1985 Honda XL350R Solo Motorcycle

Description

Honda’s mid-sized dual-purpose XL350R was produced alongside the smaller XL250R and larger XL600R siblings, albeit for a shorter period – it was catalogued from 1984 until 1985 only.  Boasting Honda’s Radial Four-Valve Combustion Chamber, the air-cooled four-stroke unit had a bore and stroke of 84mm by 61mm, a 9.5:1 compression ratio and was rated at 30 horsepower at 7500 peak revs, driving the rear wheel through a multi-plate wet clutch six-speed transmission.  Suspension consisted of a 39mm Showa air-adjustable front fork with dual Syntallic bushings and a Pro-Link set-up at the rear, while stopping power was provided by a twin piston 240mm single front disc brake and a drum at the rear.  Ranked as one of the ten best motorcycles of 1986 by Cycle World, the XL350R was deemed the best compromise between on and off-road performance.  Japanese dual-purpose bikes of the ‘70s and ‘80s are fast becoming collectible as a generation of riders who cut their teeth on dirt riding bikes like the XL350R rediscover their youth.