Honda XR M6 x 22 mm Flange Bolts: Six Part Numbers Compared (XR250 BAJA)

The XR series has reached the point where you could fairly call it a classic.
When working on one, have you ever thought, 'Hang on, where does this bolt go again?'
Or bought parts at auction and wondered whether this bolt is really the right one for this spot?
With a one-owner bike bought new, you can look at the bike itself and see the right answer: which bolt is used where.
With a used bike, though, there's a good chance that 'whatever bolts were lying around' have been fitted.

To clear up that kind of doubt, this post is about the M6 × 22 mm flange bolts used all over the Honda XR series (I'm looking at my Honda XR250 BAJA, the Japan-market XR250 / MD30).

According to the parts list, M6 × 22 mm flange bolts are used in 11 places on the BAJA and 10 places on the XR.
They don't all share the same part number, though: there are six different numbers (see below).

Looking at the parts list didn't really make it clear to me, so I bought them all and compared them. As one number has been superseded, that makes five bolts.

They're all M6 × 22 mm bolts, but they vary: different surface finishes, different sizes across the flats, different strengths.

Honda must have its reasons for using different bolts in different places, so I'll simply follow what the parts list says.

I hope this helps when you're unsure about an M6 × 22 mm bolt.
And I hope it's useful for looking after your own bike.