XR650R's Fate and Replacement?

[dwrads]

Originally Posted by HighwayChile

dwrads, I have a clean frame , no damage that I'm going to off, DMV ran its # , its clean. no foot peg damage , jeez you'd almost be at a whole back up bike then

Since my CA license plate is attached to the VIN number on the frame I better keep the one I have.

Thanks though

DW

[KellyC]

Originally Posted by HighwayChile

dwrads, I have a clean frame , no damage that I'm going to off, DMV ran its # , its clean. no foot peg damage , jeez you'd almost be at a whole back up bike then

Is it street legal in WA?

[ThatGuyEd]

I got 1 word for your XR650 replacement...

Husqvarna.

[montesa_vr]

Originally Posted by deminimis

I hear over and over that the XR650R will be no more (although haven't seen the official word yet, but I'm sure some of you know the answer for sure). Assuming the XR650R goes the way of the dinos, any word on its replacement?

If you do a Google search on XR650R and discontinued you will discover that these rumors have been circulating for at least three years, brought on by the introduction of the motocross 450. But that's a different animal and does not compete with the XR650R.

If someone tells you 2007 is the last year of the XR650R, whip out a pen right there and write down their prophecy and the date. If the XR650R shows up in the 2008 model line, you will forever be able to remind him of it when he tries to pass tofu off as fact.

I have no idea what will happen this year, but I don't believe Honda will drop the BRP from the lineup without replacing it with something that fills the same niche. We'll know by October. I'll believe it when I read Honda's press release, not when some showoff tries to pass a guess off as fact.

[Max Power]

Originally Posted by kenaroo

This is what I'll be buying if honda doesn't come out with a replacement big bore for the XR650R.

all I'll do is but on a high low beam headlight, rear break light, a mirror and and horn..to make it a DS and go ride the West Texas Desert.!!! Oh.. did I mention a better seat (look at that 2x4!!)

Honda is missing the boat if they don't make a compairable bike....

Is that an oil leak I see?

[GodSilla]

Man, I'd keep an XR any day, as opposed to what might (or probably won't) appear "soonish".
There's a fellow somewhere on this site who has done over 300,000 kilometres on an air-cooled mid 90's XR, he's from Murray Bridge in South Australia. Sure it's had a few rebuilds, but that's still not too shabby.
Any CRF variant will most probably be maintenance intensive and be sold to the consumer as considerably lighter, which translates to "easily damaged/broken", and "wears quickly - dispose of".
It's no mystery why XR owners tend to keep them, even when other newer and supposedly sexier toys are obtained. They're bloody good.
Get one.

[davevh]

Originally Posted by ThatGuyEd

I got 1 word for your XR650 replacement...

Husqvarna.

I got 1 word for your XR650 replacement....

XR650.

[Stevevh]

Originally Posted by ThatGuyEd

I got 1 word for your XR650 replacement...

Husqvarna.

Not going to bash any makes of bikes here because they are all good for their intended purpose. The only thing that will replace a XR650R is a 650R. The Husky is a great bike, but not as a replacement for the R. It was never built to do what the 650R was built for ie Race non-stop for 15-30 hours through the worst dust and terrain available and win Baja six times in a row. There will be bigger, faster and more modern bikes that will come out but IMHO nothing so far can replace it!
All that FI, electric start etc do is create more thing to break. Try to push start a 350lb bike in silt or 6inch of mud!
My 650R will be with me until there are no more spare parts available.

Steve

[kenaroo]

Originally Posted by Stevevh

Not going to bash any makes of bikes here because they are all good for their intended purpose. The only thing that will replace a XR650R is a 650R. The Husky is a great bike, but not as a replacement for the R. It was never built to do what the 650R was built for ie Race non-stop for 15-30 hours through the worst dust and terrain available and win Baja six times in a row. There will be bigger, faster and more modern bikes that will come out but IMHO nothing so far can replace it!
All that FI, electric start etc do is create more thing to break. Try to push start a 350lb bike in silt or 6inch of mud!
My 650R will be with me until there are no more spare parts available.

Steve

As much as I love my XR.. IT can be made so much better from the factory.. look at all the upgrades everyone does to this bike. I'd much rather have a XR650 Baja...than a KTM 690 baja if it was offered.

I love to see a new XR650R.. EFI, USD forks, 30lbs lighter, higher output electrics, Lower center of gravity (like ktms under seat tank) etc.. etc.

What would we be willing to pay? $8 to $9K if it was super trick out of the box.

[Sycamore]

Originally Posted by kenaroo

As much as I love my XR.. IT can be made so much better from the factory.. look at all the upgrades everyone does to this bike. I'd much rather have a XR650 Baja...than a KTM 690 baja if it was offered.

I love to see a new XR650R.. EFI, USD forks, 30lbs lighter, higher output electrics, Lower center of gravity (like ktms under seat tank) etc.. etc.

What would we be willing to pay? $8 to $9K if it was super trick out of the box.

For that kind of money I'd probably go for one of the euro-chic thumpers.

Part of the attraction of the XRR for me is that I picked up an almost-new, totally stock bike for $5k. What I get for that is one of the most enduring, powerful 650 motors ever made, contained in a very basic, no-frills, minimal package that I can do whatever I want with.

Someone else on this board described the XRR as a "project" or a "platform". I think thats true. Off the shelf and uncorked with suspemsion dialled in for rider weight, it's ready to do what it was designed to do - race. From there on, it's a project. Bigger tank, seat mods, rack... it starts turning into something totally different. It's up to you.

But the starting point is cheap, tough and very effective. That's a good base, and that's what I like to start from.

[kenaroo]

I agree with most of your points... but knowing the reliablity of my XR650R and I had a choice of super trick 650 race bikes Euro or Jap around the same price.. I'd still go XR.. there's not one euro bike or manufacture that has proven to make a better bike.

I like the low "base" price of the XR and realitive small cost to upgrade it into a pro level desert racer.

I'd just like to see what Honda could manufacture for the same price point of the euro bikes like the KTM baja..

I'd bet it would be awesome!

Originally Posted by Sycamore

For that kind of money I'd probably go for one of the euro-chic thumpers.

Part of the attraction of the XRR for me is that I picked up an almost-new, totally stock bike for $5k. What I get for that is one of the most enduring, powerful 650 motors ever made, contained in a very basic, no-frills, minimal package that I can do whatever I want with.

Someone else on this board described the XRR as a "project" or a "platform". I think thats true. Off the shelf and uncorked with suspemsion dialled in for rider weight, it's ready to do what it was designed to do - race. From there on, it's a project. Bigger tank, seat mods, rack... it starts turning into something totally different. It's up to you.

But the starting point is cheap, tough and very effective. That's a good base, and that's what I like to start from.

[Stevevh]

Originally Posted by kenaroo

I agree with most of your points... but knowing the reliablity of my XR650R and I had a choice of super trick 650 race bikes Euro or Jap around the same price.. I'd still go XR.. there's not one euro bike or manufacture that has proven to make a better bike.

I like the low "base" price of the XR and realitive small cost to upgrade it into a pro level desert racer.

I'd just like to see what Honda could manufacture for the same price point of the euro bikes like the KTM baja..

I'd bet it would be awesome!

I agree Ken! Good points!

[Tee Dee Mmm]

Originally Posted by Max Kool

Is that true? Over here the Xchallenge is in the same leage as the KTM 640 Adv or the 625 SXC and the XR650R for example. Take for instance the prices in Italy (where the XR650R is still available with electric start even ).

XR650R: 8800,- Euros
Xchallenge: 8630,- Euros

The XR650R has been dropped by our unwise people at Honda Australia as well as the XR650L they expect you to buy the CRF450-Not in the same league.
Also on price here in AUSSIE
X Challange $15,000 aud
defunct XR650R $10,990 aud
DR650 se $7,690 aud

Regards Aussie

[KellyC]

Honda has released the 08 650L which, in the past, was released with the rest of the "off road bikes." They almost always release the 650L and the 650R at the same time.

The still haven't released the 250X, 450X, or 650R, which means they are saving them until the convention this fall.

This could be a very good sign or a very bad sign for the 650R.

[Max Power]

God Bless my R....