Honda Xl600r Rebuild Part 5: Engine Paint and Clutch Installation

Basket case rebuild of a 1987 Honda XL600r motorcycle. This week we focus on cleaning and painting the engine case as well as installing all the components on the clutch side. This includes the side covers, the cylinder head, valve cover and all the little bits that need to be red when completed. All the new gaskets are in from Honda and the old ones are being discarded. The paint we are using on the magnesium engine is Dupli-Color Engine Enamel and the colour code is CDE1653 Red which is a perfect match to the original. The components for the clutch side are mainly what was already in the bike. This includes the basket, the plates, the timing chain, oil pump, pulse generator and kickstart mechanism.The clutch springs were weak so I installed heavier replacements to handle the torque better and prevent slipping.

The intent of these videos is to help beginners understand how these bikes work and how to fix them when they don't! Using parts from my years of collecting, I have almost everything to rebuild this bike except for a few small items and the major gaskets. By using used parts and simple tools, it is possible to do a lot of the work yourself and keep the cost of repairs to a minimum. I hope you enjoy it and please subscribe to see lots more that are in the works!