400 or 600?

[AirArmed]

Hi all new boy here,
i know your not going to like what i want to do with an xr but just wanting some advice, i have a 2003 250 xr that i ride off road and green lane which is great fun i have had it about 3 years, i have a suzuki sv650 which i have street fightered, and now want to build a custom hardtail bobber type bike over the winter months and i want to use a xr engine for the power house i nice simple, strong, air cooled, single, very little electrical string, simple like me! i know i will need to build an oil tank of sorts i was thinking of using a larger oil cooler from a oil cooled race engine of sorts.
i intend to get an xr remove the engine and all parts i need then break the rest of the bike and use cbr forks and wheels in the new frame.
anyway enough waffling on from me i cant decide to use a 400 or a 600 so if anyone could help me,
is one stronger or more reliable than the other?
which engine is easier to get spares for?
how much power and torque do both engines have?
i know its a boring question but how much fuel do they use? does the 400 use conciderably less than the 600, i have a set size tank and am thinking about range.
how much does each engine weigh respectivley
i have seen more 400 for sale are they much more common and easier to get hold of?
thanks in advance to anyone that can offer some help and advice on anything or any opinions would be gretafully recieved.
Ollie

[Mudwiz]

Sounds a fab project!

I think the 400 could be the way to go. (I've no stats I'm afraid.) My reasoning is simple: it is still or very recently being made, spares etc and add ons are easily avaliable, common and quite cheap. I guess I'm just tight!

[boboneleg]

a bobber eh! nice one . There was one with a Transalp engine in it years ago in BSH.

[AirArmed]

if the 400 is easier to get bits for and is cheaper then that sounds like a better idea i am on a limited budget.
i have found out that the 400 is 32hp and the 600 38 hp 200cc for 6hp? i dont know about torque tho.
i want to be able to repair it easily when needed and get parts cheaper and more readoily avaliable.
i have also since found out that the 400 was made for 6 years longer than the 600.
it will be a bobber chop cruiser crosser hot rod fighter type thing cant explain i have an image in my head!
any more help would be appreciated

[xr600shinbruise]

forget the 400,your bobber will probabaly be heavier than the original xr 400 id go for an xr 600 or the more common dominator 650 motor,still plenty of cheap domis for sale and the motors are bullet proof,this motor is almost identical to the later xr 650,s. the extra grunt over the 400 will be worth it.good luck

[Pieeyedpiper]

hi all new boy here,
i know your not going to like what i want to do with an xr but just wanting some advice, i have a 2003 250 xr that i ride off road and green lane which is great fun i have had it about 3 years, i have a suzuki sv650 which i have street fightered, and now want to build a custom hardtail bobber type bike over the winter months and i want to use a xr engine for the power house i nice simple, strong, air cooled, single, very little electrical string, simple like me! I know i will need to build an oil tank of sorts i was thinking of using a larger oil cooler from a oil cooled race engine of sorts.
I intend to get an xr remove the engine and all parts i need then break the rest of the bike and use cbr forks and wheels in the new frame.
Anyway enough waffling on from me i cant decide to use a 400 or a 600 so if anyone could help me,
is one stronger or more reliable than the other?
Which engine is easier to get spares for?
How much power and torque do both engines have?
I know its a boring question but how much fuel do they use? Does the 400 use conciderably less than the 600, i have a set size tank and am thinking about range.
How much does each engine weigh respectivley
i have seen more 400 for sale are they much more common and easier to get hold of?
Thanks in advance to anyone that can offer some help and advice on anything or any opinions would be gretafully recieved.
Ollie

Heretic!!! This dis-believer MUST be burned at the stake!!!!!

[AirArmed]

how much more power does the 600 have? 6 more horses? what torque do both put out?
dont worry im still going to keep my 250 as orriginal well its have a few wires chopped out and runs no battery but there we go.

[Recycler]

Can't speak for bhp/torque figures, but had a 600 and they go well.
If you go for a 600 lump check 3rd gear hasn't gone, it's a known weakness. First tell-tale sign is a whining noise in that gear when the hardening layer wears away. Obviously it means splitting the cases to fix but the gears are all only held on the input/output shafts with circlips - not pressed on as per an XT600. Only other fault it had was eating one of the screws that holds the butterfly in the carb - oh how I laughed at the roadside....

Good luck with the project, sounds good.

[AirArmed]

thanks my only thinking for the 400 is there are more about and easier to get bits for?
wikkipidia told me that the 400 is 32hp and the 600 is 38hp is this correct? i dont have any torque figures tho.
do the 400 have any faults like that that i should look out for?
i dont know if it will be much heavier it will be a hardtail tubular frame so that wont weigh much then the engine with wither gsxr1000 forks and wheels or drzsm forks and wheels ive not decided yet. very minimalist bike.

[xr600shinbruise]

xr 400 bhp about 32 nx dominator about 43 well worth going for the bigger lump.you will notice difference,still its your own choice my friend.cheap early domis on e bay for around 5-700 shekels.ive built lots of specials and the flat tracker style suited the xr 400 motor,the domi motor was a great cafe racer special,have fun.