One of my riding buddies baught an XR650R. :excuseme:
I have an XR600R. :thumbsup:

I was reading the bike comparison in the magazine
"Dirt Bike" when the XR650R came out. They compared it to the XR600R. According to "Dirt Bike" the 650 was a 600 with more of everything. They said the 2 things that the XR600R was better at than the XR650R was weight and comfort. And the only thing that they weren't sure about
was reliability. :confused: They said only time will tell.
The 600 has a reputaion for being unbreakable. The 650 to me seems more finicky. :eek:

What do you guys think. :prof:
Pros/Cons of 600
Pros/Cons of 650

The XR600R and XR650R "Are the best off-road bike's ever built very very reliable". (personal opinion)

I own a XR600R and it's bullet - proof with the right maintanence it kick's booty, and will beat any newer 4T bike in any off-road race. And with newer aftermarket upgrades it look's sick.

About the XR650R im still waiting to buy it. But from coments that i have heard the bike bullet proof for off-road (Dez especially.....).

My question is if Team Honda raced a XR600R (99 or 2000) with upgrades. will it win over XR650R or KTM XC525 or YZ450F, the bike is bullet proof and can reach 100 + MPH. Can Honda win with a XR600R?????


DRZ Motorsports 119

It seems to me that before the KX500 pulled out of the Baja that Kawasaki dominated the race period. The 600 was not even close. I have owned both the XR600 and I own the XR650. The XR650 when uncorked is a better bike at everything. Before I uncorked my 650 I was disappointed cause it's performance was only a little better than my 600.

The 600 was definitely a solid durable bike but so is the 650. I really believe that when the XR650 is ridden recreationaly it is pretty close to indestructible.

Just my opinion. I do wish I had kept my XR600 cause it was plated and I have been unable to get my 650 plated here in Washington. I should have kept it as a loaner.

Remember when Kawasaki was in Baja?? They'd have helocopters and radios. They had the best support structure of any team down there. Then Danny Hamel crashed in 1995, killing him (1972 - 1995). Kawasaki pulled out after that.
Has it been TEN YEARS already???

Honda started doing what Kawasaki did, only after Kawasaki pulled put. I'm sure that if Johnny Campbell would have had the same team support structure as Kawasaki, he would have kicked everyone's butts with his XR600.

1990 XR600R :thumbsup:

I can still roost and leave behind the new 450's! :thumbsup:

It walks up almost any hill with ease. :thumbsup:

Old_Man_Time said:

The real question is are they doing the baja faster for the same course?

If so you may say the 650R is faster, if same then no difference.

If Kawak were still racing the 500KX would still whip the XR600 or 650 or whatever 4 stroke Honda would run as the 500KX is plain nasty in the desert.

Side by side the KX500 gets up to speed much faster and there are handfuls of you US guys who can ride the ring off them (and probably raced for team green I guess?)

So the 650R is not the king of the desert. If it's the only brand racng then really saying you're the king is shallow. Heck if no one else raced a Z50 would therefore win.

In a real open baja race the 2 smokers hose the strokes. Especially big monster 2 strokes like the KX

Now wouldn't it be interesting if some US well funded privateer got together and built a CR500 desert bike and went and hosed team Honda... Where would they be then?

I bet Honda has JC tied to a no 2 strokes clause - if a guy like him was let near a big 2 stroke - sayaonara Honda's ownership of Baja

A lot of water has gone under the bridge in the last 5 years and in most cases "time has told". Talk to anyone who has owned both bikes and you will generally find that the 650 continues the reputation for durability of the 600, but at a much higher level of performance. Both bikes expereinced very few potential failures, particularly when looking at the current generation of somewhat fragile "racing" four strokes.

Even weight is almost the same and the reality is that the 650 "feels" lighter and carries it's weight better with a much stiffer chasis. Honda even made the 600 for an additional year when the 650 came out, prepared for howls of protest from the XR faithfull that never materialized. The fact is the 650R simply was the NEW 600, and they share a lot of attributes. Even after five years of no real developement, there is no other bike that combines the 50+ hp performance of a modern MX-based four stroke with old fashioned four stroke reliability and maintenance intervals. :thumbsup:

BRP-rider said:

I cant imagine a better Desert bike than a CR500AF with an XR650 fork on it.

Especially if it was done with the CRF chassis. (Less rake than the CR250)

There isnt a hill I dont think Id feel comfortable throwing my CR500 at, and there are lots and lots that I wont try to hack away at on the CRF or the XR...