FlyinHawaiin
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- Nov 15, 2003
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I have only seen this bike a couple times in person and was wondering how it does on trails and how much power it has. Also how quickly it can truck up hills. Basically wondering how much torque it has.
Anyone here ride a Honda XR650R?
- Thread starter FlyinHawaiin
- Start date
More than mere words can explain.
I don't own one, but have ridden a few. They come all corked up on the showroom floor, Honda makes a Power Up™ Kit to get the bike running properly. They are heavy, but stable at speed. They handle okay in tighter going despite the heft, but I wouldn't buy one unless I planned on doing lots of "100 mph down a dirt road" type of riding.
Hope this helps.
My 650 makes a yz426 feel like it has no torque. There isn't a hill that will slow the 650 down. It handles good - it feel lighter than an XR400 in the woods, and the torque and midrange is insane. You can uncork the stock bike for $20
- cut the intake restrictor out of the manifold or buy the unrestricted one for $12.
- cut the inner baffle out of the spark arrestor with a $7 2" hole saw or
buy the $100 HRC baffle for even more power.
- remove the airbox restrictors and rejet.
Plus it is an XR - it is as reliable as an anvil.
- cut the intake restrictor out of the manifold or buy the unrestricted one for $12.
- cut the inner baffle out of the spark arrestor with a $7 2" hole saw or
buy the $100 HRC baffle for even more power.
- remove the airbox restrictors and rejet.
Plus it is an XR - it is as reliable as an anvil.
I've ridden mine on desert singletrack, but have yet to take it to the woods.
It does feel lighter than it is. (of course my previous bike was a 320 pound XL500R, so hey i consider Caddies to be light.... :laugh: )
Power? heh heh, you come to the right place pal. :yeehaw:
Ive had this thing ('02 bought new in aug '03) for a couple of months now and it still spooks me to really REALLY crack it open.
Like a Seca750 for the dirt.
Mine has the power-up kit that Hick spoke of.
Under $200 and worth every dang cent.
I believe ive heard that power output -w- the p-up kit is around 55bhp.
I supose it needs it hauling my fat @$$ around. :laugh:
Going by Honda's figures the 650r weighs about 20 pounds more than its own 400r.
The suspention is very good and the brakes are great!
Best thing to do if your thinkin about buyin one is to try one out.
I bought mine -wo- ridin first, but then those bhp numbers lured me in.
The rest was just gravy....... :p
It does feel lighter than it is. (of course my previous bike was a 320 pound XL500R, so hey i consider Caddies to be light.... :laugh: )
Power? heh heh, you come to the right place pal. :yeehaw:
Ive had this thing ('02 bought new in aug '03) for a couple of months now and it still spooks me to really REALLY crack it open.
Like a Seca750 for the dirt.
Mine has the power-up kit that Hick spoke of.
Under $200 and worth every dang cent.
I believe ive heard that power output -w- the p-up kit is around 55bhp.
I supose it needs it hauling my fat @$$ around. :laugh:
Going by Honda's figures the 650r weighs about 20 pounds more than its own 400r.
The suspention is very good and the brakes are great!
Best thing to do if your thinkin about buyin one is to try one out.
I bought mine -wo- ridin first, but then those bhp numbers lured me in.
The rest was just gravy....... :p
The best way I can explain the torque is, there isn't any hill you can't climb in any gear, as long as you could hang on. Doesn't matter if the motor is about ready to stall, just twist it, it'll pull hard right away. Waaaaaay more than the old XR600, if you've ever ridden one.
Its a long, heavy bike, so it doesn't handle *that* well in tight woods, but its surprisingly OK, again, better than the XR600 I had. The suspension is pretty good. The thing was made to go triple digits across the desert, so of course its very stable at high speeds.
Its a long, heavy bike, so it doesn't handle *that* well in tight woods, but its surprisingly OK, again, better than the XR600 I had. The suspension is pretty good. The thing was made to go triple digits across the desert, so of course its very stable at high speeds.
I bought a XR650R new 3 months ago. I have the Honda power up kit on it and a UNI filter. This bike has so much torque, it's incredible! I have ridden tight trails, dunes, hill climbs, and Mojave in these last 3 months and I have NEVER been disappointed with it. Like mentioned above, just twist the throttle and hang on. My buddy was riding a 1997 XR600 and had to gear down on hill climbs. I just pointed the XR650 uphill and held on as long as I could (novice rider!!!)
I actually considered buying a CRF230 like my brother has. Best move I ever made was spending the extra $$$ for the 650.
I actually considered buying a CRF230 like my brother has. Best move I ever made was spending the extra $$$ for the 650.
I like the big Honda, however it is a bear on tight trails when compared to a typical lighter weight bike. By comparison to a typical dual sport 650, is feels far better off road, but not lighter. They are amazing in the ability to track straight over the rough stuff. A real go very fast anywhere (but tight woods) bike.
They have nothing but low end torque in stock form, as they will not rev out at all. Uncorking them really wakes them up and has the added benefit of reducing the overheating problems during slow riding. The full power up kit includes a piston and camshaft and the resulting higher compression requires race gas. While this does increase the HP to around 55RWHP, it does nothing for the torque. The camshaft does change that wonderful smooth low end power somewhat, however it is hard to describe, as the low end really is not reduced. Maybe it is just not as typically Honda smooth with the hot camshaft.
I like the bike better in the stock, uncorked form for all around riding.
It makes an awesome dual sport bike, in my opinion, there is not a better choice anywhere.
Chris
They have nothing but low end torque in stock form, as they will not rev out at all. Uncorking them really wakes them up and has the added benefit of reducing the overheating problems during slow riding. The full power up kit includes a piston and camshaft and the resulting higher compression requires race gas. While this does increase the HP to around 55RWHP, it does nothing for the torque. The camshaft does change that wonderful smooth low end power somewhat, however it is hard to describe, as the low end really is not reduced. Maybe it is just not as typically Honda smooth with the hot camshaft.
I like the bike better in the stock, uncorked form for all around riding.
It makes an awesome dual sport bike, in my opinion, there is not a better choice anywhere.
Chris
FlyinHawaiin
Member
- Nov 15, 2003
- 53
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- Thread starter
- #8
sounds like it wouldnt be too fun picking it back up if ya wiped on a trail or wherever
whatever you do.......DO NOT BUY THIS BIKE IF YOU ARE PLANNING ON RIDING IN TIGHT WOODS..... I bought a 2002 xr 650 new and bought the power up kit on the spot. Let me put it to you this way....The bike weighs a ton and a half..You push the bike around the yard with the engine off and it will overheart......it has the worst carberation system in the world (it floods easily....leaks gas when you kill the engine on a hill blah,blah). On a cold day you cant even kick the engine over with the 20W50 engine oil it recommends. The suspension will beat you to death. I sold that thing and took a big lose just to get rid of it. That thing frustrated me so bad, I would rather go to a home interior party with the wife...(well maybe not that bad).
Like someone said earlier...that bike is made to conquer baja...if you ride baja it may be the bike for you...if you trail ride..Iwould suggest ANYTHING else.
Like someone said earlier...that bike is made to conquer baja...if you ride baja it may be the bike for you...if you trail ride..Iwould suggest ANYTHING else.
Red, i think ya musta got a lemon. :eek:
Or mebbe bigger bikes just arent your bag.
Like i mentioned in my previous post, i havent ridden mine in the woods yet, just on tight desert singletrack.
But i would just love to get this baby back home in the Pa. woods.
Honda sez it weighs 277. It doesnt feel like it.
Might feel heavy if ya weigh 150 or less, but if ya weigh in at 175 or above, no problem.
Overheat? I weigh 250, like to putt around, and ride NewMexico high desert.
If ever there was a recipe for overheating........ :confused:
Se runs cool as a cucumber, never floods, and usually starts in 3 kicks or less. (no "special" procedures required.)
Sounds like yours was jetted all wrong.
Suspention? They are supposedly sprung for a 160 / 185 lb rider.
It still does well for me. (beat you to death???) sorry, but no way. :think:
Admittedly, bikes like the KDX200, CRF250X, and WR250F are better choices for the woods (and still pack quite a punch for their size.) but the BigRedPig will perform remarkebly well in forest conditions.
If you still doubt it, ask a fella by the name of Scott Summers.
:thumb:
Or mebbe bigger bikes just arent your bag.
Like i mentioned in my previous post, i havent ridden mine in the woods yet, just on tight desert singletrack.
But i would just love to get this baby back home in the Pa. woods.
Honda sez it weighs 277. It doesnt feel like it.
Might feel heavy if ya weigh 150 or less, but if ya weigh in at 175 or above, no problem.
Overheat? I weigh 250, like to putt around, and ride NewMexico high desert.
If ever there was a recipe for overheating........ :confused:
Se runs cool as a cucumber, never floods, and usually starts in 3 kicks or less. (no "special" procedures required.)
Sounds like yours was jetted all wrong.
Suspention? They are supposedly sprung for a 160 / 185 lb rider.
It still does well for me. (beat you to death???) sorry, but no way. :think:
Admittedly, bikes like the KDX200, CRF250X, and WR250F are better choices for the woods (and still pack quite a punch for their size.) but the BigRedPig will perform remarkebly well in forest conditions.
If you still doubt it, ask a fella by the name of Scott Summers.
:thumb:
Scott Summers is a freak of nature, therefore you cant bring him into this (haha). The xr 650 that i had beat me up so badly that I seriously considered getting out of trail riding all together. Ive owned a 1999 cr 250, 96 xr 400, xr 650 and 04 yz 250 and among them all the xr was just not the bike for me. My friend who rides a 1998 xr 600 almost bought the bike when I decided to sell/give the bike away. After riding the bike around our favorite 11 mile piece of single track, he said that he wasnt even remotely interested. he said the thing was impossible to start, felt much bigger than his 600, and didnt turn through the trees as easily. The thing even boiled over on him once. Out west the bike might be just the ticket, but in tight single track, goat trails, IMO there are many better choices.
It's the best all around trail bike ever invented. You can set it up to turn better than stock. I ride mine in the woods all the time, and it does ok. You have to know how to use the power to help turn. This bike set up right friggin rules everywhere except for on the motocross track and the tightest woods. As an all around play bike it's the best I have ever ridden. Wait did'nt I say that already? Wheelies through 4th gear without even trying. Not a hill alive that it can't smoke. One thing is true though. I geared mine down cause I can't find enough open ground to get to 5th gear, its that fast. How many dirtbikes do you know of that have a top speed over 100mph with the stock gearing? It starts good if you have it jetted right. And again if you are a torque junkie this is the bike for you. One of the downfalls is that it shreds back tires so quickly that sometimes it is hard to get traction. And if you do hook up you better be laying on the bars cause the front end is coming up NOW!
