XR650R Hillclimbing

Me on my Xr650R climbing some hills

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• XR650R
• XR
• 650
• Honda
• Dirtbike
• Hill
• Hillclimb
• Climb
• Roost
• Power
• Enduro
• Sand
• hill
• Tough
• line

[wabashofutah]

This bike has sufficient hp, but I still prefer the good old CR's. They were much lighter, and once you reach the powerband on a CR500 with the proper gearing for the enviorment, no 450 or 650 can touch it.

[FlightinmyVeins]

@wabashofutah you have to remember torque numbers matter too...put a 650R on a dyno and you will see the torque numbers are much higher......you don't have to have the RPMs at the "right spot" when you crank the throttle it digs a trench....from 2000-8000 rpm....none of this "i only make good power above 5000 rpm".

[roadtoad777]

I have the 650L cuz I like the versatility of it.. I think mine is a little too much of an anchor for this though.. What do you think??

[FlightinmyVeins]

Well i'm never riden an L but the advertised weight is like 40 pounds heavier.....and my bike feels heavy to me....I weigh 170 though...

[jacobcog]

ive rode all the damn cr's yz's and rm's and there is nothing that compares to an xr 650r for hill climbing i dont care what anyone says. xr's only :)

[meg81]

Coolant leaks. I hack trails through the bush and have layed my bike down countless times even crushing a full row of fins on one of the rads, no leak. I bought my R for off road. That's what it was made for. I don't need an air cooled bike with suspension that bottoms when i even think about working it. Although i have to admit my bike was only next to amazing once i re-valved both ends. now it handles everything i throw at it.

[SkeldZ06]

Ok it must have been for me since I owned one for 4 years and successfully dual sported it. Never had any problems.

If you are ok with riding a bike that was designed in 1988 go for it. Air cooled and with less horsepower than a modern 250 four stroke. Yahoo.

I have a KTM 530 EXC now and it is a nice bike, but I still remember my XR650R fondly. I also had an XR250 and an XR400 before that...

[roadtoad777]

And the reason they discontinued it?? That "far more power" thing that was mentioned led to "far more warranty claims.." As in, stripped gears, thrown rods, etc. All that little bit of extra power comes at a price.

[roadtoad777]

If coolant leaks and punctured radiators are your idea of "fun"- the R is for you.

If a frame that needs to be welded and repaired under any significant use, the R is for you.

If you want to replace your tailbone and spine due to that wedge of a seat ramming up your ass, the R is for you.

If you want to dick around with wiring, new stators, and $500+ dollar conversion kits, and sketchy title applications (in an ever-growing list of states that are denying them..) then, the R is for you.

[SkeldZ06]

The XR650R is far more powerful and better technology than the air cooled 650L. They are easy to dual sport also. If the XR650R had an inverted fork it would have been even better. Too bad they discontinued it.

[roadtoad777]

..Actually helps me on the Big Red Pig. It is an awesome bike, though- and I love the fact that i don't have to trailer it to the trails.