Francesco Paura resurrects a legendary thumper… In 1983, Honda released the original RFVC (Radial Four Valve Combustion) single-cylinder dirt bikes, which were destined to become icons of a generation. With a hemispherical combustion chamber, centrally […]
Tag: Honda XL
Simple, Honest, Timeless: Honda XL600R Paris-Dakar
For Sale: Incredibly well-preserved XL600R Dakar from Italy’s Ruote Celeri… By the mid-1980s, the Paris-Dakar Rally had become a global phenomenon, and the big manufacturers were working feverishly to outpace one another across the Sahara […]
Little Red: 250cc Honda XL125R Restomod
A 250-powered XL125 Restomod from 1008 Moto Garage… In 1982, Honda replaced the beloved XL125S with the XL125R — a similar dual-sport machine but with Pro-Link single-shock rear suspension, 12-volt electrics, and new styling. These […]
Big Single Thunderbike: Honda XL600S Tracker
Honda XL600R Thunderbike from Fuchs Workshop… Last week we had the pleasure of featuring the #48 Honda 650 flat tracker of professional racer Niko Sorbo, built by Italy’s Fuchs Workshop to compete in the Thunderbike […]
War Machine: Honda XL125S Baja 1000 Racer
Greg Gilson’s 1980 Honda XLS 125 “War Machine”… Today we’re back with a follow-up piece about the 1980 Honda XL125S desert racer of Greg Gilson (@greggils42), whose 2025 Baja 1000 experience we profiled in our […]
The Fresh Prince: Nitrous-Boosted Honda XL200R Scrambler
Glow Up: One Moto Show Standout from Red Right Hand… Mike Schroeder of Red Right Hand of Moto may manage a Montana Harley-Davidson dealership, but his love for bikes extends well beyond Milwaukee-born V-twins, […]
Triple XL: Three Honda XL500 Motocrossers!
GPgarage Moto builds a trio of four-stroke Honda motocrossers… Introduced in 1979, the Honda XL500 would become one of the most successful dual-purpose bikes of the era, combining a 32-hp version of the XR500 engine […]
Honda XL500S Flat Tracker
In 1979, Honda released the XL500S, a single-cylinder dual-purpose machine developed to compete with the Yamaha XT500, winner of the first two runnings of the Paris Dakar Rally. The bike had important improvements over the […]
The Fat Lady Sings: Honda Varadero 1000 Scrambler
Introduced in 2001, the Honda XL1000V Varadero was an interesting machine. Honda took the 996cc 97-bhp V-twin from their VTR 1000 Firestorm / SuperHawk and put it in an adventure-touring chassis. The result was a […]
Dakar Dualie: Honda XL600LM Resto
ZZ Moto restores a limited-edition Honda thumper… By the mid-1980s, the Paris Dakar Rally had become an immensely popular event on the world stage, and the big factories were competing hard to develop the […]





