Xbr500 - restricted?

[hyperbimduke]

Was the XBR ever restricted for German market?
I imported mine last year & have covered around 6k while it runs great & I don't thrash it for preservation sake it does feel slower than previous ones I owned, seems to struggle past 90mph.

[Mutt]

The engines were the same for all Euro markets - it was said to achieve 108 mph. The new one I had back in 1987 would pull through 90 on a decent road but I don't recall wanting to max it out and left that to the FJ1200 I also had then. My current 'C' plate will pull 70 to 80 (I don't have any desire to want more than that nowadays) and the old gal is happy with that. importantly the old gal and I still love the twisty bits!

[SteveC#222]

I'm pretty sure the answer is yes, they were. As I recall the Germans had some sort of insurence/ license restriction at 27bhp that some bikes were restricted to. I not sure HOW they were restricted - probably in the carb somewhere.

https://www.xbr.de/index.php/technik-beitraege/xbr-500-technik-beitraege

[Moto63]

Interesting stuff indeed, I didn’t realise they’d ever been restricted in some European countries Steve.
Keep us posted on any restrictions/developments you have with it Chris. Oh and best o luck with it 👍
Cheers, Michael

[Itsme]

Hi there

I'm confused, but then I often am. You say you don't thrash it, but you go on to say it struggles past 90. I would love to know what you are going to expect if you do start thrashing it? After all it is only an air-cooled 500 single and must be getting on for 35 years old.

Makes me settling for 60mph from my GN250 seem very tame.

Spartacus

[SteveC#222]

Remember the XBR likes revs, it will happily plod along with 4000 rpm gear changes but let it rev out to 6000 rpm and you will find it flies ( for a 500 single). Mine will do an indicated 100mph + ( on a private road - not that I ride it like that very often) but I find it best to let it rev out in fourth before you go in to fifth as this seems to be a bit of an overdrive to some extent. I think honda claimed 108 mph for the XBR when new.

There is a lot of very useful info on the www.xbr.de site if you can translate from the German.

[mthee]

Great info, Steve. When you say rev out, do you mean to the 7700 start of redline, or through that to the 8600 end? Do you find oil consumption increases when thrashing it? Cheers, Matt.

[SteveC#222]

Just found this

https://www.xbr.de/index.php/technik-beitraege/xbr-500-technik-beitraege/136-drosselung-xbr-34ps

[SteveC#222]

Great info, Steve. When you say rev out, do you mean to the 7700 start of redline, or through that to the 8600 end? Do you find oil consumption increases when thrashing it? Cheers, Matt.

Not to the red line, but 6-7k - please note I dont do this all the time!!! just once in a while to 'clear it out'  when I feel a bit hooligan!

It does tend to use a bit of oil anyway, mostly through the breather but it's been better since i fitted a one way valve on the breather pipe.

[tommy]

hi the xbr was restricted  for some markets there were two ways of doing this with either a different cam  or with carb mods ,but im sure if you had a restricted model  it would be hard to get past 70 mph  ,i  got a  gsx 750 once  and it was a restricted bike  75 mph tops till i changed a few things  on it   ,, also if you engine number starts at pc15-6 its 27 hp ,,tommy

[Mutt]

The engine itself was common for all EU markets and the restriction was on the throttle opening to achieve the local requirement for 25kw in Germany.

[iansoady]

Some years ago I bought an NX650 Domi and was surprised at how sluggish it was. It turned out to have a restricting sleeve in the inlet rubber. Replacing it with the correct part made a huge difference.

[tommy]

thats one way they restricted the xbr as well ,,tommy

[Rossco500]

Here's one of the 27ps cams for sale on eBay. I've always found the standard bike (35hp?) quite lively so it's hard to know how 27 would feel. I suppose 35 years and 40 or 50 thousand miles can take it's toll along with modern fuels. 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Honda-XBR-500-Nockenwelle-27-PS-ORIGINAL-Camshaft-27-HP-Honda-14100-MK4-710/143833687190?hash=item217d27e496:g:gewAAOSwdQFeLsdy

[hyperbimduke]

I might import another from germany to replace my stolen one, so I see two power variants advertised  27 & 44 ps so worst case it' a cam swap. Interesting...