PART ONE

Some motorcycles stay with you long after you first see them. Not because they are the fastest or flashiest, but because they offer a style of riding that feels genuine and rewarding. For me, that motorcycle is the Honda XL600LM-F, a classic adventure bike built for endurance and reliability.

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With my rose-tinted glasses firmly in place, I like to think that owning an XL600LM-F is about far more than practicality or convenience. It is about character, presence and the quiet pull of something that feels special the moment you lay eyes on it. This is the kind of motorcycle that creates stories without trying, encourages conversation wherever it stops, and forges a connection with people who may never have given bikes a second glance before.

I am more than willing to set aside the realities. Parts will not always be easy to come by, maintenance will be hands-on, and ownership will demand patience, care and a willingness to get involved. Riding a machine of this age is rarely a case of simply turning the key and heading off without a thought. Each journey carries the expectation that a little preparation, attention and mechanical sympathy will be required.

None of that detracts from the appeal. In fact, it is part of it. This is not about logic or convenience, nor about choosing the easiest option. It is about emotion, nostalgia and the simple desire to own something with soul.

I do not want one because it makes sense. I want one because it makes me feel something.

For those not familiar with this bike, let’s breakdown this 80’s gem from Honda in a bit more detail:

Engine and Performance

• Air-cooled, four-stroke single-cylinder engine aka a thumper
• Honda RFVC (Radial Four Valve Combustion) design
• Displacement: just under 600cc
• Twin carburettors for that mechanical, hands-on feel
• Five-speed gearbox
• Unique red engine producing 45 hp at 6500 rpm
• Torque 48.8 Nm at 5000 rpm
• Hopefully a working electric start and if not, you have to rely on the kickstart, which means you will never skip leg day

Suspension, Chassis, and Braking

• Front: air-adjustable leading-axle forks
• Rear: Pro-Link single shock
• Long suspension travel for rough terrain, deserts and of course a trip to the coffee shop
• Brakes: single front disc, rear drum

Practicality and Rider Comfort

• Fuel tank: 28 litres for those extended rides in the wilds of the Peak District and beyond
• Seat height: 860mm for a commanding riding position
• Ground clearance: 274mm for uneven terrain
• Wet weight: 189kg, manageable-ish for touring or off-road
• Designed for long-distance journeys, creating stories and having adventures

A love for classic adventure motorcycles

Over the past few years, I’ve found myself developing a growing appreciation for classic adventure motorcycles and rugged dual-sport bikes. Perhaps that comes with being in my fifties. The XL600LM-F captures a period when motorcycles were built with durability at their core. Its simplicity, mechanical honesty and sense of purpose make it feel like more than just a machine; it has the air of a trusted companion rather than a disposable object.

This is the sort of bike you would instinctively glance back at after parking it. It would look entirely at home pulled up outside the Bike Shed in London, just as it would leaning against the wall of a cow shed in the middle of nowhere – it looks right wherever it ends up, a bit like an old Land Rover.

While I already own both a large adventure bike in the Tiger 1200 and a lightweight dual-sport in my CRF300L, neither offers the same romance in isolation. They lack the sense of occasion that comes with a Paris–Dakar-inspired machine. The XL600LM-F stirs something different – the satisfaction of getting an older bike running just right, the connection built through understanding its mechanics, and the emotions that come from trusting it to carry you on long journeys, potentially across continents.

There is just one rather significant problem: I don’t own one, largely because I have been unable to find one.

I have trawled all the usual places without success. From time to time an XL600LM-F appears on a classic motorcycle website, but more often than not these listings seem to have been gathering digital dust for years, offering little more than false hope rather than a genuine opportunity to buy.

Today, though, something changed. I came across a low-mileage XL600LM-F, priced somewhere close to sensible, and now I am watching the clock, waiting for 9AM so I can make the call. The number is there, the advert looks current, and for the first time in a long while it feels real. Could this finally be the one?

(Note: It’s not the one in the picture by the way.)

So, will it turn out to be what I have been searching for all along? And if it does, will the reality of owning a bike like this live up to the romantic picture I have built in my mind, or will that romance be tested by the practical demands of a close relationship with an ageing thumper?

To be continued – Check back for part two

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