and foremost you should clean out that carb. After sitting, especially if there was gas left in the engine, most likely the jets and possibly other parts of it will be clogged/gunked up.

And I agree, a rebuild of the shocks should fix your problem.

Welcome to !

[Beeraclock]

Give it a full service as fuel will be off and oil may have moisture in it. Check tyres for decomposition as they do go off and can be dangerous. And, always a good idea to remove plug and put a dash of oil in cylinder before you start it the first time when it hasn't turned over in years, but if you have already started it dont worry. The idea is to pre-lube the rings as they will be as dry as.
p.s. take the shock to the shop