Honda XR600R ZeThumper Looks Utterly Delicious, Should be Just as Exciting to Ride

The motorcycle we’ll be looking at today is no different, pieced together back in 2021 for a client and good friend named Aaron. It wasn’t the first build he’d commissioned to PopBang Classics, so the guy had already witnessed what Justin can pull off first-hand. Among the previous projects was a wild, supercharged Honda CB550 dubbed ZeBlower, but things took a more practical turn this time around.

As the starting point, Aaron went with an XR600R from the model-year 1995, which had been used as a farm bike and was in pretty decent shape. He wanted a rowdy, light, and fast machine with modernized electronics and grey paintwork, but just about all the other details were left up to Justin. Deciding to go down the scrambler route, our protagonist wasted no time digging in.

First, the old Honda got taken apart and placed on the workbench, then it was time for the intricate structural mods to get underway. Justin kept the original XR forks but had them shortened by 120 millimeters (4.7 inches) to achieve a more aggressive, forward-leaning posture. The internals have been rebuilt accordingly, before the project’s author turned his attention to the footwear department.

He did away with the factory hoops and contacted John Titman Racing to arrange the alternatives. These were pieced together using Talon wheel hubs, stainless-steel spokes, and Excel rims measuring 19 inches up north and 18 inches down south. Both wheels were ultimately shod in dual-purpose Scorpion Rally rubber from Pirelli’s catalog. This XR600R won’t be doing much off-roading without any fenders, but the beefy tires are still a nice addition, for sure.

The brakes were rebuilt and fitted with new drilled rotors from States MX at both ends, also gaining premium master cylinders along the way. Justin decided to retain the stock rear suspension, as well, simply getting it refurbished to ensure optimal performance for many more years. Up top, the shock absorber connects to a fresh subframe, which was built from scratch as a looped tubular structure.

A discreet LED lighting strip is embedded into the rearmost portion of the steel tubing, and we notice a custom saddle placed up top. The black leather seat was put together by Jamo at Timeless Auto Trim, with a rad stitch pattern echoing the chunky treads found on the bike’s Pirelli tires. There is a fiberglass electronics box living right below the seat padding, accompanied by what looks like an intricate side cover on the right.

The latter is in fact part of a handmade airbox, which is far more interesting than the conventional pod filters normally found on these sorts of machines. It feeds a Mikuni TM42 flat-slide carburetor, but we’ll get to the other powertrain mods a bit later on. Above the single-cylinder mill lies the repurposed fuel tank of a Honda XL, thoroughly refurbished and modified prior to installation.

Further ahead in the cockpit area, you’ll come across a digital Motogadget Motoscope Mini dial fronted by a new handlebar. Billet control levers, stylish grips, and fresh switches are also present in that area, while a high-grade LED headlight from Purpose Built Moto illuminates the way ahead. Moreover, there are small Motogadget turn signals attached to the headlight mounts.

You’ll find a couple of other bits worth mentioning out back, including a Vortex rear sprocket and a swingarm-mounted license plate holder. Purpose Built Moto supplied a Black Box controller for the electronics, too, and there are no loose wires left in sight. Now then, we can finally turn our attention back to the XR600’s engine, which was thoroughly rebuilt and upgraded inside out.

Internally, the thumper had already been fitted with a higher-spec crankshaft and connecting rod under previous ownership. These bits were clearly worth keeping, but Justin took things a step further by boring out the cylinder and installing a bigger Wiseco piston within. Oh, and that custom-made clutch cover is a work of art in and of itself, featuring transparent plexiglass to expose the pressure plate.

The new exhaust plumbing doesn’t disappoint, either – a bespoke high-mounted setup made of stainless-steel. Lastly, the motorcycle was nicknamed ZeThumper and it only needed an appropriate color scheme before being handed back to Aaron. The gas tank was wrapped in three different shades of grey along with Honda logos on the flanks, but the frame, wheels, and swingarm were all finished in black like the forks and much of the engine.